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The CROSS
COUNTRY epic...
Bruce Willmore’s vision of a niche product, developed specifically for a growing 4x4 owning outdoor community, saw him throw off the suit-and-tie of the corporate environment back in ‘98. Partnered by Ian Georgeson, the pair set
to work developing IT systems and policy procedures for Willmore’s dream: Cross
Country. They moved into a small office in Sandton on 1 March 1999 and with just
a single employee they opened their doors for business.
Things happened quickly after that.
By December of ’99 two hundred and four brokers
had already registered with Cross Country and had begun placing business.
Victor Hugo once said: “there is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has
come” this proved true in this case too, as brokers really got behind the Cross
Country brand, enthusiastically selling the niche 4x4 product. To be fair it was
not a hard sell. The product was tailored specifically for the market, with cover much broader than anything else available. It was no surprise to see that by the end of 1999 Cross Country had already issued eight hundred and eighty-four policies.
Not bad for a start-up…
Bruce’s vision had seen the birth of Cross Country – but I wonder if he realised
back then just how successful the company would become? By 2001
Cross Country had
moved away from the hustle and bustle in Sandton to the suburb of Fairland. Cross Country attracts
a different breed of staff, and the new premises proved to be popular amongst the
energetic cyclists, runners and gym enthusiasts among them who reveled in the refreshing
pool while the lunch-time boerewors was sizzling on the braai.
It took Cross Country just five years to break the eight thousand policy mark and
the company currently employs twenty-two staff and is still innovating new products for their specific niche in the South African insurance market.
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