F E AT U R E S
An Interview with Eddie Longworth by Eddie Longworth Q A
What makes you think that you have all the answers to the problems and opportunities in the world of claims?
I don’t. The knowledge and skill within insurers and the supply chain is phenomenal. So, I spend a lot of time drawing out existing expertise and then getting my clients to apply it properly. I also bring a degree of objectivity that you can never have when you work inside a company. This means that I can ignore internal politics, established methods of working, and internal structures. I can’t always start with a blank sheet, but I can certainly start with a fresh and challenging view on what is happening today.
Q A
Has there been much change in your 25-year career as a consultant?
Surprisingly, not as much as you would think. Of course, technology has moved on enormously and new methods of managing claims and the supply chain are clearly evident. But a lot of the obstacles and road blocks to change are the same and it’s a part of my job to try and remove those barriers.
Q A
What do you mean? Surely, it’s a very different world to what it was 25 years ago?
At the core of most developmental change is not just the technology but the people who are applying that technology. We also have these rather awkward things called claimants who do not necessarily respond in the way that we expect or would like them to. My job is often to look at the totality of the opportunity from a number of different standpoints and design new solutions that reflect the needs and abilities of different groups.
The simple reality in claims is that the opportunities are as vast as ever and there are new and exciting technology solutions, but the pace of change can be glacial in far too many cases
Q
The insurance industry and their suppliers seem to be much more customer-focused nowadays. Has that changed the way you do things?
A
My very first assignment for an insurer all those years ago was to identify and analyse third party claims costs. My most recent assignment was to identify ways of making savings and generating better income streams from – you guessed it – third party claims. Of course, nowadays we will look far more closely at the real needs of claimants and the core competencies of the insurer and their suppliers but, fundamentally, many of the problems remain the same. The solutions will look a little bit different but the core needs behind many of my projects are very similar in broad outline, even if the details differ.
Q A
What do you think of the burgeoning Insurtech movement? Is that a help to you?
The original premise of Insurtech was to ‘disrupt’ the insurance industry and there certainly have been some gains to be welcomed. For example, product design is changing to be far more ‘instant’ and relevant but, in truth, the investment in the claims arena has been relatively slow to take hold. Not too long ago it took nearly 12 months for me to secure supplier access to an insurer claims system in order to exchange information – that is not how the face of the technology revolution is being depicted. The simple reality in claims is that the opportunities are as vast as ever and there are new and exciting technology solutions, but the pace of change can be glacial in far too many cases.
Q A
So, what should we do now?
You mean apart from using the services of a great consultant?!
Seriously, driving constructive change within the insurance claims and supply chain arenas requires more than just a technology solution. This needs to be married with a clarity of vision for the future and a deep commitment to professional change management. Add to this mix the need for challenging and original thinking, and what you end up with is the perfect recipe to deliver real and sustainable development.
Eddie Longworth
is a Director at JEL Consulting.
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