Kalcher joined the company after a 33-year career at the toy giant Lego. The industries are like chalk and cheese\u2014and their customers, too.<\/p>\n
Yet Kalcher saw an opportunity for Zurich to educate Gen Z about all things finances. It was the company\u2019s chance to turn insurance\u2019s cold and distant approach into something more accessible.<\/p>\n
\u201cI did think it would be men in suits, being very formal and doing things in a particular way. But that\u2019s not at all the case,\u201d Kalcher told Fortune <\/em>in an interview.<\/p>\n The Swiss company has been around for 150 years, starting as a humble marine insurer in 1872. It has weathered several wars, natural disasters, pandemics, and more, making it the insurance behemoth it is today. But under Kalcher, who joined Zurich five years ago, the insurer has been transforming for the modern world\u2014one that is threatened by<\/a> climate change, cyber-attacks<\/a>, and an aging population.\u00a0<\/p>\n Lego\u2019s reputation as a top toymaker precedes it. But Kalcher was at the company when things looked different.<\/p>\n \u201cLego is a very rich brand. If you dig into the Lego\u2019s history, it\u2019s filled with strong narrative traditions, brand understanding [and] customer understanding.. it wasn\u2019t always like that,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Through Kalcher\u2019s three-decade career leading marketing and consumer experience efforts at Lego, there were low points for the company when it was verging on bankruptcy<\/a>\u2014something that feels unthinkable today given the Danish company is outperforming<\/a> the global toy industry.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Part of the reason Lego was able to turn its business around, Kalcher said, was because it prioritized shoppers and tried to go after what they wanted. In that sense, she doesn\u2019t see insurance as very different.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, the two industries are super different,\u201d Kalcher said. \u201cHowever, customers are customers, and customers often want the same [thing].\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Courtesy Of Conny Kalcher, Group Chief Customer Officer, Zurich Insurance, 2024<\/p>\n<\/div>\n People want to feel catered to in a way that fits their needs and lifestyles. But often, that gets lost in insurers\u2019 sea of technical jargon.\u00a0<\/p>\n In Zurich\u2019s case, although the company had seen remarkable global growth through its 100-plus-year history, it was still struggling to redefine itself. Roughly 70% of the company\u2019s retail business comes from Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. It\u2019s a competitive landscape where loyalty is hard to come by as pricing lures customers more.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I joined, the purpose was \u2018we\u2019re here to protect you.\u2019 Guess what? Every insurance company in the whole world is there to protect you. That doesn\u2019t make you stand out,\u201d Kalcher said. And that\u2019s where she saw her role become key: making the company more relatable and undoing the \u201cbad narrative\u201d insurance had earned over time.\u00a0<\/p>\n Kalcher\u2019s vision for the Swiss company is to make it the \u201cApple of Insurance.\u201d Why? To set itself a high bar in how it reaches people and makes them feel cared for.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s no secret<\/a> that Apple is great at understanding what its customers need\u2014and one of its secrets is consistency. That\u2019s probably why the company\u2019s gadgets are the most widely used world over, from youngsters to the elderly. Zurich wants to build a similar relationship with its base, too.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Take Gen Z, for example. The group, born between 1997 and 2012, is beginning to enter the workforce in droves every year and, with time, will overtake their millennial counterparts<\/a>. They\u2019re a digitally savvy generation that has only ever known the world through technology.\u00a0<\/p>\n Not sure what kind of cover you actually need for your vacation? Check out these 3 tips to make sure you get the right travel insurance! \u2708\ufe0f\ud83d\uddfa\ufe0f Learn more \u27a1\ufe0f https:\/\/spkl.io\/620654fCqc<\/p>\n \u266c original sound \u2013 Zurich Insurance<\/a> <\/section>\n<\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n They\u2019re also not as financially aware, opening new doors for Zurich, Kalcher said. However, that also means that the insurer needs to change its ways and make insurance more appealing to its younger audience.<\/p>\n \u201cWe use TikTok in some countries to talk with that generation, and that works very well. Instagram as well,\u201d\u00a0 Kalcher said. The goal is to be fun, engaging and reliable for Gen Z and beyond.\u00a0<\/p>\n Zurich\u2019s short videos on TikTok and Instagram, some of which have gained over 10 million views, discuss various topics, from protecting oneself financially while on vacation to busting myths about car insurance.\u00a0Since 2021, when Zurich launched its Instagram handle, it said it\u2019s seen a 96% growth in its follower count. Meanwhile, since the launch of its TikTok the following year, it\u2019s seen a 430% growth.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve passed your driving test or even if you\u2019re still learning, you\u2019ll need to think about getting car insurance! But are you sure know everything you need to get properly insured? \ud83d\ude97<\/p>\n \u266c Originalton \u2013 Zurich Insurance<\/a> <\/section>\n<\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n Kalcher\u2019s thinking is simple: \u201cIt\u2019s about starting to become relevant by showing up in the places where these customers are. Then, it\u2019s about having the right offers for these customers as well.\u201d<\/p>\n The company is also simplifying how it communicates with people using AI, making it easier to find information and making the information easier to understand.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ultimately, Kalcher wants people to see Zurich as a unique company that is changing for its customers.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI would like our customers to start talking about us as different, as really being there for them,\u201d she said. \u201cThat would be the ultimate accolade for us.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\nLessons from Lego<\/h2>\n
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Changing how it\u2019s done\u00a0<\/h2>\n
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