Modern Claims Magazine 25 - Innovation in Practice: Changing the Game

We want to share our enthusiasm for disrupting the norm to create transformational value with as many customers as possible

Innovation in Practice: Changing the Game

Innovation in Practice Supplement 2017

MODERN CLAIMS

WELCOME I

nnovation is a word that is often thrown around with no depth or tangible meaning, but the claims professionals featured in this Innovation in Practice Supplement are really putting it into the heart of everything they do.

From our cover interviewees, Andy Whatmough and Dan Chesney, who are at the helm of S&G Response as it continues to undergo growth and transformation, to Jason Tripp of Coplus, who discusses how FNOL is evolving for claims handlers, the contributors to this project are all looking to change the game.

Modern Claims spoke to Simon Powell, Endsleigh, about how his company is tailoring insurance for the customers of the future by targeting the often-overlooked student demographic. The Markerstudy Group is also blazing a trail with the numerous companies operating within it, and Simon Marsh and Tony West explain how their company, VisionTrack, is improving road safety and the claims experience through investment in technology.

Peter Eldridge, Institute of Car Fleet Management, told Modern Claims about some of the key changes in the fleet

market, and how fleet managers need to prepare themselves for the challenges of the future. James Roberts, Europcar, also discusses some of these challenges, and looks at the importance of strengthening relationships in meeting these. Ian Pugh, Fix Auto UK, weighs in on how the franchise has evolved in recent years, and how the bodyshop sector can be made even better in the future.

Modern Claims Magazine is also looking to the future at how it can become better. We’d like your help to do this, so if you have five minutes please answer our short survey, which you can find at tinyurl.com/ModernClaims. And as always, if you believe you’re an innovator then please get in touch via the below details if you would like to write for Modern Claims.

Brendan Gurrie Editor, Modern Claims Magazine.

01765 600909 | @ModernBrendan | brendan@charltongrant.co.uk

CONTENTS INTERVIEWS

INTERVIEWS

6 Andy Whatmough & Dan Chesney

One year on from their previous Modern Claims Magazine supplement, Modern Claims caught up with Andy Whatmough and Dan Chesney to learn how S&G Response has evolved in the last twelve months, and how technology and innovation will drive S&G Response forward in the next year and beyond.

10 Simon Powell

22 Ian Pugh

Modern Claims spoke to the Head of national bodyshop network Fix Auto UK about confronting the skills shortage, dealing with rapidly-changing supply chain relationships and providing the best possible customer journey.

25 Peter Eldridge

Simon Powell, Endsleigh, explained to Modern Claims how insurers need to cater their services for the next generation of insurance customers, through speed, convenience and technology.

While claims handling is undergoing much change and innovation, so is fleet management. Modern Claims spoke to Peter Eldridge, ICFM, about what these changes might mean for the sector.

FEATURES

14 Jason Tripp

For most policyholders, they will only begin to understand the value of their insurance when they make a claim. Modern Claims talked to Jason Tripp, CoPlus, about the importance of getting First Notification of Loss processes right, and how FNOL and claims handling will evolve in the future.

18 Simon Marsh & Tony West

Modern Claims spoke to Simon Marsh and Tony West of VisionTrack, a company that is part of the MarkerStudy group and one that is seeking to improve road safety and lower premiums through innovative technologies like video telematics.

Editor Brendan Gurrie

May 2017

Project Manager Rachael Pearson

28 Incremental changes can make big differences

James Roberts discusses Insurance at Europcar UK. He looks at the challenges facing insurers and suggests that small adjustments to processes and working practices have the potential to achieve big results.

30 Case Study – Learning & Development in a Change Environment

Conscious that changing customer requirements were placing new challenges on the business, S&G Response teamed up with learning and development experts, Peritus Learning (www.perituslearning.co.uk) to compose and deliver a comprehensive programme designed to raise the skills base of the business.

Editorial Assistant Poppy Green

Events Sales Kate McKittrick

Innovation in Practice Supplement 03

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WINNERS

Look out for the full coverage in the next issue of Modern Claims Magazine kindly sponsored by

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Kindly supported by

INTERVIEW

Andy Whatmough & Dan Chesney One year on from their previous Modern Claims Magazine supplement, Modern Claims caught up with Andy Whatmough, Managing Director, and Dan Chesney, Commercial Director, to find out how S&G Response has evolved in the last twelve months, and how technology and innovation will drive the business forward in the next year and beyond.

Q

How has S&G Response adapted to meet the changes within the motor sector in the past year?

Andy Whatmough: The last couple of years were transformational for S&G Response. We embarked on a strategy to diversify and broaden the range of services we were able to bring to the market, in order to drive additional tangible value into all of our customers. As we evolved from an “accident management company” into a true “solutions provider”, we have been able to further differentiate ourselves from our competition and the markets in which we operate.

The last year has been a particularly exciting challenge and has accelerated this journey. Historically, we were reliant upon providing credit hire and repair as revenue streams in the business.

We took the decision to mitigate this risk by broadening our product offering, which also dramatically changed the cash profile of the business, whilst partnering with a wider range of customer types, each with their own unique need.

Dan Chesney: Focusing the business as a true outsourced solutions provider, we have taken the best of yesterday and smartly applied our unique knowledge to the benefit of both our current and pipeline customers. We know we are best placed to deliver truly innovative solutions because we approach customer needs in a refreshingly different way. We utilise our skills, knowledge and experiences of all customers across a wide variety of market segments, not only to address their immediate requirements, but to also identify what they may need in the future.

Our core competencies have enabled us to develop a suite of new products and services for sectors where, whilst we had no footprint previously, we are now being incredibly successful in positively disrupting established market places.

We have evolved from an accident management company into a true solutions provider, and have been able to differentiate ourselves further from our competition and the markets in which we operate Andy Whatmough

06 Innovation in Practice Supplement

May 2017

INTERVIEW

Deconstructing what we have done well historically into a set of transferable capabilities has opened up an enormous target market Dan Chesney • We act as the outsourced partner for a number of the UK’s leading insurers, operating both white labelled and in-brand dependent upon the client’s requirements, to deliver significant savings on indemnity spend whilst improving the customer journey.

• We have created a unique repair solution to support the hub structure of some of the UK’s largest commercial fleets. This has resulted in minimal or zero off-road time by ensuring the vehicles are road legal and capable of undertaking their core business at all times.

Our approach to all existing and potential customers is to not offer a single product or service but to find a solution to whatever needs that business has. This resolution may be in the form of our suite of modular services or through the creation of a totally bespoke service provision. Ultimately, the focus of all our relationships is to deliver measurable and significant value in whatever form value may take for a customer; this approach is where true differentiation is possible.

• We have developed an innovative solution for one of the UK’s leading Legal Expense Providers by adopting a true partnership approach and sharing our knowledge on mobilisation and repair.

This has delivered a stronger service provision for our partners and ultimately improved their own customers’ experience.

• We have provided FNOL, mobility and repair infrastructures for leading manufacturers, which in turn delivered stronger brand engagement, increased commercial opportunities and subsequently repeat customers.

• We handle fault repair deployment and management for customers in the insurance, rental, fleet management and broker segments, repairing vehicles to the highest industry standards with reduced expenditure and returning them on average within 10 days.

It has taken a lot of time and effort, but deconstructing what we have done well historically into a set of transferable capabilities has opened up an enormous target market.

Whilst some are selling drill bits, we are selling solutions to make a 1/4 inch hole Dan Chesney

May 2017

Innovation in Practice Supplement 07

INTERVIEW

We have no IT legacy issues, we are nimble and flexible to adopting processing models and we understand how to transform service provision Andy Whatmough The last year has seen us sit down with customers (both new and existing) and look to define the challenges that they are currently facing in their business, their own strategic requirements, and what the inhibitors to achieving them are. Due to the ownership structure of our business and the internal skills base, our business model has always been flexible and unrestrictive, enabling us to adapt quickly to customer requirements, market conditions or industry reform. The result is a business that now provides services to key stakeholders in the UK motor market including insurers, manufacturers, fleets and intermediaries.

Our approach to this solutions provision is solely built on the ‘¼ inch hole’ theory popularised by Harvard marketing professor Ted Levitt; this principle is based on the fact that a customer doesn’t want to buy a quarter inch drill bit, they want a quarter inch hole.

Whilst some are selling drill bits, we are selling solutions to make a ¼ inch hole.

We are proud of our current client base and the strong relationships we share. The effort we are making to continue to grow together and deliver the very best service is an exciting time.

We know where we came from and the people who have helped us to get to where we are today, and we look forward to bringing our new skills and knowledge back to these key customers.

Furthermore, we have taken this collaborative approach to all parts of the business. Previously operating solely within what some may see as a contentious market (credit hire and repair), we have tried to build strong relationships with our debtors by adopting a pricing structure and model that was agreed upon and acceptable to all parties. This relationship building effort has paid dividends over the last twelve months, with over half of our credit services debt settled with bi-lateral protocols with insurers.

90% of the transactional activity in the business is now focused around cost control for our clients, whether that be first party repair cost control or third party indemnity spend. Fundamentally, the business has changed significantly through a focus on diversification and the recruitment of new and additional skills, whilst all the time building that ability on what it did previously: expert process management and delivering a best in class customer experience.

Risk, governance and compliance are at the heart of our business proposition Andy Whatmough

Q

How have the needs of your customer base changed in the last year and what has been done to fulfil these needs?

AW: Our customer profile has grown significantly and by entering new markets this has diversified immensely. This evolution shows the breadth of change within the business, which in turn has driven further improvements to our internal governance activities and operational delivery.

Risk, governance and compliance are at the heart of our business proposition.

DC: Through technology, innovation and management information, customers in all markets are able to define a clear need and identify where alternative solutions and approaches could be of additional value. Where we have recently seen growth and success in the business, within new sectors, has been due to being able to simplify our offering to the key messages that ultimately make the strongest proposition.

