Insurers must do more to interact with customers through social networks

Insurers are missing out on engaging with customers through the way they use social media, according to research by Autoglass.

More than a quarter (26%) of respondents to the Autoglass poll said Facebook was best used for broadcasting the brand rather than engaging with customers, while 36% said the same of Twitter.

LinkedIn was the only social platform to be viewed by insurers as primarily about engagement, rather than broadcast – with 46% listing building relationships and loyalty with customers as its top function.

And Google+ was the least well used of the social networks, with 92% of respondents saying they did not use the website at all.

Autoglass sales and marketing director André May said: “We know that customers making claims on their insurance can have a lot of questions and, increasingly, we see them turning to social media for the answers.

“Working as we do in collaboration with insurers, we’d like to see more companies responding to social media inquiries in real time – it can be really beneficial to businesses and consumers. Delivering great customer service on social media will soon be a necessity rather than an option.”

The Digital Insurer - 29 April

Insurance Times is holding a half-day event called The Digital Insurer, which will address the key issues facing UK insurers as they transform their business.

Held on 29 April at the Royal College of Physicians in London, the event incorporates breakfast roundtables, special presentations, panel debates and a networking lunch. 

AXA chief executive commercial lines and personal intermediary Amanda Blanc will present the keynote on her vision of digital insurance.

“Digital should and must impact every aspect of the modern insurer from marketing and distribution to claims and underwriting and everything in between,” Blanc said.

“The Digital Insurer is a great opportunity for the market to debate the challenges and opportunities that moving to a digital framework throw up and how we as a market can improve delivery for our customers.”

Other senior panellists include UK General Insurance group chief executive Peter Hubbard, Ageas UK chief executive Andy Watson, and AIG UK and Israel managing director Nicolas Aubert.

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