Financial Group
Values in the right place!
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Mr. René Hamel, Chief Executive Officer of SSQ Financial Group, shares his vision with us on what makes SSQ different and gives it an advantage in the Canadian market.
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What's SSQ Financial Group's DNA? What makes this insurance company different from all the others?
Since the beginning, nearly 70 years ago, SSQ Financial Group's strength has been its ability to combine its growth objectives with quality of service and social commitment. In addition to its mutualist values that put people and social development at the top of its priorities, SSQ Financial Group is committed to being a modern and strong financial institution with its values in the right place.
Inspired by our corporate values, we are committed to doing things differently. This difference is expressed in the daily management of our business – both in our approach as well as in our attitude towards our clients.
How does the acquisition of AXA Life Insurance Inc.'s Canadian operations change SSQ Financial Group's business model?
The acquisition is part of our desire to significantly grow our business, both in terms of sales volume and our presence in Canada. Prior to the acquisition, SSQ Financial Group was an important player in the Quebec market, with three key product lines: group insurance, individual and group savings and property and casualty insurance. The acquisition added, among other things, a fourth product line: individual insurance. Another appealing aspect is SSQ Insurance's distribution network (formerly AXA Life Insurance Inc.)that includes over 2,000 advisors across Canada. We are certain that this acquisition will propel us into the big leagues with the leading insurers, both in and outside of Quebec.
We are confident that by combining SSQ’s and AXA’s strengths along with offering advisors a comprehensive insurance and investment product line-up, our development will accelerate.
How does SSQ Financial Group expect to go about increasing its presence and market share across Canada?
In addition to developing a Canada-wide marketing campaign, we developed training and promotional tours with general agents and advisors to introduce first hand our full range of products beyond insurance, including segregated funds and a minimum guaranteed income product. We believe that it’s important to demonstrate that we work closely with our network and cultivate this very real proximity that enables us to better understand and meet our clients' needs.
This proximity also meant hiring a number of representatives and service staff in our business development sector, with the objective of continuing to stand out for what we do best: our customer service.
Does SSQ Financial Group have something special to enable it to break into the market outside Quebec?
The company is medium sized in the Canadian market. Contrary to big insurance companies that have a significant market share, we can be more agile, closer to our clients and more flexible in our way of developing our business. At the same time, we have the financial capacity and stability working to our advantage.
These two aspects enable us to quickly seize opportunities and make a difference with our clients.
How would you want SSQ Financial Group to be perceived by the general agents and advisors?
We want to be recognized as a diversified, strong company with exceptional quality of service. Doing business with SSQ Financial Group is easy; the company is flexible, attentive and close to its business partners.
What would you say to new clients that are thinking of doing business with SSQ Financial Group and hesitating about handing over their financial security?
SSQ Financial Group is a solid company that has been proving itself for nearly 70 years with rigorous and prudent management practices. The company maintains good capitalization and has a business model that is based on a fair balance between performance and caution. By doing business with SSQ Financial Group, your clients can benefit not only from our professionalism and outstanding customer service but they become a full member of a mutual that is headed towards the future with its values in the right place!