If you had to sell Medicash as a brand in a sentence what would you say?
Everyday healthcare at an everyday price, that lets you take a positive approach to health.

What makes your brand stand out in a very competitive market?
Transparency and fairness. We offer 100% cash back up to annual policy limits, and include a number of cutting edge benefits: for example a second medical opinion when diagnosed with a serious illness or condition.

Is there a motto you live by when working?
Take the work seriously, not yourself!

Do you feel you have had to alter your proposition because of the ‘Credit crunch?’
The proposition is sound, but in light of the credit crunch the message has to alter. Promoting everyday healthcare as a means to avoiding large unexpected bills such as a visit to the dentist, through regular monthly budgeting allows our customers to plan their family budgets.

How do you think you are perceived by your customers?
I think that the very fact that a customer stays with us on average 13 years means that we offer good value for money. We are complimented on our quick payment of claims, normally within 5 working days of receipt, and so I guess the perception is that we live up to our promise.

What are your goals for your brand this year?
Brand goals for this year have already included a fresh new look, a more modern approach to meeting our customer expectations in providing benefits that they feel are of real value – this is borne out by the good independent reviews we have received from the trade press. Also, turning Medicash into a leader, rather than a follower, through leading topical debate and education adds to our brand, and reinforces our values.

How has healthcare cover improved? What’s been the biggest change in healthcare since you started working for Medicash?
Traditionally, health cash plans have been ‘me too’ products, all very similar in price and construction. Since working for Medicash we have always sought to do extensive market research to find out what the buying public want, and more importantly at what price. This research has over the years thrown up some counter intuitive findings – which, while rather difficult to contextualise in a ‘cash plan’, have been adopted and been a resounding success. Examples of this were health-screening and discounted gym membership – these have proved to be very popular and as you would anticipate a number of our competitors have added them to their plans.

Are there any other brands you admire?
I admire Ronseal, famous for its slogan it ‘does what it says on the tin’. Not unlike Ronseal, we offer simple products and living up to our promise means that we also aspire to doing what we say on the tin!

What do you enjoy most about your role?
Variety, variety, variety. As most marketers, I suffer from a low boredom threshold, so the variety and pace of the job makes it worthwhile.

You had a stress down day: what’s the best way to deal with stress?
Detox - for me when I lived on the coast, it was a run on the beach with the dogs. Now that I am urbanised again, its escapism, a trip to the theatre, concert or the movies.