Building Digital Dexterity in Insurance Workplaces

The years 2018-19 are banner years for insurers. Economic growth and higher investment income played an important role in setting the stage for customer-centric development in the insurance sector.

But, are insurers dexterous enough in deploying technologies to enhance customer experience & improve operations?

According to Gartner – “Digital Dexterity is the ability and desire to exploit existing and emerging technologies for better business outcomes.” Here’s an outlook on building digital dexterity in insurance workplaces.

Why Insurers Need Digital Dexterity?

Accenture reports – 42% of the digitally active customers & 22% of the quality seeking customers are willing to use computer-generated advice for buying insurance. Reason – it’s fast and convenient.

Surprisingly, less than 40% of insurers have a holistic digital transformation strategy, World InsurTech Report 2019 states. Furthermore, the gap between Insurer awareness of the need for ‘change’ and their digital maturity is significant.

WITR-X-Capegemini-2019-report-on-digital-maturity

Source: Capgemini Financial Services Analysis, 2019; WITR 2019 Executive Interviews, 2019.

The point is – the world is shifting towards the digital model. The sooner Insurers harness AI-based technologies to streamline their operations, the higher their chances of acquiring new-age tech-savvy customers.

How to Achieve Digital Dexterity in Insurance?

Betting on technology and expecting a serious outcome is not the solution, especially in the insurance industry which is highly customer-facing and experience-oriented. There needs to be a thorough strategy to eliminate resource wastage and increase back and front-office operational efficiency.

For instance, Amazon uses its data capabilities for the benefit of consumers. By harnessing Machine Learning technology, the company provides personalized product recommendations to consumers. Through well-informed customer service interactions, Amazon contributes to employee satisfaction and productivity.

Being dexterous can help Insurers achieve a mean & lean business model.

#1 Automation

The traditional process requires poring over lengthy documents, handwritten notes, and more to keep up with the ever-changing regulations. Also, most insurance customer-facing processes, such as policy renewal, go through several stages.

Eliminating dependencies and automating routine processes can help the insurers scale without adding staff. For example, AIA HongKong has reduced the average claims handling time by 40%.

Read our Case Study: How AIA HongKong saves 60% through Claims Automation.

Automation in insurance can solve some of the most pressing operational challenges like agent onboarding, claims settlements, underwriting, policy distribution, and document processing along with data entry and migration.

#2 Enterprise Mobility

With the growing number of smart devices in the workplace, determining how to integrate technology with work processes and business objectives can improve operations. Enterprise mobility involves several technologies like – 5G, blockchain, AI, cybersecurity, mobile device management, wearables, cloud, and IoT.

According to Oxford Economics Maximizing Mobile Value Report, 80% of Executives believe — workers cannot work effectively without a mobile device.

The ease of communication, resource accessibility, and affordability are the prime reasons for the wide-spread use of mobile devices. That’s why organizations are open to employees using their mobile phones for calling customers, accessing emails, file transfers, and much more. Executives agree that the real benefit of mobility lies in solving operational challenges.

Millennials spend at least two hours a day on their smartphones, with 78% of the time in apps. Reaching the customers where they are and in a way they prefer is indeed a great operational catch.

Also read – How AI can improve 5 front-office operations in insurance.

#3 Value Added Services (VAS)

Considering insurance as a commodity, customers cannot differentiate the products that are available at the same price and insurers who offer similar services. By definition, a value-added service can be any offering at little or no cost to promote the primary business.

According to McKinsey, the estimated market for insurance VAS (especially in Europe & North America) is $2 billion. VAS holds enormous potential in the risk mitigation sector. Predictive analytics, knowledge sharing, risk training and reporting, self-insurance, and crisis advisory are some of the additional services that insurers can leverage utilizing data and analytics.

How Digital Dexterity Can Benefit Insurers?

While 90% of corporate leaders consider digitization as their top priority, 83% of them struggle to make meaningful progress on digital transformation, according to Gartner. Insurers can profit from digital dexterity in the following ways.