We work hard to truly understand the real needs of our partners and go to significant lengths to capture these in detail at the outset. When you are scoping out the composition of a positively disruptive solution, this day one articulation is an important milestone. We want to share our enthusiasm for disrupting the norm to create transformational value with as many customers as possible; the more knowledge and experience we share, the greater our solutions propositions are.

AW: We have no IT legacy issues, we are nimble and flexible to adopting processing models and we understand how to transform service provision. In a sea of oil tankers, we are a speed boat.

Across our key client verticals we have demonstrated significant savings and efficiencies; whether that may be vehicle off-road times, the cost of repairs, the customer journey, indemnified cost controls, fleet utilisation or operational overheads. We are solely focused on the experience of the customer and their journey throughout our service provision. This is why for all accounts we run two streams: the first to deliver the required value and operational process efficiencies desired by the client, and secondly to ensure that the experience of their customer or policy holder is seamless and of the highest quality, and that all communications are delivered as and when that customer requires.

Q

How have you managed this change?

AW: There has been a huge focus on internal change management within the business over the last twelve months. We’ve had to invest significantly in the right people and in developing new systems.

However, the advantage is that they are all built with 2017 technology and the latest thinking. That’s a real competitive advantage.

The business fundamentally operates a “hub and spoke” model.

This decision was made at the outset, based on the fact that each supplier we partnered with would deliver the very best service provision within their capability. We could never deliver a service that was either more cost effective, efficient or as scalable as our partners in the supply chain, and therefore we never tried.

Therefore, our proposition is a sum of the very best parts managed closely and controlled centrally.

08 Innovation in Practice Supplement

May 2017

INTERVIEW

We are now being incredibly successful in positively disrupting established market places Dan Chesney The way in which we work with our supply chain through system integration, automation and long standing strong relationships ensures that we work together seamlessly to deliver an industry leading service. With our large supply chain we have no scalability restrictions on growth and we are able to create something truly unique and deliver it to the market.

DC: Our internal investment has brought the experience and skills needed to elevate our position and drive us forward; there’s an invigorated energy and focus to what we do that is truly infectious.

Anyone who works for us or with us feels it. A business can say that their greatest asset is their people, but we recognise how true this is for us, which is why we have worked hard on attracting the strongest talent that complements our culture. We’re also demonstrating this to our people, with the business sponsoring individuals through the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) courses at various levels, including 3, 5 and 7.

With our substantial growth over the last year, 2017 has started where 2016 left off. We’re delivering on our strategic plan and have embarked on the exciting project to invest in additional resources and extend our current business premises.

Our continued demand for office space and the refurbishment of the existing office environment will give us the platform to scale the business in-line with our new customer wins and create an enjoyable and productive environment for all staff, whilst continuing to give the best standards of customer service. The development is well underway with completion due at the end of April.

Q

The industry in which you operate is continually experiencing significant change. How do you ensure you are evolving to meet the demands of the changing market?

DC: As a solutions provider, we are constantly aware of the impending changes that can impact on the industry. We live in a world that is driven by a technology that has brought changes in customer interaction and elevated the need to provide customers with the ultimate experience.

Our ability to anticipate future trends and recognise the inherent requirements of what our clients require ensures we are delivering bespoke solutions that not only meet their immediate needs but also those of the future. With an ever-changing landscape, our approach has been to bring the best practice to our existing customers by showing them how to bring in new opportunities and open up new vertical revenues streams, ensuring they also evolve.

Technology and innovation are at the heart of our business; they continually drive us forward and have enabled us to build on our capabilities, evolve with the industry, focus our business into new areas and ultimately set us apart. Eric Schmidt quoted, “If you focus on your competition, you will never deliver anything truly innovative.” We are aware of competitors within different verticals of the business, and whilst we respect them and the way they run their businesses, we spend our time creating new and truly innovative solutions in partnership with our stakeholders looking to define our own path and successes.

May 2017

Andy Whatmough Managing Director Andy has over 15 years’ experience in the outsourced claims handling sector. As Managing Director, Andy is responsible for the overall strategy, but takes a particular interest in both new product development and the sales pipeline of the business. This has seen the company grow quickly but organically from a niche provider of FNOL and credit hire & repair services to now offering the complete range of insurance back-office solutions, including a fully contracted private car and LCV repair network, a separate HGV network, and a full third party claims handling function. @ACWhatmough andy.whatmough@sandgresponse.co.uk

Dan Chesney Commercial Director A Chartered Marketer, Dan cut his teeth in the medico-legal sector, working firstly for Premex Group before spearheading a number of successful initiatives at Speed Medical. He was head-hunted

by S&G in November 2016 after having worked with the existing team as both a customer and supplier. Dan oversees all sales and supply chain management within the business, working with a team of seven industry experienced professionals to deliver the commercial requirements of the strategy. @dan_chesney Daniel.Chesney@sandgresponse.co.uk

Innovation in Practice Supplement 09

From an insurer’s perspective, we can’t only offer a phone line between nine and five; we need to be able to offer more, such as web chat, SMS or online self-service

INTERVIEW

Simon Powell Simon Powell, Endsleigh, explained to Modern Claims how insurers need to cater their services for the next generation of insurance customers, through speed, convenience and technology.

Q

How are students’ perceptions and expectations of insurance influenced by their attitudes towards other types of product or service?

Net Promoter Scores in customer surveys to measure our success, we also engage more closely in the finer detail regarding the ease of making a claim and seek advice on how we can improve.

A

The successful insurer is designing their services to meet their customer needs. The traditional approach, which was to force a customer down your journey, no longer fits. There are numerous new disruptors in the market who are breaking traditional views and these will be a threat to insurers who are not agile enough to keep pace with a millennial market.

I am aware that students have high expectations and require immediate solutions.

Therefore, certainly from a claims perspective, if we’re going to provide insurance products we’ve got to make sure that we provide them with flexible communication channels, which includes self-service, using the latest technology.

One of my key learns from our customer base has been that they expect more updates and we are too slow to settle genuine claims.

There are great examples out there of other industries that are setting new expectations, such as Domino’s Pizza’s online service, and we can take a lot from them.

Q A

Is pricing the biggest factor for young insurance customers, and what other factors may influence their choice of provider?

Price is always going to be important, irrespective of whether or not you are looking at the younger generation. We often find ourselves liaising with the student’s parents rather than the actual students themselves.

At Endsleigh, we have invested time and effort engaging with our customers, and this has provided vital insight that we are using to improve the products and services we offer. From the feedback on claims, I believe that the ease of transacting with a company is an important factor, and this can influence the choice of provider, along with brand & reputation.

Technology is also changing the way that we transact and communicate with each other and the times we do this. This increases the need to offer full 24/7 assistance and flexible communication channels.

Q

How does Endsleigh tailor its services to engage with a millennial market, and do more insurance companies need to modernise their approaches to appeal to this demographic?

A

When we start to gear our marketing department back towards claims, we have a heavy focus on the customer and customer service. We are asking our customers to provide us with feedback in terms of what they think of the service; whilst we use

May 2017

We are constantly getting feedback from customers in terms of what works and what doesn’t work for them, so then we can try and tailor our services to meet their needs. We are a niche provider and in close contact with our customers.

Customers will steer you in the direction they want you to go. One significant but simple example is requiring mulitple communication channels. The millennials live in a world where they are constantly on their gadgets, and therefore, they might be looking to communicate at different times of the day, whether that is late at night or early in the morning. From an insurer’s perspective, we can’t only offer a phone line between nine and five; we need to be able to offer more, such as web chat, SMS or online self-service.

These are the types of service that millennials are looking for.

Traditionally, the view was that customers wanted to talk to a person, but we are now realising that the millennials hold a different view and are more comfortable to use technology if it is simple and shortens the journey

Innovation in Practice Supplement 11

INTERVIEW

If we rewind the clock to twelve months ago, customers were telling us that we were taking too long to settle genuine claims; I think that is a comment that you would get across the industry

Q A

Is there the opportunity for new structuring of insurance models to appeal to younger demographics of customer?

Absolutely. As an insurer, we’re an intermediary at Endsleigh, but you’ve got to make sure the products are geared towards the customer, and that they are providing what the customer wants and expects. If we are constantly getting that feedback, certainly around the claims journey, then that gives us the insight to allow us to adapt the products and make sure they’re providing the service that the customer wants.

Our systems need to be designed to navigate the customer very quickly through our claims notification process to enable us to pay genuine claims immediately. This can be driven by investing in business rule processes and robotics to automate decisions that would traditionally have been made by a claims handler.

Traditionally, the view was that customers wanted to talk to a person, but we are now realising that the millennials hold a different view and are more comfortable to use technology if it is simple and shortens the journey.

Q A

What is Rescue Lens, and how might it improve the claims handling experience for customers and claims professionals?

Rescue Lens is a really interesting piece of technology. If we rewind the clock to twelve months ago, customers were telling us that we were taking too long to settle genuine claims; I think that is a comment that you would get across the industry. It didn’t surprise me, but we asked what we could do to try and improve that. And in today’s world, the solution is to look to technology.

Was there technology out there that could assist us in fast tracking genuine claims? We went out and came across a company called LogMeIn, and they had a product called Rescue Lens. Rescue Lens is video and camera technology. It’s a simple concept; you ask the customer if they are happy to open up an almost interactive conversation with you, you send them a SMS text message that includes a URL link, the customer will click on it to download an app, and within thirty seconds, the claims handlers are able to see exactly what the customer is showing you.

What is really powerful, especially in regards to the claims journey, is the fact that quite often customers have to explain things over the phone, but now they are able to show you. Not only do you make sure that you get an accurate view, whether that may be the first notification of loss or information around what has been damaged or stolen, but it is then an interactive session where the customer feels like they are a part of settling their genuine claim.

