Access America 2005 Annual Report Download - page 8

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services, and multiple large
world-wide accounts reinforced the
Healthcare activity.
World Access completed
implementation of a new client
relationship management software,
and now has one of the most
integrated CRM and claims mana-
gement systems in the Group. This
state-of-the-art, web-based
business application continues to
yield benefits: electronic orders
grew by 99%, while e-service and
e-claims transactions grew by 50%.
2005 also was a record-breaking
year for hurricanes in the United
States. In addition to assisting
effected travellers, the company’s
employees collected donations to
help victims of Hurricane Katrina.
EUROPE
Northern Europe
Knowledge transfer benefits
Belgium
The Belgian entity significantly
improved its performance and profits
in 2005 thanks to new travel client
wins, the introduction of a data
warehouse and therefore, gains in
productivity, and the completion of
an almost paperless office.
Benefiting from knowledge transfer
within the group, Mondial
Assistance Belgium analysed its
portfolio of healthcare services
and signed a first contract with
a well-known pharmaceutical
company.
Overall strong performance in
Germany
In partnership with a major German
company, the Group’s German
entities successfully launched
“Business Travel”, a new line of travel
insurance solutions for all their
European employees. In addition,
our German travel insurance products
are now sold via 10,000 Allianz
agents. Entities also reported a
huge increase in sales of
e-commerce solutions via direct
providers including hotels, airlines
ande-commerce tour operators.
Profits climbed for the personal
assistance activity, and the automo-
tive business developed with an
increase in manufacturers’
mechanicalwarranties.Furthermore,
the two German assistance sites
merged their IT systems and
introduced VoIP technology.
New IT system and value-added
solutions reinforce performance
in the Netherlands
In 2005, the Dutch entity developed
and implemented a new web based
IT system. It offers customised
solutions according to client type
and distribution channel, and aligns
with the new client based organisa-
tion. Mondial Assistance
Netherlands provided the automotive
industry with a new value-added
proposition, and successfully con-
cluded new contracts with big car
manufacturers, which should lead
to doubling the number of cases
handled in 2006. The Dutch entity
also adapted its health care offer to
the changing national health insur-
ance system. Throughout the year,
it was national assistance co-ordi-
nator and had to manage several
complicated road accidents involv-
ing passenger buses.
UK + Ireland: Sales climb with
e-travel insurance
Several factors contributed to a
successful 2005 for the UK entity.
A healthy travel insurance market,
especially via e-commerce, for
which online ticket purchasing now
integrates an insurance policy,
generated a significant increase
in sales. Results were further
reinforced with the extension of an
important contract with a major low
cost airline. Despite a sluggish
automotive market, UK profits in
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this business line were excellent,
and financial institutions have
proven to be a solid distribution
channel for direct sales. On another
note, the company opened its first
Technical Services Training Centre
and features among the TOP 100
preferred UK companies to work
for. Mondial Assistance’s Irish BU
moved to more modern offices and
continued to serve the automotive
market.
Central and Eastern Europe
Austria: penetrating fast growing
markets
The Austrian BU successfully
launched an annual travel insurance
product including the full range of
classic travel insurance combined
with roadside assistance, a premiere
for the Austrian market. The entity
also built numerous new partner-
ships in the fast growing markets of
Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia and
Romania where it provides native
language services for travel insur-
ance/assistance. Furthermore,
productivity and efficiency increased
via rigorous cost containment
measures in assistance and provider
networks, as well as via claims
management.
The Prague-based BU, covering
both the Czech and Slovak
Republics, further strengthened its
position in vehicle assistance in
Slovakia via a new technical
assistance service for one of the
country’s largest insurance
companies. It established a new
telemarketing call centre service for
an international company repre-
senting 200,000 calls per year, and
introduced new health care assis-
tance services in joint co-operation
with selected national insurers.
Moreover, the entity completed the
compliance process regarding new
insurance laws for the Czech and
Slovak Republics, following their
entry into the European Union.
Poland: new offices for an
expanding business
The assistance business in 2005
produced a significant increase in
the number of files for Mondial
Assistance Poland, which moved to
new offices. The Polish entity also
reinforced contracts with major
financial institutions and saw an
increase in its local e-commerce
activity in the travel business. The
company has introduced innovative
health services and is a leader in
this field.
New contracts secured in Russia
We continued to develop our activi-
ties in Russia with the signing of
new contracts with local partners.
We also introduced travel insurance
products for Schengen travellers.
Switzerland: leader in core
businesses
2005 saw continued growth in the
automotive sector for our Swiss
entity, leader in roadside assistance
for automobile importers.
A worldwide
connected network
33 operations centres in
26 countries
8,100 dedicated employees
400,000 service providers
speaking over 40 languages
During numerous catastrophes,
disasters and attacks in 2005, our
entities demonstrated their
professionalism, proactivity and
their ability to network.
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