Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:26:00 GMT
FBD Insurance plc realigns its office network to meet changing customer needs
Tuesday, 2 December 2008. FBD Insurance plc ("FBD") has today informed staff of the outcome of a detailed review undertaken by the company in recent months. This review was initiated as a result of substantial changes in the way customers are buying insurance, with over 70% of car and home insurance customers now using the telephone or Internet. The review also set out to underpin the strength of the company through increased efficiencies.
As a result, the company is to realign its Local Office network, reducing the number from 47 to 34 by merging the activities of certain offices. The resulting reduction in staff numbers will be achieved through a voluntary severance programme.
After these changes, FBD will continue to have the largest Local Office network of any insurer around the country. Local Offices will focus on selling to and servicing the needs of Farming and Commercial customers. Personal Lines customers, primarily motor and home insurance, will be serviced by their Support Centre in Mullingar. FBD has made substantial investments in both its Internet offering and the Support Centre where 160 new jobs have been created since February 2007. Certain administrative and processing tasks will also be centralised.
Andrew Langford, Chief Executive Officer of FBD, said "FBD has grown market share and doubled policy count in the last seven years and is now the third largest insurer in Ireland. We are committed to meeting the changing needs of customers to enable continued growth. Changing customer behaviour has led to more phone and Internet contact and less customers visiting our local offices. We need to constantly update our business to ensure that we provide customers with the channels they wish to use. At the same time, we are committed to re - organising our infrastructure and processes in a way that frees up our local staff to focus on serving and growing our Farming and Commercial business. By redirecting most of the telephone calls to our Support Centre in Mullingar and centralising administration, staff in Local Offices will have extra capacity for these core functions."
"A number of offices will merge and we aim to achieve the resultant reduction in staff numbers through a voluntary severance programme in as short a time frame as possible. We will enter a consultative process with staff and representative bodies immediately. These necessary changes will underpin the strength of the company."
"FBD will maintain its strong support for local communities and remains committed to the many sponsorships and worthwhile causes it currently supports. We will be communicating directly with our customers in due course."