RSA Insurance Group: 'We want to be the world's first truly social insurer'

New RSA Group head of social media explains how building communities for customers can benefit both sides

RSA Insurance Group is aiming to be "the world's first truly social insurer" by eschewing the standard practice of using social media tools as yet another channel for advertising, and instead looking to build communities among its customers.

"Being a social insurer is more about how social enables everything we do, and allows us to be better at engaging with the customer," says new group head of social media Ian Simons.

Simons adds that his vision is not to see social networking as just another way to send out messages to customers, but to interact with them; it's a two-way channel.

"Previously, it was all one-way traffic, but now we're trying to build communities. People expect a complaint to be dealt with over Twitter, but what about help and advice? If you have a burst pipe, we could send someone out to fix it, or talk you through it, and put you in touch with others who have had similar issues in your area."

He gives a further example around pet owners, explaining that many pet illnesses relate to pet obesity, so the insurer would like to build communities for pet owners to discuss the issues and help one another.

"But people don't necessarily want a community governed by their insurer," admits Simons. "So at most we'd be there purely to develop and support it. The outcome is that it's good for us and our customers if their pets are healthier."

Although this is still just a concept at present, the current plans extend to creating apps for dog walkers to help them track progress and perhaps provide rewards, although what precisely that might be is still very much in the development stage.

"So we want to improve customer service, but we're also looking to reduce costs. What can we do more cheaply using social technologies which we can then pass on to our customers with reduced premiums? For example, it's quicker to point people to answers like a relevant FAQ, or a discussion group, than making them sit on the phone for 10 minutes."

This may sound obvious for some industries, but it's somewhat suprising for a large insurer to be talking in this way, with the insurance industry in particular often viewed as slow in the extreme to adopt new technologies.

Simons admits that there is a cultural hill to climb as much as a technological one.

"Historically, the industry has tended to lag in terms of technology, with long approval times, and we're trying to turn that around in social. Previously, you'd be told not to waste time on social media, and that's a cultural change, but not everyone has the tools and training to get there yet. Not everyone has access to Twitter and YouTube yet, but they will by the end of this quarter. It's partly around security issues, but also bandwidth in YouTube's case," says Simons.

A laggard the insurance industry may be, but there is evidence that RSA Insurance Group is becoming more flexible and agile when it comes to trying out new services.

"Last year, we moved to a new building, and adapted to new technology, flexible working and BYOD," continues Simons. "We've also started using WhatsApp in my team to run events, instead of walkie-talkies."

He explains that previously events organisers would have had to whisper into short-band radios to communite during live events, but more recently found that using WhatsApp was a more convenient method of group communication, and also silent.

"It enables us to communicate silently around the room in a closed group," says Simons. "It's unobstrusive, quick and simple. That's our approach - there are millions of apps out there, let's see which fits with our roles."

Another perhaps surprising app for an insurer to be using is Instagram. Simons jokes that it's rather easier for a brand like Ferrari to show off photos of new products than an insurer, but there is a potential use. For instance, the Glasgow Museum of Art, some of which burnt down in May 2014, is now being rebuilt. Since some of the financing for the rebuilding work is being provided by RSA Insurance Group, the opportunity is there to show something more visually interesting than a new policy document.

"But overall social media has to be something more than just a new way to push adverts at people," Simons concludes.