Rami provides an insight into what our Telematics department are responsible for and why a job in Telematics might be the perfect role for you!
Can you tell us a bit about the work you and your team do at Hastings Direct?
I’d say we’re at the forefront of innovation in the insurance market (of course I would!). At the crux of what we do is using data to bring our customers prices that reflect how good a driver they are. We use Telematics technology (most commonly known as Black Box) to interpret how customers are actually driving. This allows us to give our customers better prices or provide hints and tips on how to improve their driving. One thing I’m most proud of is that we call our customers who may have been in a serious accident to check if they are ok as we can see when an accident may have taken place. There have been a good number of occasions where customers have required medical help and we like to think we may have also saved a few lives!
How does Telematics contribute to the success of Hastings Direct?
Our product allows us to offer insurance to a group of customers we might otherwise not be able to. It’s no secret that young drivers are more at risk of an accident and so some insurance companies won’t offer their products to young drivers as a result. Our use of Telematics to support young drivers by sharing hints and tips (we have a great team dedicated to this) allows us to help them become better drivers meaning we can offer insurance to these customers.
Looking to the future, what are you excited about for Hastings Direct and how will your team look to contribute to those plans?
I’m excited about our clear vision on becoming a leading digital insurer and I’ve not seen other major insurers put that into as much focus as we are. It’s also refreshing to have a vision led by our customer needs. Our customers don’t ask for much; simple and seamless interactions with us and access when they need it that fits around their lives. Digital interaction is a great way to do that and is becoming even easier with the advances in technology. And of course, a great price too! Telematics is looking to evolve to play a key role in our digital transformation and the prices we could offer to customers. The technology itself is changing and that should allow us to reach more customers, given most customers are good drivers, and this should stand to bring better insurance prices for many in the future.
Professional and personal development is part of Hastings Direct culture. What do you think about it and how it affects you?
When I joined Hastings I came straight from Telecoms with no knowledge of insurance, which to me was the first indication of Hastings culture playing a role in my development. My first role, and subsequent roles, with the company have been surrounded by great people with an in-depth knowledge of the insurance market. I got a supercharged learning of the market, finding links between the Insurance and Telecoms world so I could quickly translate my skills. Hastings then gave me the opportunity to run the Telematics function, giving me exposure to new areas of the business and a new challenge. The emphasis on development runs through the organisation and there is a real investment in developing skills to stay in touch with our customers and remain at the forefront of new tools, technology and business practices.
Why should someone consider joining the Telematics team at Hastings Direct?
Before you even become part of a department, Hastings has a great feel of being surrounded by people you feel you have known for a long time. It’s a place where you can bring yourself to work, with no façade needed and you will be taken as you are! Telematics specifically is (I believe) going to play a bigger role in the insurance market in the coming years and Hastings is committed to investing in this space (as our team continues to grow). We’ve also got a breadth of roles given our remit, so whether it’s designing new algorithms or designing new communications that floats your boat, we’ve most likely got something for you!
If you would like to find out more about the opportunities in our Telematics team, click here