A Datamonitor survey found that despite the banks trying to woo customers over to internet and tele-banking services, the majority of the public still prefer to arrange their mortgages and loans in a branch, face-to-face with an adviser.
Surely this is also good news for high street insurance brokers as well. Despite the emergence of the e-surers and e-brokers there is still demand out there for face-to-face advice and personal service.
Although personal lines business is now bought by many as a simple price based transaction, the true worth and convenience of a policy bought from a distant call centre is discovered at the time of a claim or when another service is required.
Another factor now coming into play in our favour is the rising amount of discontent towards the use of call centres in India and the problems now being encountered by the customers of companies making use of them.
Following the closure of Hill House Hammond branches some articles in the press considered that this was a clear indication that there was little or no future for high street brokers. I disagree. I prefer to think that Norwich Union/ Aviva came to the conclusion that they just couldn't do the job as well as us.
The best option for all "traditional" brokers is to focus on providing the best service to customers, and reap the benefits, as the inevitable backlash against call centre inefficiency encourages more of the buying public to seek out their local providers.
Peter Hardy
A V Wilson and Sons
