Expert urges Insurance professionals to embrace reputation management

L-R: Executive Secretary, Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers, Mr. Fatai Adegbenro; Deputy President, Mr. Rotimi Edu, mni; President, Dr. (Mrs) Bola Onigbogi; Vice President, Mr. Tunde Oguntade and Honourary Treasurer, Mr Wale Oshodi at the Breakfast Series with NCRIB President

Insurance professionals have been urged to pay more premium attention to reputation management as a way of growing the profession and insurance industry.

The Vice President, Corporate Communications and CSR, Airtel Nigeria, Emeka Opara, gave this counsel during his presentation on Corporate Reputation Management at the President Breakfast Series of the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB) held virtually in Lagos.

Opara noted that not many Nigerians are aver to what insurance has to offer in spite of the huge potentials of the industry due to absence of intensive attention that reputation management ought to have been given by the industry.

While expressing optimism about positive result that the public awareness initiatives of the various bodies in the industry, Opara urged that the engagement of holistic corporate relations strategy should be imbibe by all operators.

In his ten point lessons on Corporate Reputation Management, Opara stressed the need for the industry to invest in Corporate reputation, exclusive budget for Corporate Affairs department and a set of agreed actions at the beginning of every financial year.

According to him, “your employees are your most important assets, but they can also become your most important liability, if you manage them badly. Treat them well and you will not need to pay anyone to be your brand ambassador to advance your reputation.

“Good corporate reputation is a result of deliberate, consistent, methodical, planned and measurable actions. It cannot come about by mere wishing it. It is the sum total of how your stakeholders perceive you.

Earlier, the President of the Council, Mrs. Bola Onigbogi had noted that the choice of the topic was to further buttress the two focal mandate of image building as strategic alignment of the Council.

The present management of the Council had always urged members to always be conscious of their reputation, considering the fact that they were sellers of intangible products.