On the judging panel of the 5th Asia Trusted Life Agents & Advisers Awards is Stephen Appleyard, Chief Distribution Hub for AXA Asia.
He joined the life insurance industry 24 years ago in the UK as an insurance agent and has since moved up the ranks. He has 18 years in senior management roles such as Managing Director, Country and Regional Management roles.
As one who has worn the shoes of an insurance agent, he knows what it’s like to be one in today’s society and standards. Here’s what he says about the Awards and industry:
Q What qualities would you be looking out for in selecting winners?
As an ex agent and someone who oversees 56,000 agents across Asia at AXA, I am personally invested in leading our industry to new heights of professionalism.
For me, the best agents and advisers “go beyond” in supporting and guiding their clients, protecting their health and wealth as well as providing for their long term future. I see the best Agents, like the best lawyers and accountants, as people who provide the best advice and service to their clients.
Winners will have a strong work ethic, high professional standards and a very caring approach to customer service. It’s the balance between quantity of sales and the quality of sales and service that makes winners stand out in my eyes.
Q Why should the industry participate actively in the Asia Trusted Life Agents & Advisers Awards?
The industry is constantly seeking to improve its reputation against a backdrop where bad news often makes the press and social media. The Asia Trusted Life Agents & Advisers Awards allows us to shine a light on the good work of the best in our industry, raising standards and reassuring customers, who so desperately need to plan for their future.
These awards also really give the industry the opportunity to encourage everyone to raise their standards as we highlight just a few of the very many professionals we have in our industry.
Q How do you see distribution in the insurance industry evolving in the years to come?
I see four trends that will shape the industry in the years to come:
Firstly, as new insurance channels enter the market and eat into traditional sales with offerings that are more commoditised (‘self-service’), agents and advisers need to ensure that their advice and after-sales support are key differentiators that are seen as value-added services.
Secondly, as customers become more financially aware and products more complex, tailored to segments and life stages, agents and advisers need to build their knowledge and expertise to remain relevant. In response to this, training and education are a key area of focus at AXA as we seek to go beyond insurance product sales in helping our agents to be better informed about health trends and preventative care, as well as global markets.
Thirdly, as more and more customers do their research online, it is essential that future agents have that online reach and presence as I firmly believe there will always be a need for face to face consultative advice about life-changing decisions. Future successful agents and advisers will need to promote their knowledge and skills beyond their natural market through the use of digital channels. This can be as a ‘money matters influencer’ posting articles about health trends, stock market conditions and changes in regulations, but it can also be a lead generation tool for the small things that people have to purchase such as motor/travel and home insurance. Being there for the small things for our customers builds trust and allows opportunities to support some of the larger decisions in life.
Finally, I see a significant trend in remote advice. We have already seen this in travel with online travel agencies, in education with online learning and more recently with doctors and telemedicine. The COVID-19 epidemic will accelerate this trend into other industries such as financial advice.
I see, in the very near future, first appointments being held via video chat and leading to a final meeting where all the paperwork is signed face to face. There may be some regulatory hurdles to this in the short run, but it will be a customer-led trend that will allow agents and advisers to be much more productive.
The Awards
In order to identify true excellence within the insurance community in Asia, the judging panel of the 5th Asia Trusted Life Agents & Advisers Awards is made up of close to 30 esteemed judges, comprising of CEOs, Presidents, senior executives and industry leaders. The judging process is independently audited to ensure transparency and impartiality across the competition.
This year’s search for the best professionals in the insurance industry to honour and recognise them is on.
Nominations end 31st March. Submit yours today.
For more details on how to submit your nominations, please reach out to
Mr Mohamad Hyqel
Awards Administrator, Asia Insurance Review
lifeawards@asiainsurancereview.com
The Awards is organised by Asia Insurance Review and Asia Advisers Network with LIMRA as co-organiser, AIA as strategic partner, and strong industry support from leading insurance associations and organisations.
Check out the Awards website here: https://www.asiaadvisersnetwork.com/awards2020
Want to read stories on past winners of the Awards? Here you go:
Rookie Insurance Agent Of The Year 2019 - Shiu Ling Po
Lifetime Achievement - Dr Mary Chen Ming Li
InsurTech of the Year 2019 - Goalsmapper
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