JOURNAL ARTICLE

The CEO of UnitedHealthcare on Fixing What Frustrates Customers Most.

  • Published In: Harvard Business Review, 2026, v. 104, n. 3. P. 132 1 of 3

  • Database: Business Source Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Noel, Tim 3 of 3

Abstract

The article focuses on UnitedHealthcare's (UHC) Consumer Resolution Center (CRC), an initiative combining artificial intelligence and skilled employees to proactively identify and resolve customer issues related to health insurance claims. Since its launch, the CRC has improved member satisfaction, addressed root causes of problems, and driven systemic changes benefiting millions of customers, while recouping its investment through cost savings and increased retention. The CRC's approach emphasizes close frontline engagement, data-driven decision-making, and cross-functional collaboration to enhance service recovery and operational improvements. UHC presents this model as applicable to other complex service organizations seeking to balance regulatory constraints with personalized customer care.

Additional Information

  • Source:Harvard Business Review. 2026/05, Vol. 104, Issue 3, p132
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Business and Management
  • Publication Date:2026
  • ISSN:0017-8012
  • Accession Number:192864709
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright © Harvard Business Publishing. All Rights Reserved. This content is intended for individual research use only, subject to the following: Unless permission is expressly granted in a separate license, this content may NOT be used for classroom or teaching use, which includes teaching materials, electronic reserves, course packs or persistent linking from syllabi. Please consult your institution's librarian about the nature of relevant licenses held by your institution and the restrictions that may or may not apply.Unless permission is expressly granted in a separate license, this content may NOT be used in corporate training and/or as corporate learning materials. For corporate users, please consult the specific terms of your company's license(s) for complete information and restrictions. For more information and teaching resources from Harvard Business Publishing including Harvard Business School Cases, eLearning products, and business simulations please visit hbsp.harvard.edu. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Looking to go deeper into this topic? Look for more articles on EBSCOhost.