USE OF FEEDBACK AND REINFORCEMENT TO INCREASE THE TELEPHONE REPORTING OF INDEPENDENT AUTOMOBILE APPRAISERS

This case study describes a behavioral management program to modify the performance of employees of independent appraisal firms involved in the processing of insurance claims. Delays in appraising and reporting automobile damages had produced a corresponding delay in the payment of claims. The latter slowed the productivity of the claim department and often led to customer dissatisfaction, complaints and time consuming telephone conversations to explain the delay. Although appraisers were required by a contractual agreement. to report financial estimates of damages within twenty-four hours after receiving a request, informal observations indicated that appraisal forms typically failed to meet this criteria.