News

Southern Cross Health Society wins gold for member engagement

Friday , 1 March 2019 by Campbell Gibson

Southern Cross Health Society has been recognised for its revamped member engagement programme, winning four awards at the NZ Direct Marketing Awards, including two golds.

The Society, New Zealand’s largest health insurer, was the only insurer to win awards at the event.

Southern Cross Health Society Chief Marketing Officer Chris Watney welcomed the recognition of the business’ efforts to deliver a world-class communications programme to its members.

“Health is of utmost importance so empowering our members with new tools to be in better control of their health, including and beyond insurance, is part of our strategy to assure members of their health and wellbeing,” he says.

A group of different sized screensWatney says the programme drove more personalised communications by reflecting the life stage and lifestyle of a member. This was based on customer insight and delivered through relevant and timely messages matching the customer lifecycle, all triggered from a new marketing data framework.

“As a not-for-profit Friendly Society, Southern Cross operates solely for the benefit of our members so I’m extremely proud of the work by our team to have better conversations with our members,” says Watney.

“Our aim was to grow and retain membership, help members better understand their policies and benefits, increase digital adoption among members, lift engagement and improve our communication processes.”

With the use of data science and creative flair, all targets were exceeded, there was a notable increase in digital channel usage and engagement, and operational processes saw marked improvements.

Watney says the programme was delivered in a time of increased competition where claims costs were escalating, and premiums had to increase, creating a need for Southern Cross to engage proactively with members.

At the NZ Direct Marketing Awards on Thursday, the Society won:

  • Nexus Gold - CRM & Data Management
  • Nexus Gold - Production & Fulfilment
  • Craft Silver - Excellence in Data Strategy
  • Craft Bronze - Excellence in Personalisation

ENDS