We have a lot of people that have grown older with the company, people who have been there over 25 years. Make no doubt, some of them don’t like change 12 Innovation in Practice Supplement

The information you take down, either through videos or photographs, is downloaded onto the system so it can be used as evidence to help when you are looking to validate circumstances and make sure you are comfortable with things.

This allows you to get the information, and then customers don’t need to send anything in, so you can proceed and settle the claim a lot quicker. It is all about fast-tracking genuine claims and reducing claim life cycles.

Q A

How are instances of fraud detected and combated through Rescue Lens, and in gadget insurance more broadly?

With Rescue Lens, the customer would contact you, and you would then ask the customer if they would be happy to use the technology; it is a choice. If the customer would like to open up an interactive session and a conversation with us, this would enable us to make quicker decisions and fast-track their claim, and that would appeal to people; the alternative is we ask them to send information that is then going to get stuck in a work queue, or we are going to send someone out to see them. Ultimately, if you are asking the customer to do this and they choose not to, that would immediately raise alarm bells as to why.

The customer hasn’t got the opportunity to create any stories, because you are screening them as a result of them making the call. It can act as either a deterrent, or alternatively it will give the handler information that they need to make a decision. It is a tool that can detect or help to confirm a genuine claim, which allows us to settle them far more quickly. There are customers that will make fraudulent claims, and therefore we have got to make sure that we can identify this and don’t pay out on those occasions.

We are very experienced in identifying indicators of fraud and using methods that enable us to fast track the genuine claims.

Rescue Lens is an additional tool that helps us to support this, and our customers have expressed surprise that we are able to deliver this functionality and are delighted with the outcome.

Q A

What other technologies do you predict will change the claims handling process in the near future?

Automation and robotics are already being trialled because they will have an important role to play, especially with regards to claims; possibly not in terms of decision making, but certainly around the back end processes.

Sensors for loss prevention, alarm centres and a lot of other similar technologies are already in place with some of the high net worth products, but they are probably going to become more common place; in the house, it will be about the connected home and the ability to turn things on and off with your phone. That is where the technology looks to be going.

Q A

What role will automation play in claims handling and customer service going forward?

Automation will play a significant role in reducing the costs of paying a claim, which will reduce premiums. Customers will be able to manage their claim on the go and at a time and place that is convenient to them. No more cheques in the post, this is about instantaneity; instant credit into your account, improved analytics and knowing your customers and delivering the confidence to hand them the control.

May 2017

INTERVIEW

As the world changes, and as we put more of this technology in place, claim handlers need to make sure that they have comprehensive skill sets The transformation is going to be around self-service because that is what customers are going to want, and automation is going to be able to support them in doing that. A combination of self-service with automation, but also with an experienced claims handler to make the decisions, is where the process is looking to go.

Q

Can you explain the importance of training staff around current and future emerging innovations, and any challenges that arise from this?

A

There was certainly a learning curve. We tend to recruit people that are through their A levels (UK secondary school leaving qualifications) or straight out of university in the UK, so that’s quite a catchment area for us. These guys are almost in the same space as the customers; they’re Millennials and they’re living through this technology, so it’s quite an easy sell for them.

If you flip it on its head, we have a lot of people that have grown older with the company, people who have been there over 25 years. Make no doubt, some of them don’t like change. You’ve got to work with different people in different ways. One method we’ve used is to place more resistant members next to those who’ve embraced the technology. Rather than forcing the cynical person to use the technology, they might see that using this technology makes them more efficient, and they’ll come to their own conclusion to use it rather than forcing them to use it.

As we move on from the telephones and we start to use different types of technology with different communication channels, we require different skills. You could have someone that is extremely good at managing different types of communication on web chat, but they may not be so good on the telephone. As the world changes, and as we put more of this technology in place, claim handlers need to make sure that they have comprehensive skill sets. It is an interesting time of change from a claims perspective and continues to evolve our recruitment process.

Q

What other opportunities and challenges will be presented to Endsleigh and the insurance sector in the next few years, and how will it meet these?

A

The way forward is more effective and integrated use of technology, and acquiring data that enables innovation in insurance. I feel you can almost throw the rule book out of the window, as it is now really about delivering a service that fits with the customer’s personal choices, but also their lifestyle and convenience, and that is ultimately where we are trying to go in the claims space.

Simon Powell Simon joined Endsleigh Insurance in 1989 and has spent his entire career within the Claims function.

He became the Endsleigh Claims Manager in 2004 with overall responsibility for Motor, Home & Travel claims.

Zurich’s acquisition of Endsleigh Insurance promoted Simon to Operations Manager (Claims) with responsibility for Zurich Personal lines, Endsleigh and TCS Claims.

He currently has over 250 people within the Claims Operation and has strong people skills along with a real focus on delivering a fantastic customer journey.

In 2016, he joined the Senior Leadership Team at Endsleigh and become the Head of Claims.

We also provide a third party claims administration service under the banner of TCS Claims, and we are talking to new disruptors in the market and providers of new technology to help create innovative End to End claims solutions. The future will involve companies working with various technology providers to create a seamless service.

May 2017

Innovation in Practice Supplement 13

In my opinion, the movement from paper to telephone was and remains the single biggest transfer for claims handling in general. I don’t think web technology has been used to the extent where it has become “normal�

INTERVIEW

Jason Tripp For most policyholders, they will only begin to understand the value of their insurance when they make a claim. Modern Claims talked to Jason Tripp, Coplus, about the importance of getting First Notification of Loss processes right and how FNOL and claims handling will evolve in the future.

Q

total cost of exaggerated claims is greater than the total cost of fraudulent claims; I can’t prove that, but I believe that to be true.

A

Secondly, it’s all about cost. The outsourced claims handling industry needs to look very carefully at its efficiency and effectiveness, the two being different, because insurers are looking for cost effective solutions.

What have been some of the biggest advances in the First Notification of Loss process you’ve witnessed while working in the industry?

My immediate response is that the industry has moved remarkably slowly. It has been very resistant to technological advances, so it looks very similar now in many places to when it did in the nineties, the point when telephony based FNOL became the norm and insurance didn’t require you to fill in a form anymore.

I would say the FNOL industry isn’t embracing technology to make life easier for the consumer. The industry as a whole has been slow to change, and in my opinion, the movement from paper to telephone was and remains the single biggest transfer for claims handling in general. I don’t think web technology has been used to the extent where it has become “normal”.

As a rule you still expect, predominately with motor claims, to pick up the telephone and explain to someone what has happened and for them to ask you each question one by one as they fill in the online form. This isn’t the case in other financial transactions, such as mortgage applications, which are frequently done online, for much more considerable amounts than a motor claim. In fact, so many of us actually buy our motor insurance online, I’m struggling to put my finger on why this isn’t common practice in making claims too. Many of the brokers we work with use aggregators and transact online so they can capture the quote information that the client has input themself, calling the client when necessary to verify that information; the claims process could certainly work in the same way.

However, when policyholders come to making a claim, of course they may want to pick up the phone, probably to do with them wanting to know that there is a human being listening to their predicament; they want someone at the other end of the phone to be empathetic and understanding. What the claims industry needs to do is make a real person available to reassure the customer, and give them the option to use other technology-enabled ways to assist them further with information. The customer can then receive information back online at a time and place of their choosing.

Q A

What challenges are currently facing FNOL and the wider claims handling market?

The customer journey is also a challenge, and I don’t just mean around how to produce a compliant customer journey; I’m talking about the way each insurance retailer is looking to differentiate in a commoditised market. Our broker customers want us to deliver a customer journey that fits their brand values, style, and the way they want to do business. It’s important that the experience their customers had when taking out the policy is consistent when it comes to making a claim. This causes the claims management industry to become a genuine business for outsourcing, with all of the variety and complexity that comes with white labeling.

Q

How do the technologies and products available to consumers in their everyday lives effect their expectations of the FNOL process?

A

Gone are the days of fear when buying something online.

Trust and confidence in internet transactions has soared in recent years, and I’m surprised that you can’t so easily report your claims or conduct your claim online with your insurer. The insurance industry has not kept up with consumers’ expectations around the internet and transactions, and I think we can all recognise that to be true. That leads onto the concept of selfservice; I don’t predict that the consumer would frown upon completing a claim form online at the time of their choosing, I predict they would see that as an advantage.

I believe self-service is a really important feature that is missing in the insurance world

It is definitely fraudulent and exaggerated claims. It has somehow become accepted to exaggerate claims in this country, and we need to be able to identify these exaggerated claims as well as the fraudulent claims. My suspicion is that the

May 2017

Innovation in Practice Supplement 15

INTERVIEW

Dash cam is becoming increasingly important, and arguably more important than telematics. Three million motorists use a dash cam in the UK, compared to half a million telematics used in private vehicles In fact the millennial generation, and the next generation, are predisposed to using the technology route, possibly believing that filling out an online form and submitting will get to the right place and person, rather than making a telephone call and talking to someone, which might not be a person in the right department and who can’t resolve their problem. I believe self-service is a really important feature that is missing in the insurance world.

Another thing is being able to do things in real-time; people are so used to sharing, especially through social media, that the current claims process starts to look a bit outdated. Certainly real-time claim reporting could be a big benefit. For example, if you have just been involved in an accident and you are waiting at the side of the road for emergency services to arrive, there could be maybe twenty minutes where you have nothing to do. If individuals have app technology, certainly in motor accidents, they can photograph the car and the scene, with a date, time and geographic location stamp. The app would store those images and provide evidence to support the claim. The fraud reduction rate will fall, and there is also a reduction in the frequency of exaggerated claims, because you see right there and then in real-time what has happened.

We recommend that our clients actually take a walk around their car in real-time and take a 360° video of it. That way we can get a better feel of the extent of the damages than if you took photographs; there is a profound difference.

