Marketing automation means using software to automatically send and manage customer communication based on defined rules or triggers.
In the context of insurance and telematics, marketing automation goes beyond simple email campaigns or CRM workflows. It connects real-world mobility events with digital customer interaction, enabling insurers to communicate at the right moment, with relevant content, based on actual behavior and context.
Rather than relying solely on static segmentation, marketing automation in telematics environments is event-driven. At Dolphin, we also refer to this approach as Event Based Interaction (EBI), because communication is triggered by real-world events.
How Marketing Automation Works in Insurance
At a basic level, marketing automation systems allow insurers to:
- Define customer segments
- Set behavioral or contextual triggers
- Automate messages across channels (app, push, SMS, email)
- Measure performance and optimize campaigns
In traditional insurance settings, triggers may include policy renewal dates, onboarding milestones, or product eligibility criteria.
In telematics-enabled environments, triggers can also include real-world mobility events such as:
- Completion of a trip
- Repeated short-distance driving
- Frequent nighttime driving
- Driving in high-risk weather conditions
- Entry into or exit from defined geofenced areas
- Safe driving streaks or behavioral improvements
This creates the ability to move from periodic communication to contextual interaction.
Why Marketing Automation Matters for Insurers
Motor insurance has historically been reactive. Customer interaction often occurs at policy purchase or after a claim.
Marketing automation enables insurers to:
- Maintain continuous customer engagement
- Deliver personalized safety tips or risk alerts
- Support behavior change through targeted feedback
- Trigger upselling or cross-selling at relevant moments
- Increase app usage and customer lifetime value
- Strengthen brand positioning as a proactive partner
When combined with telematics data, marketing automation helps insurers shift from static policy management to dynamic customer journeys.
Marketing Automation and Usage-Based Insurance
In Usage-Based Insurance (UBI) programs such as Pay As You Drive (PAYD) or Pay How You Drive (PHYD), marketing automation plays a critical role.
Telematics data alone does not change behavior. Structured feedback, timely nudges, and incentive communication are required to translate risk insights into measurable outcomes.
For example:
- A driver with repeated harsh braking events may receive targeted coaching content.
- A customer who improves their driving score may receive a reward notification.
- A high-risk driving pattern during severe weather may trigger a contextual safety warning.
The value lies in connecting risk intelligence with meaningful, well-timed interaction.
Dolphin Technologies and Marketing Automation
Dolphin Technologies integrates marketing automation capabilities into its telematics ecosystem.
Through the MOVE SDK and platform layer, mobility events can be translated into attributes and triggers that feed CRM or marketing automation systems. Insurers can:
- Define segments based on mobility behavior
- Trigger push notifications directly within their app
- Orchestrate contextual customer journeys
- Combine telematics data with external systems via APIs
The approach is event-driven and preventive. Instead of communicating only after a loss, insurers can interact before risk materializes, during high-risk situations, or in moments of positive reinforcement.
The objective is not communication for its own sake, but meaningful interaction grounded in real-world behavior.