By the end of the year the trade group 4

Times are hard for insurers. For evidence, MAAF (Covea group) saw its new contracts auto progression of 150.000 in 2005 to 54.376 in 2007. Side comprehensive housing (HRM), the observation is also bleak. Many insurers are stagnating or backward. This is the case of the main operators of the market: AXA 0.8, Macif 1.5, Groupama-GAN 1.3, group Maif 4.6, 2.2 AGF... It is logical: the car and the comprehensive housing have become mature sectors, where the opportunities are rare. This does however not the bancassureurs to view a 2007 double digit growth in these sectors (between 11 and 30). The reason Banks benefit from a more important agencies mesh (about 150,000 commercial bank on the ground, against three times fewer side insurance) and a more in-depth client knowledge to propose suitable offers, including contract management... In short, a "light" length in advance.

Despite a multitude of very different actors in terms of organization, capital structure and corporate culture all players in the insurance are the same observation: the evolution of trades, particularly in the sale, is inevitable. Even the mutualistic, whose members are more faithful observe: "We went from a logic of distribution to a logic of sale", notes Claude Fiot, HRD to the Macif.

More time for the client

First lever: strengthen certain market segments, including health, looming as one of the next few levers of growth, and to offer diversified products. An evolution which has a direct impact on the Organization: no more reason for example in terms of distribution channel or product (auto, HRM, savings, pension...) but markets (individual, mass, clients affluent, professional, small business, TPE... customers). This segmentation translates into the creation of specific networks, as in AXA France, where general agents specialized in foresight and heritage are dedicated to a certain type of customer.

Another change: the activities for which the bites provides little are now supported by telephone platforms, whose maturity varies according to the insurers. They exist since 1973 to the Macif, the beginning of the 2000s in France AXA and Groupama-GAN, since 2004 in MMA, whereas the AISAM six regional platforms have been created in September. With the key, 250 positions to be filled, which most mobility internal managers once in Agency. "Either they choose to make commercial functions, or they incorporate these platforms." "We fall 2010 to manage these mobilities", note Daniel Havis, President of the AISAM.

The major interest of this transfer of activities is to enable the network to have more time to devote to prospecting and customer Council. While it is appealing a priori, certain commercial see the development of the multi-channel yet of an evil eye. As in AXA France, where about half of the claims are thus managed by telephone platforms. "The goal of management is that this is the case for the whole of the small claims weighing less than 10,000 euros, which are more numerous, note Michel Zylberberg, central delegate CFDT, first Union at AXA France.". But the network, commercial, fear of losing part of its activity, offering him, moreover, the possibility of making the trading bounce.

Training and tools

The reaction is even greater in underwriting, said Hubert Barbaudou, responsible for CFDT in Groupama-GAN, who also deploys its offer on a website called amaguiz. "Before, the case was treated with the commercial phone." Today, the appeal of the client is automatically rerouted to a platform. "To compensate for this loss of activity, the commercial will have to find more prospects. "However, it is much more tedious to expand an already known client portfolio," he added.

To put the pill but also because it is a necessity, the insurers redouble their efforts to train their employees. In 2007, the Group spent 7.3 of its payroll to the formation of its business and its intermediate management (against 5 in 2005); 6 on the AISAM.

A quantitative but also qualitative changes. At the Macif, all courses have been adapted to respond to the "commercial logic and service" 541 physical home points. "All were not born sellers." "There has been progress but we still have to improve in terms of proactivity, ability to generate the workflow and manage a book", notes Claude Fiot. Same thing with Groupama-GAN, who deploys a year of training more fun and less technical. Finished the 40 slides to present auto insurance.

"Today, we give the General characteristics and it explains mainly how to sell this product, the customer benefit angle," notes Corinne Reymondie, responsible for the training centre. By the end of the year, the trade group 4.500 should be trained. The company is betting on tools to help in the sale: a tool of "prédécouverte", which allows to scan the client needs together, another offering a view of all contacts and customer contracts, regardless of the channel he used (Agency, phone, Internet...). Any support provided, this cultural evolution is not always easy to accept, recognize Corinne Reymondie. "Some commercial tended to consider that they know sell and that they did not need to change their methods." It was necessary to explain the benefit that they might learn.

17,000 points of sale

Improve the quality of service, optimize management processes and costs, advance staff accordingly... This triple requirement is a sensitive case for all insurers, even in large groups. The image of AGF-Allianz, which has launched a "plan of development and competitiveness", providing for the closure of 4 management centres, equivalent to 200 positions. These developments are followed closely by the unions, who are demanding guarantees and full support of the employees. At the time, predictive management of jobs and skills (GPEC) agreements are multiplying to provide retraining and anticipate the many retirements. "By 2010, there will be 600 departures in retirement, or 10 of our workforce." "It must anticipate in terms of recruitment and mobility", note Thierry of Artigues, responsible of the Department resources to the MMA HRD. An additional problem for which traditional and mutual insurers are on an equal footing. AXA France, an employee on two has more than 50 years.

One thing is certain, hunting customers, in the future, is expected to intensify with the entry of a new player on the market of damage insurance: the position and its 17,000 points of sale...