As Senior Vice President of IT and Transformation at Legal & General America, Raju Seetharaman has been a pivotal figure in driving the company's efforts to expand its presence in the US market. Since joining L&G in 2018, Seetharaman has leveraged his deep knowledge of the company and expertise in digital transformation to establish technology as their key market differentiator.
Life insurers worldwide have been aware of the need to adapt to rapidly increasing customer expectations. With technological disruption affecting every industry, some players have hesitated to embrace change, while others have seized the opportunity to lead the way. Through Equisoft's ongoing work with leading insurers on their digital transformation journeys, certain key themes have emerged as critical to success. Raju Seetheraman discussed these themes in detail on the Life Accelerated podcast, highlighting the importance of taking a proactive approach to innovation and customer engagement.
Here are some of the practices he shared on how L&G America is utilizing its competitive advantage to achieve market dominance in the US.
Set your strategy as if you were a tech start-up or fintech
Raju Seetharaman has been a key player in Legal & General's transformation journey since joining the company in 2000. Under his leadership, L&G became a dominant force in the market, boasting a 24% market share. This success was driven in large part by their use of digital technology as a differentiator.
In 2017, L&G's global CEO, Bernie Hickman, set a bold vision for the company, recognizing that their future competitors would likely be startups and fintechs. To stay ahead of the curve, Hickman asserted that L&G needed to shift from being a life insurance company that knew how to do technology to a tech startup that knew how to do life insurance. This pivot was a major undertaking, but it has become the cornerstone of the company's growth strategy.
When L&G looked at their US division, they recognized the potential for expansion, and they were fortunate to have both a growth mindset and the necessary technology to make it happen. This combination has helped them stay ahead of the curve in the ever-evolving world of insurance and technology.
Leverage innovation to meet customer expectations
Legal & General America has made it a top priority to simplify and streamline the life insurance purchasing process for their customers. To achieve this goal, the company harnesses the power of real-time data, AI algorithms, and machine learning to create personalized questionnaires for each individual customer.
By tailoring their approach in this way, Legal & General America is able to meet and exceed customer expectations.
Raju Seetharaman, SVP, IT and Transformation at Legal & General America
Innovation, as a core practice for Legal & General America, has allowed them to provide a better customer experience—making life insurance more accessible, easier, and more affordable for families.
Utilize a case management system in order to increase customer satisfaction
Case management is a powerful tool that has helped Legal & General America see growth and success in selling life insurance to families in the US.
Raju Seetharaman, SVP, IT and Transformation at Legal & General America
Legal & General America focuses on providing the agent with tools to self-serve and present status feeds to the customer so they know the progress of the policy without having to call in to ask. This provides a more seamless customer experience and reduces the time and effort that agents have to put in, benefiting both parties.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Legal & General America's focus on innovation, digital transformation, and customer-centricity has helped them become a leader in the life insurance industry. Through the use of cutting-edge technologies like AI, machine learning, and real-time data, Legal & General America has been able to streamline the life insurance purchasing process and provide a superior customer experience. The company's emphasis on innovation has helped them stay ahead of the curve and adapt to the changing needs of their customers. As Legal & General America continues to expand its market presence and innovate in the field of life insurance, it is clear that the company will remain at the forefront of the industry for years to come.
For more on how Legal & General America is transforming their life insurance business, listen to the full episode here.
