Success Stories
Nicole Abney — BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina
When a phoenix rises, this signifies a powerful symbol of renewal, rebirth, and transformation. The phoenix emerges stronger and more resilient from challenging situations by overcoming seemingly impossible adversity. The rise of the phoenix is often associated with hope and potential for positive change, even in the face of destruction. There are key aspects of a phoenix rising: overcoming hardship, personal growth, hope and resilience, and eternal life.
Allow me to introduce you to our resident phoenix, Nicole Abney, Customer Service Advocate. Let’s walk down the journey of our phoenix so you can celebrate her rise.
Overcoming hardship: At the start of 2024, Nicole experienced personal tragedy when her mother suffered a serious, life-threatening health crisis. As an only child, Nicole became the primary caregiver for her mother, day in and day out. In addition to this, she also assumed the role of primary caregiver for her father, as this was her mother’s role before the health crisis. This meant that in the blink of an eye, Nicole had assumed the role of primary caregiver for two adults in her life who depended entirely on her for their well-being. Nicole found herself isolated and at the helm of some very big responsibilities that she had never encountered before. She quickly went from full-time worker and student to full-time caregiver, decision maker, provider, and student in what seems like a matter of seconds. At first, this was all very overwhelming to Nicole, and her performance began to falter. Nicole had to make a difficult decision to dig in and do better. Because she is one of the hardest workers around, Nicole quickly began to work on finding a way to balance all her new roles while also being the advocate she could be for our members. She sought feedback from her leaders and coaches. She worked extra hours to complete her work. She did whatever she had to do to overcome.
Personal Growth: As Nicole encountered obstacle after obstacle when navigating the health care system for her mother and father, she quickly became a much stronger advocate for their needs. The once soft-spoken, timid woman became an assertive, determined young woman when it meant getting the things her family needed. She found her voice, and because of that, she was able to find balance in the caregiving space for her family. In speaking with Nicole, she made a connection between her experiences and some of the member issues that she had handled previously, and made a commitment to lean on her own story to ensure that whenever she had a chance, she would make a positive impact on our members when they needed her. Through her healing, she found the ability to help so many other people around her.
Hope and resilience: When it seemed as if the odds were not in her favor, Nicole found a way to take her ashes and turn them into a beautiful crystal. She used her work as an escape from the demands of her caregiving role. She worked even harder than she did before to advocate for our members. She empathized with them; she took on their challenges and worked tirelessly until she could get a resolution that the members needed. She never took ‘no’ as the final answer. She persisted in the face of an increasing amount of adversity and overcame an incredible number of challenges. She could have chosen to dig in and wallow in self-pity, but she used her experience to make things better for others. This is what hope and resilience look like!
Eternal Life: By leaning on her own experiences and challenges, Nicole has put forth the effort to become the epitome of eternal life for our members by getting them the help they need. Even when she can’t get the result the members want, Nicole’s compassionate nature and caring approach help leave our members better than when she met them.
She is resilient, with the capacity to withstand or recover quickly from difficulties.
Our phoenix, Nicole, had an 11.2% improvement in her metrics from 2023 to 2024. Not only did she earn the certification as most improved, but she also achieved World Class certification! When you take a step back and see all the personal challenges that burned her down in 2024, these metrics are even more remarkable! When Nicole encountered some things that would have completely bottomed out someone else, she used the adversity she faced to not only rise once again but surpass her achievements she previously attained, and it is for that reason we believe she is the most improved agent!
Tonya Osbourne – CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
Tonya Osborne had an exceptional year in 2024, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to improving member satisfaction with every interaction. She has set personal goals to enhance her member satisfaction on each and every call, and she approaches every customer interaction with empathy and care, ensuring she fully understands the needs of the caller.
Tonya’s customer service style is deeply personal, allowing her to converse with members on an emotional level. She goes beyond simply resolving issues – she strives to truly make a difference with each member. Her years of experience have shaped her approach, enabling her to effectively handle calls in a way that leaves a lasting positive impact on our members. In addition to her individual success, Tonya actively contributes to the growth of her team. By sharing her experiences and best practices with her peers, she helps elevate the entire team’s performance, ensuring that every member receives a world-class experience. Feedback from members reflects Tonya’s consistent dedication to excellence in customer service and her ongoing improvement of world-class calls.
Amil Smith – Florida Blue FEP
When I first began my journey at Florida Blue FEP in August 2022, I was filled with excitement and gratitude. Stepping into the role of a service advocate felt like a dream come true—an opportunity to bring my years of experience in retail into a new space where I could continue to serve people with compassion and dedication. In retail, I had spent years connecting with customers from all walks of life, each with their own stories, struggles, and triumphs. I believed this new role would allow me to do the same, but in a way that could make an even greater impact. I was eager to be the voice of our members, to provide solutions, and to deliver the world-class customer service they deserved.
