The drive to be the best

For René de Villiers, the leading Medihelp adviser in the country, building a legacy isn’t just about developing a thriving client base – it’s also about making sure that every one of her clients knows they can turn to her at any hour.

“When you’ve just heard that someone you love has cancer, your first question is, What now? You need someone to tell you what your next step should be.” That’s exactly what René does. She’s the ‘someone’ her clients rely on for everything, whether that’s noting a change of address, lodging a claim, or obtaining authorisation for hospital procedures. “They know that they can phone me at 2 am, and I’ll do what needs to be done. My laptop is with me even when I go on holiday!” René laughs.

A winning streak

It’s hard work, of course – but it’s the willingness to put in those hours, combined with her steely determination, that has helped René to secure the title of Medihelp’s top adviser for six years running.

She received her first prize, for top adviser in the North West province, in 2017. “It was a long road to get there,” René admits. “I started out working for another medical aid, but when it closed its smaller branches, I was retrenched.” Four months pregnant at the time, she says she lost everything.

Determined to rebuild, she reached out to Ben de Beer, then CEO of Cube Advice, who she knew from her previous employer. “He couldn’t pay me a salary, but since I had all the accreditations I needed to work as an adviser, I could start working immediately. I started out with just one client in Delareyville. This client referred me to the rest of his family, and once I signed up all his sisters, I had five clients.”

As René grew her business, she received more leads from Medihelp and eventually moved her entire client base to the scheme. Her hard work was recognised with that first top broker award. But for René, it wasn’t enough. “That very day, I asked my manager what it would take to be number one in the country, and on the way home from the awards ceremony, I told my husband that I would one day win that prize.”

It was an ambitious goal, and the following year, René clinched third place. One year later, the top spot was hers. “I was told that no one had ever been named leading broker more than once, but I have now held that spot six times!” And René isn’t content to stop there; she’s determined to win the title over the next four years too.

A team effort

René says that much of her success is because of her emphasis on service. “I don’t have an assistant. It’s all me, doing everything I can for my clients. And all glory for my awards goes to them, because without them, I wouldn’t have anyone to help.”

She adds that her work would not have been possible without G-d, who gave her talent and the strength to use it.

The team at Cube Advice has been instrumental too: “We’re a team that looks after one another. It really feels like a family.” Her own family has also played a big part, and René is grateful for her children’s understanding when she is unable to give them her full attention. “My family is my backbone,” she says.

She’s also grateful for the support Medihelp provides. “The scheme really values its brokers. It has a top-notch team and structure that makes it easy to give my clients the very best service.”

What’s next for this dynamo?

René shares that she’s been approached by other companies inspired by her expertise and work ethic – but she remains loyal to Cube Advice, where she’s a non-executive director. “I’m excited to keep doing what I do. I’m a people’s person, and I love that I get to make a real difference in my clients’ lives.”

How to get ahead

René’s advice for succeeding in a competitive industry centres on understanding what clients truly need:

1. Hard work is non-negotiable. “I always say that when others are sleeping, I start working. I’ve built a routine: I handle authorisations first, then claims and quotes, and leave marketing for evenings and weekends.”
2. Knowledge is power. “I make a point of reading the news every day to stay up to date with industry developments and key trends.”
3. You can’t please everyone. “You can try your best, but you’ll never get it right with everyone. Some clients will leave, but if you focus on giving the very best service, there’s a good chance they’ll come back. Selling a product is easy; it’s looking after your clients afterwards that matters most. Everyone wants to feel that there is someone looking out for them.”

If you would like to get in touch with René, you can email her at rene@cubeadvice.co.za.

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Written for Medihelp by Lisa Witepski, with editorial refinements by Medihelp