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LOW COST APPROACH THE
ANSWER TO ADMINISTRATION HEADACHES
‘Many companies boast about personalised
black owned and managed medical scheme
service, but few really provide it’, says
administrators. It could possibly be seen as
Managing Director of Sigma Health Fund
the BEE pioneer in this industry.
Managers, Shu’ayb Patel. He adds that by
staying small, Sigma ensures that clients get The company is proud of its BEE status and
the individual attention they deserve, without has in excess of 80% black shareholding.
becoming the clichéd number in the system. Sigma ensures that the needs of members are
The company believes that personalised met through its 80% black staff complement,
service is an important differentiator in the who is also more than 75% female. The
highly competitive medical scheme industry, company is managed by a board and
dominated by a few big players. It is in the management team, which is in excess of
business of nurturing relationships as it 82% black with a female component in
believes this is critical for continued success. excess of 36%. Measures have also been
implemented to ensure that people previously
This would not be possible without the
disadvantaged during the apartheid years
information, real-time claims processing,
dedication of Sigma staff, who forms the
(including Africans, Coloureds, Indians,
e-mail and sms communication, all made
backbone of the company. They are a close
women and people with disabilities) are
possible by innovative and flexible cutting
knit group of people, many of them having
equitably represented in all occupational
edge systems.
worked at the company since its inception
categories and levels in its workforce.
in 1998. The experience and expertise they
In these tough economic times providing
have gained through years of working in the To ensure that staff members stay on top
the best service at the best price is more
industry ensures that they have an unrivaled of their game and are constantly able to
crucial than ever and in this regard Sigma
understanding of clients’ needs. improve on already excellent service, the
won’t disappoint. In a country where medical
company invests in ongoing training and
aid members pay some of the highest non
The company knows that being available for
development programmes. It is also important
healthcare costs (of which administration
members is vital and the Customer Contact
to management that staff has a sense of
fees form an important component), Sigma
Services and Membership arms of operations
ownership of the company and in this regard
can proudly say that its fees are amongst the
constantly devise innovative new ways in
Sigma has allocated shareholding for its staff.
lowest in the industry and therefore will not
which member queries can be dealt with as
Patel, being an ex-unionist, has created an
dent client schemes’ administration budgets.
efficiently as possible. Furthermore, prompt
interactive Staff Consultative Forum in the
settlement of member accounts by the Claims
company to ensure participation by non-
The combination of these factors means that
Management Department has earned Sigma
managerial staff in the governance of the
there is simply no one better to look after
an outstanding reputation with both service
company.
your medical aid. With Sigma, administration
suppliers and members alike.
headaches caused by inferior customer
In their quest to provide superior services at
service and general inefficiency becomes
Being a BEE company, management believes
all times, staff is supported by state of the art
a things of the past. By providing low cost
that no other administration company is in
technology.
service without compromising quality, the
a better position to understand the needs of company assists client schemes in putting
its clients’ diverse members - many of them For Sigma clients this means that the dynamic health insurance within the means of the
stemming from previously disadvantaged member administration system can offer majority of South Africans and in doing so,
communities themselves. Sigma started its them customised internet solutions such as hopes to change the face of healthcare
operations in 1998 as one of the first truly on-line enquiries, 24-hour access to personal forever!
Sigma Health Fund Managers, PO Box 2590, Bellville, 7535, Tel: 021 940 7000, Fax: 021 957 8004, sigma@sigma-health.co.za
www.sigma-health.co.za
Sigma Advertorial Mar09 Final.in1 1 25/3/09 17:43:21
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