CMG Asia hopes to brew more sales in first 'financial cafe'

Life-insurance firm CMG Asia opened its first 'financial cafe' on Friday, with the hope it would give its sales staff a more professional venue for discussing business than the local McDonald's restaurant.

Managing director Gary Bennett said: 'This shop will give our customers a new choice - before the only choice was to meet with our agents in noodle-shops, cafes, or in the home.' The retail outlet, located in Central, is designed to resemble an up-market cappucino bar.

Mr Bennett said it will be staffed initially by 120 sales agents on a roster basis, as well as five full-time support staff: 'Insurance agents are available during retail hours to deal with any inquiries from walk-in customers . . . and anyone can make an appointment to meet with their own CMG Asia agent at the cafe.' The retail outlet-style also allows CMG Asia - formerly know as Jardine Life before the Jardines company was bought out by then-partner Colonial - to handle other services on-the-spot, which cannot be done by roaming agents.

'The full-time staff here can help with underwriting, processing new insurance applications and amending existing insurance plans, and taking premium payments.

'And the design of the cafe also includes private rooms in the back where a doctor or nurse could work to give medical checks right here,' he said.

Mr Bennett - who admitted he stole the general idea for the cafe from his previous employer - said the concept was to marry an office with a more laid-back environment people would like to visit. 'Financial services products, such as ours, are all very similar, with the only distinction being performance and price.