Enhanced digital capabilities, a wider range of services and better response to consumer needs are crucial for rapid recovery from the crisis.
The speed and scope of the COVID-19 crisis have posed extraordinary challenges for the world. Businesses have been hit by a drop in customer demand, regulatory modifications, supply chain interruptions, economic recession, and increased uncertainty. At Bupa Arabia, we have activated functional and powerful strategies to work towards weathering the storm so as to continue to serve our clients.
Bupa Arabia’s portfolio of services is differentiated by its Tebtom and Rahatkom programmes which offer an array of services designed specifically to uplift medical care. The Tebtom programme was immediately expanded during COVID-19 to ease the burden for our customers.
Leadership in a post-pandemic world
The role that we play in the industry’s ecosystem and the strategic decisions that we take have given us a competitive edge. Today, we are drawing up the necessary steps to achieve our post-pandemic and long-term objectives, as we know that the lack of a plan will only exacerbate an already challenging situation.
This new strategy will call for leaders within our organisation to act with urgency, communicate with transparency, provide regular updates and respond productively to missteps.
Although it will take a long time for things to return to normal, we will maintain a sharp focus on the health and well-being of our clients, employees, and society at large. It is indeed this consistent focus on the customer that drives innovation in the company, enabling us to offer solutions that empower customers to avail themselves of services in a manner they prefer and help them to make informed decisions.
Effective solutions
As the world struggles with the pandemic, we have worked towards ramping up our digital capabilities and expanding our services to face the current challenges, improving efficiency in responding to the needs and expectations of our clients, and positioning the company for rapid recovery in the post-COVID-19 era.
In the wake of the crisis, we find ourselves increasingly relying on online tools to engage with customers and carry out the necessary processes – a practice we will continue by expediting the adoption of technological innovations to combat challenges arising in the post-pandemic era.
Our Tebtom programme has continued to be our point of differentiation during these difficult times. We have offered prescription refills and medical delivery to all our members across 40 cities in Saudi Arabia; reached out to members with chronic conditions to ensure they were safe; activated a telemedicine service in partnership with the biggest health providers in the kingdom; responded to over 400,000 calls, including 5,000 critical cases; and dedicated part of our team to respond to incoming calls to the health ministry’s hotline.
To acknowledge the significance of mental health and protect the health of our clients, employees, and the community, we partnered with Labayh – an online mental health platform – to offer the public online sessions and consultations with experts in mental health.
The enormous scale of the pandemic has made me realise that leadership in such an uncertain, fast-moving crisis means preparing oneself to lead with empathy and make a path forward for all. M