Q A

What are some of the key technologies that could improve FNOL and claims handling in the next few years?

Honestly, I feel the app technology provided to insurance customers at the point of sale has failed. People are encouraged to download an app when they take out their insurance, but they don’t because they don’t think they will need it.

Then they have an accident and they don’t have it.

The client should be able to speak to someone on the outset when they want that contact, then subsequently make online or appbased technology available for them to exchange information.

Dash cam is becoming increasingly important, and arguably more important than telematics. Three million motorists use a dash cam in the UK, compared to half a million telematics used in private vehicles. Certainly in those motor schemes where there is a dash cam provided, we find that take up for dash cam is much higher than the take up of an app, and we find the actual recording of the accident far more useful than any other information provided to us. We need cars that already have built-in cameras, so therefore we’ll receive a simple download of the accident footage in four dimensions through four different cameras on the car at the point of accident. That will be transformational.

Q A

How might the claims handling process change following the introduction of autonomous vehicles?

One of the things that telematics technology has not done very well is automate FNOL. Telematics has been great for driving style, point scoring, young drivers and young driver premium reduction. However, it has not been great as a method of improving FNOL. We have loads of telematics FNOL, but we don’t benefit from that contact in a particularly innovative way or in terms of information that we get instantaneously from that telematics box. Some boxes give us real-time information, but not all of them.

What you get with autonomous vehicles is the reverse, because the vehicle clearly knows where it is going, and therefore knows where it is and which direction it is travelling in, so it coordinates your location and the accident. The vehicle can also make a connection with a contact center, alerting that it has been in an accident, and this would have an enormous impact on claims handling. Autonomous vehicles are covered in cameras, as that is how they know where they are going, so you could automatically have the footage.

Q

What anti-fraud measures are currently or could be implemented by claims handlers at the FNOL stage to prevent fraud before it enters the system?

A

If your fraudulent customers are in the database, then happy days! However, this is not always the case.

The opportunistic fraud is a big problem, because it is impossible to quantify. The exaggerated claim is opportunistic and the claimants weren’t planning the accident, so therefore that party is likely to not be in the fraud database. This is why gathering information in relation to the accident and having claims handlers trained to identify the tell-tale signs of exaggerated claims is so important.

Dash cam footage is very powerful here, as you are able to see what happened, as well as the body language and the behaviors of the people involved. If you were the claimant and videoed yourself, the accident, date and time, weather conditions etc., then this information becomes super powerful. That is a real game changer.

You can tell a lot through the way the claimant describes the accident, and telling signs of possible fraud are easy to identify.

But you really need to get eyes on the scene, and that is where technology can transform anti-fraud measures.

Q

Are there currently areas for improvement in the relationships between the different parties involved in a claim, and how can any improvements be made?

A

You really need to get eyes on the scene, and that is where technology can transform antifraud measures

16 Innovation in Practice Supplement

The FCA’s review of delegated authority identified weaknesses in the way insurers delegated authority to claims handling organisations. The FCA produced an excellent paper, and they were clear about a lack of over-sight and a lack of control; there becomes a disconnect between the way the product is sold and the way the claim is delivered.

Within outsourced claims handling, there is sometimes a situation where an insurer is authorising a broker or another retailer to sell a policy, and then authorising a separate party to do the claims

May 2017

INTERVIEW

What the claims industry needs to do is make a real person available to reassure the customer, and give them the option to use other technology-enabled ways to assist them further with information handling. Obviously, there is a risk of disconnect between the parties. Clearly the products should perform in the way that the customer expects them to, and in the way in which they expected when they purchased the cover, as set out within the principles of Treating Customers Fairly.

The opportunity to improve is between the claims handler and the retailer of the insurance to get really engaged, in order for the claims handler to provide the customer journey in a way that fits with the retailer’s strategic aims. What you see in insurance is a weakening of the retailer’s values as the client is passed down the supply chain, until the client finds themselves being dealt with by a supplier that doesn’t even know why the client is talking to them.

Q

What are some of the unique traits and skills Coplus looks for in the recruitment and development of its FNOL responders and claims handlers?

A

We search for people with customer service and empathy skills, rather than claims handling expertise. It is really important to us that the claimant talks with our people when something has gone wrong. They will be able to engage with that consumer to understand their problem and show compassion, and have a genuine interest in sorting their problem out.

Insurance and claims handling skills are great, but when we have to choose we go for customer service and client skills first, and then put new recruits into our training academy and teach them how to do claims.

Q A

What other changes and challenges do you predict for the future of FNOL and claims handling?

The future is about cost effectiveness; with an increase in outsourcing, plus an increase in competitive pressure, inevitably this drives a greater need for cost effectiveness. It’s a lot to do with how a business should be run. Also, of course, you should know what your customer expects when making a claim, but also meet the retailer’s need for differentiating in a hard market.

Jason Tripp Jason has been leading Coplus since May 2014, following the acquisition of the business by 116 Cardamon Limited. With his background in business improvement he has focussed on developing the firm’s core strengths and creating new propositions and routes to market. This has included strengthening the firm’s insurer relationships, broadening the product portfolio and developing new in-house claims handling and assistance services capabilities.

Prior to taking over the management of Coplus, Jason ran another of the group companies, Aim Group, a legal expenses and claims management provider, and brought together the two businesses under one brand.

Jason is passionate about creating a culture of continuous improvement and working with his management team to develop the business and people within it to be the best they can be.

May 2017

Innovation in Practice Supplement 17

What you will now see is new insurers and brokers sparking up that can operate at a much more favourable expense ratios Tony West

We are working on the actual algorithms of not just how fast you drive, or how quickly you accelerate or brake or turn, but how far you are driving from the vehicle in front. It’s the final dimension for telematics Simon Marsh May 2017

INTERVIEW

Simon Marsh & Tony West Modern Claims spoke to Simon Marsh and Tony West of VisionTrack, a company that is part of the Markerstudy group and one that is seeking to improve road safety and lower premiums through innovative technologies like video telematics.

Q

What are some of the biggest challenges you predict for the insurance industry in the near future, and how can these be overcome?

Tony West: One of the biggest challenges is the high number of legacy processes and systems present in the insurance industry. It makes expense ratios relatively challenging, as well as impeding change, which is acceptable as long as everyone’s suffering the same thing. However, things like web scale technology, big data and analytics are commoditising these processes in insurance, thereby lowering the barrier to entry for new entrants. What you will now see is new insurers and brokers sparking up that can operate at a much more favourable expense ratios.

Simon Marsh: The cost of insurance is being challenged by the new legislation, in particular the changes to the Ogden Rate and also the rise in the Insurance Premium Tax. Ultimately, insurers have to make policies affordable for their customers, but they need to understand the customers as well, and the more data they can obtain from the customers, the better for all parties involved.

Q

What are the government and the insurance industry doing to improve road safety in the UK, and where are there areas for improvement in regards to this?

SM: The roads are getting better and safer, and cars are also much safer than they were before; this combined approach of fitting technology into the cars and improving the roads has made the whole thing much safer. As cars become more tech-savvy, there will be more data coming out of them that insurers can read and use, encouraging safer driving.

TW: One of the things the government could do is encourage that car manufacturers conform to standards, particularly in terms of data structure.

SM: Also, they could potentially offer discounts in terms of the IPT; I believe that the IPT should be looked at and perhaps reduced for clients that are prepared to have their data monitored. Technology means there is a much lower frequency of incidents that result from behavioural causes because those behaviours are being monitored, as opposed to a non-monitored insurance premium.

Q

What technologies should the insurance industry seek to take advantage of over the next few years to improve service for customers?

May 2017

TW: I think there a number of different areas, particularly in operational technology where the non-differentiating business processes need to operate at less cost; technology like the cloud can help with that as it lowers the cost of operating systems, and it also makes them more connected.

The other area, which is an all-encompassing one, is increasing the information that you’re getting from customers and individuals.

That comes from basically any kind of consumer deployable technology that can capture information; the obvious ones are phones, telematics devices and dash cams.

But we’re starting to get fitbits connected, and these can track your health. You’ve also got things as bizarre as intelligent fridges, which can find out what you’re eating! All of that can build into a risk profile of an individual, which helps with that vision for bespoke insurance.

Q

How can technologies such as cameras or telematics be of use in non-motor insurance policies?

TW: We’ve been talking about pet insurance, and there are a number of new-starters and movers in that arena. It’s basically tracking pets in case they get lost, and while that one is a little bit gimmicky, since there isn’t a lot you can tell about the health of the animal based on its location (since different breeds act in different ways), it can be applied elsewhere.

We are also looking at high value gadget cover. If you’ve got a highly valuable piece of technology or an item such as a Rolex, then we can start tracking those items as well, once we can get

For a while we have segmented young drivers as being a high risk. If we could more accurately understand an individual’s driver risk going forward, it means we can be fairer to that individual Tony West Innovation in Practice Supplement 19

INTERVIEW

Ultimately, insurers have to make policies affordable for their customers, but they need to understand the customers as well Simon Marsh the technology small enough. That would help with lost property claims processing and fraud detection.

Q

Do you predict that would be met with scepticism from policyholders in regards to the use of that data, or do you think it would be widely accepted and beneficial?

TW: I think you are absolutely right; they would be sceptical at first, but we would see that with any new technology being brought into the market. To balance that, the premiums would soon go down and that would get people more interested.

What insurers really need to be focusing on, in terms of back end of systems, are device agnostic data collection systems. As new devices come onto the market, you can spot a niche or a need and can quickly hook that up to your main system, and you can therefore run all of your higher analytic processing and put that into your big data store. It will be key to get that right, because we are not able to predict what devices, protocols or standards are going to emerge.

SM: And we’ve already built the platform to deal with this and to provide diagnostics data with sensory information.

TW: Video telematics and all those other gadgets will go on it too, and it will grow with the more things that get connected to it.

