Digitally transforming the insurance of Southern Africa
Leading innovation for tomorrow’s insurance customers WRIT TEN BY
DA LE BENTON PRODUCED BY
JUS TIN BR AND
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Nasrat Edoo Sirkissoon (left) is a Senior Manager at Sanlam Enterprise Development in Durban. She plays a vital role in managing consultants who service businesses based on Sanlam’s innovative BlueStar model. With her are Joy Bothma, BlueStar Support Assistant, and Mannie Kambourakis, Business Development Manager: SFA East Coast.
Through a digital transformation, Sanlam continues to provide cutting-edge market solutions for the millennial generation
T
he strategic adoption of technology in the insurance and personal finance industry
is being driven by a commitment to meet and exceed customer expectations and deliver high levels of service. The industry has quickly recognised the compelling need for digital innovation as a defining and redefining factor to its success and survival.
“Technology has always been a key
of technological capability from an
part of the financial landscape,” says
insurer as we would from a bank, telco
Hennie De Villiers, deputy CEO of
or another service provider.”
Sanlam Personal Finance – the retail
Sanlam has, since 1918, strived to
unit of leading African insurer Sanlam.
be the leader in client-centric wealth
“Yet, things have shifted significantly
creation, management, and protection
over the years with technology playing
in South Africa, but it is also a global
an increasingly important role in our
insurer with an international footprint
day-to-day lives. This means that, as
in 30 African countries amongst others.
a population, we expect the same level
Adept at servicing customers and w w w. s a n l a m . c o . z a
with an accomplished track record,
our customers – even millennials – still
Sanlam has realised the importance
require an element of human interaction,
of embracing technological shifts to
even as we move further away from it. So,
continue to deliver and exceed its
the experience of implementing digital
customers’ expectations.
innovation varies across industries.”
For de Villiers, a point of departure
Sanlam is driving a company-wide
was to consider customers’ experiences
digital transformation that will see it
in other industries. “It is increasingly
fully embrace the technologies of today
important for us to be able to compete
and tomorrow in order to deliver the
with the best experiences our customers
most effective and seamless insurance
have elsewhere. We acknowledge that
services to modern-day customers.
they want the same experience from
As an insurance services provider,
insurance as they expect from their cell
the company engages a number of
phone provider and their bank,” he says.
different stakeholders, from intermedi-
“Yet, while there is this common pursuit
aries and internal staff through to the
of digital enablement, insurance differs
customer. These stakeholders will
slightly from other industries in that
all shape and influence the company’s
E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E
Hennie De Villiers With a career spanning over 30 years, Hennie De Villiers has lived and breathed technology and leadership with Sanlam. In a dual role, as both Chief Executive of Sanlam Individual Life and Segment Solutions and Deputy CEO of Sanlam Personal Finance, De Villiers responsibilities cover Sanlam’s offering to the Growth, Small Business and Professional markets. He also oversees SPF Acturial, SPF IT and SPF Business Change.
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Andre Schutte (Solutions Specialist at Glacier) helping intermediaries become familiar with the Glacier Investment Hub – a platform that allows intermediaries to engage on-line with their clients, from the initial proposals to the electronic signing of applications and instructions.
“ We need to ensure that people are empowered and enabled” — Hennie De Villiers, Deputy CEO of Sanlam Personal Finance
digital transformation, yet for De Villiers there is an elementary core goal at the heart of the business’ digital transformation strategy. “It’s about how we can make the experience for customers so simple, so enjoyable and so pain- free, that they will want to continue doing business with us.” While Sanlam acknowledges this strategic imperative, it’s not all plain sailing as technological transformation can typically present a number of challenges, particularly to a business that’s been in operation for over a century. A key challenge has been the w w w. s a n l a m . c o . z a
company’s legacy infrastructure
Intermediaries interacting with the Glacier Investment Hub at its launch
and systems, and De Villiers contends that this challenge is probably unsurprising for an insurance provider of Sanlam’s tenure. This presents its own unique hurdles and De Villiers believes the answer to overcoming these obstacles is to place a great deal of investment in the company’s most important asset — its people. “You’re used to doing things a certain way, but life, and most certainly business, moves so fast that we have to embrace change, experiment and take risks. This requires a change in culture,” he says. “One of the ways in which we ensure that the organisation embraces change collectively is through continuous staff engagement from the top through to every level of the business.” This approach, he feels, is crucial in order to implement technology and empower employees to open their minds to this changing landscape. It allows employees to
Members of Glacier’s IT development team showcasing the Glacier Investment Hub to intermediaries
CLICK TO WATCH : ‘SANLAM TVC – THE 200-YEAR LIFE’
recognise and understand their role, not only in the organisation of today, but the one of tomorrow. “We need to ensure that people are empowered and enabled,” he says. “Technology is complex and there is no silver bullet for us, but we have motivated and incredibly hard-working employees and so continuous engagement really brings people along.” With the technology conversation defined by buzzwords such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotic Process Automation and Data Analytics some companies may fall into a trap of investing in these technologies for
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the wrong reasons in order to ‘keep up’ with the industry. De Villiers recognises this and understands that in order to grow in the right direction, Sanlam has to embrace appropriate technologies. “We will always base our technology decisions on whether we believe it will have a specific strategic value for us or if it will help us to achieve a specific
“ We expect the same level of technological capability from an insurer as we would from a bank, telco or another service provider” — Hennie De Villiers, Deputy CEO of Sanlam Personal Finance
After-sales service to clients and intermediaries is what Nozipho Nkonki (front), First Line Manager, and her team in the SPF Client Care Centre at Sanlam Head Office do best. Next to Nozipho is Ivannah Davids. At the back (from left) are Lebo Tamose, Renier Jacobs, Tandokazi Mkaleni and Nyameko Fana.
strategic outcome,� he says. To this end, Sanlam has been able to call on the invaluable support and
Sanlam develop the internal skills needed to drive digitisation. “South Africa is an emerging market
experience of a key strategic partner
with growing skillsets. Zensar has
in Zensar. Zensar is a leading digital
done a tremendous amount of work
solutions and technology services
with us in assisting to develop those
company that specialises in partner-
critical skillsets through a number of
ing with global organisations across
programmes and training opportunities.
industries on their digital transforma-
This has really been a key element that
tion journey. Coupled with this,
has allowed us to both focus on, and
Zenzar also helps companies like
enable, the technology implementation.� w w w. s a n l a m . c o . z a
From left are Daphne Jacobs, Sherezaan Petersen, Denver Sedgwick and Melanie de Kock from the Sanlam Client Care Centre after the introduction of the first ‘digital recruit’; robotic technology programmed to perform repetitive tasks that can be automated.
Technology and digital transformation is an ever-evolving process and Sanlam cannot rest on its laurels. It has to be mindful of the future and how the technology trends of today can and will influence the industry of tomorrow. Regardless of where the next shift in innovation comes from, Sanlam will continue to ensure that it provides the best possible service to its clients and customers. “Whatever the future holds for us, I believe it is critical for our technology adoption to be in line with our strategy,” he says. “It needs to help us to really win the battle for the customer and ensure that we engage them at a level that will make them loyal and persistent - with no desire to go anywhere else.”
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Sanlam Head Office 2 Strand Road Bellville, South Africa www.sanlam.co.za