InsurShift: Why does a civil engineer become a transformation consultant in the insurance industry?

For just nine months, Christof Tremp and his company InsurShift have been enriching the insurance industry. thebroker asks why he took the plunge and what problems a newly founded management consultancy faces today.

thebroker talks to Christof Tremp, Founder & Managing Director of InsurShift.

Christof Tremp, before you founded your own company InsurShift, you worked for Zurich Insurance Company Ltd. for almost 16 years and for Generali for almost five years. Why did you want to become self-employed?

As an engineer, I strive to create systemic solutions that sustainably support the achievement of objectives. This approach helped me during my 21 years in the insurance industry to implement changes in various areas that are still in place or have served as a foundation for further developments. With InsurShift, I would now like to make my passion and experience available to other teams as well.

How difficult was it to set up a new company?

Of course, it takes a certain amount of courage to take the plunge into self-employment after many years of being permanently employed with a guaranteed salary. But the conditions are right: we are well positioned with our offering and have a network of people who would like to use our services. At the same time, administrative tasks arise, such as establishing a market presence, implementing a CRM system and taking out insurance. None of this is difficult, but it does require structure, discipline, stamina and a positive attitude.

After nine months, can you already say that the step into self-employment was the right one?

I like taking responsibility, I value freedom and I am motivated to develop solutions that make work easier for a lot of people. With my own company, I can implement all these criteria even better. That’s why my answer is yes, although we are still in the development phase and it is therefore too early to draw a conclusion.

You studied civil engineering at ETH Zurich. How did you end up in the insurance industry?

I always enjoyed project work as an engineer. At the same time, I already had an affinity for computer science.

So when Zurich Insurance offered a trainee programme in business informatics, I was immediately interested. That’s how I got into the insurance industry. My passion for the ‘purpose’ of our industry has developed with increasing experience and now gives me a lot of energy for my work. I also really appreciate the close cooperation and lively exchange with the many people involved.

Which parts of the insurance industry does InsurShift support?

There are no limits; we take on the entire value chain, all distribution channels, private and corporate insurance, primary and reinsurance.

However, change in all its facets is at the centre of our work. To implement this, we come into play with our proven approach. This includes analyses to identify major levers and opportunities, the definition of strategies, transformations, roadmaps and innovations, as well as implementation, including change management. Depending on your needs, we can take the lead, provide support or act in an advisory capacity.

With your company InsurShift, you want to shape the future of the insurance industry and bring about a ‘shift’ towards innovation and customer satisfaction. How do you achieve this?

Every task begins with an understanding of the situation. We then take a holistic approach that significantly and sustainably influences our clients› goals. To do this, we don’t just “fight” the symptoms, but address the cause. Using the SIPOC method, we not only optimise processes, but also take into account the “inputs” and revise the “outputs” according to customer needs.

When it comes to innovation, we are convinced that the key lies not only in knowing the technologies in detail, but above all in understanding the core business and articulating new models with analytical, conceptual abstraction. This is precisely where our strength lies and how we create innovation that leads to greater customer satisfaction and ultimately success.

Time and again, projects fail due to a multitude of problems. To prevent this from happening, InsurShift has developed the CARE approach. What is it about?

Companies want profitable growth, which often means that employees have to perform better and better. CARE means that we support these people in achieving their goals more easily. Our approach is CONVENIENT for the client, we are ANALYTICAL and create RESILIENT solutions with our EXPERTISE.

InsurShift receives support from three interesting people. Deepak Bansal is the founder of MQ Learning Ethical Tech Lab. What kind of support do they get from him?

All our partners have many years of experience in the insurance industry and have successfully implemented numerous changes. In addition, they fully support our CARE approach for our customers and their teams. I am extremely grateful that I can rely on them when special expertise or additional capacity is needed for customers.

Deepak has been particularly supportive in helping me build InsurShift. With his broad horizons, partly from his master’s in philosophy, and his analytical brilliance, he can shed new light on topics, leading to better solutions.

Dr Achim Dinge is Director Claims Non-Life at Generali. Do you know each other from your time at Generali and how does he help you?

Achim hired me at Generali to implement the CRM. He is a great humanitarian and with his intellectual sophistication, he is able to grasp and articulate situations extremely clearly. His contribution was crucial to the development of our clear CARE approach.

Finally, Lukas Stricker, Head of Continuing Education at the Institute of Risk & Insurance at the ZHAW, is the third person with whom you work. What kind of advice do you get from him?

Lukas is one of the top experts in international corporate banking. With his exceptionally sharp mind and close connection to the ZHAW, he is always one step ahead on a wide range of topics. For us, he is a real ‘luxury joker’.

It fills me with pride and joy to know that I have such extraordinary partners at my side.

You say that a radical restructuring of onboarding can lead to significant operational gains. How, exactly?

On LinkedIn, I share many high-level concepts. When it comes to onboarding, it is important to look at the topic much more broadly. Particular attention should be paid to the practical relevance, which integrates the definition of sales excellence. A well-executed digitalisation makes the training much easier. In addition, the sales managers are closely involved, which has a positive effect on the entire organisation. If necessary, the remuneration and operating model should also be adapted. If this topic is approached appropriately, it represents one of the biggest levers in sales transformation.

Christof Tremp, an expert in successful transformations in the insurance industry, is the founder and Managing Director of InsurShift. The CARE approach for employees is at the heart of his consulting work. The aim is to make it easier for them to achieve their ever-increasing targets, which also contributes to their well-being. This is based on the deep conviction that everyone benefits from employee satisfaction, including the company and shareholders.

The letters CARE represent the holistic approach of InsurShift: CONVENIENT solutions are developed for customers using analytical methods, making them more RESILIENT. These solutions are based on deep and broad EXPERTISE. The latest technologies are integrated, whereby the actual innovation and thus the success arise from Christof’s close involvement with the stakeholders and his ability to consider the entire value chain and current customer needs with his ability to think abstractly.

He is efficient and effective in implementation, ensuring that changes are embedded in the organisation and benefits are secured.

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