SM: The clever thing about it is the cost of pence per person is minute.

Q

How will ADAS and, ultimately, autonomous technologies continue to evolve to improve road safety in the future?

SM: ADAS provides huge benefits to motorists and everybody concerned. One of the things we are working on is videobased telematics; this is live now and Markerstudy’s insurers are successfully using it. We are working on the actual algorithms of not just how fast you drive, or how quickly you accelerate or brake or turn, but how far you are driving from the vehicle in front. It’s the final dimension for telematics, where effectively we can work out whether you are constantly using that ADAS to get you out of trouble. That’s what I believe is currently the missing element in standard black box telematics.

When I used to run my own fleet, I learned that when we started installing proximity and lane assist control, drivers became very reliant on this technology. Sometimes it did go wrong, and

If you’ve got a highly valuable piece of technology or an item such as a Rolex, then we can start tracking those items as well, once we can get the technology small enough Tony West

20 Innovation in Practice Supplement

drivers can be very reliant, so that is something that concerned me quite a bit. If we can monitor the distance, we can engage the policyholder and properly inform them, as they might not be realising that they’re relying on it so much.

Autonomous motors are a whole new piece, and we’re waiting to see how that evolves, but our web scale platform is designed to take unstructured data from any vehicle. The amount of data the autonomous vehicles can push out is huge, and that is going to lead to a whole new challenge for insurers and everybody to try and get an understanding of what is going on.

Q

What is the importance of employee engagement in insurance companies, and what impact does this have on the service provided to customers?

SM: Motor insurance is a compulsory and vital purchase, so providing a great service to customers, particularly with general prices going up, is something that businesses will rely on more and more to encourage customer loyalty. For a lot of people, especially those that buy online, the first time they may speak to their insurer is after an incident, or when they are at a point of distress. It’s absolutely crucial that when they come through to the contact centre that it’s a positive experience for them. Something that we have put a lot of emphasis on is good training, good customer service and making sure that the customer is at the centre of the whole proposition.

TW: As a lot of the back end processes start to become automated, a lot of the general admin tasks are going to go away. The differentiator is everything that is around the customer, and customer engagement is everything as everything else becomes commoditised.

Q

How does Markerstudy Group maintain employee engagement and satisfaction across the territories and companies within its group?

SM: Markerstudy Group has always centred itself on the belief that we are all building something together. That’s why for the past five years we have been a Best Companies to Work For; we have just been voted as the 4th Best Company to Work For in the UK (Sunday Times Best Companies). The CEO of the company, Kevin Spencer, has always put a huge emphasis on taking care of our staff, because without good employees your business ultimately suffers.

A number of the things that we do to encourage this are focused on wellbeing and employee benefits. For instance, last year we put on a festival for everyone at Bewl Water, including their families and children, and we had free food and drink and Craig David and the Kaiser Chiefs performing. It’s occasionally about the really spectacular things like this to say thank you to staff for their incredible support.

But there’s also day to day personal things like free health cover, and people can take one day a year to volunteer for a charity of their choice, which doesn’t come out of holiday; or, if they want to, they can volunteer for the whole week, and that won’t affect their annual leave. Other benefits include discounts in stores and competitions. Our tag line is ‘Putting the fun into insurance’ and essentially we try and make it as fun for people as we can.

May 2017

INTERVIEW

I believe that the IPT should be looked at and perhaps reduced for clients that are prepared to have their data monitored Simon Marsh

Q

As insurance premiums continue to rise, how can the insurance industry work to make motor policies more affordable for young drivers?

SM: It’s about knowing the risk you are insuring. With the black box telematics, it is about behaviour, and I feel video adds a lot more to this element. Potentially, if there could be something done around the IPT and the young driver behaviour, it would make insurance more affordable for those young drivers. Crashes cost the government a considerable amount of money, and we can prevent them, because the most important thing for anything to do with telematics is to stop incidents happening in the first place.

I do believe this hardware will become embedded in the vehicle, and the vision is that the motor car will effectively take your set of documents and numbers and give them to your insurer so that you can then opt for them to monitor your behaviour.

TW: This is going back to the bespoke premiums; for a while we have segmented young drivers as being a high risk. If we could more accurately understand an individual’s driver risk going forward, it means we can be fairer to that individual. This will further segment the young drivers into good and bad drivers, which will be fairer to everyone.

Q

Do insurers need to modernise to meet the expectations of millennial customers, and how can they approach this?

TW: It is difficult to define what a millennial is, because you also have the tech-savvy among Gen X, but, ultimately, the younger you are then the more engaged in new technology you are. The type of technology you are engaged in might well be different between certain age groups. It is about spotting whether you’re on Facebook, or other social media platforms, and targeting the marketing of insurance products to behaviours, rather than age.

SM: A lot of insurer premiums are spread out, in that you have to pay out for good drivers as well as bad drivers. With technology you can actually judge drivers really well, so good drivers don’t necessarily have to pay for bad drivers, which is very important.

Q

VisionTrack VisionTrack is an innovative supplier of in-vehicle CCTV technology. We offer our clients and partners the most advanced, innovative and reliable hardware in the market.

Our forward facing camera range is designed and manufactured by our ISO 9000 certified South Korean contract manufacturer. They are also the current chosen suppliers for OEM products to NEC, Denso, Clarion and Toshiba. The 3G forward facing camera is used by some of the leading insurers in Japan, with thousands in deployment.

Our contract manufacturer for Mobile Digital Video Recorders (MDVRs) is a leading hardware company and has supplied over 800,000 of these worldwide.

Our promise: • Most advanced hardware on the market.

• Full technical support and complete aftercare.

• Two-year warranty as standard, or if taken on a lease, for the term of the lease.

• Software updates and onsite training.

• Training open day once a month.

VisionTrack is passionate about road safety and continually reinvests in research and development. We are corporate sponsors of the road safety charity, Brake, and are sponsors of the Fleet News, Fleet Informed Safety category.

Markerstudy Group Markerstudy Group is an energetic and highly innovative organisation, primarily known for our association with the insurance brands Markerstudy Insurance, Zenith Insurance and Zenith Marque as well as direct brands Geoffrey Insurance Services, Supercover Insurance and The Insurance Factory. A rapidly expanding privately-owned business, our UK operation is headquartered in Bessels Green, Kent whilst our insurance companies Markerstudy Insurance Company Limited and Zenith Insurance Plc are based in Gibraltar.

Established in 2001 and employing around 3,000 staff in locations throughout the UK, we’re proud to be listed in ‘The Sunday Times Top 30 Best Big Companies to Work For’, and are committed to our ethos of ‘putting the fun into insurance’ for the good of our customers, employees and the community.

What’s on the horizon for VisionTrack and the wider Markerstudy Group over the next twelve months?

SM: We are rolling out more video based telematics, and as this technology becomes more affordable in terms of the hardware, that offering will continue to grow.

TW: From a technology perspective, we are currently working with Microsoft to make sure that our platform can achieve hyperscale, with literally millions of connected devices. A key point on our road map is growing our telematics proposition, and other connected devices as well.

SM: In terms of Markerstudy Group, we are still agile and focused on growing the business. We are also continuing to focus on niche products as this is where we believe it is easier to make a mark in the market.

Simon Marsh is Managing Director and Anthony West is CTO of VisionTrack.

May 2017

Innovation in Practice Supplement 21

INTERVIEW

Ian Pugh Modern Claims spoke to the Head of national bodyshop network Fix Auto UK about confronting the skills shortage, dealing with rapidly-changing supply chain relationships and providing the best possible customer journey.

Q A

Can you sum up the Fix Auto journey to date?

When Fix Auto entered the UK market, just over ten years ago, there were a lot of strong regional repair groups, all with their own excellent relationships with insurers. Fix Auto offered independent repair shops the opportunity to compete by coming together under a single brand, whilst retaining independent ownership. As a result of consolidation, fuelled by the entry of private equity funding, many of these regional players have been acquired. Today, Fix Auto offers insurers national coverage, genuine innovation, strong customer service, cost control and a single point of contact. Consequently, I believe the Fix Auto proposition of 2017 is very attractive for repairers, insurers and consumers.

Q

What are the specific challenges and opportunities associated with operating in the vehicle repair and motor claims marketplace at the moment?

A

The biggest challenge focuses on the skills shortage and the urgent need to bring talented young people into the repair industry. Furthermore, there have been recent significant rises in the cost of automotive parts, which are driving up repair costs.

There is also the issue of reduced capacity and choice for insurers.

In just a decade we have lost 30% of bodyshops in the UK. Add rising customer expectations into that – instant gratification, if you will – and you have quite a challenging operating environment.

To address that, we need to ensure we have a fully engaged network, coupled with smart and sustainable relationships with our supply chain partners, resulting in reduced cycle times and workshop downtime.

Having spoken about the challenges, I am proud to say that Fix Auto UK is truly a network with opportunity at its heart. Last year was terrific in terms of business success. We ended the year with our best ever revenue, added nineteen new franchise sites, won five major industry awards and increased our portfolio of national insurer contracts to seven relationships.

Q

If the skills shortage is the number one challenge, how can Fix Auto play its part in making the repair industry more attractive to young people?

A

There is a growing skills shortage across all areas of the automotive industry, as people are being lost to better-paid professions. It has also proved a challenge to attract school and college leavers into the automotive sector, following perhaps two generations of underinvestment.

The biggest challenge focuses on the skills shortage and the urgent need to bring talented young people into the repair industry.

We take this very seriously, and we are committed to position Fix Auto UK as part of the solution. That’s why we have been proud to take on the role of Platinum Partner for AutoRaise, the industry charity. In doing so, we will help our shops find and bring on the next generation of talented automotive technicians.

A key part of the attraction has to be financial, so we ask: is there

22 Innovation in Practice Supplement

May 2017

INTERVIEW

Customers are wiser; their expectations have become a lot higher.

