Direct Sales Force at Aviva Life Insurance Co. India

The India insurance industry is facing tough times not only in the business front but also in attracting and retaining talent in the sales function. Aviva India had reentered the Indian life insurance market in 1995, but started business operations a few years later. In addition to the bank assurance business, where the parent company Aviva Plc is a market leader, the Direct Sales Force (DSF) branches were integral to the Indian growth strategy. The future goals were in line with the global business philosophy of ‘One Aviva Twice the Value’ (OATTV). Aviva’s strtegy is to expand its operations, by increasing the number of branches across the country and also increasing the DSF productivity. The branches are staffed by employees who are full time employed by Aviva India and the Financial Planning Advisors (FPAs) who work on commission basis and report to Sales Managers. The HR challenges in the DSF channel are in terms of attracting, developing, motivating and retaining people in the DSF channel. On one hand ensuring FPA motivation and productivity is a challenge, while recruitment and retention of Branch and Sales Managers are also important, as they are responsible for managing the FPAs. The Sales Heads realise that the FPAs are at the core of insurance sales, and hence require more attention. The case discusses about the new branch launch strategy and the role of Managers and FPAs in ensuring success and growth.