AXA Corentin

---

AXA Corentin

AXA Belgium, member of AXA Group is the result of the merger with Royale Belge. Leader with over 15% of the Belgian insurance market, AXA Belgium is focused on one business: financial protection, in particular insurance and asset management.

The Challenge

Because the merger with Royale Belge had given rise to the existence of parallel processes and also because of global competitiveness requirements, it became necessary to reorganise the underwriting and claims management processes. AXA Belgium had to improve its service to clients and optimise its back office. The objectives were defined for the Corporate Division as:

• A 15 per cent productivity improvement over a three year horizon (2003-2004).
• The productivity improvements had to be realised with, at least, the same level of quality of service to clients and intermediaries.

Above the stated Corentin objectives, AXA Belgium had asked for a performance bond. For the client, a performance bond is the only way to ensure that the investment will produce tangible results.

The Solution

The scope of this productivity assignment concerned the following areas:

• Group Life;
• Workmen's compensation;
• Property and Casualty.

This productivity study was carried out in four steps:

1. Assessment of the existing situation as to analyse existing processes and identify major issues in productivity and quality improvement;
2. Definition of the expected levels of performance to build a reference basis allowing the evaluation of performance initiatives;
3. Design of the target architecture based on possible scenarios;
4. Elaboration of a transition plan for the main change introduction stages and the necessary means to deliver productivity improvement initiatives.

Steps 1 and 2 allowed the identification of a number of solutions to improve productivity within the different areas of the Corporate division, to maintain the service and management quality levels. In steps 3 and 4, the change accompaniment provided a framework in detailed analysis and the work process management.

The overall solution underlined three major action propositions as:

• EDM/Workflow: establishment of an electronic document management structure (EDM) to create an electronic file warehouse.
• Office integration: establishment of the new applications related to the production and the sending of documents;
• Extranet/Internet: electronic information exchanges with brokers and clients using broad diffusion IT means.

The Benefits

Fujitsu Services approach
The project sponsor revisited Fujitsu Service's methodology again and again and was obviously impressed with the co-operation of the consultant. “A structured approach, maybe a little dense, but after using it, you can see the results. The rigorous structure of the method does not prevent the user from expressing himself." Co-operation with the consultants and a high participation of the management were key factors in the design and acceptance of the overall solution and sequencing of initiatives.

Program management
At the end of the first six months, the Corentin project has passed its first phase as planned. Some measures had been implemented, specifically the optimisation of the extranet. In the following months, the integrated solution will be implemented.

Performance improvement
The management had already observed improvement in performance resulting from the first engagement, but AXA Belgium foresees a big leap forward once the electronic document processing solution is installed.

At the end of the project, the overall productivity improvement should be 15%. The results will depend not only on Fujitsu Services, but also on the clients’ acceptance to the new document management system. As far as can be judged, the project sponsor considers that the added value generated by the Fujitsu Services project will equal the investment made by AXA.