AIA Australia (AIA) has commenced an expansion program that will see substantial increases to staff numbers in its ‘frontline’ service teams.
According to AIA’s latest Adviser News bulletin, the insurer has commenced the process of:
- Increasing the size of its New Business team by 25%
- Increasing the size of its Underwriting team by 15%
- Doubling the size of its Adviser Contact Team
This expansion is intended to increase AIA’s capability to serve advisers and clients and has been driven by what the insurer refers to as ‘unprecedented growth within the Australian marketplace, not least of all in the Independent Financial Adviser space.’
AIA’s Chief Distribution & Marketing Officer – Distribution & Marketing, Damien Mu, stressed the importance, as a specialist risk insurer, for AIA to support the growth it is experiencing by having not just more people, but by having the right people and more efficient systems to support advisers and clients.
To this end, Mr Mu confirmed that further initiatives will be rolled out by AIA in the second half of 2010 that will address turnaround times as well as efficiencies in sourcing information from medical specialists.
In addition to working towards shortening the insurer’s “application-to-acceptance” window, AIA will says it will also be concentrating on, and investing in, programmes designed to enhance client and claimant end-to-end service experiences.
“It is critical that we back up our growing business with a strong client service area,” said Mr Mu. “It’s not just about having more people, but also refining and improving the processes in our client service areas,” he said.
AIA expects to have completed the expansion of its various teams by mid August 2010.
