From Geneva to St Gallen: personalised support comes to life in our agencies
17 September 2026 | Comment(s) |
Adrien Jacquérioz
Beyond online and telephone services, Groupe Mutuel agencies remain a preferred point of contact for many policyholders. As part of the “Proximity” campaign, run annually in the French- and German-speaking media in Switzerland, our customer advisers share insights into their day-to-day work and the value of personalised guidance, active listening and local support in both insurance and pension provision.
Even in large, international and cosmopolitan cities such as Geneva, Basel, Lausanne and Zurich, active listening and empathy help foster meaningful face-to-face relationships between customer advisers and insured persons. Groupe Mutuel agencies are places where people can walk in, feel welcomed and receive clear, personalised answers to their questions.
Close at hand, even in cities
This sense of proximity is also reflected in the multilingual environment of our agencies, helping insured persons feel understood and supported. “Being able to communicate in the policyholder’s own language facilitates understanding and builds trust, especially when they are still unfamiliar with the Swiss system,” notes Benjamin Corchia, a customer adviser at the Geneva Mont-Blanc agency.
Maria Mora, a customer adviser at the Basel agency, shares this view. Originally from Colombia, she first had to familiarise herself with the realities of life in Switzerland. Today, when she advises clients in German, Spanish, Italian or English, she observes that “even people who have lived here all their lives do not fully understand the insurance system”.
Support provided in our agencies also has an important social dimension. Advisers are often called upon to assist with sensitive situations involving financial difficulties, debt collection or social security matters. “We can, of course, deal with enquiries over the phone, but when we meet face-to-face, clients can see that their case is being taken care of. It reassures them to leave with a concrete solution, whether that is a contract, a tax certificate or a payment arrangement,” explains Amel El-Alaoui, a customer adviser at the Lausanne-Métropole agency.
A local presence that inspires confidence
For Tony Matti, a customer adviser at the Thun agency, proximity is a key factor in building trust. As a local resident himself, he believes this familiarity is a real advantage: “When people see that there’s someone who knows the area well, it makes things much easier,” he explains.
At the Neuchâtel agency, Alizée Nater was quickly struck by the warmth of local policyholders. Having arrived just over a year ago after working in the canton of Vaud, she says that this sense of closeness can be felt both at the agency and in everyday life throughout the region.
In Nyon, the intergenerational aspect of customer relationships is particularly noticeable. Grandparents, parents and young adults alike visit the La Côte agency for advice on insurance and pension matters, with the common goal of protecting themselves and planning for the future. For Valérie Molina, a customer adviser in Nyon, this reinforces the importance of maintaining a strong local presence: “Maintaining and developing a network of regional agencies is a very human choice.”
Agencies: a gateway to pension planning
Robert Kernbichler, who spent more than 25 years working abroad, draws on his personal experience when advising clients. Aware that his own pension planning was neglected during that period, he now works as a customer adviser in St Gallen and is committed to raising awareness of the importance of preparing for retirement.
Questions relating to pension provision frequently arise during discussions at the agency, confirms Tania Gonçalves Da Silva, a customer adviser in Sion: “Sometimes a policyholder simply comes in to submit a bill, and the conversation naturally leads to a broader discussion about their situation and whether they should start planning for their retirement.” When a pension gap is identified, agency teams can refer policyholders to Groupe Mutuel’s pension specialists, who help them build long-term financial security.
Although he is only 21, Maximilian Königs, who has been working as a customer adviser at the Zurich-Oerlikon agency for a year, has long been interested in pension provision. “I sometimes ask people, when I’m out and about, what arrangements they have made for retirement,” he says with a smile. His interest is hardly surprising, as he devoted his apprenticeship dissertation to Pillar 3a savings and the issue of poverty among older adults.
It is often at the agency that many policyholders discover that Groupe Mutuel can also support them with their pension planning needs. “We are seeing growing awareness of the close link between health and pension provision. Our role is to guide customers towards the specialists who can help them build a solution tailored to their individual situation,” explains Raquel Pereira Rodrigues, a customer adviser at the Yverdon agency.
Although most insurance and pension-related procedures are now carried out online, agencies continue to play a key role in supporting policyholders. Across Switzerland, personal contact, tailored advice and a strong understanding of local realities remain valuable assets that customers continue to seek out and appreciate.
