Tamar Kalandarishvili: "As Technological Changes Advance, Challenges Increase"
Interview with Tamar Kalandarishvili, Head of Public Relations and Marketing at Insurance Company Euroins Georgia
Tell us about how you got into the field of marketing, and what factors played an important role in choosing this profession?
I’ve disliked monotony since childhood, and was always in search of something new. I think for people working in marketing, this is a very important feature of the business. I studied finance at university. I was 19 years old when I applied for the position of Assistant Head of Marketing at the company. I decided to try my luck. You can say that I was in the right place at the right time. My then-boss played a big role in choosing my profession, and in general making me a professional. At the time, it seemed to me to be very tough, but I soon realized that he just wanted me to learn a lot. To this day, I am very grateful to this person, and often say so. An important factor in my choice of marketing was that one has to constantly be in tune, if you lose your grip, at least for a second, you will definitely be far behind others. Diversity, creativity, news - these are all things that I can't imagine myself in any other field. Every morning I wake up with new ideas, and I believe I can do anything.
What challenges do you face as a leader in marketing, during a time of technological change?
I have been in marketing for the past ten years, and as technology advances, the challenges are increasing. You have to create something new, otherwise the customer will not be surprised. You need to know exactly what he needs today and deliver it today, in a very "beautiful package". We are now in the world of digital technology, which simplifies everything for the consumer, and vice versa for the supplier. Competition between companies is increasing day by day, and it can be safely asserted that Euroins Insurance Company will never fall behind.
What has changed in the field in the last 5 years, and what changes are expected?
Much has changed in the field of marketing over the last 5 years, and we should expect even more changes. 5 years ago, TV advertisement was relevant, but nowadays, we are all switching to digital. Social media has become one of the most active means of promoting a product. Talking about insurance, specifically, our field was fresh meat for the population about 10 years ago, but today everything is the opposite. The consumer is already well-versed in the insurance industry, so it is important to create a sense of long-term co-operation, reliability and security. Euroins Insurance Company is staffed by highly qualified personnel, with over 20 years of experience in the insurance industry. We put customers first, and this is why the company has grown by 120% over the last year. We have big plans ahead of us, and we are confident that we will succeed together.
What do you think are the most important qualities a marketing manager should have, and what is his or her role in the organization in general?
I think the role of the marketing manager in the organization is very big. It is a kind of link between all employees. Our department primarily cares about employees.
The marketing manager must, first of all, be creative. They must be able to see a small idea, flap their wings, and make it genius. You have to be patient, no one is faultless, you may fail several times, but you should definitely try again, be able to quickly detect and correct weak spots, and most importantly not be afraid to break boundaries.
What do you do to keep the organization from falling behind on new trends, and keep applying innovative approaches to marketing?
Our marketing team continually strives to deliver ideas and conceptions, constantly learning, researching the market, tracking technological changes, trends, understanding what the customer wants. Most importantly, we are never afraid to take risks; it is impossible to succeed without this,, we are not afraid of failure, difficulties,on the contrary, it aggravates our desire to move forward. A postponed case is not a case anymore, we need to start action today, if we want to make it work.
What’s your organization’s business model, in terms of marketing?
Euroins Insurance Georgia is a member of Euroins Insurance Group, which has over 15 years of market experience. This holding is present in 16 countries, worldwide, and employs over 2,000 people. Euroins Georgia is focused on customers of all ages and incomes, and offers up to 15 types of insurance products, and up to 50 combinations of them. Reliable partnerships, unique experience working with corporate and retail clients, technological readiness for innovation, expedited procedures - these are the factors that have made our marketplace worthwhile.
One word that describes your job.
It is very difficult to describe in one word, I would probably say the word "innovation" because to be successful and irreplaceable you have to be different from others.
The most useful advice you’ve ever received in your life?
If I have achieved anything today, my parents have a great contribution to it, who have devoted their efforts to my education and my personal growth. From childhood, I was told that I should never give up, and that everything would work out. I still follow this advice, and it helps me with every step of my life.
Think of a person who inspires you professionally.
It is difficult to separate any one particular person. I’m inspired by people who didn't give in to failure and ultimately succeeded, for example, Steven Spielberg, who succeeded despite many attempts at the University of the Arts, Bill Gates, one of the richest people in the world today, but had a few failed business ventures in the past. My favorite artist is Vincent Van Gogh, who only sold one painting before his death. If he’d given up because of this, we would not be able to enjoy his hundreds of works of art today.