The main reasons behind Medavie Blue Cross’ presence on social networks can be summed up as follows: it firmly believes that this is part of the overall customer experience, which is to say the insurer wants to be accessible, to demonstrate that it is genuine, and do it all transparently.

“Our ultimate goal is to present our company not as an insurer, but as a progressive organization that supports a sustainable health system,” comments Isabelle Landry, head of communication services at Medavie Blue Cross.

“Thanks to social media, employees are becoming the company’s ambassadors. There is a strong commitment among employees, along the lines of 60% to 75%. Employees are proud to be part of Medavie Blue Cross’s history. They share the photos showing them attending the community activities or charitable events to which Medavie Blue Cross is committed,” says Landry.

Apart from the benefits related to recruitment and business development, social media can represent a lower cost approach to advertising. “In terms of operations, the costs of a campaign on social media are virtually zero. And the campaign has a broader scope. It offers awareness, can be monitored more closely, and allows for fine tuning,” she explains.

But how does one measure potential gains, particularly in terms of visibility? “One example is the ‘One Step at a Time’ blog we launched in 2012. We have received tens of thousands of hits since it began. From our side, we strive to publish articles frequently, in order to respond to readers’ interests,” says Landry.

Before long Medavie Blue Cross expects to hire someone who will be dedicated to social media, a recruit who will join the company’s communications department.