Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/814533
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 23 APRIL 2017 Events 43 Atlas Insurance's chat facility on atlas.com.mt has recently sur- passed the 15,000-chat mark since its introduction in 2012, growing in popularity with customers who find it particularly easy to use when enquiring about insurance prod- ucts and services. On average, Atlas receives 425 chat requests per month, with the most popular queries being re- lated to health claims and other personal insurance like motor or home. Those that log on to Atlas Chat will be asked which category of insurance they are interested in, to direct them to the correct repre- sentative for a more efficient inter- action. "When first launched, the aim was to provide customers with a new way to interact with us, to en- hance their experience by making it more convenient. Through Atlas Chat, customers can speak to our representatives, and receive instant replies," branches and intermediar- ies manager Keith Tanti said. "To- day, a few years down the line, we consider Atlas Chat as our tenth branch, although a virtual one." When sorting out their insur- ance needs, customers still prefer interacting with a member of staff, rather than going completely digi- tal. "With this in mind, we make an effort to include the element of personal interaction in everything we do," Tanti said. Through Atlas Chat, representa- tives from all business classes, including motor insurance, mo- tor claims, health insurance and health claims, as well as general queries are available to interact with clients. Customers can also receive guidance on our other e- services. "We are proud that Atlas was the first insurance company in Malta to introduce this service for clients. It is part of our customer care strat- egy to find new ways to assure our clients that we are here when they need us. And the positive feedback we are receiving encourages staff to offer the best service they can," Tanti added. "The vast majority of clients who leave feedback after their chat ses- sion comment on receiving prompt and helpful answers and that the service is an efficient, useful and easy to use system to contact Atlas representatives," Tanti concluded. LeoVegas Gaming hosts a delegation from the Nationalist Party MOBILE gaming giant LeoVegas remains committed to supporting numerous local and international initiatives such as the Malta Com- munity Chest Fund, MOAS, the Wildlife Conservation Network and Emoya Big Cat Sanctuary, its CEO said this week. On Wednesday, Johan Styren welcomed opposition leader Simon Busuttil to the offices of LeoVegas Gaming in Sliema. LeoVegas was launched in Sweden in 2012 with the vision of creating the greatest gaming experience and be number one in mobile gaming. It opened its office in Malta in October 2012. The visit started with a tour around LeoVegas' offices where Busuttil, accompanied by Kristy Debono, Robert Arrigo as well as by Graziella Galea and Ivan Bartolo, met and spoke to employees. The tour was followed by a meeting be- tween party delegates and LeoVegas' senior management. Styren thanked Busuttil and the delegation for visiting the offices and explained how LeoVegas was the first gaming operator to do things "mobile-first". "When we started our operations in Malta we were just five employ- ees in a small office. Since then we grew both in terms of operations, markets, and products and today we amount to more than 400 profes- sionals, with more than half based in Malta," he said. "All together, we make up 27 nationalities and am happy to say that locally we have managed to find some great talent – so much so that more than one in every four is Maltese." "We are also very pro-active when it comes to responsible gaming initi- atives. During the past year, we have increases the people working in the team, updated our monitoring soft- ware and gave training to all em- ployees who, in one way or another, have direct contact with customers. "We also continuously support various organisations that work with problem gamblers as well as with their families and friends," Sty- ren concluded. Busuttil thanked LeoVegas and noted how the gaming industry was one of the most successful sectors that the Nationalist government had brought to Malta. He said he was pleased that many of the employees he met were actually Maltese, in- cluding those in senior roles. ARQ Group appoints new tax manager ARQ Group has engaged Luana Scicluna, formerly manager with- in the tax and legal services unit at PricewaterhouseCoopers, in the position of tax manager with effect from 17 April 2017. Scicluna's eight-year tenure at PwC gave her extensive knowl- edge on tax on capital gains and exposed her to corporate restruc- turing and succession planning, tax compliance and calculations, as well as training and job men- toring. An accountant by profession, concluding her Bachelors of Ac- counts (Hons) at the University of Malta in 2009, Scicluna furthered her studies in taxation through a diploma in taxation and an ad- vanced diploma in international taxation. "We are very pleased to welcome Luana to our team. She brings expertise and experience to our specialised tax unit, ARQ in tax," Nicky Gouder, ARQ Group's tax partner, said. "This appointment gives us more confidence in en- suring that we continue to provide value added advice and solutions to our clients in an ever changing environment." For more information, visit www.arqgroup.com Atlas Chat reaches 15,000 mark Malta to be represented at Bols Around the World cocktail competition final in Amsterdam For the first time ever, Mal- ta will be represented in the global final of one of the most renowned cocktail competi- tions in the world. Marco Uto- mo, Senior Mixologist at The Thirsty Barber, has reached the final selection of the Bols Around The World cocktail competition which will be held in Amsterdam in May. The search for the next Bols Genever Pioneer kicked off in November 2016. Thousands of bartenders from 75 coun- tries joined the competition and were tested on creativ- ity, knowledge, history and practical use of Bols Genever. Following three online com- petition heats, judged by an in- ternational team of experts, the fourth heat took place 'live' at The Thirsty Barber in Paceville in the presence of renowned trainer Malika Saidi from the Bols Bartending Academy. Two weeks on, Utomo was named regional winner, beat- ing 300 other competitors from countries like UK, Italy and Germany. He will be present- ing Malta in the Grand Final in Amsterdam. BOLS is imported, market- ed and distributed in Malta by Farsons Beverage Imports Company (FBIC) Limited. From left: Didier Beraud, commercial director at Lucas Bols, Pierre Stafrace, general manager at FBIC Ltd, Marco Utomo, senior mixologist at The Thirsty Barber, Malika Saidi, renowned trainer from the Bols Bartending Academy and Joseph Biolatto, owner of Baton Rouge Bar in Paris.