Letters

LETTERS: How technology can grow insurance access

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Easy access: Insurers need offline and online services working. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Technology is transforming how businesses operate and interact with the customer. It has largely contributed to changes in offering services, and the insurance industry is no exception.

Technology is being used in enrolment, premium collection and even insurance claims processing.

Consumers are looking for companies offering the most convenience, and it is critical that insurers take processes that have been generally cumbersome and time-consuming and transform them into smart solutions that provide quick results easily.

It is essential that insurers adapt to new technologies, be agile, dynamic and collaborative in supporting market changes brought about by digitisation, cloud capabilities and data and analytics that bring about new competencies.

In fully engaging with the tech-savvy clients, insurers should take steps to adopt and leverage technologies in connecting with them in channel that are preferred.

Customer interactions via their preferred channels lead to a connected insured experience.

This could be done by insurers integrating both offline and online channels seamlessly in meeting the changing consumer needs over the life cycle of the product or service being offered.

Take motor insurance, for example.

Clients would prefer online services for services such as getting quotations while for claims, they would more likely prefer personal contact with the provider.

ATTRACT AND RETAIN

Among the steps insurance companies could take in engaging with its clients include investing in an online customer service portal that ensures customers have unlimited access to their insurance information.

Since most consumers are looking for services that can be initiated and finalised on their mobile phones, insurers tapping into this efficiency that enables their clients access information at any time would attract new clients and retain them.

An insurer should tap into this mode of convenience where both new and existing clients’ needs are catered for online.

New customers should easily obtain quotations for the different insurance products while existing clients are able to access their insurance information.

This goes a long way in enabling the insurance company to improve its customers’ experience.

With mobility having revolutionised the financial services sector through making mobile apps a must-have addition to customary methods of working, insurance companies that have an agency–branded mobile app providing easy and fast access to their business from mobile devices would greatly improve convenience.

ADDED ADVANTAGE

Through an app like Jubilee’s JubiCare, customers can access their insurance information at whatever point they require it.

With its variety of features such as eHealth records, health facility navigator and finder, medical card management services, pre-authorisation requests and e-wellness feeds, policy holders do not physically require to walk into the company’s offices to access these services, since their transactions, renewals and requests can be done through the app.

Customers are constantly looking for companies that are responsive to their needs and expect seamless interactions with such companies.

With technology driving convenience, insurers who end up embracing the trends in their daily operations and interactions with their clients have, therefore, an added advantage over those which do not.

Sophie Mwachia via email