This is an open letter to Patrick Snowball and Ken Wallace.
As you know, in the past I have been most vociferous if I felt you were over-stepping the mark with your claims of service and broker support.
However, I am quite prepared to offer praise where praise is due and I would like to thank you, publicly, for listening to us brokers. Since you re-introduced business trading teams the quality of your service has improved and is now far better than it has been since the major changes in the branch network that took place on Good Friday in 1995.
I am pleased to advise that as with other insurers who recognise the importance of business relationships we can now talk to our individual team members (in our case Yellow Team Bristol for personal lines, SBIC Ipswich for package and Spike, Jon & Co in Brighton for complex commercial). These smaller teams understand our brokerage and are able to offer specific and detailed advice. We can now identify more easily matters where a discussion will assist and thereby save your company money by not making fruitless enquiries.
The consistency and level of understanding of technical issues seems to have been seriously addressed as well. This may simply be a reflection of a more stable working relationship, or it may be that you have learnt from the high staff turnover rates of the past. Whatever the reason for the improvements, I thank you.
You seem to have the vast majority of service issues sorted, let us hope others who are still suffering the way you did will follow your lead, and promptly. I have no doubt that by respecting and providing a prompt and efficient service your broker-insurer relationship has been considerably enhanced.
Ian K Mantel
Principal
Manor Insurance Services
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