Colors Come Aive At Troo Brand Launch

Aptly called Living Colors, the brand launch of Troo at Ibiza Beach Club BGC last June 27 was a visual feast: from the kaleidoscope floor screen at the elevator lobby and the colorful globes of light on the tables to the eye-popping performance by Japanese techno dance group, Siro-A to the remarkably brilliant guest speakers.

Topping the list of notable speakers is Erik Qualman, one of Forbes’s top 50 influencers. Qualman flew in from San Francisco, USA to deliver his highly-engaging talk on social media and the digital domain.Founder and President of French pioneering tele-healthcare company H4D (Health for Development) Dr. Franck Baudino presented the Consult Station®. Together, H4D and Troo will introduce innovative health services to the Filipino.

Eric Qualman, world-renowned author, Pulitzer-Prize nominee and one of Forbes’s top 50 influencers, delivered a highly-engaging talk on social media and how to succeed in the digital world.

EastWest Bank Vice-Chairman & CEO Antonio C. Moncupa, Jr. said that the bank is at an inflection point where it is starting to realize its full potential, and its bancassurance joint venture in Troo is a significant step in that journey.

Ageas CEO Bart De Smet expressed optimism about Troo’s operations in the Philippines. With its focus on bringing creativity and digital enablement to the service of their customers, he is sure of Troo’s success. 

Distinguished guests included Insurance Commissioner Dennis B. Funa, AgeasChairman of the Board Mr. Jozef De Mey and Ageas CEO Mr. Bart De Smet, EastWest Bank Chairman Mr. Jonathan Gotianunand EastWest Bank Vice-Chairman & CEO Mr. Antonio C. Moncupa Jr.

Troo President & CEO Hans Loozekoot said that Troo aims to be a genuine game-changer, bringing a refreshing approach to the insurance industry. He announced that the one-year old life insurance company has already helped more than 150,000 Filipinos protect their families by planning their tomorrow so they can live their best lives today. Troo ranks as 6^th largest insurer in 2016 in new business for traditional products based on Annual Premium Equivalent.

An emotional highlight of the launch was when Troo President & CEO Mr. Hans Loozekoot acknowledged the presence of Troo’s first customers, who were invited to the event.

Troo is a50-50 life insurance joint venture between EastWest Banking Corporation, one of the fastest growing banks in the Philippines, and Ageas Insurance International NV, a global insurance company with presence in 16 countries in Europe and Asia.

Bancassurance operations started in April 2016 with Troo Advisors serving Filipinos in 48 EastWest stores. Today, Troo is in all 387 EastWest stores nationwide, providing financial advice and life insurance solutions.

“After having rolled out to all EastWest stores nationwide, six months ahead of plan, we believe that this is the time to announce to everyone that Troo is here for the Filipino. The brand is designed to be “Mobile-First” to connect with the mobile-savvy Filipinos. Our name reflects our desire to be honest and true to our values and that of our customers. We aim to be a genuine game-changer, bringing a refreshing approach to the insurance industry,” said Loozekoot.

For a one-year old company, Troo has helped more than 150,000 Filipinos protect their families by planning their tomorrow so they can live their best lives today. And partnering with companies that are masters of their industries will help Troo go even further.

Troo’s partnership with SAP helped make it the first insurance company in the world to have an end-to-end I.T. solution in the cloud. Together with SAP, Troo is developing a revolutionary app with Apple for their Troo Advisors.

In his speech, Insurance Commissioner Funa praised Troo for its holistic approach to technology across its business.

With all these innovation Troo is introducing to the world of Philippine insurance, Troo managed to already rank as 6^th largest insurer in 2016 in new business for traditional products based on Annual Premium Equivalent. In April, Troo also won Celent’s 2017 Model Insurer of Asia Award for Innovation and Emerging Technologies.

It’s a very exciting time for Troo. And we’re sure Troo’s colors will touch the life of every Filipino.

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Home Credit Reaches Rhe 1M-Customer Mark In The Philippines

Home Credit, a Prague-based Fintech company that allows consumers to purchase smartphones and other goods on installment even without a credit card, celebrated a big milestone recently as it reached the one million customer mark, less than five months after reaching 600,000, and less than four years since serving their very first customer.

“In Home Credit’s four years so far in the country, we have observed that Filipinos tend to have a very positive attitude, and this is also true when it comes to buying goods. And often, they buy things not just for personal enjoyment, but also for enriching their lives and their loved ones,” explained Home Credit Philippines’ CEO Annica Witschard.

“So more than simply providing fast and affordable loans, we are able to help enrich the lives of our customers and the people that matter most to them. And we are glad to be able to do this for one million happy customers and counting,” she added.

Fast growth

Since launching in Manila in 2013, Home Credit has quickly grown its business of in-store financing of gadgets and other goods, especially for customers with no credit card or are first-time loan borrowers.

In 2016, the company grew its customer base from 280,000 to 600,000, and in the first few months of 2017, Home Credit expanded its reach in all major islands to become officially nationwide. Just a few weeks after that, the company welcomed its one millionth customer.

Today, Home Credit is present in over 2,500 partner stores in Metro Manila and 27 provinces, where they offer 0% interest installment promos and other popular loan products.

Home Credit’s secret formula

Asked for their “winning formula”, Ms. Witschard explained that aside from the huge popularity of their 0% interest loan promos and rapid expansion, their various partnerships—such as with leading retailers as well as the biggest electronics manufacturers—have also been big factors in their success.

“For us, it’s very much a win-win situation. We help our partners provide a good financing alternative for their customers who don’t have a credit card; at the same time, the huge popularity of products from companies such as Huawei, OPPO, Samsung, and Vivo help to drive demand for our own financing services,” she said.

“And of course, at the end of the day, the big winners are our customers,” Ms. Witschard added.

Safe lender

On what they have in store for customers moving forward, Ms. Witschard said that they can expect even more 0% interest promos with more partners, in more stores around the country. She likewise emphasized the importance of good customer service, even more so as they continue to grow. 

"At Home Credit, we like to say HC means Happy Customer and we take that commitment very seriously. So as we set our sights on our next one million customers, we remain committed as a safe lender that we will give our customers the best quality of service that they deserve," she said.

According to Ms. Witschard, the company is “doubling up on training our customer-facing employees, such as sales associates and credit advisors, to be even better listeners and communicators. We want them to understand where our customers are coming from and what their needs are."

These efforts are on top of existing “safe lending” features that Home Credit offers to customers, such as the option to avail of insurance along with the loan; a 15 day “cooling-off” period that allows customers to pay back the full loan at no added cost within this time period; and a loan “safety guarantee” that promises full transparency on loan products with no hidden charges.

For more information on store locations, new promos for partners such as Huawei, OPPO, Samsung and Vivo, and useful tips for customers and interested applicants, visit www.homecredit.ph.

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