Hard work pays off as Signature are ‘Highly commended’
As our first year of sitting on the editorial board for Modern Insurance Magazine neared its end, we were invited to attend their coveted and highly anticipated UK Customer Service Excellence Awards 2022.
On Wednesday 23rd March, the Signature team travelled down to London for a day of fun and team bonding, hoping to grab an award in one of the 4 nominated categories, safe in the knowledge that it wasn’t going to be easy; whilst we know how we go above and beyond to provide a fair, inclusive and award-winning service, we were pitted against some titans of the industry.
We’re fiercely proud to be an SME, as it allows us to provide a tailored and unique service to clients and suppliers a like, but we were under no illusion that we don’t have the same resources to allocate to increasing visibility of what we do. These awards were a chance to contemplate how proud we are of the team we’ve created and the achievements over the past 4 years at Signature Property Services.
The awards were held at Shaka Zulu; a unique and vibrant South African venue in the heart of Camden Town. Surrounded by performers, musicians, and fire-breathers all working in perfect harmony to create a buzz amongst the attendees, there was so much to look at. As we sat down to eat in front of the stage everyone’s focus was re-captured and all eyes were on the prizes.
We were honoured to be nominated in 4 categories for the awards:
- Above and Beyond
- Customer Experience in a Crisis
- Diversity and Inclusion
- Unsung Hero (Filipa Da Silva)
We were shortlisted by the panel for every single category of the 4 we applied to be considered for, something that we were told by the organisers was a rare achievement and something to be proud of in itself!
We received the highly commended award in 2 out of the 4 categories (Above and Beyond & Diversity and Inclusion) on what was a momentous occasion for us, coming runners up to two imperious and well-deserved winners. To go toe-to-toe with much larger business both in terms of team size and financially felt like a win in itself.
We’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate all winners of awards on the night and to thank Modern Insurance Magazine for having us. We’re pleased to be acknowledged for out diversity and inclusion across backgrounds and abilities and for always going above and beyond to provide a fantastic service to our customers who often come to us in a time of immense need.
What is a healthy workplace?
As a high-level view, trust and cooperation is enough for survival and growth, but drilldown and each working part has it’s own requirements for success. Relationships, health (both mental and physical), purpose and compassion. You cannot apply a one-size fits all approach to a diverse group of people with different needs and drivers. It is not simply a policy written from HR that defines what a healthy company looks like. It’s about understanding your team and building a culture where mutual respect and understanding comes before all else.
We don’t say ‘you can take this many sick days’. We don’t say ‘There’s a process for appointments that needs 48 hour confirmation.’ And we certainly don’t say ‘You can’t change your scheduled hours for that day.’ We’re a family business and that very much defines our entire ethos. We always try to give and take in equal measure and working in a tight-knit team we make allowances for each other. We all have different priorities and find ourselves in different situations outside of the office an are au courant with individual requirements, we don’t look to question or seek reasoning. Working on a notion of compromise and compassionate reciprocity propagates a healthy and open environment.
We certainly aren’t perfect though, and we are committed to identifying areas of improvement. Being a small and busy business we could all do more to improve on our communication levels, internally. Naturally with our ‘muck-in’ philosophy, the directors have very hand-on roles in the business so can be on-site a lot and pulled from pillar to post to problem solve at a top level. Because of this we encourage our staff to be decisive and accountable, knowinghow important it is that we have the right people in the right positions to make those tough calls independently.
In essence, we believe that a healthy environment takes into account both mental and physical health along with needs, requirements, openness and above all honesty. Covid has been the unfortunate driving force in bringing both sides of our health to the forefront of conversation. It can be damaging in the long-term to encourage people into the office that are struggling with symptoms of either complaint. Sometimes a couple of hours extra in a morning is all you need to create the headspace where you feel ready to tackle the day is the most productive way and the flexibility provided by the new notion that it’s ok to mix-up remote working means we can all be more present when required.
We’ll never stop listening to our employees and treating them as friends and family, because that’s what they are. You spend the majority of your time with your colleagues and this means we all need more from each other than just task output. Trust is paramount to connecting on a personal level and it’s the thing at Signature, that we value the most.
Challenges for firms looking to approach expansion
What are the challenges between smaller and larger firms looking to approach expansion in todays interconnected world?
