Close Brothers has picked out technology and broker service as two points of focus for 2019

Close Brothers Premium Finance (CBPF) wants to increase sales by 10% in 2019.

This is according to it’s chief executive, Sharon Bishop, who said that this would be a year of “unprecedented change” for the market due to Brexit.

She said the firm has subsequently renewed its strategy to invest in technology and service for its 1,700 UK and Republic of Ireland brokers.

Close Brothers is integrated with all major software houses, with the premium finance provider currently piloting a range of pay-in-full payment options to provide brokers and their customers with greater choice and flexibility.

It has also introduced electronic signatures for a more seamless journey for personal and commercial lines customers.

Bishop said: “Our key purpose is to make insurance more affordable for their customers by allowing them to spread the cost of their insurance through premium finance, but there is so much more that we want to do and can do.

“There’s a lot of doom and gloom around thanks to Brexit and other macro issues, but broking is a massive success story that we need to nurture.”

Relationship management

Each broker partner has dedicated sales manager, and Close Brothers have a specialist sales consultant team to support brokers in increasing their penetration of premium finance.

And the provider wants to train over 3,000 staff this year.

Its system trainers now deliver on and off-site training for credit agreement processing, system demonstrations, management information and reporting.

Bishop said she believes that the firm’s management information provides “unrivalled insight” into the broking market.

Close Brothers has arranged over 550 training sessions in the past 18 months and it is targeting similar rates this year.