Tag Archives: critical illness cover

Esther Dijkstra on Scottish Widows Protection and Improving Customer Engagement – MPAF27

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Scottish Widows must be one of the most iconic brands in UK financial services.

And after almost a ten-year absence they are about to launch back into the adviser protection space.

My guest today is heading up that relaunch. Whilst she isn’t going to tell you all the secrets of the new proposition she does drop some tantalising hints.

Esther is passionate about customer engagement and shares her views on what we as an industry need to do to improve that engagement.

Hear Esther talk about the importance of using emotions rather than statistics to empathise with customers.

Listen how looking at completely different propositions, in this case, Spotify, can give you a different perspective on customer engagement.

Esther Dijkstra on Scottish Widows Protection and Improving Customer Engagement

Who is Esther Dijkstra?

After many business leadership and marketing roles at Legal and General, where she led the readiness team for RDR, Esther is now Head of Protection at Scottish Widows. She’s leading the brand’s relaunch back into the adviser protection market.

Outside work Esther regularly rides the Queen’s Horses.

Esther’s Contact links:

Esther’s favourite book:

 The Lord of The Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien.

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Caroline Hawkins on Critical Illness Cover and Business Protection – MPAF21

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If you’d spent seven years fighting an insurance company for a critical illness claim payment would you have become a passionate advocate for the product?

My guest today is a financial adviser who dealt with just such a prolonged claim.

Rather than put her off protection insurance, Caroline says the experience created a passion for protection. Now she focusses on protection advice. Particularly critical illness cover and business protection.

Caroline uses compelling stories to convince her clients of the need for protection insurance.

My guest on Episode 21 of the Marketing Protection and Finance Podcast is Caroline Hawkins.

Caroline Hawkins on Critical Illness Cover and Business Protection

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Who is Caroline Hawkins?

Caroline works for Direct Finance Solutions Ltd.

She’s an experienced, fully qualified, independent adviser specialising in Business Protection including tax-efficient Life Cover, Key Person cover and Shareholder protection; Personal Protection including Life Cover, Critical Illness Cover and Income protection; Large Loan Mortgages including International Mortgages and Buy-to-Let portfolios.

Her aim is to help people and corporate clients take control of their finances in a friendly and professional way whilst bringing financial peace of mind. Like many financial advisers, Caroline concentrates on building long-term relationships with her clients.

Listen to Caroline’s stories about critical illness cover and business protection. Hear her opinions on whether protection is too complex and where the products should go in future.

Caroline’s links:

Caroline’s favourite book:

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom.

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Last and Final Call on Financial Services Jargon

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My recent Podcast Interview with Rhys Williams on clarity of language in financial services struck a chord.

Thanks for your comments on the subject.

DE-PLANE!

Although guilty of using complex language, jargon and passive language in our communications we shouldn’t beat ourselves up too much. Other industries are just as culpable.

On a flight from Edinburgh to London last week I heard an interesting conversation between two American gentlemen.

Swapping stories about plane delays they had experienced in the past I heard one of them refer to leaving the aircraft as “De-planing”.

What a dreadful phrase. What is wrong with “getting off” or even the accepted English phrase of “disembarking”? How do you come up with a word like “de-planing”? When they get out of cars and buses do they de-car? Or de-bus?

I started to get quite grumpy listening to this conversation. But what finally put the tin lid on it was when the other American gentleman started to refer to getting off an aircraft as “De-boarding”.

Of course inside the airport terminal language abuse is just as rife.

Why do airport gate agents say, “this is the LAST and FINAL call…”?

I wish they wouldn’t. If it is the last call it is also the final one by definition and vice versa.

Of course it’s always the “last and final” call until they make another “last and final” call which means that the first “last and final” call was neither last nor final was it?

In the protection industry we talk about “Kick”. That means Critical Illness Cover. We recommend people buy “Eye Pee”. That’s Income Protection. And of course we overdose on passive language. “A cheque has been sent to you today” instead of the active voice, “We sent you a cheque today”.

The solution? Spot it. Have a giggle about it. And then change it.

Please have a listen to Rhys Williams on the Podcast. He’ll give you some great tips on how to do away with complexity , jargon and passive language.

MPAF17 - Rhys Williams

Now it’s your turn:

Please share your best example of complexity, financial services jargon and passive language. From any industry. Having a laugh about it is the first step in recognising the problem and then changing it.