When an insurance boss suggested the insurance industry is “uniquely ill-suited” to social media his comments prompted strong objection from readers.
During an
ANZIIF breakfast briefing,
Hollard Insurance Group MD Richard Enthoven said the dynamics of the industry are almost uniquely ill-suited to social media, but he added the industry has no choice but to embrace it.
A number of readers took to their keyboards to highlight the benefits the sector can gain from using social media one such reader was Chris Southcote-Want, who is this week’s winner of Comment of the Week.
He said that social media enables fast and effective communication with the consumer and understanding their perception of one’s brand.
Here’s his quote in full:
In times where social media is such a high profile medium, and having become such a big part of everyday modern life, it seems interesting (and quite out dated) that there would be a fear of the potential negative connotations of its use.
I firmly belief that it needs to be embraced as a positive tool - one of the greatest channels to be able to communicate what's awesome about your organisation, to the masses in the quickest time possible whilst also being a golden opportunity to identify and asses public perception of your brand, at the earliest possibility, so you can put a plan in place to manage and improve this.
Surely, having a tool that provides you with immediate customer perception, whether good or bad, is a great thing?
Mike Langford also made some interesting comments about social media. He argued that insurance is perfectly suited for social media as broking is built on customer engagement.
He said:
Insurance is actually perfectly suited for social media. The majority of policies are still sold via in person interactions with agents. Relationships matter and social media tools are the some of the most powerful relationship management tools ever known to man.
Insurance agents have been using social for years to connect, listen and engage with clients and prospects. For them social represents a cost effective marketing tool set that also provides indicators of a prospect's need for their product.
Sure, carriers might find it more challenging to engage in a way that gives executives the warm and fuzzy that consumer brands get by wowing the masses via social but that doesn't mean it's futile. There is still a great deal of benefit to be had in branding, education and facilitating their army of agents in the field.
Thank you to all our commentators this week.
