The much-maligned customer service side of a company is often associated with large corporations, including insurance and financial services firms.
However, at Prudential Assurance all employees show keen interest in customer concerns, and the company's financial services managers adopt a personalised, one-on-one approach. This kind of service is strictly adhered to - and it begins at the job interview, and strengthens further during an individual's career with the company.
'We believe that knowledge can be taught, but true passion, commitment and sincerity are traits each individual must have within themselves, and we have the system in place to nurture these characteristics.
'In today's competitive, talent-rich landscape, we need to grab these people as soon as they are discovered,' said John Johnson, chief partnerships distribution officer at Prudential. He cites an astounding rate of growth as the primary impetus for the need to hire more financial services managers (FSM). While the bancassurance sector is experiencing industry-wide expansion, Prudential went through a 70 per cent increase in this area for the first quarter of this year.
Another factor attributed to its recent growth is that the nearly 10-year alliance with Standard Chartered Bank has evolved into a progressive, comfortable relationship. Prudential now has about 150 staff stationed at Standard Chartered Bank branches around Hong Kong and now it is looking for 15 to 20 financial services managers in the bancassurance department.
This association allows Prudential to take advantage of the bank's well-established network of locations and clientele, while permitting the bank to offer more convenient, comprehensive financial services to its customers. As such, communication skills and a customer service ethos are also vital features for a financial services manager.
