31/03/2022
It may sound like common-sense but customer-first has to be the right philosophy for productivity and profitability in the motor insurance market, for customer acquisition and retention. Conflicting priorities and market drivers, however, have meant that the customer hasn’t always appeared to be the first priority in the motor claims process.
At Europcar Mobility Group UK, we are changing that perception, bringing a new level of transparency and removing friction in the credit hire process. The key is to identify and fix the pain points in the motor claims journey to deliver benefits for insurers and policyholders.
Underpinning this approach is a ‘right first time’ philosophy. For every insurer the priority is to get drivers back on the road in the most efficient way. And the replacement vehicle element of the claim is fundamental to that goal. The focus should be on getting the right car, to the right place, at the right time.
The evolution of technology will also make a difference to the credit hire experience. Connected technology, for example, is a really big step with Europcar being one of the first rental companies to adopt this fleet-wide. It improves operational efficiency – we know exactly where our vehicles are at the end of the rental for collection. It also helps us understand when they need to be serviced – which can only be a good thing for the customer experience. It also provides the insight to ensure any additional charges are clearly identified.
The electric motoring revolution is also a huge challenge for the motor insurance marketplace – customer expectation will soon be EV for EV when a replacement vehicle is needed. And that’s why at Europcar we are on a fast-moving global carbon reduction plan, including targeting to have green vehicles (less than 50 g CO2/km) accounting for 20% of our car and van fleet by the end of 2024.
