5 Questions with: Samara Gould, Senior Technical Engagement Manager

Samara Gould is a Senior Technical Engagement Manager at EvolutionIQ, who has been with the company for just over a year. A graduate of the University of Michigan, she studied social media, UX, and information analysis, which created a strong foundation for her to interact with emerging technologies. She is well-versed in UX concepts, particularly around how products are built and the ways in which they shape user experiences.

How has your background prepared you for your position at EvolutionIQ?

I always have a UX lens when I think about EvolutionIQ’s clients and their interactions. Prior to joining the company, I spent 4 years working in implementation and customer experience at a large SaaS organization. I observed data transfer and API configuration implementations from start to finish. This experience provided skills that aided to my development as a strategic, tactical worker, and I use this experience directly with my clients here.

How do you assist in moving the needle forward with EvolutionIQ’s claims guidance system?

I’ve implemented a new short term disability (STD) module and am actively identifying how EvolutionIQ can provide value for these organizations.

I work cross-functionally with Product, Sales, and Engineering, and I’m engaged with clients daily. There’s a lot of ongoing email communication. This is largely due to the nature of the organizations we partner with. Our clients are fast moving. Their business structure involves daily updates and workflows. If you’re not in communication with clients it’s typically a sign that something has gone wrong.

In what ways do you facilitate collaboration between roles/departments?

I consider myself Type B, meaning that I add a level of interpersonal touch to the client servicing model. I’m creative and deliberate, and I don’t necessarily follow practices done in the past. My goal is to service my clients with the perspective of ingenuity rather than ‘rinse and repeat’.

I’m very vocal across departments, mainly communicating via Slack, and inclusivity is important in my role. I’m constantly making sure no party is left out. I think it’s crucial to identify primary stakeholders for each group that I’m working with. Product and Engineering manage and implement our technology across carriers, and I found it difficult not to have a representative dedicated to each specific roll out. I recognized this as a pain point early on and requested that a representative be determined across all teams for daily standups and pod syncs. This has helped me have eyes across all parts of an implementation and stay up-to-date with status developments.

How do you cultivate relationships at EvolutionIQ?

I met a few of my coworkers before officially joining the organization and had outside relationships with them because I teach pilates with a member of our Client Strategy and Analytics team.

Internally I work hard to develop strong working relationships by level-setting in various areas such as, how I prefer to communicate, deliver quality work, and meet deadlines. Establishing a productive tone and cadence makes it possible to set expectations. My colleagues are never left guessing. Candidly, I think it’s important to bring your whole self to work. I would never pretend to be someone I wasn’t. Showing stress, celebrating wins, and being honest with coworkers is all part of that.

How has your knowledge of insurtech and machine learning expanded since working with EvolutionIQ?

On the client services end, we aren’t creating data models or producing predictions or outcomes, however, the people that I work with have generously demonstrated how these models are built. It’s important for me to be able to speak on client facing training aspects of machine learning.

I’ve gained a well-rounded understanding of ML and AI. We have training sessions on both topics where a lot of resources are provided. The technology is ever-evolving; it takes dedication and time to stay up-to-date. We are pioneering new technology for the Insurance space, so it’s important to be a product expert. I appreciate the foundation I’ve built. You don’t get a lot of chances in life to develop expertise.

Tell me about a typical day in your role. What are some of the problems you are solving and how do you measure success?

The day begins with monitoring output of EvolutionIQ’s predications, and making sure claims are appropriately assigned. I work with internal teams to manage deliverables and create roadmaps for my clients.

I’m constantly providing clients with updates and listening to them when questions or obstacles arise. A lot of what we do involves further developing our product to fit our client’s needs, and they value our strategic guidance.  It requires a great deal of discovery and partnership to understand workflows and solutions for it. As a TEM, I actively work with clients to think of new systems, and take this information back to our internal teams.

As far as determining success, there are ROI-driven metrics. We establish how well we’re hitting predictions on claim closures and outcomes. I’m also assessing how my clients engage with and adopt our product by identifying gaps and areas for improvement. This lens allows me to gauge a health score. I’m focused on understanding sentiment and opinions.

Where do you see EvolutionIQ in the next 5 years?

EvolutionIQ has the potential to make an even larger footprint in disability and other areas of insurance, and we’re going to continue being a leader in AI claims handling. Our product is used globally across insurance carriers, and we’re actively scaling to mid-sized SaaS companies. Shaping how products are built and being a pioneer in the industry is important on a cross-functional level here. Every role is prioritized, everyone is held accountable.

Culturally, I think the company will continue to be filled with team comradery and innovation. We have significant leadership exposure. All of our team members are playing a pivotal role in shaping how we grow over the next few years. If someone is looking for a place to make a difference and shape a company, this is a great place to be.

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