Enrollment systems are great at handling routine situations. But real life isn’t routine. It happens time and time again: an employee hits a wall because their situation doesn’t fit neatly into a system workflow. Our team is passionate about helping employees through those challenging situations where they would otherwise feel stuck. Keep reading for a quick example of how personalized, human support can change everything.

Stuck in Benefits Limbo Due to a Car Accident

Recently, an employee reached out to us from the hospital. She had been unable to enroll in benefits during the new hire enrollment window due to an unexpected hospitalization after a serious car accident. By the time she realized her enrollment deadline had passed, it was too late. The enrollment system would not allow her to enroll. Further complicating matters, the hospital would not discharge her without proof of active medical coverage.

The challenge: Information and enrollment systems can’t handle this level of complexity.

This wasn’t a technical glitch. The systems involved – both the hospital’s and the company’s – were working exactly as designed. They simply weren’t built to handle urgent, real-life situations that fall outside a predefined order of operations.

The solution: Expert, friendly, on-demand support.

Fortunately for this employee, she didn’t have to navigate this situation alone. She reached out to a TOC team member who immediately assessed the various obstacles and mapped out a resolution plan that included: 

• Ongoing communication with the employee to listen to her concerns and provide reassurance.
• Accessing the enrollment system and approving an appeal.
• Working directly with the carrier to process an urgent enrollment outside the system’s standard rules.
• Securing confirmation of coverage and providing the employee with a copy of her medical ID card on the same day.

The outcome: Relieved employee, happy HR team.

The employee expressed relief and gratitude that someone helped her through this complicated and stressful situation. She was able to be released from the hospital and left with active medical coverage in place.

As for the HR team, rather than getting pulled away from strategic work, they were able to stay focused on business priorities with the confidence that TOC would handle their employee’s difficult situation quickly and with great care, just as they would have if they’d handled it themselves.

This story demonstrates why human interactions provide better outcomes than systems alone, for individuals and organizations alike.

To learn more about how the Orientation Company can help reduce friction and create positive experiences that leave a lasting impression, click here to request a consultation with sales.

---

ABOUT THE ORIENTATION COMPANY

At The Orientation Company, we partner with clients nationwide to provide full-service HR/benefit solutions that make their culture shine. Leveraging our decades of industry experience and a “people over everything” mentality, we help companies achieve excellence around new hire onboarding, long-term care insurance and other special-purpose enrollments, annual enrollment, employee service, and communications. Ultimately, we exist to help our clients maximize their return on investment in benefits while improving their employees’ lives.