Fortis (Insurance, UK), is delighted to report that it has achieved top position for financial services in a recent UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI), conducted by the Institute of Customer Service (ICS). This complements other surveys undertaken earlier in the year which put Fortis in top position for broker service1.
The survey was conducted with Age Concern Travel customers who purchased a travel insurance policy from Fortis, Age Concern's long term insurance provider2. Participants were asked to rate the service performance of organisations against a generic set of requirements covering professionalism, quality and efficiency, ease of doing business, problem solving and timeliness. Fortis has achieved an overall customer satisfaction index score of 85 out of 90 for its service quality against a national average of 74.
Insuring in the region of 7 million customers, high quality service is an integral part of Fortis' customer proposition. Fortis joined the Institute of Customer Service (ICS) in July 2009, which has allowed the company to measure the customer journey independently with its customers through the ICS research.
Robin Challand, Head of Operations, Fortis said; "We are absolutely delighted with the results of the ICS survey, which are a true testament to the commitment and hard work of everyone in the Fortis team. The hallmark of all we do is based on our customer service ethos and teamwork. As Age Concern's long-term insurance solutions provider, understanding and supporting its customer needs is vital for us to support the purchase process, provide a pleasing experience and above all, ensure they have appropriate levels of cover. It is essential that we continue to monitor our performance in terms of service to make sure we are getting it right, first time for the customer."
Commenting on Fortis' results, Jeff Ford, Membership Director, ICS said: "Fortis Insurance has achieved an excellent score in the UK Customer Satisfaction Index, and based on the latest set of results, this currently places them as the top performers in their sector. Customers have responded very favourably in all aspects of customer service, endorsing the strong commitment that Fortis places upon service quality. Customers are far more likely to remain, repurchase, and recommend the organisation to others."
Gordon Morris, Managing Director‚ Age Concern Enterprises comments: "I am delighted with the recent results of the UK Customer Satisfaction Index and am extremely proud that our customers are receiving such exceptional service. This is a key brand value for us and one which we consistently apply to all our products and services. As a truly customer centric organisation, we work closely with our product partners such as Fortis, not only to design bespoke products, but also to ensure great service delivery. In essence, we believe that treating all our customer's as individuals is imperative to their journey with us, so it is fantastic to be recognised for that. I know that Fortis will continue the hard work that goes in to delivering this level of customer service and would like to thank them for their continued support."
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Notes to editors
1 Broker nominated surveys:
- Professional Broking Sentiments Survey - top for personal lines claims (May 2009)
- Insurance Age Annual Broker Survey - top insurer for service (May 2009)
- Institute of Insurance Brokers - top for service (April 2009).
2 Since 2006, Fortis has partnered with Age Concern Enterprises, providing customers with motor, home and travel insurance together with an award winning claims management service: ‘Claims Initiative of the Year' (British Insurance Awards, July 2008).
About the Institute of Customer Service
The Institute of Customer Service is the professional body for customer service with nearly 7,000 individual members from across the private, public and non-profit sectors. It is recognised as ‘the touchstone for those whose focus is on the delivery of world-class experiences' for organisations committed to providing the best customer service.
About Fortis
Fortis (Insurance UK) is a leading provider of award-winning personal and commercial lines insurance solutions in the UK. Fortis UK has two main divisions, manufacturing both non-life and life products, which are distributed through a range of channels including brokers, IFAs, intermediaries, affinity partners and the Internet, as well as various wholly or partially-owned companies (RIAS, Fortis Insurance Solutions, Affinity Solutions, Text2Insure and InsureTECH Systems).
Insuring around 7 million customers and working with a range of partners, Fortis is recognised for delivering consistent and high-quality customer experiences. It employs almost 3,000 people with a head office based in Eastleigh and others in Belfast, Bournemouth, Gloucester, Haywards Heath, London, Redditch, Reigate and Stoke-on-Trent.
Fortis (Insurance UK) is part of Fortis, a global insurance group of significant scale with over EUR14bn turnover, 20 million customers and 10,000 employees worldwide.
About Age Concern Enterprises
Age Concern and Help the Aged have joined together to form a single new charity dedicated to improving the lives of older people. To fund this work, it needs a constant flow of independent income. It seeks to achieve this through a balance of traditional fund raising and trading activities. The trading activities, through Age Concern Enterprises, (ACEnt) enable it to meet the needs of older people, through products specifically designed to meet these needs; quality products such as General Insurance and Energy Services.
ACEnt incorporates: Age Concern Energy Services, Age Concern Insurance Services, Age Concern Funeral Plans and Charity Flowers Direct. Log on to www.ageconcern.org.uk/products for details.
Age Concern Enterprises Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority for insurance mediation (311438) Age Concern Enterprises Ltd is registered in England and Wales No. 3156159. Registered Office: Astral House, 1268 London Road, SW16 4ER Age Concern Enterprises Ltd is a trading company of Age UK and donates any profits to that registered charity.
Age Concern England (charity number 261794) has merged with Help the Aged (charity number 272786) to form Age UK, a charitable company limited by guarantee and registered in England: registered office address 207-221 Pentonville Road, London, N1 9UZ, company number 6825798, registered charity number 1128267.
Age Concern Enterprises is based at 4th floor, 207 - 221, Pentonville Road, London, N1 9UZ.
Fortis UK Contacts
Natalie Shale - 023 8035 2754
Louisa Barnard - 023 8031 3147
Email: