Unum's Tech Overhaul: A Fresh Look at Digital Innovation

Unum, a major player in disability and life benefits, has been making waves with its tech upgrades. With a whopping $13 billion in revenue last year, the company is no small fish. Gautam Roy, the company’s chief tech officer, has been at the helm of this digital makeover for over seven years. He’s not just about building tech; he’s about reshaping the company’s culture and mindset. Roy’s approach isn’t just about slapping digital tools onto old processes. He calls it "digital reimagination. " This means dreaming up new ways to blend technology, data, and human creativity to rethink everything from products to business models. The goal? To make things faster, simpler, and more personalized for customers. One of Roy’s big moves has been transforming IT support into what he calls "technology employee experience. " Instead of just fixing problems as they come up, his team uses AI to spot issues before they become big headaches. They’ve also set up self-service options for common tasks, like resetting passwords or reinstalling apps. This shift isn’t just about tools; it’s about changing the way the team thinks and works. Unum is also big on measuring customer satisfaction. They use digital tools and surveys to get a clear picture of how customers feel at every step of the way. This helps them focus on what really matters to customers. Innovation is a big deal at Unum. Roy encourages experimentation and learning. He believes that in a fast-changing world, the companies that keep learning and adapting are the ones that will win. AI is a huge part of this. It’s already changing how Unum operates, from automating tasks to providing round-the-clock customer support. Looking ahead, Roy sees a future where insurers don’t have to build everything from scratch. Instead, they can mix and match external services and internal tools to create solutions that fit their needs. Seven years into his role, Roy is still excited about the changes at Unum. He sees AI as a big opportunity to make things even better for both the company and its customers.