The Business Issue

The shift: From siloed support to seamless service

In a business built on trust and responsiveness, Aflac saw an opportunity to evolve how it supports its vast network of more than 40,000 independent agents and brokers. As the leading provider of supplemental health insurance in the U.S., Aflac’s success depends on empowering its field force to serve customers quickly, confidently, and securely.

When a planned IT system change revealed limitations in how escalations were managed – especially around visibility, security, and communication – the company didn’t just look for a replacement. It reimagined the entire process.

The challenge: Disconnected processes, rising risk

Aflac’s sales escalation process was fragmented and inefficient. Brokers and agents submitted issues through emails, calls, or ad hoc channels, which were then manually entered into a system not designed for customer-facing workflows. The replacement IT ticketing system introduced new problems: limited communication, no role-based access, and potential privacy concerns – especially when sensitive customer data was involved.

When the new system required a costly add-on to support escalations, Aflac faced a choice: Invest heavily in a tool that didn’t fit or find a smarter solution.

The Solution

Innovation from the inside out

The idea came from within. During Aflac’s annual “Pegathon” innovation event, a cross-functional team proposed a new solution: a custom escalation portal built on Pega’s AI-powered platform. The goal was clear: Create a secure, intuitive, and scalable way for agents, brokers, and internal teams to manage escalations and routine requests.

In just 90 days, the team built the Sales Escalation Management Portal (SEMP). Within six months, it was live across the organization.

The Results

The results were transformative:

• $250K saved by avoiding third-party software
• Faster resolution times and reduced follow-up inquiries
• Real-time visibility for leadership through dashboards
• Secure access for both employees and contractors
• Higher satisfaction among field agents –jumping to a percentile in the mid-90s in annual surveys

SEMP didn’t just digitize a process; it reshaped how Aflac supports its people. By centralizing requests and enabling structured workflows, the platform improved accountability, reduced manual work, and gave leadership a clear view of what was happening across the field.

Scaling success across the enterprise

The success of SEMP sparked a ripple effect. When Aflac’s Dental and Vision division needed a similar solution, the team reused the SEMP foundation to launch TRACKS, a tailored escalation system built in just 90 days. Thanks to Pega’s Situational Layer Cake™ architecture, the team could clone and customize the app without starting from scratch.

Today, Aflac has two enterprise-grade escalation systems and continues to expand. Seven additional business units have been onboarded in recent months, each gaining a digitized, trackable way to manage requests. Productivity is up, satisfaction is soaring, and the business is better equipped to serve its customers.

Built for what’s next

Aflac’s transformation didn’t stop at escalation. The company is now using Pega to digitize workflows that were previously managed through emails, spreadsheets, or not at all. By giving teams a structured, secure way to manage requests, Aflac is reducing risk, improving efficiency, and freeing up its people to focus on what matters most: serving customers.

Want to dive deeper into Aflac’s journey? Watch their PegaWorld breakout session.

HOW THEY GOT THERE