Sun Life introduces 'Ella', an interactive digital coach to help Clients navigate and maximize their benefits and pension plans

TORONTO, Sept. 12, 2017

TORONTO, Sept. 12, 2017 /CNW/ - Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada ("Sun Life")  is launching another Canadian life insurance industry first with the introduction of 'Ella', an interactive digital coach who will help Clients fully utilize their benefits and pension plans. This new technology, which will be available first online and through Sun Life's mobile app soon after, will help Clients appreciate the plans provided by their employers like never before, helping them to achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives. 

"Say you have money in your healthcare spending or wellness account that you didn't know was about to expire and Ella prompts you to use it. Or perhaps your daughter is turning 21 and you don't realize she will soon need her own healthcare coverage to replace your benefits coverage – Ella can help with that too. Maybe you didn't know your employer will match your retirement savings – she can help ensure you take advantage of these benefits," said Isabelle Hudon, Executive Chair, Sun Life Financial Quebec and Senior Vice-President, Client Solutions, Sun Life Financial Canada. "In today's busy and complicated world it can be difficult to keep track of everything, and benefits and pension plan details are no different. With Ella, you will have a coach there to keep an eye on your plans, surfacing important information you might have otherwise missed, all while guiding you in how to take action."

Ella was built on Sun Life's Digital Benefits Assistant, a client engagement platform that was launched in 2016 and uses advanced analytics and big data technology to present an array of helpful and important ideas to Clients at key life moments. "Ella personifies the experience that we are aspiring to provide for our Clients. She is caring, knowledgeable, and optimistic, empowering Clients to understand their needs and options, and to take action. We developed Ella out of the fundamental belief in the power of insight and advice – not just someone to react to a question – but someone who is looking out for your health and financial well-being," said Hudon.      

Available to Clients beginning this Fall, Ella will first appear in the benefits and pension area, providing outbound information, insight, and advice through highly sophisticated data analytics. Over time, Ella will evolve to be increasingly interactive through artificial intelligence and offer a broader scope on healthcare, empowering Canadians by connecting them to the best healthcare resources, information, and value. "We also see opportunities for Ella to help our advisors serve our retail Clients, and have exciting plans to make this happen next year," said Hudon. "Ella will complement the support we already provide through our call centres and the holistic advice our nearly 3,300 advisors offer every day."

"Whether it's the way we exercise, shop, or consume entertainment, Canadians are connected more than ever and have come to expect a lot from digital tools," said Dave Jones, Senior Vice-President, Group Benefits, Sun Life Financial Canada. "Clients – all of us – want only the information we need, when we need it and through the channel of our choice. Ella was developed to respond to that need. She will help you get the most value possible from your plan, so you don't leave money on the table, make the smartest decision with your health benefits dollars, and get the coverage that's right for you."

Thomas Reid, Senior Vice-President, Group Retirement Services, Sun Life Financial Canada adds, "This new digital coach will revolutionize how plan members use and participate in their pension plans, maximizing the tools and services available from their employer. We understand that personal finance can be overwhelming and challenging to navigate, but we're confident that this interactive tool complemented by our face-to-face support will help Clients on their journey to achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives."