The novelty is that even people who aren’t already customers and have no direct need for insurance can take advantage of the free services and products on offer. One of the highlights for users in the new smile.shopping insurance product, which provides them with free protection against the dangers of shopping online.
So, anyone wanting to experience Switzerland’s biggest online insurer can now do so without having to open an account or take out a policy. Instead, Smile Freemium users can immerse themselves in the Smile experience right now and free of charge. By opening up its app to non-customers, Smile is tearing down barriers along the user and customer journey and offering a digital lifestyle experience to those without a direct need for insurance.
Smile – creating an insurance experience free of charge
With its new Freemium business model, Smile is making enhanced use of gamification, content and community elements in the Smile app – such as with the Smile Drive Coach, an app service that helps make users safer drivers and rewards them with points in the process. Users are also granted access to the new marketplace, containing partner offers from the Smile ecosystem, such as an attractive discount on Moneypark consulting services or an exclusive starting credit with Neon.
The smile.shopping insurance product is something non-customers are very likely to appreciate. It enables Smile to protect all its app users in Switzerland and Europe against the financial risks associated with online purchases, such as defective or undelivered items. “Our primary aim is to get close to and earn the trust of our target group, and to win them over with positive experiences. Our motto is ‘more Smile for everyone’ and we are offering a transparent range of obligation-free insurance products that do not bind customers for long periods,” says Joséphine Chamoulaud, Head of Marketing and E-Commerce at Smile.
Users can utilize smile.shopping insurance free of charge by providing only very little data. Offering free services and products in exchange for selected user data is a novelty in the insurance industry. “The ‘data for value’ model is already very widespread in other industries. We are firmly convinced that users and customers are prepared to share their data with us as long as we add value for them,” explains Pierangelo Campopiano, CEO of Smile.
Reaching the next level – in both the business model and the user/customer journey
With the launch of Freemium, Smile is setting a new benchmark in customer interaction and enabling an end-to-end experience. Thanks to a radical cloud-first strategy, all the products and services are completely integrated in the core processes, also enabling digital insurer Smile to offer its core services via the app. Users can utilize the app at any time to calculate and store quotations, and can purchase products like Smile car insurance directly online. Prime customers have the additional option of viewing their insurance benefits and managing their documents and invoices online as well as benefiting from fast claims management via the app.
Pierangelo Campopiano, CEO of Smile: “With Smile Freemium we are breaking a few unwritten laws and reaching the next level, in both our business model and the user and customer journey. We are opening ourselves up to a market previously unexplored by the insurance industry.” Taking a cue from global role models Smile has been inspired by the most successful provider worldwide: Ping An, a Chinese provider of insurance and financial services.
By continuously evolving its business model, it has grown to become a service, social media and fintech giant that consistently focuses on users to fuel its growth. By positioning itself as a digital lifestyle brand, Smile initially aims to expand its user base, gain a deeper knowledge of its customers and ramp up the frequency of interaction with them. The medium-term goal is to foster the Smile user community’s interest in the company’s Prime offerings. “Customers nowadays are buying much more than just a product; they are acquiring the lifestyle they associate with the brand. This is precisely the type of brand experience Smile is creating with its new lifestyle app,” says Pierangelo Campopiano.
