RESOURCE CENTER

Progyny scales from five to 180+ customers through personalization.

October 2021 • 5-minute read

There was a time when seeing your name in an email subject line was enough to make your digital experience feel personalized. Today, however, consumers have higher standards, with 66% of customers expecting companies to understand their unique needs. This data proves that personalized experiences are essential to a business’ success and growth. Personalization is especially critical in the healthcare industry, where customized content is often lacking. Only 40% of consumers say communications from the healthcare and life sciences industries feel relevant.

As a leading fertility-benefits management company, Progyny understood the importance of delivering personalized content to its patients, so company leaders decided to scale their personalization efforts to create experiences unique to their customers’ needs.

Growing from just five customers in 2016 to partnering today with over 180 large employers in 2021, including Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook, and Salesforce, the company needed a way to manage continuous growth and deliver a fantastic member experience unmatched in the industry. It’s safe to say its efforts succeeded. Today, Progyny supports more than 2.8 million members on their path to parenthood. It’s estimated that 10% to 20% of their members are driving interaction through the portal.

Read on to see how the innovative fertility-benefits company turned the insurance model on its head — creating a secure, high-touch digital experience that supports members at every stage of their fertility journey. You can also get tips for how to create a digital experience that scales as your business grows.

“Because we’re a carve-out benefit, everything we do has to be superior to what a traditional health plan would do.”

David Schlanger
CEO, Progyny

1. Offer patients convenience and simplicity.

All generations prioritize convenience over brand, according to the 4th edition State of the Connected Consumer. Brands that make it easy to do business will maintain a competitive advantage over those that don’t. In the healthcare industry, self-sufficiency and the ability to easily access health records are important to the patient-provider relationship.

Like many other healthcare companies, Progyny managed a lot of its customer touchpoints through email or over the phone. To offer a more convenient experience, Progyny decided to invest in technology that would save time for its employees, streamline operations for employers, and simplify engagement with patients. This resulted in a one-stop digital experience that incorporates tools from the consumer world, like online appointment requests, bill payment, authorization requests, and streamlined access to the resources members need to understand their benefits and the fertility process.

With Salesforce Experience Cloud, Progyny made it easier for members to self-serve online while empowering fertility specialists to focus on clinical support, while Progyny’s fertility coaches provide emotional support. The improved experience is reflected in the company's Net Promoter Score, which is over 4x higher than the industry average.

“Healthcare — along with the rest of the world — is moving into a digital space. Salesforce enables us to do that well while maintaining an exceptional member experience, which is vital to our core mission and values.”

Lissa Kline
SVP, Provider and Member Services, Progyny

2. Involve sales as “change ambassadors.”

Data can uncover valuable patterns of how customers have engaged with a brand or business. Web page visits, online communications, and purchases are some examples of behavioral customer data that can help reveal customer profiles and areas of interest.

With a wealth of data in one place, Progyny uses Salesforce to personalize every facet of the member's fertility journey — from care plans to specially curated content, including videos, podcasts, and other vetted resources. For example, a member dealing with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) may receive targeted content that’s relevant to the treatment path she’s considering, and a member who is exploring surrogacy would receive information tailored to her options.

Members are also assigned a dedicated patient care advocate (PCA) to help them understand the risks and benefits of treatment options and provide emotional support through the ups and downs. The 1-to-1 experience between patients and their PCA is one of the primary ways Progyny engages with its members, and technology is the fuel behind the enhanced and tailor-made experience. It’s that level of personalized support — supplemented by resources and information that’s easily accessible through the portal — that inspires deeper patient-provider relationships and ultimately results in better outcomes.

“Babies have been named after our patient care advocates. We’ve created a trust and bond with our members that is unmatched.”

Lissa Kline
SVP, Provider and Member Services, Progyny

3. Keep data secure without sacrificing ease of use.

Eighty-eight percent of consumers are more loyal to companies they trust. Consumer trust and confidence grow with transparent communications around data. According to the Connected Healthcare Consumer report, one thing consumers evaluate insurers on is quick access to their records.

Being in the healthcare space, Progyny takes patient privacy very seriously. Salesforce’s entire Customer 360 Platform was built with HIPAA compliance in mind, making it easy for the company to maintain control of its data while accommodating HIPAA regulations. Progyny uses Salesforce Shield to assist with HIPAA regulations. There are other tools that also help support a holistic HIPAA-compliant execution on digital experiences such as Marketing Cloud, Heroku, and MuleSoft.

The member portal also gives members private, one-on-one access to their patient care advocate so they can communicate — anytime, anywhere — without having to disclose personal information to everyone around them. This is made possible through Salesforce Chatter, a secure messaging tool which allows Progyny to chat with members securely.

“If they’re in the office, members don’t necessarily want their colleagues hearing about their IVF cycle — so the member portal provides them a way to communicate with their patient care advocate in a safe and private way.”

Lissa Kline
SVP, Provider and Member Services, Progyny

4. Build an infrastructure that supports growth and change.

The global fertility services market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 8% between 2021–2026, according to a new report by Research and Markets. As more employers offer fertility and family-building benefits, Progyny needed to prepare for massive scale, no matter what curveballs came its way.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Progyny didn’t skip a beat. That’s because the organization had already invested in the infrastructure needed to provide members with an individualized and seamless digital experience. As its business grows, it is able to scale without compromising experience. As the healthcare industry continues to grapple with ever-changing expectations, Progyny is prepared for a future that promises to be more digital and patient-centric.

“As the CEO, I get to worry about everything. Problems find my desk. One thing I don’t worry about is our technical infrastructure and its ability to suit our needs both now and in the future.”

David Schlanger
CEO, Progyny