For a while, everything felt like it was falling into place—until suddenly, it wasn’t.
Despite my passion for my role, I soon found myself struggling to keep up with the demands of my workload. My pending workload began to grow, and I realized that my approach wasn’t as effective as I had hoped. I yearned for success, but I felt like I was falling behind. It was a moment of self-doubt, a time when I questioned whether I was truly capable of excelling in this new environment. The fear of not meeting expectations weighed heavily on me, and I knew I had to make a change.
I remember the first time I was called into a manager’s meeting to discuss my pending workload. The moment I saw my name in the meeting invite, my heart pounded relentlessly in my chest. A wave of anxiety surged through me. As I sat across from my managers, listening to them discuss my performance, my mind raced with thoughts of fear and worry. Meeting after meeting, the pressure mounted, and the fear became suffocating. My stomach twisted in knots. The fear of losing my role weighed on me constantly, and for the first time in my career, I questioned whether I truly belonged here. But I refused to give up.
I began to focus on improving my workload management by implementing structured time management strategies to improve efficiency and stay on top of my duties. I learned to prioritize tasks effectively, creating systems that allowed me to work more efficiently without sacrificing the quality of service I provided to our members. Small, simple, meaningful adjustments—like organizing my tasks based on urgency, creating word templates, using digital tools, and setting daily goals—made a significant difference. One of the most transformative aspects of my growth was learning to embrace feedback. Initially, I saw customer service surveys as just another metric, but I soon realized they offered valuable insight into how I could improve. I analyzed SQM survey results, utilized self-coaching tools, identified recurring themes, and adjusted my approach accordingly. This shift in perspective helped me enhance my service, leading to noticeable improvements in member satisfaction and trust.
Looking back on those manager meetings—the ones that once filled me with fear—I now see them as pivotal and defining experiences that pushed me toward growth and a deeper understanding of my potential. This journey has shaped me not only as an advocate but as a person, strengthening my resilience, confidence, and self-awareness. I am deeply grateful for my managers, team leads, and teammates whose unwavering support—whether through coaching, shared best practices, and constant encouragement—fueled my determination and helped me move forward. What once felt overwhelming became an opportunity to excel. Today, I stand proud of my progress and remain more committed than ever to delivering exceptional service. My journey at Florida Blue FEP has shown me that growth isn’t about never struggling—it’s about how you rise after you fall. With the right support, determination, and heart, success is always within reach.
Christine Jones – Regence BlueCross BlueShield Plans
Since joining our team in May 2023, Chris has demonstrated a remarkable dedication to learning and growth, quickly adapting to the demands of a call center environment.
With a background in the service industry, Chris brought a strong foundation in customer service skills to our team. However, this was her first call center role, and she faced a steep learning curve. Undaunted, Chris threw herself into learning every aspect of our program, determined to become an expert in our services and processes.
As she gained knowledge and confidence, Chris became increasingly focused on sharing that expertise with each customer she interacted with. Her passion for delivering exceptional service and resolving customer issues has been evident in every call, and her dedication to excellence has earned her a reputation as a trusted and reliable resource for our customers.
Chris has achieved an impressive certification percentage of 94.23%, which is an increase of 18.68% from 2023. This outstanding achievement is a testament to her ability to provide exceptional service to customers, ensuring that their calls are resolved to their satisfaction.
What customers had to say about Chris:
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She was very attentive, and she provided stellar service, very detailed and to the point.
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She knew what she was doing. She made an effort to look up information and answered my questions.
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Because she was able to answer all the questions to my satisfaction, and she was willing to help make sure that I understood what she said and how it affected my wife and me. I was very satisfied with how the call went.
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As always, this representative was friendly and knowledgeable.
In one survey, the member stated “The representative was pleasant and knowledgeable and quickly gave me the information I needed as well as a bit of genuine human interaction that I didn't know I needed, but appreciated very much”. When the call was reviewed, the member was calling to ask a routine question, but Chris took it to the next level by hearing the member's unspoken concerns and making sure to provide those details. She then connected with the member further by sharing that she was familiar with what needed to be done and shared best wishes that everything would go well for them. While the interaction was quick, the personal touch Chris provided made a big impact on this member.
In another call, Chris worked with an emotional member who had been dealing with health issues that were impacting the holidays for their young child. There was a treatment plan in place; however, the provider had some incorrect information and tasked the member with making outreach to us. Chris knew exactly what needed to be done and wasted no time! She reassured the member that things would be resolved and made outreach to the provider to clear up the misunderstanding. Not only did Chris save the member from having to go between us and the provider, but also ensured that they got their much-needed treatment as soon as possible and time back to spend with family. In the survey response, the member said, “The representative took time, heard the problem, identified a solution, executed the solution, and asked for my opinion on whether the solution was satisfactory. That is a rare complete package right there. Excellent job.” Further demonstrating the empathy Chris has for each individual, their unique circumstances, and the ability to apply all of the knowledge she has gained.
