Jun 22, 2012 – We don’t need studies and whitepapers to tell us that mobile device usage is on the rise and it is just a matter of time that mobile device usage will exceed that of traditional desktop usage. It is anticipated that in 2014, Internet usage through mobile devices will exceed that of desktop Internet usage (Source: Microsoft Tag). Just look around you, be it at the coffee shop, waiting in line at the cashier, on the public transit, etc., mobile device usage is surrounding us everywhere.
So it got me thinking, what about mobile device usage and life insurance/reinsurance professionals? LOGiQ3 did two very brief surveys to derive some basic conclusions for types of preferred mobile devices. Note, what are we calling a mobile device? A mobile device (also known as a handheld device, handheld computer or simply handheld) is a small, hand-held computing device, typically having a display screen with touch input and/or a miniature keyboard and weighting less than 2 pounds. Apple, HTC, LG, Motorola, RIM, and Samsung are just a few examples of the many manufacturers that produce these types of devices (Source: Wikipedia). Surveys were conducted on life insurance advisors and the LOGiQ3 network (made up of various life insurance and reinsurance professionals).
Life insurance advisors are expected to have the facts and figures at their finger tips when serving their clients in today’s fast-paced, real-time, connected economy. What type of mobile device do they use to conduct their insurance business? To answer this question, LOGiQ3 asked several Canadian Managing General Agencies (MGA’s) to assist by asking their life insurance advisors to conduct a short survey. The results of the survey was based on 310 responses we received in early 2012. Click here for a full size infograph.
Our Canadian life insurance advisor sample tells us that, majority (38%) prefer a Blackberry over an iPhone (30%). It is also worthwhile to point out that 8% are currently not using a mobile device to conduct business (these either had no device or using other types of tools). When both birth year and years of experience came into play, Blackberry was still the number one contender. However, some exceptions do appear. IPhone usage exceed that of Blackberry for those in the 10-15 years of experience and the good old cell phone is preferred for those born in the 1930’s.
So what about the LOGiQ3 Network, professionals spanning cross all functions, such as audit, claims, administration, underwriting? At our 2012 Freedom to Think Reception, we asked our guests to answer this same question – What Mobile Device Do You Use? (In 2011, we asked, How Do You Communicate?, click here to see results).
69 guests responded and the results indicated Blackberry is still the winner (this could be the Canadian demographic).
So what does this all mean? A couple of personal takeaways:
- Mobile device usage is here to stay. Companies should consider mobile device applications that will assist employees conduct business.
- Companies that haven’t opened up their corporate network to connect to mobile devices should consider implementing this approach.
- Companies need to ensure their communications, websites, and other forms of information accessible via the Internet is mobile friendly.
The next logical question is – what are people doing on these devices?! Stay tuned for that.
These are just my personal takeaways, what takeaways do you glean from this data or any other sources of information you’ve read on mobile device usage? Let us know!
[This blog post has been republished with permission. The original can be seen here.]
About LOGiQ3
LOGiQ3’s experienced team covers all facets of the life reinsurance business: auditing, consulting, business process outsourcing and underwriting. Risk management is at the core of all the services that LOGiQ3 delivers. The risks inherent across the functions of life reinsurance are increasing and the consequences of not managing those risks grow larger if left unchecked. In today’s environment, the organizations that succeed will be those with the ability to identify and then effectively manage those risks. www.logiq3.com