As a smaller business, the recent advancements in technology have been both exciting and daunting. Whilst there are definite advantages to having our customers and clients readily available on a multitude of platforms, there are, of course, challenges that come with this.
At Signature we’re a supplier for several insurers, all of whom use different systems and software. There are, for some of the systems we use, cost implications to having access to our clients preferred technology; an inevitability that we cannot avoid as part of expansion.
We must also factor in the time it takes us to learn how to navigate each new system, with differing requirements for claims handlers, surveyors and accounts alike. Each technological advancement to a system involves training, something that takes the taskforce away from the job at hand.
Then there’s our own system considerations. We’ve previously used this platform to discuss our CRM system, BigChange, which is an on-going implementation to better our own internal capabilities. As our client base grows, we’re mindful that one approach does not fit all, due to a myriad of factors. Already, there’s a discussion piece in our office around changing the system to become more dynamic, with milestones and SLAs being so client-specific that a one-size-fits-all approach may only work for a brief period of time before we potentially expand our operations. Again, there are costs to maintaining and fine-tuning any system and these aren’t solely financial.
Customers too are looking at more dynamic ways of communicating and engaging, with an online presence and multiple avenues of contact seen as standard for a reputable firm. We’re in the process of finalising our new website, an investment that makes us more enticing to customers and clients but presents its own challenges. Generally speaking, trade websites are static and act as a signpost for other ways to contact us. To become engaging online, we must think about increasing our social media presence and ensuring that we have the technology and personnel in the office to accommodate those platforms as well as the various apps that customers expect to be able to access companies via.
With all these necessary advancements, it’s an exciting time to be in insurance but it’s not without obstacles. Technology costs money and ultimately each new system or software adds to the squeeze. While we must be customer-centric and ensure these advancements better serve the customer journey, we must be mindful not to make the technological growth so costly that the SME service providers can’t get on-board.
Dealing effectively with sensitive and distressing residential property claims?
How important is continuous training and development in dealing effectively with the sensitive and often distressing nature of residential property claims?
Residential property claims can be challenging, not just from a logistical standpoint. When dealing with customers who have had their whole lives displaced, it can be tricky finding ways of managing the claim while also offering the customer the right support.
At Signature, we believe that providing regular training to our team gives them the skills to better manage claims.
Take our trades for example. It became apparent to us that the customer journey is so involved that by the time our trades are on-site, the customer just wants a friendly face who they see regularly. We took the approach that skill-sharing and ensuring our trades are multi-disciplined allowed us to minimise handovers and keep the customer speaking to one or two key contacts, reducing any potential confusion or disruption to the policy holder.
Perhaps even more than our trades, our claims handling team really bear the brunt of the emotions that come with the turmoil of a home-insurance claim. Customers sometimes don’t have a place to vent and these frustrations can spill over onto our team. We decided that vulnerability training would be a great option for our office staff, helping them to identify where customers may need additional support and also ensure our team are equipped to deal with words which may not be so kind.
One of the best things to come out of the pandemic is the uptake in online communication tools and how society has supported each other to make these accessible and user-friendly. Internally we’ve upskilled our staff to use Teams and Zoom meaning we can now look at speaking to our customers online, rather than just on the phone. We’re able to share our screen to run through paperwork and scopes or have back and forth conversations over the chat functions so customers can really get an understanding of what’s happening to their home.
Going into 2022, we think maintaining our staff’s existing skillset and assisting them with their development will only aid the customer journey. This industry is surprisingly stressful and doesn’t get the recognition it deserves for that. Our staff deal with customers who have lost far more than bricks and mortar, doing their upmost to try and give them some sense of self again. With the uncertainty of Covid-19 still looming, our staff need to be sharp and have the capacity to deal with anything thrown at them, while feeling emotionally supported to do so. We’re only as good as our teams and we owe it to them to make sure they have every tool in their arsenal to get a difficult job done well.
A ‘Big Change’ For Signature
Balancing the juxtaposition between traditional application and technological advancement is a fine art. Whilst construction is everchanging in its practices and focuses on-site, it’s much easier to be blind to the software breakthroughs and push the focus to the communication and customer journey front.
This year we decided to take the plunge.
Remote working and the requirement for enhanced communication meant that spreadsheets and legacy systems had to go and a minimized paper trail can only be good; operationally, organisationally and environmentally.
