Antoine Parisi interview with Grandes Écoles et Universités Magazine
This article was originally published in the Grandes Écoles et Universités Magazine, Edition No.83 in December 2018. Antoine Parisi, Group CEO of Europ Assistance was interviewed by Violaine Cherrier.
Since 1963 the core business of Europ Assistance has not changed, the way of delivering it has changed considerably.
54 years ago, insured people used to have to find a way to report an accident. Today, they use their smartphone to contact Europ Assistance via a dedicated app, where they can be geolocated, and follow, in real time, the arrival of the repairman! “We have digitalized the way of offering the service, but the service remains the same.”
You Live We Care
The mantra of Europ Assistance? Let customers live while their teams take care. With one ambition: being the most reliable company around the concept of CARE – Caring, Available, Reliable and Easy to Work With. Digital is then part of a dynamic of service acceleration and productivity gains.
But it’s up to the client to choose their preferance in how to interact. Human touch is essential, in particular within the services offered to individuals. “Auto and travel represent 80% of our activity. But we want to do more about services to individuals, especially taking care of seniors at home, our long-term key growth driver. For this purpose, digital helps seniors remain at home, thanks to motion sensors, alarm systems and fall detectors."
At the service of people
Helping people anytime, anywhere. Already well rooted in Europe, USA and Latin America, Europ Assistance wants to make China, India and Southeast Asia new growth drivers in the future. “We are very lucky because we are developing within a growing industry around the world with a noble purpose. Today, our international career opportunities are real. Within our Comex, during a meeting we speak several languages: Italian, French, English. In our senior management team we have an Englishman, an American, a Spaniard, three Italians, three French and two bi-nationals.”
MAP, a training programme for every manager, aiming to engage new generations
Do you like the field and managing men and women? Then Europ Assistance has a job for you and it is looking for people in marketing, data science/big data, data analysis, actuarial and digital. Just a mandatory requirement: being inclined to a human touch, management and operations. “The MAP – Managerial Acceleration Program – then trains our managers with our management approach. We want to create a common culture around the concept of CARE. This year, 900 managers will be trained within the MAP."
TEAM: Target – Engage – Act – Make it better
This is the philosophy applied daily to support every employee, aiming to improve efficiency and quality of service. “Our latest campaign supports our employees to show the distinguishing caring behaviors that we strive to adopt every day.”
Don't be in too much of a rush!
Although Europ Assistance has put in place the managerial levers favourable to the development of its talent, it is important to take your time to develop expertise without rushing things. “Be ambitious but in a realistic way! Acquiring expertise is essential. Provide yourself with a solid base of business, before aspiring to great managerial functions.”
Advice to those studying today and memory of ESSEC
“I did my Executive MBA at ESSEC with 6 years of experience. That type of education was then much more relevant because I was able to associate the concepts taught by professors to real situations within the company. This operational know-how represents a real added value. Having in your CV a hands-on and professional experience before finishing your studies is a key asset.”