New Zealand has voted Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) as a gold winner of the highly competitive travel insurance category in the Reader’s Digest Quality Service Awards.

Reader’s Digest conducts the Quality Service Awards survey every year to uncover New Zealanders’ attitudes towards services from businesses across different industries.

The awards are voted purely by New Zealand consumers, with 1,500 Kiwis surveyed on their service experience across 40 categories. Respondents rate organisations on four key pillars of customer service; personalisation, understanding, simplicity and satisfaction.

Chief Customer Officer of SCTI, Jo McCauley, says winning this award is of particular significance because it is voted by Kiwis.

“We are incredibly proud to be recognised in the Reader's Digest Quality Service Awards again as it confirms that our customer centric approach is resonating. Southern Cross Travel Insurance has worked hard to deliver great customer experience with flexible product offerings that are specifically tailored to meet customer needs and requirements.

“We have been operating in New Zealand for over 37 years with an ongoing commitment to consistently deliver exceptional customer service. New Zealand is an intrepid nation and Southern Cross Travel Insurance prides itself on being relied upon to help its customers travel with peace of mind.

“Southern Cross Travel Insurance has an emergency assistance team, which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This means someone is always on hand if our customers require assistance.

“To be recognised by the public for setting the gold standard for service in the New Zealand travel insurance industry is proof that we are successfully delivering a quality customer experience,” she says.

Louise Waterson, Editor-in-Chief of Reader’s Digest, says companies that deliver excellent services to consumers compared with their competitors should be better awarded and recognised by the public.

“Southern Cross Travel Insurance recognises that only the highest standards will do when fulfilling the needs and concerns of their customers. Their insurance knowledge and professionalism is widely appreciated among New Zealanders and makes for a winning business strategy. Congratulations and keep up the great work.”

The research for the awards is conducted by independent company Catalyst Market Research.