The research and comparison phase was a lengthy and involved process. We had a wish list pulled from various teams’ frustrations. After much consideration we decided that the structure and personalisation allowed by Big Change’s JobWatch software was perfect for us as it allowed the team to effectively manage workflows and operatives in addition to enjoy an encompassing high-level view of an entire job, from receipt of claim to invoice.
I’d like to quickly explore the top 3 features that made Big Change the front runner for a small company with big ambitions and even bigger deliverables.
- The ‘Timesheets and Expenses’ feature is revolutionary for us. Our operatives and subcontractors can now submit all expenses and timesheets at the touch of a button. Before this, we were reliant on staff having off-the-tools time to email across their hours worked or fuel receipts meaning our accounts team spent unproductive hours chasing these documents.
- Top companies have top level reporting software. A one stop shop for various departments to pull key ‘Reporting and Performance’ information was a must. With JobWatch we can; monitor trends and SLAs, produce up-to-date statistics and figures ahead of meetings and anticipate future trends using the analytical tools.
- The Fleet Management side of JobWatch helps us avoid potential missed renewals with our vehicles, whilst the Live Tracking aspect improves dialogue with clients. Through using the GPS tracking software, we can alert clients to any delays and advise them when they can expect the trades to arrive on site. Communication with policy holders is key to our business model and anything that assists us with improving this is of paramount importance.
As I’m sure many businesses are aware, implementing a brand new state-of-the-art system is a time and labour-heavy process. For a small business to allocate valuable internal resource in the name of looking to the future is something that we’ve grappled with since making the decision, but we know that it will pay off.
We want Signature to be leading the line with this, to show that a small family business, focused on making each client feel like their job is the only one, can make a seismic shift that others can follow; proving that whilst there may be some teething problems, size and resource is no excuse to not be a market leader.
Material shortage and the effect on the insurance sphere
It’s been well documented that the construction industry is synonymous with feast and famine and the current hunger for materials at a workable cost highlights where we are in this cycle.
For businesses that work strictly on private works, a rise in quotations to match these parameters may be met with disdain from the customer, but in a world governed by the schedule of rates, the solution is not quite that simple.
This is a headache felt up and down the supply chain. When material costs rise, the premiums on policies do not. Everyone is squeezed tighter and the party left to source the materials to facilitate the repair are reduced to filling unproductive hours calling around merchants to see if there is any stock available, let alone at the right price.
Recently a well-known building merchant announced that they would be limiting each trade account to 5 bags of concrete per day. This is possibly workable for a smaller job, but when you have contracts with multiple insurance providers to satisfy it becomes near impossible.
There’s no doubt that the trifecta of the pandemic, Brexit and the government’s full steam ahead approach to completing HS2 have played their part. Coronavirus has had adverse effects in every part of the chain, from manufacturing to logistics. Worker absence has hit some of the major manufacturing companies hard and most are still catching up on the sheer backlog from when production ceased completely at the start of the pandemic. Brexit has added cost to materials as commodity code changes and import charges have driven pricing up, passed on of course to the end user. With available materials offered on a first refusal basis to the companies constructing phase 1 of the high-speed rail link to satisfy government contracts, its left as a free-for-all to fight out what’s left and at what price.
Supply and demand has long dictated the flow of the construction world and when reinstatement work is a crucial part of the insurance claims cycle, building repair networks, insurance providers and contractors feel the full wrath of the consequences. In a pre-pandemic world, risk aversion may have been possible due to Brexit forecasting and the foresight to properly prepare for potential shortages but the uncertainty of the world we’re now working in means that covid has pushed all other issues away. How businesses factored Brexit into their contingencies is quite frankly irrelevant and whilst we knew there would be issues pertaining to the UK decision to leave the European Union, nothing could have prepared us for what the construction industry has seen over the last 18 months.
Up and down the chain, we’ve all got to give a little more. Time that was once focused on proper planning and the drive to exceed SLAs is now being compromised by the frantic search for competitively priced materials to ensure that what we’re doing is sustainable and profitable. If the reactive part of the industry cannot survive with financial buoyancy other parties in the chain with invariably take the hit. No trades teams equates to no works completed and no works completed means breach of policy.
The insurance sphere needs to come together on this issue to find a reasonable resolution that keeps the wheels of insurance spinning and ensures the longevity of supplier and contractor relationships through these trying times.
