STORY: How CCG supports growth at CAA Insurance by prioritizing technical training

As a company committed to continuous growth and knowledge, our Learning and Development professionals regularly work with business areas to ensure Associates are set up for success.

Why does this matter?

CAA Club Group of Companies (CCG) has been consistently growing over the course of the last decade and CAA Insurance continues to be a great example of how focusing on technical training helps facilitate smart growth. The team has prioritized technical training to ensure our new hires are well equipped and able to deliver on the promise to be there for every customer.

"This was a period of tremendous growth for CAA Insurance, as we helped more customers than ever with competitive rates and our industry-leading relief initiatives," said Hera Tchaderian, Assistant Vice President (AVP) of Learning and Development. "It was a growth like no other and we are continuing to grow with almost 40 people in our current Sales and Service licensing course and several more hires expected this year."

What is technical training and why does it matter?

At CCG, all new insurance hires receive extensive training, regardless of whether they have any industry experience. Over a period of two and a half months, those hired into the Sales and Service areas undergo a licensing course that prepares them to get their Other Than Life (OTL) licence, a requirement to sell and service insurance policies. Afterwards, they are trained on all auto and property insurance products and learn the underwriting guidelines

"The goal of our Sales and Service new hire technical training program is to educate our Associates on our products, Underwriting guidelines and processes and to teach them how to navigate our system effectively so they are able to provide sound insurance advice to our Members and clients" said Tchaderian. "Our in-house training and development programs are much more robust than the industry standard because we believe that knowledgeable agents will be able to find the right solution for our clients. Ultimately, they can offer the policy which best protects the customer while also driving sales and growth."

"On the claims side, adjusters who are well-educated on products and processes, can adjudicate claims effectively while helping curb costs which also drives growth. Similarly, with the proper training support, our Underwriters can not only meet the needs of our Broker partners but also mitigate risks in their day-to-day activities which is key to the growth of our organization," continued Tchaderian.

At CCG, we continuously strive to make the Associate journey meaningful by helping Associates reach their full potential and offering a strong start with opportunities to grow in any role. Not only does training boost personal and professional growth for Associates, but it also boosts CCG's growth as well.

Growth and knowledge are among CCG's Employee Value Proposition pillars which is why lifelong learning is a focus throughout the organization. That's also why the Learning and Development team is working on a more formalized approach for the ongoing education of existing insurance Associates.

"We want to make sure we are giving Associates and partners everything they need to be the best Insurance Professionals they can be because they are representing CAA on the frontlines," says Tchaderian. "There is a certain trust that people place in us by virtue of our CAA brand and through having well-educated Associates they can live up to that trust."