Leading insurance broker GMIB boosts conversions through WhatsApp

At GMIB, customers can discover suitable insurance solutions—from personal car and home insurance to commercial policies for businesses of all sizes. The challenge was connecting with these prospects through their preferred channels.

“We'd been looking for a WhatsApp solution for quite some time but struggled to set up the account through Meta Business. The motivation was to make things easier for our customers and sales agents to engage with each other. A large portion of our customer base simply don't want to take phone calls during business hours.”

Kevin O'Callaghan, Head of Sales, GMIB

Before vs. After

Before: One-way SMS

GMIB's previous system provided no delivery confirmation for messages. Lead outreach required 30-40 individual phone calls per batch, with many going unanswered. Without conversation history or written communication options, serving international customers presented challenges.

“WhatsApp gives us immediate feedback—we can see when messages are delivered and read with the blue ticks. Our agents noticed better engagement rates right away, especially with younger customers and international clients who prefer messaging over phone calls.”

Kevin O'Callaghan, Head of Sales, GMIB

After: WhatsApp with Superchat

The inquiries-to-quotes conversion rate improved significantly after implementing WhatsApp. More prospects engage in conversations and move through the sales funnel, with measurably higher daily quote numbers and overall conversions.

GMIB's three favorite features

1. Automated lead qualification journeys

GMIB uses automations to handle up to 90% of initial conversations with prospects before an agent takes over. The intelligent flows qualify leads by gathering essential information:

• Has the customer purchased a vehicle?
• What is their insurance renewal date?
• What is their timeline for buying a policy?

This automation filters out tire kickers who are just testing prices without genuine intent, allowing agents to focus only on qualified prospects ready to convert.

2. Template library for consistent messaging

With over 100 templates created, GMIB's team can quickly initiate conversations for different scenarios—from initial outreach to information gathering. Templates ensure consistent, professional communication across all 50 team members while meeting Meta's requirements for business messaging.

“When you're calling prospects with a warm lead, they're getting a random phone number appearing on their phone that they've never seen before. That's a turnoff. With WhatsApp, you've got your logo, your brand appears. It's much more trusted.”

Kevin O'Callaghan, Head of Sales, GMIB

3. Verified business presence and branding

WhatsApp displays GMIB's logo and verified business profile, creating immediate trust with prospects.

This branded presence achieves significantly higher response rates compared to unknown phone numbers.

How GMIB benefits from Superchat

1. Reaching younger demographics

Customers who prefer messaging over phone calls can now engage on their terms. Professionals who cannot take calls during working hours respond via WhatsApp throughout the day, maintaining conversation momentum without scheduling conflicts.

“We're obviously based in Ireland, which is predominantly English-speaking, but there's a huge amount of international people resident here. When people don't understand some of the technical terms we're using on the phone, we move the conversation to WhatsApp, and it helps them.”

Kevin O'Callaghan, Head of Sales, GMIB

2. Supporting international customers

The channel has proven especially effective for Ireland's international community. Language barriers that complicated phone conversations are resolved through:

• Written communication that customers can translate
• Time to process technical insurance terms
• Ability to reference previous messages for clarity

GMIB has built a reputation for being easy to work with for customers facing language barriers—opening an entirely new market segment.

3. Streamlining daily workflows

Today, GMIB's sales agents handle thousands of customer interactions through WhatsApp. Automated workflows have transformed efficiency:

• Prospects respond directly to insurance quotes without navigating phone trees
• Appointments are scheduled through WhatsApp conversations
• Documents and information are shared instantly within the chat
• Conversation history provides full context for every interaction

The feedback is clearer: a WhatsApp message saying "Yes, I'm interested" provides much stronger qualification than an unreturned phone call.

Data-driven insights for better decision-making

One of GMIB's most valued improvements has been visibility into message performance.

“With the previous service we were using, it was just a one-way SMS system. You're blasting out the message, but you never really know if it's going anywhere or being opened or being read.”

