Medibank Private's new retail approach in Adelaide's cbd aimed at increasing market share

Australia's largest and only national private health insurance fund, Medibank Private has opened a new retail centre in Gawler Place that offers customers a health insurance retailing experience other health funds will find hard to beat.

Medibank Private Managing Director, George Savvides said the new retail centre at 75 Gawler Place, which replaces Medibank's retail centre in Citi Centre Arcade, offers customers enhanced service options in a fresh and consultative environment.

"Cost efficiencies and customer research were major factors in developing this new approach," Mr Savvides said.

"Customers told us that they wanted a more consultative and private environment where they could discuss their health issues.

"The new design is cost-effective, modern, flexible and most importantly, now really meets our customers needs. Our feedback to date shows both staff and customers are really happy with the new design, which gives us confidence that we're taking the right approach.

"We want to increase our 22% marketshare in South Australia, and I believe that excellent customer service and good value products will achieve that."

"Our modest premium increase, which was announced last week, and our new retailing approach are part of a broader business recovery strategy," Mr Savvides said.

"Already this strategy has resulted in a positive half-yearly result of a $2.8 million profit in December last year, which is a $92.1 million improvement on the half-year bottom line result for the previous financial year.

"We aim to have 30 similar stores rolled out around the country by the end of this year. We plan to roll-out another store in Marion, South Australia, by May this year."

The Gawler Place retail centre features:

• a more consultative layout for staff and customers;
• direct access to Medibank Private's website and call centre;
• an Infopoint terminal giving customers access to comprehensive health information;
• an automatic queuing system that allows customers to use these facilities while waiting to be served.

"We want our customers to feel they're getting a more valuable experience than just transacting a claim when they visit our new retail environment," Mr Savvides said.