Old Mutual collects two customer excellence accolades in Ask Afrika Orange Index
Old Mutual has been voted the best customer service organisation in the Long-Term Insurance sector and claimed the top position in the After-Sales Service category in the 2008 Ask Afrika Orange Index TM survey, the results of which were announced at an event in Melrose Arch in Johannesburg this week.
The Orange Index TM is conducted amongst South African consumers on an annual basis. It is the most comprehensive service excellence measure in South Africa and covers a total of 12 sectors. In total, 15,737 customers were interviewed with a minimum of 250 being interviewed per brand.
According to Rose Keanly (pictured), Old Mutual SA Service Technology and Administration MD and Old Mutual SA Service Champion, numerous factors have contributed to Old Mutual’s success in the customer service area, which is responsible for looking after the group’s individual retail customers and members of corporate retirement funds.
“Old Mutual has been able to set the service bar high by implementing changes in three key areas. In 2003 we created an entirely separate customer service business to focus on service across all our product ranges, to enable us to better understand our customers’ needs. Since 2005 we have focussed on significantly improving our customer facing processes, using principles from lean manufacturing, in order to enhance our customers’ overall experience.”
In the past year, Old Mutual has, together with Nedbank, opened 20 new branches in high traffic areas, like shopping malls, in order to ensure easy and convenient access to customers. Mobile client service units now also provide a regular service to the outlying rural areas of Polokwane and Cape Town.
“Old Mutual is predominantly a service organisation,” explains Keanly. “Research shows that customers view product quality, value for money, standard of advice and investment performance as part of the service experience. This means that every employee, whether they interact directly with customers, or whether they play a support role, is in fact responsible for service.”
To ensure service quality and delivery, the savings and investment company also has a service recovery area to which all complaints are referred. Other than resolving the customer’s problem, the root cause is analysed and corrected to ensure that the problem does not occur again.
“Our biggest challenge is getting every single employee to realise that they are involved and responsible for customer service – whether they are client facing or not. The Ask Afrika recognition is testament to the fact that we are starting to make inroads in this regard.”
Employees are continually reminded that any work done in the organisation is intended to serve to the customer. Employees go through an intensive training processes, 20 to 25 days in the case of customer-facing employees, and performance contracts include a customer service component.
Every year customer satisfaction is measured via independent surveys and feedback is built into the company’s business plans.
Old Mutual has also created a set of non-negotiable Service Standards that are constantly reinforced via ongoing service campaigns. Numerous recognition programmes are in place, the most prestigious being the annual Managing Director’s Award for Service Excellence, which gives service champions a trip to Disney World and the opportunity to attend the Service Excellence training course run by the Disney Institute in Florida.
“Old Mutual is a brand on the move – constantly innovating and evolving to meet the challenges of a changing environment,” says Keanly. “Our challenge is to continually adapt to meet ever changing customer needs and aspirations, whilst remaining a leader in the highly competitive services sector.”
