Austin Snelgrove says it is often forgotten that offering good personal customer service is part of an outsourced arrangement
Increases in client expectation and government regulation have been constantly adding to the financial burden that brokers associate with handling motor claims. In the age of 'white paper' services, cost effective ULR provision and commission available for the back end services, brokers are increasingly recognising the benefits of outsourcing all motor claims. However, during the selection process many brokers fall into the trap of choosing the most lucrative deal, omitting what should be the focus of any outsource arrangement, 'customer service.'
In a world of automated call centres, where speaking to a human can be a challenge in itself, and when you do, the chance of speaking to the same person twice has similar odds to England winning the world cup, being different by offering a personal service can help brokers stand out from the crowd. This is a competitive advantage that has always been recognised by CCL UK Group who prides itself on having all calls answered by a customer care team and claims handled by client specific technical teams of no more than 8 people.
Another area that does not appear to be considered when choosing an outsource arrangement is, which of the requested services are provided in house and which are referred on to another provider? It is all well and good selecting a good service provider but if they are subsequently let down by their supply chain, the potential advantages can be lost. Electing to use a company that can provide all services including the first notification of loss, claims handling, repair management, all hire requirements and the uninsured loss recovery offers a continuity of service that minimises policyholder input. As a recognised first class provider of claims services with their own fleet, CCL UK Group are one of few companies that can offer the complete service.
Ensuring deals are structured around the right service level agreements and providers being targeted on stringent yet realistic performance indicators will enhance the service offering and therefore reputation of the broker.
It is recognised that the cost of generating new policyholders means that client retention should be the focus of any broker and although great service does not guarantee renewal, poor service almost certainly will result in non-renewal.
In a highly competitive and cost driven market place, brokers can gain competitive advantages as well as reducing claims overheads by outsourcing motor claims management. However, these advantages can easily be lost by not selecting the right service provider to enhance the reputation of the broker.
- Austin Snelgrove is sales & marketing director of CCL UK Group.
If you would like to know more, contact us on 0500 766000 or email austin.snelgrove@cclukgroup.co.uk