Maintaining the family ethos
Family enterprise Signature Property Services is determined to preserve their socially responsible workflow whilst evolving into a new era of connected technology. Here, Jamie Dunn, discusses the company’s history and what sets them apart in the construction marketplace.
Q. Firstly, tell us about Signature Property Services’ beginnings and what you want to achieve in the property insurance industry?
A. Coming from a construction-based family it was inevitable I was going to be involved in the industry. Both my brothers and my father work in construction and I wanted to follow in their footsteps. Since leaving school my exposure has been focused around surveying and project management. I’ve been lucky enough to see both sides of the industry, from a trade and back-office perspective. Pooling our collective family knowledge, in 2018 we joined together to form Signature Property Services UK Ltd. Our aim was to carry out surveys, scope of works, validation, project management and a complete repair service all under one roof. We’re a tightknit team with transparency between all parties, and we make sure that we show empathy and understanding to our clients and policyholders.
We want to keep growing; we recognise there's always room for improvement and with this in mind we try to upskill not only our direct trades and back-office staff, but also our supply chain.
Our contractors have been with us for many years and really embrace what we do, the services we offer and who we represent. From a director’s point of view it’s a nice position to be in, to have that relationship, and as long as we strive to maintain a competent workforce and provide excellent customer service, we have no doubt that this will continue to present new opportunities within our industry.
Q. Beginning as a family enterprise, what growth has the business seen since it started?
A. Exponential! The business really started in 1980 with Martin Dunn growing what is now the Signature team under a different banner. Since then, the focus has always been on bringing together the skillsets of my brothers, myself and my dad. From these foundations we now have another director onboard with a focus on growth and widening the skillset throughout the team. We’re able to offer what I call a “turnkey service”; offering all aspects of repairs to all manner of clients.
With growth, we know we always have to offer a wider range of services to establish ourselves further. Having those tried and trusted trades with long standing connections to family members has made the transition an easy one. As my father has always said, ‘we’re only as good as our tradespeople, who produce the work’. We are mindful that we can do 100 excellent jobs, but we would be remembered for the single bad one. This alone keeps us on our toes and ensures we go above and beyond to satisfy each and every customer.
Q. As Managing Director, what makes Signature different from its competitors from your perspective?
A. Firstly to ensure we are an industry leader in the quality side of property repairs, we guarantee all workmanship is of the highest calibre to give our suppliers peace of mind and offer a two-year workmanship warranty on all of our work.
Secondly, we’re always available. We will always answer the phone and be on hand to our suppliers and their policyholders 7 days a week. From my own experience in the industry, there have been numerous occasions where myself or Signature have needed an urgent directive and we have not been able to receive the assistance required from any party. We’re always available to deal with any issue, wherever it may arise in the supply chain and our entire ethos is centred around being available and present.
We must all understand that policyholders are often in a position they don't want to be in and the predicament that puts them in. Nobody wants to be making an insurance claim, we appreciate that we are offering a reactive service and our goal is to react as quickly and effectively as possible with minimal impact to the customer’s circumstances.
Our team thrives on the challenge of turning difficult situations into a positive experience. This is always our biggest challenge and when we recruit our key focus is ensuring we build our team around that mentality. Our team are often tasked with going above and beyond; this means always being respectful, sympathetic, professional, and providing excellent response times and services to every client.
Q. What is on the horizon for Signature Property Services looking toward the future?
A. I see continued growth, continued improvement, and the streamlining of our processes in order to maintain our productivity. We will never compromise our services or standards in the pursuit of profit. We consider ourselves to be in a recession-proof industry and by doing the right thing and leading by example we are confident we will always have opportunities within the industry.
We never compromise on our ethics and our social responsibilities. We are in a unique position in the supply chain and as a family business we can work and recruit differently. We're very inclusive and our transparency, honesty and clarity are ingrained in every process.
New technology is going to further enable us to do this more effectively and with a ground-breaking CRM system that we’re currently implementing, this will enhance the 360-degree visibility from the back office to the trades teams. This will also allow us to provide every party in the supply chain with live and accurate updates of job and claim progression, meaning suppliers and clients alike are always able to obtain key information.
interviewee: Jamie Dunn, Managing Director, Signature Property Services
Interview by: Modern Insurance Magazine
Interview by Modern Insurance Magazine