THE OBJECTIVE
AVIVA Health in Ireland sought to drive business levels and profitability though a differentiating approach to sales of their health insurance product range. The market was extensive but the competitor product offerings were similar. The challenge was to differentiate Aviva through a consultative, customer centric, outward looking approach rather than an inward product focused approach.
THE PROGRAMME
Having worked successfully with the AVIVA UK Key Account teams the AVIVA Health Ireland CEO, Alison Burns required a development programme to embed a consultative approach to its customers. This began with a full understanding of the business, its culture, the market and its customers. A bespoke programme was then designed. The delivery of the programme began with the Senior Leadership Team. The business’ values were explored, and those values sat at the heart of the value proposition that underpinned every consultative sale.
The Senior Leadership team provided the leadership to drive change forward. A programme of training focused on the Managers and their effectiveness at developing the capability of their teams.
A further programme of training introduced the consultative selling approach. Sales processes and values were trained for both the B2B Intermediary Business Development Managers and the outsourced B2C Telephony Sales Team.
A programme of observation, feedback and coaching across the whole business primarily supporting managers ensured the Transfer of the new approach into habitual behaviours with a further period of coordinated Support ensuring momentum and standards were maintained and commercial benefits were realised.
COMMERCIAL OUTCOMES
In the 3 months after the programme the B2C Telephony Sales Team (outsourced to Abtran, a leading out-sourced telephony provider) experienced:
%
Uplift in Sales
%
Increase in Quote to Sale conversion
%
Increase in call to Sale conversion
%
Increase in inbound Customer Retention
This was achieved with an 11% increase in call length
The B2B Business Development Managers achieved a 120% average increase in Conversion Rates in the first 2 months after the programme.
The programme’s success was followed by extending the programme, with the consultative approach to their customers to their GI and Life Insurance Divisions. Furthermore, Abtran are exploring how this consultative approach and capability development methodologies may help their other clients in the future.
AVIVA HEALTH CUSTOMERS FEEDBACK…
“AVIVA should lock you in a glass box so you can never leave, as you are the best person I have ever spoken to on a sales call. I’m impressed on how well I know the insurance I am taking up & now feel I am in the right place for our health insurance needs.”
“I called to cancel but because of what you told me I am staying with AVIVA, you are very good at your job.”
“You explained everything very well. This is the first time I understood how my plan worked and that was excellent.”
