Denplan bites hard on document automation

Dental payment plan provider Denplan has implemented a document automation system to update communications with customers more flexibly and comply with new regulations.

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Denplan head of IT Phil Metcalf said the company's existing legacy systems had a number of template documents used to communicate with customers at set times hardwired into core code. To alter any of the documents would have meant wading through millions of lines of code.

This is especially important in making sure FSA (Financial Services Authority) regulations on keeping customers informed of ongoing developments are complied with.

Metcalf selected a document generation system from specialist supplier Thunderhead, which gives his team the flexibility to recode in a modular fashion the more than 270 document templates Denplan uses to communicate with dental patients.

One of the benefits of this flexibility is the ability to streamline the templates. Previously, the company used 27 welcome letter templates. It now only uses two but is able to tweak them for 1,500 separate scenarios.

Metcalf said: "These documents are critical to the business because they are the primary channel of communication with customers. Some customers may only get one communication a year, so it's important to get that document right."

The Thunderhead system means that communications can be personalised, giving customers more of the information they need, cutting down on in-bound customer enquiries. The added information also means the company has cut 9,200 outbound calls per year.

Operationally, the automated document creation system has reduced document template changes from an average of five to two days.