People make New Year's resolutions, we are told, because January1 represents a clean slate of sorts and an opportunity to startover. 

By about the first of February, however, many of theseresolutions have been either broken or forgottenaltogether. The year is under way, and it is all too easyto slip back into old patterns of behavior. 

For claims professionals, the secret to a successful 2014 is notin sticking to New Year's resolutions, but in identifying andfocusing on a few major priorities. In our work with claimsorganizations of all sizes, we see four major areas that demandattention in 2014.

Read on to learn about the four prioritiesclaims organizations must set in order to be successful.

1. Think about the future. Newtechnologies, from the cloud to Big Data to collaboration tomobility – have helped lower claims costs and increase customersatisfaction. Each new technology comes with its ownset of challenges in terms of implementation.

While dealing with the nuts and boltsof new technologies, however, it is vital to think about those justover the horizon, such as smart buildings, driverless cars, and wearable devices. The driverlesscar, for example, has the potential to turn not just the claimsfunction but the entire automobile industry on itshead. Giving serious consideration to the implications ofthese disruptive technologies should be a top priority for2014.

See related: 5 Insurance Tech Trends for 2014

2. Think about theworkforce. After the cost reductions thatfollowed the financial crisis of 2008, companies grewaccustomed to doing more with less. Many stoppedhiring and relied upon automation—as well as an increased workloadfor those claims professionals still in place—to get the jobdone. 

Now, however, it is time to think about the demographics, morale, and direction of the claimsworkforce. Too many companies rely on a cadre of veteranswho are just five or 10 years from retirement. Ifyou don't have programs in place to attract, then develop and retain claimsprofessionals, it is time to start thinking about it.

See related: Four Steps P&C Insurers Must Take to RecruitTalent

Some leading P&C insurers have established partnerships withcolleges and universities to develop claims talent, ahigh-potential avenue to explore. 

3. Think about fraud.  The recentattacks on major retailers' credit card networks are emblematic ofthe organized, highly sophisticated groups engaging in computerfraud. Equally sophisticated groups are hard at work onthe next phase of property and casualty insurancescams. It is time to take a look at how high your fraudbarriers are. Predictiveanalytics, social media monitoring, patternrecognition, and other anti-fraud technologies are advancingrapidly, but fraudsters evolve their own tactics at high speed aswell. It takes constant effort to keep up with fraudsters,and more effort to get ahead of them.
 
It's worth keeping in mind that, while sophisticated analytics saveinsurers money on claims paid, they also reduce the manual effortneeded to review and process data, and reduce the overall number offraudulent claims that need to be managed. These resourcescan be directed to claims demanding specialized knowledge andpersonal attention.

4. Think about the customer. Theclaims experience remains the moment of truth for customers, thetime when the P&C insurance organization gets to deliver onwhat it has promised. That has not changed. Whathas changed, however, is the extent to which the customer is nowinvolved in the claims process. 

This year is the time to review how you are empowering yourcustomers to monitor risks, to report on first notice of loss viamobile devices, or to follow up on the status of claims directlyvia text or email.   Customer involvement canspeed up claims processing while bolstering customer satisfaction,so it is time to explore every possible avenue to make the customerpart of the solution.
 
These four priority areas might seem like a fairly heavy workloadfor 2014, and they are. It is important, however, to makesure that the "basics" are covered as well. Ongoingprograms to automate manual processes, to provide multiple channelsfor customers to file claims (including mobile applications,websites, and telephone/text), and to incorporate analytics intoclaims evaluation all demand continuing attention and resources.Tried and true management techniques—such as careful diagnostics ofexisting processes—can still yield significant results in terms ofincreased effectiveness and lower costs. 

Michael A. Costonis is a managing director in Accenture Property and Casualty Insurance Services. He is basedin Philadelphia and may be reached at [email protected].