Why shouldn’t they be? enough money to be able to invest and develop the technicians of the future? Through the work of AutoRaise, we are seeing a move from single skilled to multi-skilled technicians. This provides an advantage, as managers can move technicians around different parts of the business depending on where the bottlenecks might be in the workshop.

Q A

What have you done to address the issue of rising parts prices for members of your network?

Understanding part prices and finding ways to minimise our spending on parts is vital, not only for a profitable repair operation, but also to minimise the overall repair cost for your insurer clients.

Each of our Fix Auto bodyshops undertakes our unique 5-day Performance in Estimating training programme. This, coupled with advanced repair technology, gives our Vehicle Damage Assessors a suite of tools to help them identify situations where a repair would be more profitable for the bodyshop, and more cost effective to the insurer than fitting a replacement part. The result is that we keep downward pressure on the overall claims cost.

Q A

You mention smart, sustainable relationships with your supply chain partners. Can you expand on what that means?

Because there are pressures on cost, customer service, cycle time and capacity, it’s vital that repairers are able to focus on what they do best, which is being productive and repairing vehicles. It could well prove counter-productive for us to try and stray from this core task.

That’s why, for example, we outsource our call centre to S&G Response, who handle all our deployments, warm transfers from FNOL and mid-repair progress updates. We see them as a best-inclass partner, ready to expand with us as our network grows.

Fix Auto UK recognises the vital role of connectivity in the motor claims and repair industry supply chain. For example, we work closely with Industry Insights, and even after just twelve months this has shown itself to be a mutually beneficial partnership.

Steve Thompson and his colleagues have created close working relationships between numerous operations in the industry, and I saw the value of this immediately. We share a growth mindset and desire for our respective businesses to succeed.

That collaboration ensured that Fix Auto continued to achieve excellent growth within the insurance market during 2016. It also further strengthens our position during 2017.

Q A

How do you build capacity, and who pays?

Fix Auto UK is expanding, while the industry as a whole continues to contract. As well as recruiting new franchisees, our existing network of bodyshops have been investing significantly

May 2017

in order to add considerable extra repair capacity for our insurer clients. 2016 saw us build six completely new repair facilities; a totally brand new capacity that allows us to deliver great service to our customers. A key part of that is the Fix & Go concept (which was designed by a franchisee): an investment in workshop layout and equipment to get more cars through more quickly.

Fix & Go sites typically have the capacity to repair up to 40 vehicles per week, and are dedicated to repairing vehicles in two days or less. The franchisee investment focuses on maximising use of the available space as well as equipment, layout and training to ensure a speedy, fluent workflow.

By making these investments and innovation, our franchisees are displaying confidence in the market, as well as their determination to create additional fast repair capacity for our insurer clients.

Q A

How can you assist the business owners in your network with effective succession planning?

We have long been committed to helping business owners set aside time to work on the business rather than in the business. As they reflect on the journey they have made for their business, and lay out their vision for its future strategy, we are also providing them with the tools they need to put the right long-term teams in place.

At the core of this is our commitment to the Institute of Leadership and Management study programmes. Since we first launched this opportunity across the network in 2016, we have seen more than 60 people complete the course. Everyone who has been through the course has spoken with energy and passion about the positive impact it has had on their role. It supports the business owners who are committed to developing and bringing out the best in their people to meet the future needs of their business.

As well as our quarterly Regional Business Meetings, members of our Operations team have hosted workshops at sixteen locations over a 30-day period. More than 200 workshop management, estimating and customer service team members have taken part.

The feedback we have received tells us that they want to play their part in future success. This reinforces my confidence that there is enough talent, energy, potential and determination across the network to ensure that tomorrow will prove even better than today.

The UK is a much more mature market in global terms; there is an opportunity to share good practice and learning Innovation in Practice Supplement 23

INTERVIEW

There will be challenges, and it is likely that the most pressing issue we face is the need to continue to create repair capacity

Q A

What have you put in place to assist insurers and fleets in managing their repair networks?

Because we have our own in-house IT development team, we invest significantly in bespoke systems and reporting platforms that remove friction and add value to each of our insurer clients. This is probably best viewed from a customer perspective, where our investment in apps and web-based platforms ensure the journey through Fix Auto repair is as good as it can be. Our solution has evolved into a fully managed network solution with 24/7 FNOL, claims tracking, repair progression management, client relations, centralised billing and engineering. This is not just for cars, but LCVs, HGVs and, interestingly, motorhomes!

Q A

How have customer expectations evolved in recent years, and how are you responding?

Customers are wiser; their expectations have become a lot higher. Why shouldn’t they be? After all, if I’m used to ordering an item on Amazon Prime and receiving it the same day, then it’s reasonable to anticipate that there will be a similar expectation in the process of a motor claim and a car repair.

That’s why we are focused on reducing the length of time that we have the customer’s car in for repair, and keeping them informed throughout the repair process.

Customers are also, quite rightly, fiercely protective over their data.

As an industry, we are custodians of this data, and we take that responsibility seriously. Comprehensive guidance on compliance issues for our network are available for our network via online learning platforms and through workshops; these help everyone to understand the importance and responsibility of managing customer data.

Q A

How is the rise of vehicle technology affecting the repair business?

We know that Advanced Driver Assistance Systems and other clever technology has already changed the nature of vehicle collisions, as well as the damage that follows. As repairers, our work has become far more complex and sophisticated, due to the sheer amount of technology housed in a modern car, and of course replacing any damaged technology will always attract cost.

Our challenge is to ensure we put a repair job into the right shop, with the capability to repair it safely and cost-effectively, and still ensure that a customer’s journey is as good as it can be. That’s why we have developed our intelligent deployment software system, which has live access to all of our network’s individual performance data, and can ensure that each claim is allocated to the repairer who will deliver the best possible customer journey at any point in time.

Q

You’re part of a global business, where challenges are likely to be similar from one country to another. How exportable are the solutions, and how active is Fix Auto UK in sharing experience and good practice?

Fix Auto Fix Auto is an international network of more than 450 franchise bodyshops, including 99 sites here in the UK. The business operates across nine countries, including Canada, USA, China, Australia, South Africa, France, Germany and Turkey.

The UK business is led by Ian Pugh, who began his career as an apprentice mechanic, before moving into the motor claims arena, holding network management and engineering roles with Norwich Union, Allianz, RSA and Direct Line. Before joining Fix Auto in 2011, Ian worked as Head of Client Relationships for Audatex (UK), where he achieved annual double-digit revenue growth by forging relationships with most of the UK’s major motor insurers.

Fix Auto UK manages more than 50,000 motor damage claims each year through its centrally-held relationships with Allianz, AXA, Aviva, Co-op Insurance, Covea, LV= and RSA. Through its innovative FixSystem IT platform, coupled with its field-based regional management infrastructure, the network is focused on providing industry-leading customer service, keeping downward pressure on cost, and lowering key-to-key and cycle times.

The Fix Auto UK franchisees are committed to developing additional repair capacity for insurer clients through a combination of new build bodyshop operations and investment in processes such as the Fix & Go express repair concept, both factors which have contributed to Fix Auto bodyshops collecting eighteen major industry awards since 2013.

been fortunate enough to visit colleagues at businesses in other countries, and it’s exciting to see how Fix Auto has had such a positive start in Germany, Australia and China. It’s particularly satisfying to hear compliments from colleagues who visit us and observe our techniques and strategies, which usually deliver positive, mutual benefits for both bodyshop and insurer. They ask lots of questions about the challenges and opportunities we encounter, and there is always a positive exchange of ideas.

Q A

How do you expect the Fix Auto model to evolve, and who will be your partners?

Today’s Fix Auto customer experience is better than ever, and I believe our insurers are getting great value. We will shortly open our 100th bodyshop, and we are backed up by a comprehensive support network to ensure we offer truly national coverage, in order to allow us to service more than 150,000 repairs a year. We have won eighteen major awards in the past twelve months, and our Net Promoter Score is now approaching 70.

Fix Auto is growing, and I remain excited about the months and years ahead. Of course, there will be challenges, and it is likely that the most pressing issue we face is the need to continue to create repair capacity. But I am confident that there is enough know-how across our network, and among our carefully chosen strategic partners, to ensure we will always find ways of addressing those challenges and achieving further success.

A

The Fix Auto model works effectively across the world. The UK is a much more mature market in global terms; there is an opportunity to share good practice and learning. I have

24 Innovation in Practice Supplement

May 2017

INTERVIEW

Peter Eldridge While claims handling is undergoing much change and innovation, so is fleet management. Modern Claims spoke to Peter Eldridge, ICFM, about what these changes might mean for the sector.

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What have been some of the biggest changes in fleet management during your time working in the sector?

I have been in the industry for 52 years. When I started, all that was required of fleet managers was that they knew how a vehicle worked. In the intervening half century, the single biggest change is that fleet managers must now be much more strategic in their thinking. How a vehicle functions is now irrelevant.

Fleet managers must be multi-skilled in terms of focusing on procurement and vehicle whole life operating costs, tax and legislative issues and, crucially, HR factors.

In fact, managing people is one of the biggest current challenges. Additionally, there’s the bigger picture of technology, ‘big data’ and vehicle autonomy; there is so much change. The role is very much about leveraging numerous elements to deliver the best solutions for a fleet and the business in which it functions. Every fleet is different; there is no single solution, and it is vital to take a balanced approach, which is something we continually talk to members about in training sessions. Today’s fleet manager must embrace finance, procurement and HR skills, and in large organisations liaise with those departments, while also being a fleet expert. The days of the transport manager, as I used to be, are on the decline unless in charge of a trucking fleet.

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What are some of the other key challenges the fleet management sector is currently facing?

Mobility means different things to different people, but for the ICFM it involves three sectors: fleet, travel and payment.

