Text of the Address Delivered at the 6th Business Today Conference by Mrs Joyce Ojemudia, Special Guest of Honour and MD/CEO, African Alliance Insurance PLC, Held on Tuesday 5th April, 2022 at Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja
The Chairman of Today’s conference,
The Special Guest of Honour,
The Keynote Speaker,
MD/CEOs of Insurance and Pension companies here present,
Fellow Insurance Practitioners,
Members of the Press,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is an honour to attend the 6th Business Today Conference as a special guest of honour.
Maintaining trust is very fundamental to today’s business environment and a solid customer service is imperative to achieve this. Satisfactory customer service is vital to the existence of any business including insurance and pensions. Therefore, the theme for today’s conference – Prioritizing Excellent Customer Services in Insurance and Pension Businesses, is very apt and timely.
In today’s Insurance and Pensions Businesses, which are businesses of promise (intangible), customer experience is critical to business performance, growth and sustainability. The consequences of below standard or poor customer experience can easily be shared through social media. This is so fragile that a poorly handled claim, a slight error of a staff captured on a mobile phone, a nonchalant phone call, or a laid back email can be escalated into a brand-damaging crisis.
Furthermore, Prioritizing customer experience is not just about reducing the risk of customer service mishaps. It is indeed a way for companies in competitive markets like ours, to distinguish their brands. Just as Shep Hyken, world renowned Customer Service and Experience Expert once said “finding a way to make the customer feel it is all about them is a powerful strategy that will build repeat business and even customer loyalty.” Improving customer experience and satisfaction can be a drive for profitable growth in business.
Ladies and gentlemen, I stress that in order for us as insurers and pension businesses to functionally prioritize customer experience, we need to think from the customer’s perspective. To carry out our business with the understanding that a customer does not draw a distinction between an agent, a marketer, a claims adjuster or brand manager, as all represent the insurer in the event of an accident or a critical situation that requires our service. Today’s customers are very demanding and value-centric, so there is a need for the insurance and pensions businesses to brace up and be continually dynamic in their approach in terms of quality service and value creation.
Thank you Nkechi Naeche, Journalist, Publisher Business Today, and our host for the opportunity to be a Special Guest of Honour and panelist at today’s conference. I would like to commend you on your contributions to our industries which haven’t gone unnoticed:
You have contributed richly through Business today conference which you started with the aim of deepening penetration in the industry. I would like to boldly state that it has exceeded our expectations. Today, it has become a conference that drives quality conversations and created a platform where solutions are derived from same.
Through your awards platform you have recognized hardworking professionals for their contributions in the industry and by so doing, you have inspired many.
You have created a safe space where interactions amongst various stakeholders is deemed possible and easy.
Well done.
I commend you for all your great work in the industry. I pray that the good Lord who has brought you thus far, will continue to increase you. God will give you the grace to do even more. You will surely exceed your own expectations and out do your success at every level.
Thank you everyone for listening.
Good morning.
