In September, we took our 2019 Fast Forward Idea Accelerator across the country for sold-out events at Vancouver’s Goldcorp Stage at the BMO Theatre Centre and the CBC Atrium in Toronto.
Gore Mutual created Fast Forward in 2017 as a forum for our insurance broker partners to examine and discuss the emerging challenges and wide-scale transformation facing our industry. That inaugural Toronto event was incredibly well received which led to us holding a second Fast Forward in 2018.
For 2019, we simplified the format of the forum to focus on the most relevant issues facing our industry today. The world continues to evolve at an exponential pace. Because of this, we felt that the discussions this year needed to strike a balance between our imminent priorities and the collective long-term vision for our industry. Industry-wide partnership and varied perspectives from across our country are more important than ever, which is why we hosted our Fast Forward Idea Accelerator in both Vancouver and Toronto.
“Data and technology are changing consumer expectations,” Gore Mutual President and CEO, Heidi Sevcik, told the capacity crowd at the CBC Atrium. “We know that we need to work together to change our customer service model to meet those expectations. But every challenge creates opportunities. We have the opportunity and the ability to explore new possibilities and work together to chart a successful path for all of us for the future.”
Gore Mutual Chief Marketing and Distribution Officer, Paul Jackson, led candid panel discussions in both Vancouver and Toronto with industry leaders and innovators about customer experience, insurance brands and the continued dominance of data and tech. The panelists came from a number of esteemed organizations including Deloitte Canada, Cookhouse Lab, Element AI, BrokerLift, Janzen Insurance, Surex, Goose Insurance, BrokerTeam, Staebler Insurance, isure and Verdexus.
Award-winning advertising guru and the host of CBC Radio’s acclaimed Under the Influence program, Terry O’Reilly, anchored each day’s discussions with fantastic insights about building unforgettable brands and how customer service can be a competitive advantage for carriers and insurance brokers alike.
“You have to encourage a customer-centric culture at your company because a culture that celebrates customer service is untouchable,” said O’Reilly. “Your company culture is a competitive advantage. If your staff is encouraged to use creativity to build customer loyalty, your company will be utterly unique in your category.”
Check out the highlight video from our 2019 Fast Forward Idea Accelerators below.