A big challenge is the move into those elements with them coming together for the first time. They combine to create ‘mobility’, and the reason that has happened is global, social and economic change, as well as the pace of technology. At our last conference, we had a speaker that suggested the introduction of technology was doubling every two years, which is staggering.

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Is the skills shortage currently present in the repair industry also a challenge for fleet operators, and how is recruitment and development changing in this market?

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We have a large proportion of people who have been encouraged to extend their education into university, but once they have finished their degree, how do they transfer those skills into the real world, and what can they actually do and contribute to in terms of a job role? From the fleet perspective, we have seen far too many people new to the industry coming into the business and getting a decent amount of soft-skills training, but what we don’t see is a sufficient level of skills training in fleet, travel and payment. It is about harmonising those new people into the industry with the right level of skill and education. The fact that people of my age are still operative in this industry is perhaps an indicator of what is wrong. Knowledge and experience are critical; you can’t learn fleet from a textbook!

May 2017

Today’s fleet manager must embrace finance, procurement and HR skills […] while also being a fleet expert.

The days of the transport manager, as I used to be, are on the decline

Innovation in Practice Supplement 25

INTERVIEW

The fact that people of my age are still operative in this industry is perhaps an indicator of what is wrong

Q A

How has training and education in fleet management evolved around advances in the sector?

The ICFM was set up 25 years ago because leading fleet managers of the day recognised that there was a skills shortage. Here we are, 25 years later, and there is still a skills shortage. For ICFM, it is quite simple: there are still far too many people working within the industry that don’t have the right level of accreditation. At a fleet manager level, businesses do not see company car management as core to the business, so they place vehicle responsibility in HR, finance or procurement, yet after people costs it is invariably the next biggest area of expenditure.

Managing a vehicle fleet needs expertise and training, just the same as an accountancy would not employ an unqualified accountant! Training and education has evolved with the ICFM specifically, and it is still the single real provider of training and education specific to fleet management and all that goes with it.

ICFM has changed dramatically, and it is because of aptitude and appetite. We need people to want to become credible and we need businesses to encourage people, and that is what has been lacking.

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Do you foresee Brexit having any impact on the UK fleet management sector, and what other legislations or regulations have influenced fleet management?

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Irrespective of how the UK voted and personal beliefs, the simple fact is that if the government secure sufficient deals to enable the manufacturers to continue their operations in the UK, and there is no reason to suggest that they won’t at the moment, then the only thing that might change is a cost increase.

There needs to be a broader scope of options to manage business mobility requirements, and managing the costs that go with it, but that is not down to Brexit. It is about using technology, forecasting and getting a business into a much better position strategically, and that comes back to education, training, skills and knowledge.

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What technologies will disrupt the fleet management industry in the near future?

It is not about disrupting the fleet industry. All industries and businesses need to change and embrace technology where it can improve operations. If they don’t they will stagnate and ultimately die.

With regards to vehicle connectivity, ‘big data’ is rapidly emerging and the pace of change will quicken significantly over the next few years. ‘Big data’ is very straightforward; the fact is that each and every one of us has got a smartphone that has the capacity to download huge amounts of data. For a business that was traditionally set up, with an IT department, firewalls and protection, there is potentially an entire body of staff who are dragging data in and out of the company without any of those controls. You need to protect yourself from that data, but also harness it and use it effectively.

Technology will further improve fleet management efficiencies, vehicle operating effectiveness and ultimately cost management.

However, fleet decision-makers must work out how ‘big data’

26 Innovation in Practice Supplement

can help them improve management of their vehicles and drivers to the greater good of the business in which they work. No-one should be scared by the advance of technology, they should embrace it.

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What challenges and opportunities will autonomous vehicles present to fleet operators?

Autonomous vehicles are here to stay, and they are here right now. That technology isn’t going to go away, it is only going to increase.

What we’re talking about here is another dynamic to managing a vehicle fleet. Fleet managers must be well educated in this technology, the operational road risk elements that go with it and in the related mobility and cost implications. At the moment, we see these as disjointed elements; people are focusing on one or the other, but actually they need to be brought together.

Autonomous vehicles will play a big part in cities. They already are, and that can only increase as environmental targets and the pressure to reduce emissions increase. However, it will take many years for the UK fleet market to progress to 100% autonomy, so fleet managers must look to the future, but not forget the present.

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What have been some of the biggest advances in making fleets more environmentally friendly?

Let’s start with the manufacturer’s drive to reduce CO₂ emission. Tax at a UK government level and legislation at a European level has driven change over many years. Tax initially with company car benefit-in-kind tax changes to a system based on emissions in 2002 and then, progressively, other motoring taxes such as Vehicle Excise Duty and capital allowances have also switched to emissions based. Meanwhile, Brussels has gradually been tightening emission standards; we are now on Euro 6, having started on Euro 1 many years ago, and Euro 7 looms. However, there is a balance to be struck between the pace of change that vehicle producers can move at and pace of change with regards to the tax system. The UK government, for example, has introduced a more granulated tax regime for ultra-low emission vehicles, but in some bands no cars are currently on the market.

There is a pressure on diesel vehicles at the moment. But as the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders frequently points out, diesel is critical to reducing CO₂ emissions, emitting, on average, 20% lower CO₂ than petrol equivalents. Fleets are responsible for buying the majority of new cars in the UK and the latest Euro 6 emission models are the cleanest in history - and light years away from their older counterparts. The focus needs to be on removing ‘old’ diesel vehicles from the nation’s roads. Diesel technology will continue to have a role to play in fleet operations, but that may reduce as Clean Air Zones become more prevalent, petrol technology continues to improve, particularly in terms of achieving diesel-like MPG, and electric vehicle technology advances, notably in terms of battery range and the accessibility of recharging points.

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What are the ICFM’s aims for the next twelve months to assist the UK fleet management industry?

We have had aims in place that aren’t just on a 12-month basis. ICFM has more than 800 members and our immediate

May 2017

INTERVIEW

At our last conference, we had a speaker that suggested the introduction of technology was doubling every two years, which is staggering objective is to break through the 1,000-member mark; make ICFM even more accessible to new members and those in support service roles in the fleet industry. Late last year we launched a three-level Corporate Investor Programme designed to appeal to employers that provides a wide-range of products and services to fleets. That has already proved successful with the likes of Auto Windscreens and Michelin joining; both are well-known brands in the fleet industry, and we anticipate other organisations to follow their lead.

We have made significant changes internally with our training, and where perhaps historically our training had been geared towards a modular arrangement with an accreditation at the end, we are now offering an increase in one day awareness Master Classes in addition. We have already run our first session, based on salary sacrifice and on benefits, and it was incredibly well attended. A second Masterclass will tackle operational road risk management, and is scheduled for Tuesday 6th June.

The ICFM is strong and robust. Our focus is 100% on supporting the industry with its significantly changing landscape. Like everyone else in the fleet business, ICFM has to change; organisations cannot stand still. ICFM continues to adapt its courses to suit the ever-changing development of the fleet industry and the broadening of fleet decision-makers’ roles into employee mobility and travel. The fleet industry continues to change and so does ICFM.

Peter Eldridge ICFM Sales & Marketing Director Commencing in 1963 with Fiat Auto UK, Peter has enjoyed a successful career in the fleet motor industry, encompassing almost every aspect of customer service and technical support.

Fleet management of a large blue chip fleet operation and senior management positions followed management roles within the franchised motor trade with major contract hire, leasing and accident management companies.

Peter has been a member of the ICFM since 1993 and was invited to become a full Board Member in 1997. Peter is also regarded as one of the ICFM’s strongest lead tutors and regularly provides training support for members at both Certificate and Diploma level. In 2011 Peter was inducted as an Honorary Fellow of the ICFM. The ICFM (formerly known as the Institute of Car Fleet Management) is the UK’s only independent not-forprofit organisation dedicated to furthering the education, recognising the achievements and advancing the profession of car and light commercial fleet management.

Established in 1992, the Institute connects people involved in car and light commercial fleet management, promotes excellence in fleet management practices and delivers the industry sector’s premier education programmes. Externally accredited vocational qualifications include the Introductory Certificate, the Certificate and the Diploma in Car Fleet Management.

ICFM was the winner of the first Fleet News Training Award in 2010.

May 2017

Innovation in Practice Supplement 27

Incremental changes can make big differences James Roberts discusses Insurance at Europcar UK. He looks at the challenges facing insurers and suggests that small adjustments to processes and working practices have the potential to achieve big results. e are living in a time of significant change in the world of motor insurance. The sector has rarely stood still, but it seems that there are a number of issues currently conspiring to make the life of the motor insurer, and all its component parts, more challenging than ever.

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Perhaps one of the most significant issues facing the sector is the introduction of autonomous vehicles. In March, the Department for Transport (DfT) issued its latest views on the introduction of autonomous vehicles on UK roads. Stating that it will use public sector fleets as the test bed to lead future policy to address insurance liability is concerning; it seems that the likelihood of driverless vehicles for private use is still some way off.

Machines more reliable than humans

Whilst there is much debate about how autonomous motoring will reduce the level of road traffic accidents, working on the principle that a machine is more reliable than a human, it has already been confirmed that the Vehicle Technology and Aviation Bill will require autonomous cars to be insured via a policy that is valid when working in autonomous, self-drive mode and if motorists take control. The external forces that influence those two processes unquestionably present different levels of risk. But one thing’s for sure: there will still be collisions and there will still be a need to look after policyholders in the aftermath of those collisions.

However, before getting to grips with how to manage the risk of driverless vehicles, insurers have a bigger headache. That of the reduction in the Discount Rate used to calculate compensation awards for serious personal injuries, announced by the Lord Chancellor at the end of February. Whilst, at the time of writing this article, the sector is lobbying hard to get the Government to review its decision, the immediate repercussions mean motorists will undoubtedly be hit with rate increases.

