Focus and whatever obstacles will be out of focus - Zhou Ai Hua

| 09 Dec 2019

Ai Hua was an account executive with two young kids when she decided to become a financial consultant. Leaving a stable corporate job was not easy, considering she has two kids to raise. Yet, she took a leap of faith and joined the insurance industry.

While it requires a lot of hard work, choosing to become a financial consultant gave Ai Hua more freedom in managing her time. She now has more time to spend with her kids and loved ones. On top of having a flexible schedule, she finds the work extremely meaningful as she’s able to offer financial guidance to the people she meets.

She said, “As a financial consultant, I possess the ability to provide guidance and help others who need it. I find this extremely meaningful.”

Never-ending pursuit to learn

Despite being relatively new in the industry, her tenacity and determination have made her into a beacon of inspiration amongst her colleagues in Jaden Wang Group (“JWG”) at Assets Prestige Alliance (“APA”). In a short span of time, she achieved multiple admirable accomplishments, and she has no plans to stop anytime soon.

One of her core principles which led to her success is that she never stops learning from people who are more experienced in the industry. “Don’t be shy to ask questions and learn from others. Whenever I am unsure about a certain policy, I always take the initiative to ask my seniors. This enables me to better myself and achieve greater heights,” she added.

Working towards being an excellent financial consultant, Ai Hua regularly attends programmes, workshops, and seminars organised by Prudential and her agency to ensure she’s updated, and well versed in the various products to provide accurate and suitable advice to her customers.

 

The road to success is always rocky

This is especially true for financial consultants. While the stigma is not as heavy now that society has more awareness of protection and having necessary financial planning, Ai Hua still finds her toughest challenge is having to face numerous rejections by shoppers during roadshows.

“I believe that this is due to the misunderstandings that people have of financial consultants. Another possible reason could also be that they had bad experiences previously with their insurance agents which makes them distrustful and sceptical,” she shared.

Speaking from experience now, Ai Hua feels it’s important for all financial consultants to take the initiative in understanding their clients’ needs on a deeper level, rather than selling or recommending policies just for monetary gain. Only by truly understanding a client can a financial consultant introduce the best plans and policies for their customers, resulting in higher trust and stronger consultant-client relationship.

Recalling a story, she said, “A client bought a hospital plan with me. Three months later, she went for a check-up and suffered from a lack of blood, which resulted in frequent hospital visits and increased medical expenses. They were thankful towards me for having recommended the plan to them because it helped to cover the bills incurred, which gave them peace of mind. I was glad that I was able to make a difference in their lives, and this is the reason why I love being a financial consultant!”

On days you feel down in the ditch, Ai Hua has a message for you – Keep your persistence and perseverance. You need to set your sights towards your end goals and never lose focus. Then, whatever that comes your way will be out of focus and insignificant.

 

Assets Prestige Alliance (APA) is a group of agency units of Prudential Assurance Company Singapore.

 

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