When trust is in place, the rest follows

Thuli Maphosa wants anyone who has interacted with her to leave saying, “Wow! Thuli really helped me understand my medical aid and how to make it work for me.”

For Thuli, being a medical aid adviser doesn’t simply mean signing up clients. It means being there for them, whether that’s helping with questions relating to their personal lives (she’s helped clients apply to NSFAS to obtain funding for their children’s tertiary studies) or ensuring they understand the real value of their benefits. And it’s all so they can get the most out of their medical aid.

One of the reasons she’s so adept at this is because Thuli has worked in a number of different areas within the industry, from quality assurance to adviser liaison and corporate health management. Her path to setting up her own brokerage started when she took up the challenge of establishing a benefits department at one of her employers.

In this capacity, she learned everything about running a portfolio, from marketing to looking after existing business. Armed with this knowledge, she established TM Consulting in 2022.

Personal service

Many of Thuli’s clients had been waiting for her to make this move and supported her new venture wholeheartedly. And, although Thuli is now backed by a full team, she continues to service her clients personally.

Why were they so eager to follow her? “If there’s one thing I’m not scared of, it’s hard work!” she says. “I also believe in investing in relationships that will last. My clients know that if I say I’ll do something, I’ll do it. It’s all about showing up.”

That’s how Thuli’s made sure her company has a reputation for ethical behaviour.

“Everyone, from the CEO to the cleaner, knows they can trust me. I’ll always be there for you.

“None of my clients have ever needed to phone a call centre, because they know I’m there to answer their questions.” She admits that she may even be guilty of over-servicing. “I’ll phone clients to tell them I’ll be in their office in a week’s time, and they should be ready with any questions.”

Making a difference

Thuli invests this effort for one simple reason: she loves making a difference.

“It concerns me that most people don’t know how medical aid really works.

“Sure, they understand that they can use it when they go to the doctor or pharmacy, but they don’t realise it can help pay for treatment for their depression or for Pap smears. They don’t know the full extent of their benefits.”

Thuli places great emphasis on educating her clients because she believes that if they are paying for a service, they should get the most out of it.

“Seeing people become self-sufficient because they are empowered really excites me.”

Medihelp is the perfect partner in this, she continues, because (apart from being “a lovely bunch of people”), the company ensures that all information is readily available on its platforms. “I never have to escalate anything. The team really cares about how you operate as an adviser, and they’re interested in my insights about what makes clients happy.”

Empowering others

As her book grows, Thuli is focusing on developing her team so that they are able to provide the same outstanding levels of service. This will also help her fulfil her goals of diversifying her service offering.

But, she says, this takes time. “I make a point of taking team members with me when I visit clients so clients know everyone I work with upholds my standards and is just as accountable.”

How to get ahead

Thuli says that to get ahead, there are some simple tips you should keep in mind.

• Do your research.
  Go back to basics and learn as much as you can about the business.
• Respect everyone.
  If you come across as arrogant, people won’t trust you. People can see through ‘big talk’, so be genuine and ethical in your behaviour. Be available and be approachable.
• Understand that clients might want to move.
  That’s a fact of life. But if you put in the work and back up everything you say, they’ll be less likely to leave you.
• Just show up.
  Advisers have a bad reputation for disappearing once they’ve signed a client. So, be there – always. “I do everything; I’m even at Wellness Days. Nothing is below me.”

Click here to book a consultation with Thuli.

Ready to build a fulfilling career helping people navigate their healthcare needs? Discover how you can partner with Medihelp and make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.