November 2018
Generali France is helping to pioneer the use of MyGEB to help initiate and grow conversations with employers – via brokers – about international business and, in the process, deliver greater value to clients.
MyGEB, which was launched by GEB Network around two years ago, is a communication and support platform that provides brokers and employers with a wealth of benchmarking information on benefits and market practices in other countries.
It also allows for multinational pooling simulations: showing what a benefit programme would look like in GEB’s Lifecycle product (i.e. benefit premiums for each country in which the company operates and potential dividend payout – overall and per country) using either actual figures or estimates based on GEB’s existing portfolio.
Generali France began to focus on the IMM market in France around two years ago when colleagues realised they were receiving very few IMM requests from brokers. This is despite the fact that there are more than 35,000 mid-sized companies (minimum of 500 to 1,000 lives) in France with subsidiaries in other countries, employing around 5.5 million people locally.
The market in France is heavily intermediated so working closely with broker partners is essential. “Although larger brokers know international business, the smaller brokers are not always familiar with this area. The trouble is if they don’t discuss it with a client, the larger broker will likely get the business,” comments Frederique Simon, International Affairs Inspector at Generali France, “So for these brokers, MyGEB is a very useful tool. It’s simple to use and easy to understand. For the broker it helps them gain an understanding of how the client company is organised. They often don’t know about any subsidiaries in the normal course of their interactions. MyGEB helps initiate that conversation.”
Fabrice Delacruz, Commercial Director IDF & International at Generali France, comments: “In addition to helping brokers be proactive, MyGEB helps them stand out from local competitors and sell in additional policies to increase client loyalty. It’s also a perfect communication tool, allowing brokers to tell clients about the advantage of our international solutions.”
Generali France receives dedicated support from central GEB with regards to preparing reports and simulations via MyGEB and presenting to brokers, sometimes also presenting alongside brokers to clients. “The tool is very easy to use but people in France prefer face to face interactions so relationship building is key,” explains Frederique.