Controlled Marketing model encourages close relationships with customers

Old Mutual Provincial General Manager: Sales and Distribution, Mathapelo Sipamla, discusses some of the challenges facing business in Gauteng.

How many branches does Old Mutual have in Gauteng?

There are 31 branches, of which 29 are field branches and two are in-house. We have a staff complement of 494, which includes advisers, junior and senior management and admin staff.

How can customers stay in touch or transact remotely?

Our Controlled Marketing model encourages close relationships with customers. Advisers need to ensure they are their customers’ go-to person. Our advisers own cellphones and laptops that assist them. During lockdown, we rolled out remote selling that allows the customer to accept a sale remotely though USSD.

How has your business been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and what have you noticed about the businesses that you serve?

We have been affected immensely as we could not make our targets, but also our staff’s earning potential was affected because they could not get to enough customers in order to make their targets.

Two things are noticeable about businesses in the area: many businesses could not cope with the strain imposed by the various lockdowns and had either to close shop or retrench employees. Some businesses lost employees who died from Covid-19.

Mathapelo Sipamla has been with Old Mutual for the past 18 years, advancing through the ranks from being a financial adviser when she first joined in March 2004. She is a driven and results-orientated sales leader who has a proven record of accomplishment in all the roles she has held within the organisation. She has an MBA from Henley Business School. In April 2021 she was appointed as the Provincial General Manager: Sales and Distribution for Gauteng.

All of this ultimately means the market potential has decreased significantly. It remains a problem, as most companies are not willing to hire and replace the staff they lost to Covid-19.

What are your main offerings to

We are in the long-term insurance space so we offer life cover, funeral plans, investments and retirement annuities.

We encourage our advisers to adopt community projects and submit an application for which we can provide finance of up to R20 000. They must also submit proof that they take the time to be there physically to assist with whatever project they are driving. We are engaged in a large number of projects across the province. ■