I believe that Chris is an exemplary model of what it means to be a dedicated and driven customer service representative. Her ability to quickly adapt to a new role, learn complex processes, and consistently deliver exceptional service has earned her this well-deserved nomination for Most Improved CSP and Agent of the Year.
Laura Bomm – Security Health Plan
I have had a lot of learning curves over the past year in this role. Not only learning all of the information needed for the job, but also experiencing each new call and situation that comes into the call center, and making sure the member is put first in each of those situations. I’ve been able to take the scores on my audits and review areas of improvement for future calls. Learning from mistakes makes the job easier in the long run. With the learning curve, it makes the members' experience more enjoyable, and the members keep coming back, hoping that when they call back, they get me. Some of the members say, “I enjoyed it so much with you helping me.” I don’t just give them the information that is needed, but go above and beyond, as members don’t always know what information they will need to be made aware of.
When it comes down to the scores I get, I learn from them, make my own notes, and use them for future calls that I get.
I wanted to touch on a conversation that I had with a member who called in and wanted some benefit information regarding her policy. I was going over some information with the member, and the member stopped me as she was trying to write what I was saying down, and I was going a little fast for her. She told me what she had all written down, and I let her know the rest of the information. As we were talking and going over the benefits, she kept repeating what was being said and wanted me to repeat it as well. As we got a little further into the conversation, she explained why we had to keep stopping and repeating everything. The member explained that she was 5 years post brain injury and explained that she sometimes jumbles her words, has a hard time expressing herself, and comprehending what she hears. The member stated that when she became lost for words, she repeated her answers, and again, I explained with more detail so the member could understand what I was saying. The member I talked to warmed my heart when I told her that if she ever needed anything that she could ask for me and I would be more than happy to help her. When I told her this, the member got so excited that I was willing to do this for her. When this member told me that she was post brain injury, it gave me goosebumps because I dealt with this in my personal life. We have a friend who had a severe stroke and can’t get his words out. He would say a couple of words, stop, and think about what he wants to say before he says it. This right here is why I love my job, because certain circumstances make me want to help that next person with a smile on my face, even though the member cannot see it.
Background Written by Katie Johansson – Senior Workforce Analyst:
Laura Bomm has been with Security Health Plan since August 2023. She has been trained on all product lines and has done extremely well in her position. She had a great year in 2024. Laura had 58 surveys completed in 2024. She saw amazing improvement across the board from 2023 when she was a new agent. She finished 2024 with an FCR of 88%, a 10% increase from 2023. She had a Contact Resolution of 97%, a 19% increase from 2023. Laura had a CSR CSAT of 97% in 2024, which was a 9% increase over 2023. Laura’s World Class of 96% in 2024 was a 16% increase over 2023. These stats speak for themselves and showcase the hard work and dedication Laura has put in for herself and for our members. She will be coming up on her second anniversary with Security Health Plan and has shown tremendous growth in her short time here.
Laura has had several outstanding feedback comments as well. A few examples from last year:
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The representative responded quickly. She was very friendly and went beyond my initial question. She has the forethought to go on to explain other things.
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Laura was a great customer service representative. She researched and resolved the issue and called me back the same day.
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She was very positive from the time she answered my call. Did not rush the call and was very happy to help me understand what my plan covers. She also helped me find doctors who are in network for my needs.
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I'm very impressed by how kind and patient she was, even when I was having difficulty logging in.
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I really felt the customer service representative cared about my concerns. Took care of my issue and went above and beyond what was necessary, putting in a request to expedite the solution.
From Laura’s Manager Nikki Lightfoot:
2024 was a remarkable year of growth for Laura. She cross-trained on the Medicare Supplement and Commercial product lines, and shortly after that, she was promoted to a CSR II. While Laura’s confidence in her ability to take on so much so quickly wasn’t high, her commitment to our members and to our team was. Laura hit every target we set for her, and in October, she achieved Wall of Fame recognition (100% quality average for the month). She continues to receive praise from members with a common theme of helpfulness. My favorite was a member wanting me to know that Laura sounded like a really nice lady, like somebody that anyone would just love to have as a friend. This member wished Laura to have a beautiful life and for everything to work out her way. Working in insurance, you don’t hear this level of admiration and gratitude, but Laura leaves a lasting impression and treats members like they are friends and family. On an emotional call, whether it be heartwarming or heartbreaking, Laura feels what the member feels; she is not afraid to celebrate with them or cry with them. She truly puts herself in the shoes of any member she talks to, and that is what makes her such a great fit for Security Health Plan. She’s been known to brighten my day on more than one occasion as well.