Question

The insurance company you work for plans to raise all premiums for health care coverage for its customers. Your boss has asked you to proofread a letter she drafted to customers announcing the new, higher rates. The first two paragraphs discuss some exciting medical advances and the expanded coverage offered by the company. Only in the final paragraph do customers learn that they must pay more for coverage starting next year. Describe the ethical implications of this draft. What changes would you suggest? If your boss tells you not to make content changes, what will you do, and why?

Answer 1

The ethical implication found in my boss’s draft deals with what I like to call, “smoke in mirrors”. The fact that my boss has intentionally created a strategic mirage for customers to focus on these newly founded exciting medical advances and expanded coverage options, to leverage any validity to raise their coverage could be considered astute in the eyes of the deliverer. But, is this the best way to convey the message of raising their coverage? I say, no! Why not be transparent with the customer and inform them properly by stating facts (If they are indeed facts). Why not express the company’s desire to optimize different levels of coverage to offer their customers to potentially consider? When developing a plan to ensure there’s return on investment, why not give options to “sell” to your customer. In the end, if your customer is happy with what they’re receiving because of trust, then they’re more susceptible to consider other options to potentially invest into.

If my boss tells me not to make content changes, then I would simply explain to them to consider things from the receiving end of the spectrum. I would ask them to consider their reaction to their car insurance company sending them a notice in the mail stating the company now offers exciting advanced and expanded vehicle coverage options, and at the beginning of next year, their premiums will be raised whether those options affect them or not. Then, within the next 6 or 7 seconds after conveying that message, I'd ask my boss to reconsider their message of smoke and mirrors, and deliver a message of care and transparency to the customer to ensure we are considered trustworthy to continue deserving their investment.