When technology starts to explode over an industry such as insurance, early adopters react with quick movement to get in on the action. But how many of those companies actually take the time to develop a strategy in the face of pressure to react to the quick actions of the competition?
This has proven to be particularly true when it comes to mobile computing. At one time, mobility meant laptops and Wi-Fi and the eternal search for the “killer app.” As we have come to learn, though, it was not the app that turned things around, it was the hardware—tablets and smartphones—that turned everything on its ear.
Now that the world has learned that doing business involves more than a PC and a wired connection, developing a mobile strategy to face the future has become an important step for businesses of all types, including insurance carriers.
Check out our slideshow elsewhere on this website to see what some of the industry's leading analysts feel about the value of developing a mobile strategy.
Kimberly Harris, vice president and distinguished analyst for Gartner, points out that her company's research shows the top objective for P&C and life insurance companies is improved customer relations.
The ability to connect with their carrier though smartphones and tablet devices is particularly important for younger policyholders. “Using mobile as a tool to improve interactivity is top of mind among insurers as they assess the value of mobile on both sales and customer service,” says Harris-Ferrante.
It is imperative for insurers to replicate their website capabilities via mobile technology and provide the same self-service items as consumers find on their PC or sitting down personally with an agent, adds Leah Hollstegge, manager for Ward Group.
Gerald Shields, IT practice director for The Nolan Company, points out: “We are moving from an internet world to a real time world where users see their mobile device as their computer. New generation users expect to have full capabilities at their fingertips. If we are to compete for the generation entering the market, insurers must be attractive to them as a service provider and as an employer.”
What it comes down to is that insurers have to be aware of what is happening around them. Consumers are no longer willing to adapt to what businesses are offering. Businesses have to adapt to how consumers want to do business.
Celent's Chuck Johnston says, “Insurers recognize leveraging mobile capabilities effectively initially requires strong alignment to existing business models and then the foresight to move beyond those models as the mobile customer and producer experience evolves.”
What is your mobile strategy? Let us know if you believe you are on the right course.
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