#1 Employee Productivity

With streamlined workflows and automating mundane tasks, insurers can improve their employee productivity to a great extent. McKinsey’s Building a Culture of Continuous Improvement in Insurance, states that “…Taking advantage of a new focus on problem-solving, the back office made a few changes to standard operating procedures that reduced the number of incomplete applications, speeding completion time by 45 percent for new customers..”

digital-dexterity-for-employee-productivity

#2 Enterprise Agility

Agility in insurance corresponds to instantly accommodating the multifaceted demands of customers & responding rapidly to opportunities and disruption. According to Accenture’s Transformation GPS study, Agile firms are twice as likely to achieve top-quartile financial performance.

The agile align the entire organization to a set of lightweight, shared processes because of which, it can adapt quickly to market changes.

Also, the Gen Z are par work-life balance mindset and count on deliverables more than logging time. That’s why organizations are leveraging SaaS and cloud technology to create an agile workspace.

#3 Cognitive Capability

Data is a greater by-product of Insurance. Processing huge amounts of Big Data can be both times consuming and complex to manage at large scale. By leveraging distinct technologies like NLP, Machine Learning (ML), and Automated Reasoning — Insurers can process huge volumes of complex data, affix intelligent insights to structured data and communicate these insights clearly to all relevant stakeholders.

With the cognitive cloud, meaningful data insights are always present irrespective of device and location. For example, IBM Watson Explorer is an ML tool for cognitive insurance with deep-analytical advice, exploration, and mining capabilities. It is still learning and maturing interactions, rules, and processing logic that can apply to policies. Currently, employees can assess claims 25% faster with the help of Watson.

What the ‘Digital-Future’ Holds for Insurers?

At this age, digital technology is a strategic priority for every insurer. Accenture envisions DARQ power, understanding customers, human+ workflow, security, and on-demand experiences to rule the insurance market.

DARQ power: combining the capabilities of Distributed Ledger, AI, Extended Reality, & Quantum Computing.
Understanding the next generation of customers and delivering individual products
Human+: each worker is empowered with his skills + tech-driven capabilities.
Security in terms of user data and privacy in the entire insurance ecosystem.
On-demand experiences: customization and real-time delivery can bring a lot of competitive advantages.

We’re a new-age InsurTech, providing AI and NLP based solutions to improve digital dexterity. Feel free to drop us a line at hello@mantralabsglobal.com

The insurance industry thrives on relationships—but it can only scale through efficiency, precision, and timely distribution. While much of the digital transformation buzz has focused on customer-facing portals, the real transformation is happening in the field, where modern sales apps are quietly driving a smarter, faster, and more empowered agent network.

Let’s explore how mobile-first sales enablement platforms are reshaping insurance sales across prospecting, onboarding, servicing, renewals, and growth.

The Insurance Agent Needs More Than a CRM

Today’s insurance agent is not just a policy seller—they’re also a financial advisor, data gatherer, service representative, and the face of the brand. Yet many still rely on paper forms, disconnected tools, and manual processes.

That’s where intelligent sales apps come in—not just to digitize, but to optimize, personalize, and future-proof the entire agent journey.

Real-World Use Cases: What Smart Sales Apps Are Solving

Across the insurance value chain, sales agent apps have evolved into full-service platforms—streamlining operations, boosting conversions, and empowering agents in the field. These tools aren’t optional anymore, they’re critical to how modern insurers perform. Here’s how leading insurers are empowering their agents through technology:

1. Intelligent Prospecting & Lead Management

Sales apps now empower agents to:

Prioritize leads using filters like policy type, value, or geography
Schedule follow-ups with integrated agent calendars
Utilize locators to look for nearby branch offices or partner physicians
Register and service new leads directly from mobile devices

Agents spend significantly less time navigating through disjointed systems or chasing down information. With quick access to prioritized leads, appointment scheduling, and location tools—all in one app—they can focus more on meaningful customer interactions and closing sales, rather than administrative overhead.

2. Seamless Policy Servicing, Renewals & Claims

Sales apps centralize post-sale activities such as:

Tracking policy status, premium due date, and claims progress
Sending renewal reminders, greetings, and policy alerts in real-time
Accessing digital sales journeys and pre-filled forms.
Policy comparison, calculating premiums, and submitting documents digitally
Registering and monitoring customer complaints through the app itself

Customers receive a consistent and seamless experience across touchpoints—whether online, in-person, or via mobile. With digital forms, real-time policy updates, and instant access to servicing tools, agents can handle post-sale tasks like renewals and claims faster, without paperwork delays—leading to improved satisfaction and higher retention.

