You are here: Home > Our Customers > Progress in 2005

• OUR CUSTOMERS
• OUR CUSTOMERS' VIEWS
• PROGRESS IN 2005
• OVERSEAS OPERATIONS
• LOOKING FORWARD
• PRINT SECTION

Progress in 2005

• We developed and implemented a new Product Development Model that puts the customer at the heart of all new product developments and changes to existing products.
• Over 55 market research projects were conducted, aimed at obtaining feedback on our product and service performance from existing and potential customers, IFAs and Business Partners.
• We provided a tool for our telephone based sales and service employees to enable us to gather immediate feedback from customers when they are calling about our services or products.
• We introduced a two way communication process through our Intranet called 'What's your Story?' enabling staff to give examples of ways in which we can look after our customers more effectively. Many employees are also customers, so they are in a unique position to give us feedback.
• We enhanced our award winning employee suggestion scheme, 'Ideas In Action'. Over 1,200 ideas were received from staff suggesting ways in which we can improve customer service, many of which have been implemented.
• Research was conducted into how customers who complain are treated, and how they feel their complaint has been handled. We've used this insight to improve our complaint handling service.
• Our consumer website has been redesigned to make our products more accessible to our customers, and has been made compliant with the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act. This involved working closely with the Royal National Institute for the Blind. To improve our accessibility to non web users we also provided over 1,200 items of literature and communications in Braille, large print or audiotape.
• We introduced a new software tool to help front line employees communicate more clearly with customers in letters and emails.

We received a number of awards during 2005, including:

• Life Insurer of the Year Award 2005 — sixth year running (British Insurance Awards)
• Most Admired Insurance Company — seventh time in eight years (Management Today)
• Provider of the Year in the Life Assurance, Term Assurance and Protection categories (Financial Adviser Life and Pensions Awards)
• Our first ever 4* service rating for both the 'Life and Pensions Providers' and 'Investment Providers and Packagers' categories (Financial Adviser Service Awards)