UNLEASHING THE POWER OF THREE

To start operations in times of slowdown and quickly break into the top ten in the very first year of operations is indeed incredible. These guys can’t stop thanking their strong focus on bancassurance

You don’t just rise to be the numero uno within a year of operation do you? So why did we chose the Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance over other leading players (see chart) in the industry? Well, this new player’s performance has been exemplary, especially when the big bosses of the industry are facing a tough time. In just a year, this life insurer has climbed to the ninth position amongst India’s twenty one private life insurance players (in terms of market share on weighted premium income). Not only this, in April 2009, the company recorded its best sales performance over the previous month than any other private insurer. Guess that’s just one more reason to be counted as a success.

But, when listening to any success story, what strikes first is, how? For a conceptual product, which is actually sold rather than bought voluntarily by consumers, credit for the unprecedented response received by the company goes to its operations based on a bancassurance model, adequate capital, distribution capacity, strong distribution channel and innovative products. Certainly exclusive access to approximately 50 million potential customers and a pan India network of over 4,100 branches does give the insurer an ‘unfair advantage’ over some of its new peers. Explaining the success story, Harpal Karlcut, CEO, Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance Company, says, “Our success is based on HSBC’s in-depth know-how of bancassurance, coupled with the distribution of Canara Bank and Oriental Bank of Commerce. Our performance has been delivered entirely by bancassurance.” What is evident is the fact that bancassurance has played a pivotal role in helping the new entrant break the clout of the biggies. The CEO agrees, “Each aspect of our business model has been tailored to bancassurance and the specific needs of each of the three shareholding banks; including products, promotion, training, operational support et al.” But the real success of a marketing strategy for an intangible product primarily depends on its execution and the insurer has taken due consideration of this fact too.

Success has many parameters and it seems this insurer has focused on each of them albeit more on bancassurance. But then, they should not forget this is just the beginning. To reach the top they have a long and winding road to cover. That’s when they’ll need a lot more than mere bancassurance to fulfil any leadership ambitions.

Gyanendra Kumar Kashyap

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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