3. Remote Sales using Assisted Tools

Using smart tools, agents can:

Securely co-browse documents with customers through proposals
Share product visualizations in real time
Complete eKYC and onboarding remotely.

Agents can conduct secure, interactive consultations from anywhere—sharing proposals, visual aids, and completing eKYC remotely. This not only expands their reach to customers in digital-first or geographically dispersed markets, but also builds greater trust through real-time engagement, clear communication, and a personalized advisory experience—all without needing a physical presence.

4. Real-Time Training, Performance & Compliance Monitoring

Modern insurance apps provide:

On-demand access to training material
Commission dashboards and incentive monitoring
Performance reporting with actionable insights

Field agents gain access to real-time performance insights, training modules, and incentive tracking—directly within the app. This empowers them to upskill on the go, stay motivated through transparent goal-setting, and make informed decisions that align with overall business KPIs. The result is a more agile, knowledgeable, and performance-driven sales force.

5. End-to-End Sales Execution—Even Offline

Advanced insurance apps support:

Full application submission, from prospect to payment
Offline functionality in low-connectivity zones
Real-time needs analysis, quote generation, and e-signatures
Multi-login access with secure OTP-based authentication

Even in low-connectivity or remote Tier 2 and 3 markets, agents can operate at full capacity—thanks to offline capabilities, secure authentication, and end-to-end sales execution tools. This ensures uninterrupted productivity, faster policy issuance, and adherence to compliance standards, regardless of location or network availability.

6. AI-Powered Personalization for Health-Linked Products

Some forward-thinking insurers are combining AI with health platforms to:

Import real-time health data from fitness trackers or health apps
Offer hyper-personalized insurance suggestions based on lifestyle
Enable field agents to tailor recommendations with more context

By integrating real-time health data from fitness trackers and wellness apps, insurers can offer hyper-personalized, preventive insurance products tailored to individual lifestyles. This empowers agents to move beyond transactional selling—becoming trusted advisors who recommend coverage based on customers’ health habits, life stages, and future needs, ultimately deepening engagement and improving long-term retention.

The Mantra Labs Advantage: Turning Strategy into Scalable Execution

We help insurers go beyond surface-level digitization to build intelligent, mobile-first ecosystems that optimize agent efficiency and customer engagement—backed by real-world impact.

Seamless Sales Enablement for Travel Insurance

We partnered with a leading travel insurance provider to develop a high-performance agent workflow platform featuring:

Secure Logins: Instant credential-based access without sign-up friction
Real-Time Performance Dashboards: At-a-glance insights into daily/monthly targets, policy issuance, and collections
Frictionless Policy Issuance: Complete issuance post-payment and document verification
OCR Integration: Auto-filled customer details directly from passport scans, minimizing errors and speeding up onboarding

This mobile-first solution empowered agents to close policies faster with significantly reduced paperwork and data entry time—improving agent productivity by 2x and enabling sales at scale.

Engagement + Analytics Transformation for Health Insurance

For one of India’s leading health insurers, we helped implement a full-funnel engagement and analytics stack:

User Journey Intelligence: Replaced legacy systems to track granular app behavior—policy purchases, renewals, claims, discounts, and drop-offs. Enabled real-time behavioral segmentation and personalized push/email notifications.
Gamified Wellness with Fitness Tracking: Added gamified fitness engagement, with rewards based on step counts and interactive nutrition quizzes—driving repeat app visits and user loyalty.
Attribution Tracking: Trace the exact source of traffic—whether it’s a paid campaign, referral program, or organic source—adding a layer of precision to marketing ROI.
Analytics: Integrated analytics to identify user interest segments. This allowed for hyper-targeted email and in-app notifications that aligned perfectly with user intent, driving both relevance and response rates.

Whether you’re digitizing field sales, gamifying customer wellness, or fine-tuning your marketing engine, Mantra Labs brings the technology depth, insurance expertise, and user-first design to turn strategy into scalable execution.

If you’re ready to modernize your agent network – Get in touch with us to explore how we can build intelligent, mobile-first tools tailored to your distribution strategy. Just remember, the best sales apps aren’t just tools, they’re growth engines; and field sales success isn’t about more apps. It’s about the right workflows, in the right hands, at the right time.

Building Digital Dexterity in Insurance

Why Insurers Need Digital Dexterity?