Why AmMetLife CEO relies on digital to boost customer experience

The CEO coined four Cs to enhance customer experience.

There is a critical need for businesses to rethink their customer experience strategies in the digital age, warned a chief executive officer (CEO). By fostering a culture of innovation and leveraging advanced technologies, companies can not only meet but exceed customer expectations, thereby securing a competitive edge in an increasingly digital marketplace.

Rangam Bir, CEO of AmMetLife Insurance Berhad, spoke at the Insurance Asia Forum in Kuala Lumpur last month to explain the pivotal role of customer experience in the digital age.

Drawing from his extensive 27-year career, Bir shared insights on how businesses can elevate customer experiences, underpinned by a strong organisational culture and innovative use of technology.

“Customer service is what I, as a customer, would expect when I am purchasing a product or a service... But what is experience? Experience is much broader,” he said, noting that customer experience encompasses the entire journey with a brand, from researching products to post-purchase services.

Strategy: Four C’s

Central to Bir’s philosophy is what he terms the “four Cs”: culture, collaboration, communication, and community. He asserts that a robust organisational culture is the foundation for driving change and innovation. 

“For me, everything starts from culture in an organisation. It’s collaboration, it's communication, and community to drive change and innovation,” he said. This holistic approach ensures that customer experience is not an afterthought but an integral part of the business strategy.

He pointed out a common confusion between customer service and customer experience, stressing the need for businesses to move beyond merely meeting service expectations to creating comprehensive and memorable customer journeys. 

Reflecting on the brand-centric approach of the 1960s to the multi-channel strategies of the 2000s, Bir realised that today, merely having a digital presence is insufficient.

“Digital by default is certainly the norm at this point in time... But what we have got to recognise is for the customers today that digital experience is a baseline experience,” he said. This baseline is just the starting point for creating truly differentiated customer experiences, he added. 

One of the key challenges Bir identified is the gap in talent within the financial services sector in Malaysia. 

Whilst financial institutions have invested heavily in digital platforms, he said the focus often remains on execution rather than on enhancing customer experience. “In financial services in Malaysia today, getting good people with good customer experience is one of the gaps,” he said.

To address this, Bir advocates for a shift towards a growth mindset and continuous learning within organisations. 

Outlook

Looking ahead, Bir envisions an era of hyper-personalisation, where advanced data analytics, generative AI, and machine learning play crucial roles. 

He drew parallels with the automotive industry’s move towards the “segment of one,” where clients can customise every aspect of their purchase.

“Can we imagine in the age of hyper-personalisation we are able to offer tailored products and solutions to customers based on who they are as individuals?” Bir asked, highlighting the potential for insurance companies to adopt similar strategies. 

During the forum, he also touched on the importance of integrating digital and physical experiences, a hallmark of digitally native businesses like Amazon and Google. 

He said the need for a digital-first attitude and a customer-centric approach, where data-driven decision-making and innovation are paramount. 

“How do we empower our customers, not only our customers but our employees, to make better decisions that are right for them so that they can achieve much better outcomes?” he concluded.