Kevin O'Callaghan, Head of Sales, GMIB

1. Real-time analytics that drive action

WhatsApp through Superchat provides comprehensive reporting:

• Delivery rates: Confirmation that messages reached recipients
• Read rates: Blue tick receipts show when prospects open messages
• Response rates: Track which messages drive engagement
• Open rates: Understand campaign effectiveness in real-time

This real-time feedback allows agents to prioritize follow-ups effectively and adjust their messaging strategies based on actual engagement data.

2. Efficient batch campaigns

For lead outreach, GMIB can import lists and send messages to 30-40 prospects in minutes—about one quarter of the time previously required for individual phone calls. The detailed reporting gives the team confidence in their outreach efforts and helps them continuously optimize their approach.

“Just having that feedback gives you confidence in using the tool and knowing what is working and what isn't.”

Kevin O'Callaghan, Head of Sales, GMIB

Selection and implementation of Superchat

Kevin O'Callaghan discovered Superchat after months of struggling to set up WhatsApp Business directly through Meta. The inquiry process was straightforward and led to an immediate demo with Superchat's team.

“Once we saw it, we knew this is exactly the application we need. It genuinely had an immediate effect on the engagement rate. Our sales agents found a noticeable, measurable bump in how much interaction and replies we were getting from potential customers.”

Kevin O'Callaghan, Head of Sales, GMIB

1. Tailored demonstration and immediate value

The demo focused specifically on GMIB's needs without overwhelming the team with unnecessary features. Superchat's team understood their requirements and showed exactly how WhatsApp messaging could solve their engagement challenges.

Phased rollout with proven results

Phase 1: Pilot (September 2024)

Two experienced senior agents tested the platform and provided feedback. Their feedback was immediate and positive—especially regarding engagement with international customers and younger demographics.

Phase 2: Sales team expansion (Weeks later)

After validating success, all 25 sales agents began using the platform. Quote numbers and conversions increased measurably.

Phase 3: Retention team (5 months later)

The renewals team joined to serve existing clients through WhatsApp, bringing total daily users to 50 across the organization.

The setup process was streamlined, with Superchat's team providing guidance through account configuration and template creation—solving the technical hurdles that had previously blocked GMIB from accessing WhatsApp Business API.

Why GMIB chose Superchat

“The time savings alone are significant. What used to take 30-40 individual phone calls—with many going unanswered—now takes just minutes to send via WhatsApp.”

Kevin O'Callaghan, Head of Sales, GMIB

1. Professional team features

Beyond solving the technical challenge of accessing WhatsApp Business API, Superchat offered the enterprise capabilities GMIB needed:

• Multiple agent management and message assignment
• Detailed analytics and reporting
• Template library management
• Team collaboration tools

“One of the nicest features is the automations. We can predict certain ways conversations will go and automate 90% of the conversation between our agent and a customer until the point where we need to speak with them. That feature alone is unique and something we definitely loved once we built it out.”

Kevin O'Callaghan, Head of Sales, GMIB

2. Automation capabilities

The platform's automation features proved decisive for GMIB's decision. Unlike simple messaging tools, Superchat's intuitive automation builder enabled GMIB to create sophisticated qualification flows without requiring developers or IT resources.

These automated workflows handle lead qualification, information gathering, and initial engagement—saving hours of agent time daily while maintaining consistent service quality.

3. Measurable impact from day one

The measurable improvement in engagement rates and conversion metrics confirmed the decision. From the first week of the pilot program, agents reported noticeably better response rates compared to traditional phone outreach.

“No one's ever had any complaints. It's easy to use software. It's reliable. We've had no downtime, no service issues. Any changes you want to make are pretty easy to do. It's all positive.”

Kevin O'Callaghan, Head of Sales, GMIB

4. Reliability and ease of use

With 50 agents using the platform daily, system reliability and intuitive design were critical. Superchat has delivered consistent uptime with no service disruptions, while the straightforward interface requires minimal training for new team members.

“We're continuing what we've been doing well for the last few years—being easy to contact, easy to trade with. We give good service and good prices to our clients. It's all about trying to scale the business and continue the growth path.”

Kevin O'Callaghan, Head of Sales, GMIB

Higher conversions with Superchat

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Julian Gumny

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Senior Content Strategist, Superchat

Julian is a Senior Content Strategist at Superchat. He is a messaging expert and likes to experiment with new content formats ☕ ✍️

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