TALKING business

achieved through rule engines , weighting and scoring , and prioritisation of campaigns themselves – all of which can be manually configured by those who know their customers , suppliers and market .

The critical role of content marketing throughout the digital experience can be greatly enhanced with AI-led personalisation , addressing questions such as :

• Should this user be presented with a brand video or other rich content to drive conversion ?

• Will an article on accessories in this user ’ s email reduce the prospect of an abandoned basket ?

• Do people who search for this term want product specs or user generated content ?

Content creation is demanding and resource-intensive , but project collaboration and workflow tools can lighten the load . Episerver is a platform that goes one step further by embedding these tools into the CMS itself , reducing the workload still further .

But quality still trumps quantity . Time taken previously to content tag and match is now best used to identify high priority customer journeys and corresponding user segments that stand to gain the most from content – a task made easier through Machine Learningled analysis – and create the highest quality content that time and resource affords .

Done well , personalised campaigns can generate a significant return by improving order values , driving down abandoned carts and enriching data that will be used on subsequent visits . Real-time personalisation has much to offer here .

With knowledge of what a visitor has already seen and possibly bought , personalisation powered by AI can serve up banners , recommendations , tailored promotions and rich media to drive conversions . Triggered messages can also be particularly effective .

There are many trigger opportunities available , such as when a visitor gives their email in-store , browses certain pages or places specific products in their cart . Messages can be sent via texts , email , with an in-app alert , or via a consumer ’ s channel of choice . •

Given the size of the unbanked population in Africa , insurers who can bridge the gap between formal structures and more innovative ways of collecting premiums will be the ones that gain a foothold . Much has been written about how digital solutions can reduce costs and improve efficiencies . In Africa , their potential is so much more . “ Just like any other continent in the world , Africa has woken up to the need for customercentric solutions ,” added Preston . “ While this talks to any industry sector , it is in insurance where companies can really drive more forward-thinking ways of catering for end-user demands . This innovation does not necessarily have to be too far ahead of its time ( cryptocurrency and ondemand insurance are examples ) but rather concentrate on getting people ‘ connected ’ from an insurance perspective .”

Mobile first

With research showing that 66 % of people in Sub-Saharan Africa do not have bank accounts , the primary goal of any insurer should be on how to address this challenge . Mobile presents an effective and ubiquitous way of helping make the transition .

“ Considering that Africa is viewed by many as a mobile-only continent , it is surprising that more service providers have not capitalised on the potential that the likes of USSD and mobile apps present ,” said Preston . “ Granted , a small percentage of consumers use smartphones in Africa , but feature-phones are virtually everywhere . With Facebook and others using this as a platform to offer solutions geared for these entry-level devices , the time has come for insurers to wake up to the potential as well .”

Not only do SMS messages offer insurers more effective ways of communicating with customers than email and letters , they also provide a more reliable way of capturing

Kelly Preston , Data Analytics Manager at SilverBridge

demographic information as well as what the specific needs of those customers are . Furthermore , mobile users are comfortable in buying airtime , data and other basic services using their phones .

“ Think about the potential that using airtime to purchase an insurance product could have for an expanding customer footprint ,” said Preston . “ The focus here is on low value but consistently delivered insurance solutions where users take control of their cover in more direct ways than traditional banking solutions can offer .”

Even though insurtechs are putting the pressure on service providers to become more agile , if the incumbents focus on gaining momentum in the unbanked sector across the continent , then they will create more market opportunities for themselves . •

36 INTELLIGENTCIO www . intelligentcio . com