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InsurTalks Podcast with Deepak Singhvi: Covid-19 & the Disruption in Supply Chain Management

7 minutes, 14 seconds read

The outbreak of pandemic Covid-19 has disrupted global supply chains and international trade. Social Distancing norms and restrictions on cross-border travel have made supply chain management extremely difficult. This has set off a chain reaction where many small and medium industries have been hit. 

To discuss the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the supply chain and how technology can help create better supply chain flow during and post-pandemic, we interviewed Mr. Deepak Singhvi from SAP.

Mr. Deepak Singhvi is a Software Architect for SAP Ariba; where he steers designs and solutions for B2B E-procurement marketplace. Deepak has more than 15 years of experience in Big Data, Analytics, and platform development for various industries like e-commerce, banking, and semiconductor. 

Connect with Mr. Deepak Singhvi – LinkedIn

Excerpt from the interview-

SCM Challenges

What are some of the challenges organizations are facing due to disruption in global supply chains?

Mr. Deepak: We can gauge from the current situation how this pandemic is different from the outbreak of SARS in 2002. That time, China was contributing around 4% of the world’s total GDP and now China contributes somewhere between 18%- 20%. China is like the world’s factory which is present in every aspect of the business and production process. China is manufacturing for the world. 

In the post-pandemic world, we will have to adapt to the volatile environment. Especially, the continuous change in consumer behavior is creating a Bullwhip effect which is troubling the manufacturers. This effect makes it difficult for them to estimate inventories, plan production, set logistics in place, etc. The impact is going to be huge mainly because of China’s major contribution towards world GDP.

Is money also a challenge for the organizations in the supply chain?

Mr. Deepak: Money is an issue, maybe not for big companies. However, for SMEs and startups, who are also contributing to the supply chain, cash liquidity has been a concern. They need to maintain cash liquidity by reducing their operating costs and plan for short-term needs. 

Many governments have introduced provisions for SMEs and start-ups like the Government of India through Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), France has announced a 4 billion euros package, Germany has introduced a 2 billion euros package and so on. 

Small scale industries need working capital/short-term capital/short-term cash liquidity. Manufacturing units will have to ensure that they have enough supplies because they are somehow surviving this quarter. But, in the next quarter, they’ll have difficulty putting together everything in place. 

Role of Technology in Supply Chain Management 

As per a March survey conducted by the ‘Institute For Supply Chain Management’, nearly 75 percent of companies reported supply chain disruptions due to coronavirus-related transportation restrictions — how is technology going to address these concerns moving forward?

Mr. Deepak: Technology will play a very important role in Supply Chain Management. We need to understand the kinds of problems that are there and how technology can solve it. There are three dimensions to it. 

First is Cost. The USA and many other countries moved their manufacturing units to China three decades ago. That time, Supply Chain was mostly about Cost —  how to reduce cost and improve operational efficiency.

Second is Risk. In the past 5-10 years, another factor has come into place — Risk. Government tariffs and restrictions had a huge impact on the supply chain. It is difficult to import goods from China as there was a lot of opposition to it. 

Third is Resilience. The outbreak of pandemic COVID-19 tested the resilience of organizations to the disruption. 

It if was only about cost, a single human could have managed the cost by taking the assistance of tools and technology. But with increasing dimensions, humans alone cannot manage it. Therefore, technology is helping humans in holistic and better decision making. The supply chain dimensions will keep on increasing and will get more complex. Hence, technology will be important to adapt to the dynamic environment. 

AR and VR in Supply Chain

Do you see technologies like AR & VR playing a greater role in the procurement process?

Mr. Deepak: Technologies such as Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality will help enhance the User Experience. Social Distancing will be in practice for a long time. People might not get the same in-person experience as before. Therefore, AR and VR can help provide a similar experience to their customers. Moreover, these technologies will help significantly in the Customer Support function. VR can help in employee training and real-time assistance in manufacturing plants or offices. There will be a wider application of these technologies in various business units across different industries.

[Also read – 25 Disruptive AR Use Cases]

AI and Automation in Supply Chain Management

How does AI-based technologies like Machine Learning, Automation play a role in supply chain management? Is the investment in AI still relevant for enterprises during this Pandemic crisis?

Mr. Deepak: Artificial Intelligence will be needed more than ever. As the dimensions — apart from Cost, risk and Resilience will increase, it will create a need for an Intelligence System which can use rule-based computing. The system should be able to handle the effects of the bullwhip and enable automatic stock verification. AI will have a bigger role in developing Supply Chain solutions in the New Normal to automate manual operations and increase operational efficiency for Business Continuity

What are the main pain points in supply chain management which AI technologies or automation can address?

Mr. Deepak: Today, most of the systems and processes are in place. Suppliers and Buyers can collaborate on a system. Even SAP Ariba has a Supplier Collaboration platform. Everything works seamlessly under normal circumstances and there are intelligent solutions that make the Supply Chain a bit more flexible. 

Technology can automate manual collaborations. Normal rule-based decision making works most of the time but now we need more complex decision making. Systems need to consider external factors of COVID-19 such as disruption in any specific country or manufacturing plants. These factors can act as inputs to enable better decision-making.

Supply Chain in the New Normal

What lessons can you share for buyers and suppliers operating in the New Normal?

Mr. Deepak: One of the important lessons we learn here is to keep innovating. We need to introduce technologies like AI, AR, VR, RPA, etc. to automate manual processes wherever possible. 

Employees need to be trained in new technologies. Stakeholders need to get ready for the change. Those collaborating on systems should make their systems more agile. Also, businesses need to plan their cash flows to survive in the long term. 

The Future of Personalization

The growth of ‘web content management systems’ is driven by the demand of organizations to deliver personalized content and increase the interactions with customers present online — what does the future of personalization look like?

Mr. Deepak: We have been seeing personalized content for the past couple of years now. There are two aspects to this.

First, in the current situation, we need some kind of personalization. Companies that are ready to deliver personalized content will make a mark for themselves. Whereas, those who were not ready for it will be left behind. 

Second, in the post-pandemic world, many new people will be using digital platforms for the first time. They need better experiences that go beyond the traditional way of buying and selling. The companies that will add personalization into their products and services will have an edge over those who don’t. 

Start-ups in the Post-Pandemic World

It will be a survival issue for the start-ups for the next 1-2 years. Which sectors should start-ups focus their technological innovations which could add value not just to them but society at large?

Mr. Deepak: Many start-ups have been hit due to this pandemic. But now they need to evaluate whether to continue in the existing line of business or make a shift to an area where there’s opportunity in the post-pandemic world. 

The technology-led business model will be critical. It will have a key role in defining strategies. Start-ups have opportunities in the area of security and performance engineering as more people are working from home creating gaps in the data security. We are learning many lessons from this pandemic. They are reinforcing and validating our current model of getting out of the global crisis. There is a scope of growth as long as we keep building innovative solutions. 

In a nutshell

In this session, Mr. Deepa Singhvi shared his insights on technology innovations needed in the time of this crisis for start-ups and how supply chains can be improved through a new set of technologies like AI, AR, VR, and automation in the post-pandemic world. 

Podcasts in this series:

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How Smarter Sales Apps Are Reinventing the Frontlines of Insurance Distribution

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.

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