BoE Life Assurance has become one of the most innovative insurance companies in SA through allowing its brokers to connect directly to its Durban-based mainframe across the Internet.
The result for its more than 1 225 brokers nationwide has been the ability to connect to BoE Life`s administration system, track policy progress online, and to gain immediate access to information that was previously requested via their consultants, and then extracted manually.
In addition, brokers now have access to online commission statements, arrears reports, lapse reports and various other information tools. Brokers access the system through navigating to the BoE Web site, where there is a special, password-protected button for online services. They can conduct a wide range of enquiries and gain access to detailed product information.
In effect, BoE Life has been able to address one of the key challenges facing large corporations today: how to grant external business partners real-time access to core, often legacy, systems without having to modify the systems or compromise their security and integrity.
Unisys Africa, through its Durban branch, provided the integration software, Internet Commerce Enabler, which allows the brokers access to the core applications running on the Unisys IX ClearPath mainframe. These applications run on Unisys`s proprietary operating system alongside Internet Commerce Enabler, which has been implemented on Windows NT. The IX ClearPath and its partner servers, the NX and LX ClearPath and the newly released ES 7800, are the only servers to incorporate both proprietary and Windows NT in one server, in separate partitions.
Colin Havenga, an independent financial advisor from Bloemfontein, has been one of the most enthusiastic early adopters of BoE Life`s new system. He began using it in October last year, when he was submitting four policies a month; by April 2001 his monthly figure had risen to 49. He and his team of brokers make extensive use of the service, drawing statements, reports and enquiries.
"Our direct link to BoE Life means we now do all our applications electronically," says Havenga. "It is reassuring to know they are received instantaneously and promptly attended to.
"Our marketers do not have the time to complete manual application forms, so the responsibility has been passed to our administrative staff," says Havenga. "Often information is misinterpreted and applications are seldom accurately completed and checked. The new system allows an applicant`s details to be captured electronically, at point of sale. This leaves no room for misinterpretation and we know the application is 100% correct."
Electronic capture eliminates delays and duplication of work, as the marketer instantly knows the selection criteria. The marketer can immediately detail to the client the required HIV and medical examinations. Occasionally an underwriter may request a test, but this is dealt with promptly.
"The service offers other time-saving conveniences," adds Havenga. "We use the BoE Life Web site daily to track our application progress. Every Monday morning we draw a commission statement via the Web - we never need to wonder which cases are going to earn commission, as we know well before payments are made. We also regularly draw the arrears and outstanding report.
"From an administration point of view, the system works perfectly. All information is updated daily. Our clients benefit as all policies are completed and processed promptly, with fast turnaround times and fewer queries."
BoE Life has more than 130 000 policy-holders, and developed its systems in the Business Information Server environment over a five-year period. BoE Life IT manager Christine Decker says the company`s Web enablement strategy was driven by a vision for allowing brokers to get information on the same day they requested it.
"It was revolutionary at the time, and as competitors have rolled out similar offerings, so we have continued to add functionality, and today the extent of access we grant our brokers is unmatched. We are now going on a big drive to market it to our broker community."
Decker adds that the new system enjoyed the highest-level buy in, having been championed by BoE Life`s executive committee. This level of commitment was pivotal in its success.
"E-business has come under huge pressure and been discredited worldwide," says Unisys account executive Paul Kilmartin. "But the BoE Life experience shows that e-business can really work and deliver great value to all parties. Web enablement has allowed BoE Life to extend the life of its administration systems and reduce the cost of interaction with its brokers, while improving customer service and securing new business."
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