In particular, the youngest drivers are likely to be hit the hardest.

Industry experts have predicted that the youngest drivers, who have relatively more large claims and higher premiums, could easily see their premiums rise by 15% or more. That’s on top of the recent hikes in insurance premium tax (IPT), which will have doubled from 6% to 12% in the space of two years when it goes up again in June.

Yet, in the game of customer acquisition and retention, it is these very customers, the new drivers, where all the investment is made by insurers. Demonstrating added value and delivering an experience that is aligned with the customer experience they have from other brands (i.e. social media, music streaming, and fashion) is therefore paramount. And, of course, the claims experience will be central to that.

28 Innovation in Practice Supplement

What’s vital to make this selfservice culture truly work to the benefit of the customer, and the insurer, is finding the right partners to provide the services that match the same quality and values of the insurer brand Clarity on credit hire rates

March did, however, bring some good news for the sector, with the Court of Appeal decision over the issue of credit hire rates providing some long-awaited clarity and hopefully a more level playing field in this often contentious area.

The Court of Appeal handed down judgment in the landmark cases of Clayton vs EUI (handled by Horwich Farrelly) and McBride vs UKI (handled by Keoghs). As a consequence, it is now expected that the number of cases to which the ‘lowest Basic Hire Rate (BHR)’ rule applies will widen. This should result in a significant reduction in what credit hire claims spend on litigated cases. Experts also believe that it will encourage more claims to be settled before reaching litigation.

As this decision only relates to those claims that go to litigation, the issue of hire rates is still something that needs greater transparency for the benefit of policyholders as a whole.

Therefore, the pressure remains on how to deliver a customer experience that affirms value, in an attempt to quell customer churn. But to achieve that goal, I wonder if sometimes there is so much focus on the ‘big’ issues that the small, incremental changes that really can make a difference get missed.

Adding transparency

For example, in the area of basic hire rates, how both sides of a claim calculate this for a replacement vehicle following an accident has long been regarded with suspicion. Is the rate quoted on the day the quote is requested or actually on the day of the accident? Is the rate for a vehicle that is commensurate with the policyholder’s normal vehicle? Was the vehicle available on the day it was required? And back to the challenge of younger motorists, is the rate higher because of young driver surcharges typically applied by car hire companies?

May 2017

FEATURES

Industry experts have predicted that the youngest drivers, who have relatively more large claims and higher premiums, could easily see their premiums rise by 15% or more Accurate BHR reports play a vital role, for both insurers and credit hire operators. For the insurer, it is fundamental in assessing cost.

For the credit hire operator (CHO), it can be used to identify the position at which an insurer is likely to start its negotiation. But, more importantly, if both insurer and CHO reach an agreement that a non-fault hire claim should be settled on the basic hire rate, it’s vital that the evidence being used to prove the rate mirrors what the individual would have been quoted by a rental company on the date of accident, taking into consideration their circumstances, for example, age, hire duration, vehicle group and location.

in this area. Giving the customer, whether that is an insurer’s own policyholder or the not-at-fault third party, the ability to book appointments using approved bodyshops and authorised car hire providers will significantly enhance the customer experience, especially if they can also track progression of repairs.

This new evolution in self-service not only enhances the customer experience, but promises significant cost benefits for the insurer.

If the onus is put on the bodyshop and rental company to talk to each other, customer downtime is minimised. The need for intervention from the insurance company is also reduced.

There are, however, a number of other factors that will also have an influence on the BHR. Availability directly influences the rate of car hire on any given day. Plus BHR reports often base rates on the date a search was requested and not the actual date of the accident, or when the replacement vehicle was required. A change in approach by car hire firms is therefore vital in making it possible to obtain a rate based on a retroactive check out.

Of course, what’s vital to make this self-service culture truly work to the benefit of the customer, and the insurer, is finding the right partners to provide the services that match the same quality and values of the insurer brand. Self-service will only work if the customer believes they are not being compromised. Picking the right partners who can empower that self-service is, therefore, crucial.

It should be possible to replicate any past scenario, providing accurate rate evidence, completely contemporaneous and representing availability. This will go towards enabling a consistent approach that eliminates the friction that can add cost to the claims process, as well as ensure a positive claims experience for the customer.

In this time of change for the sector, working partnerships, underpinned by transparency of processes, will be vital. And partners that have like-minded goals when it comes to the customer experience will be the most effective; enabling the identification and testing of small, incremental changes that can make a big difference.

Another area that I believe deserves greater focus is how collaboration, both within the sector and through the supply chain it relies upon, can make a difference to the customer experience.

James Roberts is Business Development Director at Europcar.

It is well accepted throughout the industry that the greater involvement there is by an insurer with the not-at-fault third party in a claim, the greater chance that costs can be kept under control.

Transparency in how that contact takes places is, therefore, essential. And the impending GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) will make that even more important.

On 25th May 2018, GDPR, or as it should more accurately be called: Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament will replace the Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC, and therefore the Data Protection Act 1998 in the UK. Insurers are hurriedly working out how they can communicate with their customers after that date. And it is vital they consider and work with all their partners in their supply chain to make this new regulation work for the benefit of the policyholder.

Collaboration empowered by technology

That brings me back to collaboration. I think emerging technologies, especially app based tools, have a big role to play

May 2017

Innovation in Practice Supplement 29

CASE STUDY

Case Study Learning & Development in a Change Environment Conscious that changing customer requirements were placing new challenges on the business, S&G Response teamed up with learning and development experts, Peritus Learning (www.perituslearning.co.uk) to compose and deliver a comprehensive programme designed to raise the skills base of the business. eritus were selected as a natural choice, as both businesses are partners in Connected Solutions, the endto-end supply chain operated by leading motor claims consultancy, InduSTry Insights. As one the few all-encompassing L&D consultancies, Peritus deliver both bespoke and accredited development solutions for all levels of employee. Following a detailed business assessment & analysis, a unique twelve month plan was put in place for each staff member in addition to ILM (Institute of Leadership and Management) accreditation for members of the senior management team.

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Stage 1 – Learning Needs Analysis

The initial stages of the process ensured that there was a clear strategy in place to underpin the following benefits to the business: • Organisational performance depends on having the right people, in the right jobs, at the right time.

• Providing learning opportunities helps to build capacity in the business and enable staff to achieve personal and career goals.

• Having a clear idea of what needs to be learned and the outcomes that are expected provides a foundation to evaluate effectiveness of the investment in learning and development.

• Well-planned learning is an effective retention strategy, particularly for those identified as ‘talent’.

During the initial stages, the robustness of any current job descriptions, competency frameworks and performance management/performance review models that exist in the business were reviewed in detail. Research shows that any L&D spend that is aligned to the wider business goals is worth three times that of ad hoc solutions.

To ensure that training remained both focused and relevant, the learning needs analysis is undertaken each and every year.

Stage 2 – Outsourced Development Model

After completing the analysis and scoping in Stage 1, the most appropriate content, structure and delivery mechanisms of the L&D training programme were recommended to the business.

This process was then linked to the business’ performance review process, allowing managers and leaders to allocate employees to the specific training courses available based on development needs and priorities. Adopting this approach allowed the production of a training diary for each employee in the business for the following twelve months.

Each course offers animated explainer videos, which are viewable on all devices and can be embedded onto the company’s intranet site for ease of access

Flexibility is key to the success of the learning and development programme, and through 1 to 1’s, accelerated learning, group sessions and a bespoke online platform, employees are engaging in the manner that suits their needs and timescales.

30 Innovation in Practice Supplement

May 2017

CASE STUDY

Flexibility is key to the success of the learning and development programme, and through 1 to 1’s, accelerated learning, group sessions and a bespoke online platform, employees are engaging in the manner that suits their needs and timescales Each course offers animated explainer videos, which are viewable on all devices and can be embedded onto the company’s intranet site for ease of access. There are also detailed workbooks and pre-reading texts that prepare the delegates for the module and contain activities to accelerate the employees understanding and retention of information. To ensure that any training is continually re-enforced within the day-to-day operation, infographics, artwork and images are available to download to create additional course materials for presentation within the office environment.

Andy Whatmough, Managing Director of S&G Response, said: “We are delighted with how Peritus have engaged with the business and enthused by their plans for training and development throughout 2017. It’s more important than ever for us to have a workforce that is happy, focused, and able to deliver on our promise of an industry leading service to our customers.

Through our Peritus partnership, the investment we have made in developing the whole business will be invaluable to our future proposition and customer base”.

e-learning & Learning Management System (LMS)

The online Learning Management System developed uniquely

by Peritus and delivered bespokely to all customers is a leading, multi-functional learning platform. Each LMS platform can be customised to create a familiar and recognisable environment with the company’s own logo and branding and can be accessed through a computer, tablet or mobile device with a web browser anywhere in the world.

Within the online system, managers can easily track and monitor the performance of their employees through a blended learning approach, using a range of applications to enhance the overall learning experience. Scheduled reports can be created to identify any training needs, potential gaps in learning or outstanding modules that require completion and can be sent within any given time period.

Steve Walker, Managing Director of Peritus Learning, said: ‘’We specialise in working with forward thinking fast growing organisations like S&G Response to support them with all aspects of their people development strategy, engagement and talent retention. By developing a framework tailored to the needs of the business, we will be able to ensure people growth is aligned with the future requirements of the business as it continues to grow and develop. We are delighted to be partnering with Andy and the S&G Response team to support them into the future and be a valued adviser in the people development field for them.’’

For further information, please visit www.sandgresponse.co.uk

There are over 150 e-learning courses available, which cover the following areas: • Personal Development • Customer Service • Sales Mastery • IT Skills • Health & Safety • Project Management • Policy & Compliance • Finance Skills • Management & Leadership • Health & Wellbeing • Toolbox Talks

May 2017

Innovation in Practice Supplement 31