Page 8 - Turkinsurance Digital Magazine

6 interview

problems about safety or hygiene, but a
difficult process awaits us all. It will not
go on like this. We will have a chance to
go back to our offices gradually with the
loosening of precautions by the govern-
ment. We have started working on those
scenarios. It could be in shifts, it could be
in a phased approach. We will be consid-
ering it in accordance with the flexibility
provided by the government.

What is the situation on the agency
side? How are their working methods
impacted by the pandemic?

As a society, we are used to face-to-face
communication and touching each other.
This is something that makes us differ-
ent from western countries. In this sense,
western societies feel the impact of this
change by the pandemic to a smaller ex-
tent; they already had more distant com-
munications compared to us. We were af-
fected to a greater extend; because, the
more we were closer to each other, the
kets will enter a more relaxed renewal pe- happier and more comfortable we were.
riod until December. Which precautions has HDI Sigorta Our challenge is a little bit bigger in this
taken during the pandemic, what is
In your opinion, how does the pandem- your position? sense.
ic affect society’s perspective of insur- The same goes for our agents. In Turkey,
ance? Since the very first day, we have been insurance is a service that is sold face-to-
conducting our duties and fulfilling our face or on the phone, up to 95 percent. In
People have been concerned about their responsbilities like everyone else. First of that sense, they are experiencing difficul-
health in the current shortsightedness and all, we focused on the health of our em- ties. But again, as Turkish society, we can
ambiguity; and insurance has unfortu- ployees and their families, and hygiene of quickly adapt to changes and new experi-
nately begun to be neglected. This is our our working environment. We are check- ences. I have been finding the opportunity
biggest problem at the moment. However, ing the temperature of our teammates to chat with most of our agents, and see
being uninsured is also the biggest dan- with thermal cameras at the entry of our that 90 percent of them got used to this
ger right now. People started neglecting building. Like everyone else, we have pro- environment. A small minority still think
their policy renewals, and postponing to vided nearly all our employees with the op- about what they will do, but the majority
buy new insurance products. I believe this portunity to work from their homes since is now used to the circumstances. They are
should be our biggest fight. We must do the first week. 99 percent of our company developing their own systems for touching
our best to make sure that our people are is working remotely at the moment. Only their customers; they are calling them,
not left uninsured. As my company HDI 1 percent of them come to the company, asking them about their well-beings. They
Sigorta, and also the entire sector, we are including me. Bu we are keeping our dis- are conducting video-calls and meetings
focused on this. We are doing our best to tance; there are only 1 or 2 people work- like we do. We will adapt to this, we have
ensure that people do not avoid insurance ing on every floor. to.
and stay insured. We are offering many
conveniences ranging from policy-based As you know there are critical depart- We need to continue our jobs using these
and customer-based discounts to various ments; and our colleagues from depart- new methods, at least for a while. As in-
installment options. Speaking of which, ments such as administrative affairs, or surance companies, we are organizing vid-
I would also like to thank our sector for correspondence come to the company eo-calls and meetings with our agents, too.
their efforts. Everyone is doing their best on a voluntary basis. Other than that, We are using all available technologies.
in the insurance sector. Everyone has 99 percent of our employees are work- We have always said that digitalization is
drawn their own path in helping the socie- ing safely from their homes. They are the trend of our era. We were not expect-
ty. Therefore, we are doing more than we providing nearly excellent services with ing it to enter our lives so swiftly, but this
should by thinking about our customers the remote-working system and together might be an advantage. With some effort,
and agents in particular. The rest is in the with their families. Health of our people all of us, including our agents, are getting
hands of our customers. is the first priority. We do not have any