Listening to the customer: the first step in building mutual trust
In 1912, the year Liberty Mutual Group (where Liberty Seguros is integrated) was founded in Boston, the Liberty Mutual Creed was also born: “Helping People Live Safer, More Secure Lives.” This noble statement that has guided the organization for more than 105 years.
In 2003, when Liberty Seguros was established in Portugal, we decided to translate the statement and adopt Liberty Seguros’ brand motto “For the protection of life’s values,” a paraphrasing of our parent company’s mission statement. This statement embodies the important mission of protecting our customers’ lives and property.
Few companies undertake the mission of protecting their customers’ lives, which shows just how important customers are to Liberty Seguros.
Insurance activities involve a contract with the customer, based on the principle of good faith, in which the customer entrusts the insurer will protect their assets from certain risks. As of the beginning of this relationship with the customer, our service is an intangible promise that depends on the customer trusting the insurer.
Few companies undertake the mission of protecting their customers’ lives, which shows just how important customers are to Liberty Seguros
Today’s customer is well-informed and very selective. They constantly evaluate the services they use and the products they buy and act as an influencer to those in their vicinity. In addition, they seek information about products and services from their peers and value this type of information more than the information provided by manufacturers or service providers.
Customers who give a very positive recommendation or evaluation will share their experience and remain loyal to companies and brands.
The feedback we get from customers allows us to identify ways to improve our products and services. By incorporating this knowledge, we are able to constantly improve. Later on, we analyze their feedback again, thus forming a cycle that continuously benefits both the customer and our organization.
At Liberty Seguros, we evaluate customers’ recommendation indicators during key moments of the provision of service, the moments of truth. These moments are the most important to customers and are pivotal for them to recommend our products.
The metric we use is the Net Promoter Score (NPS). NPS, first introduced in Harvard Business Review, helps organizations stay client-centered, since it is an indicator that ties in with every customer interaction and provides information about the entire customer experience with the company, helping companies improve the experiences they offer.
NPS results are then taken into account when evaluating customer service processes and product designs.
A “customer” usually refers to the customer who buys our products and services. Still, it is important to remember the internal customer, who buys our products and services, also evaluates their experiences and shares their opinions with people they know.
Finally, there is another important group of customers: professional insurance agents, often the face of Liberty Seguros. They are fundamental to the organization’s relationship with the customer and play an important role with regard to their experiences with Liberty Seguros.
A “customer” usually refers to the customer who buys our products and services. Still, it is important to remember the internal customer, who buys our products and services, evaluates their experiences and shares their opinions with people they know
In the ‘60s, Sam Walton, founder of the U.S.-based Walmart chain, noted the customer had the power to fire all the people in his company with one simple decision: shopping elsewhere. In essence, the customer was the head of the organization.
Organizations that view the customer as the head of the organization and puts them at the center of their decisions are bound to thrive. In Portugal and around the world, Liberty Seguros makes sure to put the customer at the center of its decisions.
