OREANDA-NEWS. May 04, 2008. ROSNO’s Saratov branch held a roundtable discussion "Insurance Service Quality: Standards and Problems" in the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, dedicated to discussion of the present state of customer service provided by insurance companies, reported the press-centre of ROSNO.

Among the event’s participants were representatives of the insurance companies ROSNO and Zuerich Retail, as well as representatives of the Average Commissioners Department "Saratovavtospas", service station "Aleron", Saratov Regional Centre for Independent Technical Expertise, Saratov Regional Public Association for Protection of Consumer Rights, and journalists. The participants have discussed the problems in servicing clients of insurance companies and the ways to solve these problems, and also reviewed relevant cases from the practice of insurers and other market players.

Mr. Dmitry Lebedev, head of the Povolzh’e Directorate of OJSC ROSNO opened the roundtable discussion by noting that insurers operate in the service segment, where authority and stainless reputation are extremely important. "A client would tell positive information only to one individual, while negative information would be told to 10 people", stressed Mr. Lebedev. "This is why it is critical to be transparent and think about one’s clients. It is clients who constitute a company’s major potential".

According to Mr. Lebedev, the competency of all of the company’s representatives communicating with the client and their aspiration to supply the client with timely information are the factors that form a basis for correct and mutually beneficial relations between the company and its clients.

Ms. Natalya Tsareva, lawyer of the Saratov Regional Public Association for Protection of Consumer Rights, emphasized that the roundtable participants represent those companies which are willing to solve the arising problems, instead of trying to conceal the same. She also made special note of the importance of promptly supplying clients with full and relevant information about the company’s services, since any omission would later risk bringing problems both to the client and the company proper.

Ms. Natalya Tsareva also emphasized that no insurance company can guarantee its clients that, in case a repair of the damaged car covered by MOD insurance is needed, they will be able to choose between all service stations operating in their respective cities. Yet this is not a violation of the client’s rights, but, rather, a concern about the quality of rendered services. A client always has a choice — either to repair his or her car at one of the offered service stations, or to receive cash compensation and go repair the car wherever he or she likes.

Mr. Mikhail Gusev, head of ROSNO’s Vehicle Insurance Department, notes that the company is especially accurate in selecting partnering service stations. "In the end, it is the insurer who is responsible for the client’s car, and if the insurer values its reputation, it will never shift liability for violation of repair deadlines to the contractor", stressed Mr. Gusev.