Blogs
February 20, 2024
Transforming Customer Experiences with eForms
Read about the six advantages of eForms over paper and PDFs.
Alaska revolutionized applying for the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by implementing an ILINX-powered electronic form. The new process replaces the state’s 28-page paper application with a single web-based experience that applicants can access from any device including mobile phones. The eForm streamlines applications by using conditional logic to tailor them to the individual. It facilitates supplemental information collection by allowing applicants to submit supporting documents directly with the application.
Within a week, Alaska’s SNAP eForm reversed the state’s 40% paper application abandonment rate, taking in more than 260 online applications with an average completion time of just 20 minutes. ILINX workflows on the back end now mean that staff spend less time manually processing each application, enabling them to resolve the state’s SNAP application backlog. This new experience directly improves the lives of Alaskans. The state’s backlog represented families waiting for critical food assistance, and abandonment rates equated to citizens giving up on seeking help.
Despite the benefits of eForms, many organizations continue to use paper or online forms like fillable PDFs. These forms often require users to have access to PDF software, printers, scanners, and even fax machines to complete and submit them. These outdated forms discourage completion and delay processes. Here are six ways that eForms enable better customer experiences.
1. Improved Access and Submission
Unlike PDF or paper forms, eForms are accessible anytime, anywhere, and from any device. They can be saved and returned to at another time. eForms never get stuck in the printer, crumpled at the bottom of a bag, or lost in the mail. They enable users to complete all steps in a forms-based process by attaching supplemental files with their submission. They break the download/fill/attach/email cycle to streamline the complete-and-submit process.
2. Data Population from Connected Systems
Integrating eForms with databases and line-of-business systems saves your customers valuable time and energy. Instead of forcing them to enter everything manually, eForms draw from connected systems to populate data like full names, addresses, case manager, etc. Any information already known to the business can be automatically populated.
3. Conditional Form Logic
Standard forms are a catch-all designed to intake any information the organization might need from every customer. While this wide-net approach has business benefits, it overwhelms customers, contributing to long completion times and abandon rates and pushing them to guess which fields are critical or extraneous. Conditional logic uses each information input to determine what to ask next. The result? The organization gets all the relevant information it needs while making the process faster and easier for customers.
4. Dynamic, Rich Form Presentation Environment
PDF forms have a fixed size and layout, making them complicated to contend with on various devices. In contrast, eForms use dynamic size and layout functionality to adapt to whichever screen they appear on. Fields are automatically scaled and arranged to make them easy to view and fill. Pinching and dragging is a hassle of the past.
5. Themes and Corporate Branding
Brand identity signifiers convey professionalism and enhance customer relationships with an organization. Low-code/no-code eForms allow your administrators to easily incorporate official fonts, colors, logos, and more using a drag-and-drop theme editor.
6. End-to-end Processing with Intelligent Workflow
In most cases, filling out a paper or PDF form is just the first step in a lengthy process involving data entry, manual routing, and human review. Workflow-enabled eForms are 24/7 process drivers, using AI and automation to determine the next step and route information directly where needed. Your organization can make decisions, manage cases, and deliver services at unprecedented speed – all of which add up to more positive interactions and higher customer satisfaction.
Beyond the customer experience benefits, eForms also deliver significant return on investment for the organizations that leverage them. The Association for Intelligent Information Management (AIIM) estimates the cost of processing one simple paper form at $4.56, while the U.S. Chamber of Commerce estimates that processing paper forms costs the federal government $38.7 billion. These groups recommend eForms as a proven pathway to reduced costs, increased efficiency, resilience, and customer service.
Ready to evolve beyond paper and PDF forms? Learn about what you can achieve with ILINX eForms. Contact us with any questions you might have. We’re excited to share examples of ILINX eForms in action and help you implement your own.