DMA HK: How FWD's O2O strategy is building trust in the digital age

As the boundaries between digital and physical experiences continue to blur, marketers face growing pressure to seamlessly connect online engagement with offline outcomes. 

In the insurance industry, where trust is paramount, building meaningful connections between brand and consumer is critical. Speaking with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Paul Tse (pictured), chief customer and marketing officer at FWD Hong Kong, shared how the brand’s online-to-offline (O2O) strategy is deeply aligned with the nature of insurance — a product rooted in trust and thoughtful decision-making. 

“We focus on empowering customers throughout their journey, prioritising long-term relationships with a vision to change the way people feel about insurance.” 

He emphasised that insurance is rarely an impulse purchase — it is built on confidence and credibility. “Our strategy centres on transparent communication, credible content, and consistent engagement to earn customer confidence over time,” he added. 

FWD also places strong emphasis on education, delivered through a blend of digital and human touchpoints. 

 “Through FWD’s online platforms and offline engagement via agents and events, we help customers understand their protection needs. This positions FWD as a trusted adviser from the very beginning of their insurance journey,” he said.  

Beyond agents and events, FWD’s engagement platform, FWD MAX, enables the company to connect with individuals even before they become policyholders, nurturing ongoing engagement, he said. “It’s not just a customer-facing platform; FWD MAX also empowers our agents, providing them with an online tool to stay connected with their clients.” 

From initial engagement to policy servicing and beyond, FWD MAX keeps the brand connected with customers online and offline — empowering them to make confident decisions and truly celebrate living, he explained. “In 2024, FWD MAX recorded over one million visits, with a double-digit year-on-year increase in membership, demonstrating our commitment to continuous engagement through lifestyle experiences and rewards.” 

“We use data to remain truly relevant. By combining customer insights with market understanding, we design insurance solutions that bridge protection gaps at different life stages — helping to cover the uncovered. This ensures every interaction is meaningful and every product delivers genuine value,” he added. 

From frontline insights to digital resonance

FWD places a strong emphasis on education, delivered through a blend of digital and human touchpoints. “Through our online platforms and offline engagements—including agents and events—we help customers understand their protection needs. This positions FWD as a trusted adviser from the very beginning of their insurance journey,” Tse noted. 

Central to this strategy is FWD MAX, an engagement platform that allows the company to connect with individuals even before they become policyholders. “It’s not just a customer-facing platform; FWD MAX also empowers our agents, providing them with an online tool to stay connected with their clients,” he explained.  

From initial engagement to policy servicing, FWD MAX keeps the brand connected with customers across both worlds. In 2024, the platform recorded over one million visits, with a double-digit year-on-year increase in membership, demonstrating its success in fostering continuous engagement through lifestyle experiences and rewards. 

While consumers are met with a multitude of communication channels, FWD recognises that invaluable insights often originate on the frontline. “Our agents are not just sales representatives; they are financial planners and relationship builders,” Tse stated. “The data we gather from their interactions—including frequently discussed products, customer concerns, and feedback—serves as a critical resource for shaping our digital strategy.” 

When the brand identifies a significant uptick in discussions about specific products, such as critical illness coverage, it swiftly adjusts its online content and advertising to reflect this emerging interest. “This may include launching targeted campaigns, updating website content, or creating educational videos that address prevalent inquiries,” Tse said.  

“We also analyse sentiment and conversation trends to uncover gaps in understanding. These insights empower us to develop content that not only informs but also resonates, making insurance feel less daunting and more empowering.” 

Enhancing human connection with AI 

In the era of AI-disruption, Tse said the company is actively leveraging AI-powered personalisation to transform how it understands and serves its customers across the entire insurance journey. “Insurance is deeply personal, and our goal is to make it feel more intuitive, relevant and human.” 

We’ve built a robust digital foundation that integrates AI and data analytics into every stage of our operations — from sales and underwriting to claims and customer retention. Key initiatives include automated underwriting, which uses AI to simplify health data collection and accelerate decision-making; FWD marketing cloud; AI claims 2.0; AI fraud detection, AI lapse models and AI winback campaigns.  

“These initiatives allow us to deliver dynamic product recommendations, anticipate life-stage needs, and support our agents with smarter tools. AI doesn’t replace human connection — it enhances it. By combining empathy with intelligence, we’re building deeper relationships and continuously improving the overall customer experience,” he said. 

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