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Many former US military members say they have taken many life skills from the military into their careers.
For Aflac (AFL) president Virgil Miller, the attention to detail he picked up from his time serving the country has been crucial to his role leading the insurance company.
“What you’re taught [in the military], it works in the business world,” Miller, who began serving in the Marines in high school, said on Yahoo Finance’s Warrior Money. “It starts with just the foundation of discipline. And when I think about the Marines … you hear all the time about attention to detail. Well, I say the same thing applies today. Walk your own process. Make sure that you check every single detail.”
Miller explained that he believes you should “sweat the small stuff” because “when lives are on the line, those things matter.”
That same approach applies in his current role in corporate America. “Every detail counts,” he said.
Aflac provides supplemental insurance to its customers, filling in the gaps when regular insurance doesn’t offer the necessary coverage for certain (and sometimes life-altering) situations.
The company’s cancer insurance is particularly popular, especially for Aflac’s Japanese customers, who have longer lifespans on average than those in the US and want to be covered throughout their lives. By doing lots of research and paying attention to the company’s health-conscious customers, Miller and Aflac founder John Amos have maintained one of their more successful offerings.
“You have to make sure that you’re always listening to the voice of the customer, taking the inside-out look and approach,” Miller said. “What are your customers saying about your experience? What are your customers saying about your products? What are your customers saying about your overall culture for your organization?”
Customer feedback also led the company to offer more mental health coverage as well — something that is particularly beneficial to its veteran customers.
“Being able to meet people when, where, and how they want to be met is what it’s all about,” he said. “Especially for us, having served in the military, mental health is extremely important to all Americans. … We made sure that mental health benefits are now a part of our policy, making sure that people can get that type of treatment, knowing that more and more Americans now face mental health challenges.”
Miller said that helping people is a key discipline he carried over from his time in the military.
“When I took off the military uniform and … put on the suit, I still have the feeling and know that I’m serving people and giving back,” he said. “That’s the feeling I get in the insurance space. When people are undergoing treatment or facing financial burden, we need to make sure … we’re there for them at a time of need.
“To me, that resonates with servicemen because that’s exactly what we’re doing when we put on those uniforms,” Miller added. “We’re being there to serve people and being there to help them.”
Each week, Warrior Money will dive into the financial topics that matter most to veterans and the broader public. You can find more episodes on our video hub or watch on your preferred streaming service.
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