Whether liability, motor or travel insurance, hardly any insurance policy is now taken out without prior online research. Nevertheless, customers in the insurance sector still rely on the expertise of a personal agent. A Bitkom survey showed that 4 out of 10 people in Germany obtain information online before taking out an insurance policy, but still seek individual advice and take out the insurance policy in person with an agent. The survey result thus confirms the trend for hybrid advice – a mixture of face-to-face and online interaction. Online offers do not replace personal advice, but are rather used as a supplement by customers. Especially with complex insurance products, many customers turn to an insurance intermediary for personal conclusion. These require a high level of advice, which only a qualified intermediary can offer in a customer-oriented manner.
What does your customer expect?
Customers have specific expectations during the counselling interview, which can be fulfilled by certain digital tools and software. Because only when intermediaries properly integrate their offline and online capabilities into their offering do they provide their customers with optimal advice.
Speed & Uncomplicatedness
Insurance is a matter of trust! More and more customers want a quick and uncomplicated initial discussion or meeting with a potential intermediary before any insurance policies are concluded.
Flexibility
For customers, it is important that intermediaries can respond to their wishes and circumstances at any time. Thanks to digitalisation, customers can obtain new online offers at any time, but some prefer to discuss and verify them with their personal advisor before signing the contract. Therefore, flexible consultation appointments play a significant role for clients. If your client wants to have a consultation with you as soon as possible, make an impromptu online appointment during your lunch break, for example.
Individualität
Although the internet often serves as a good source of information, many customers still take out their insurance policy in person at an agent’s after prior online research. Especially with complex insurance products, the customer wants individual advice and customisation of the product.
Data security
Especially in today’s digital age, the desire for data security is becoming ever greater. Customers attach particular importance to the secure and sensitive handling of their personal data.
Offering the best possible service thanks to hybrid consulting
Hybrid advice is indispensable in today’s world, as is all-round customer care. The equal use of digital and face-to-face touchpoints arises from the modern motto that service is as important as the product itself. Only through the best possible combination of off- and online worlds can intermediaries be present for their customers at every existing touchpoint.
How does a digital tool or software support your hybrid counselling routine?
Gaining the attention of the hybrid client and not losing it again is a challenge that must be overcome. Without intelligent advisory software, it is hardly possible to run a sustainable advisory and intermediary business nowadays. Therefore, digital tools or software should be integrated into the advisory process in order to get a quick and uncomplicated start in hybrid advisory:
- Flexible first meeting: With a digital tool, the first meeting can easily take place online. For example, family members who are interested in counselling can be in different locations. Digital tools offer the possibility to get to know the counsellor with several parties for a first short meeting and to discuss important points.
- Preparation for client appointments: By digitally capturing client data and preferences in a digital tool, the intermediary has quick access to all relevant information needed to prepare for an upcoming client appointment. In addition, many digital tools are web- and cloud-based advisory software. This means that they work via the browser – without any installation. Thus, the intermediary can use the digital tool across devices on the laptop in the office and on the tablet on the road with the client. Accordingly, the intermediary is not only able to prepare for the meeting before a customer appointment, but also has access to his customers’ data during the consultation.
- Data security: As some digital tools are cloud-based and operate via German servers, this means that customer data and documents are stored securely and GDPR-compliant in the cloud.
- Customer-specific customisation: By integrating a digital tool into the counselling process, customer counselling is possible without media discontinuity and the intermediary can also respond directly to the customer during an on-site counselling session. On a digital medium of his choice, the advisor always has all relevant and important data at hand, which makes it possible to customise the advisory offer at any time. In addition, digital tools and software enable intelligent data collection so that advisors and clients can save time.
- Follow-up meeting: In a second meeting – whether on-site or digital – an interactive product presentation is possible, so that the advisory meeting is not just one-way from the intermediary to the client. Certain digital tools already offer some ready-made interactive slides on which the client can make entries independently. The consultation becomes more lively and clients feel more involved in the conversation.
- Conclusion of contract: Suitable software also helps to simplify the process of concluding a contract. By storing the contracts digitally, the client can also sign them digitally. This means that the advisor and the client do not have to be in the same place to conclude the contract. This saves both paper and postage costs for sending the contracts.
- Annual meeting: With digital counselling software, the counsellor can conduct the annual meeting with his clients online. This option offers more flexibility and efficiency to the clients, but also to the counsellor.
Are you still looking for the right software for hybrid guidance?
We will be happy to give you a non-binding demonstration of how Bridge can make your advisory and sales processes more efficient in a simple and sustainable way. Simply book a live demo online.
Are you looking for a suitable solution for your entire team? Then please feel free to contact us.