The Shepherds Friendly team is celebrating; we’ve won an award from the respected COVER Customer Care Awards 2020! We’re thrilled to announce that we were revealed as the winners of the Customer Service Above and Beyond category at the virtual ceremony.

These industry wide awards aim to “celebrate the best examples of excellent customer service shown by providers operating within life, protection and health insurance”.

Members of staff from various teams within the business, including Business Development, Claims, Underwriting and Marketing, attended the online event. Plenty of others were in attendance – many in their best gala outfits!

“We pride ourselves on our customer service.”

Chief Sales Officer, Antony Uttley said: “The team enjoyed attending their first ever online awards ceremony and it was made even better thanks to a win. We were thrilled just to be nominated as part of such prestigious awards that are so prominent in the finance industry. But, we’re over the moon to have won in such a competitive category and to be recognised for something that we pride ourselves on, our customer service.

“The service we provide to our members and intermediaries is always at the top of our priority list. We listen, work hard and continuously adapt to make our service the best it can be. So, this award is a very special one for Shepherds Friendly.”

“Impressed the judges with results, well defined strategy and implementation plan.”

During the ceremony, the Customer Service Above and Beyond Award was described as being ‘highly contested’, so we were thrilled to hear our name being called. It was explained that we “impressed the judges with results, well defined strategy and implementation plan”, alongside positive feedback from members and intermediaries.

In total, we were shortlisted in four categories, which is a huge achievement given the formidable competition. We’re extremely pleased with a win in a category that focuses on an aspect of business which is so close to the Society’s heart.

Our 2019 claims statistics have been released and we’re thrilled to share that we paid 96.26% of all new Income Protection claims made by our members last year.

The figure is an increase on 2018’s 95.8% claims paid rate, proving that the time we invest in continuously monitoring and reviewing our member experience is worthwhile. And it looks like our members agree; according to a survey we carried out last year, 96.55% of members who have claimed with us would recommend Shepherds Friendly to a relative or friend.

A Snapshot

We carefully review our claims statistics; spotting any trends can help us tailor our products and service to our members’ needs. Below are some of the facts and figures shown by our 2019 reports in relation to Income Protection claims:

• The two main reasons for claiming were musculoskeletal (42.36%) and mental health (14.67%)
• The average age for claimants was 37 (the oldest being 61)
• The average length of claim was 18.85 weeks

The Member Experience

An important part of the member experience involves maintaining clear communication throughout the entire duration of any Income Protection plan. Dan Palk, Head of Claims, said:

“When members take out Income Protection plans with us, we make sure that all the information they need about their plan is provided clearly, and our Member Services, Underwriting and Claims teams are always happy to answer any questions.

“Our application process is thorough, but fair; we ask the right questions without making members feel like they’re under interrogation. With both ourselves and the members fully informed, there’s very little room for error or misunderstandings, and therefore fewer reasons for us to decline a claim.”

Our Approach to Claims

At Shepherds Friendly, we pride ourselves on keeping things simple. This ethos makes the whole claims process easier for members, who are likely to be going through a challenging time. In fact, our survey revealed that 98.25% of members found the claims process to be clear and easy to understand. Senior Claims Assessor, Nikki Hargreaves says:

“Managing both an illness or injury and having to take time away from your job can be really stressful and disruptive. So, our job is to make sure that, when a member makes a claim, it’s a smooth, straightforward experience that eases their worries, instead of adding to them.”

One contributing factor to our strong claims paid rate could be how we manage each case. As Nikki explains:

“The approach we take to handling a claim is tailored to each member; we consider each member’s circumstances on an individual basis. It’s also important for us to remember that behind every case there is a human being, not just a policy number. We’re not here to tick boxes or find loopholes – we’re simply here to help.”

What is Income Protection?

It’s a type of insurance that protects your income by paying out a proportion of your salary when an illness or injury leaves you unable to work. This means that you and your family can get financial support, even if you are not well enough to work.

To find out more about our Income Protection plans, click here. 

Companies of all sizes from a diverse range of sectors located across the region, have been revealed in the 75 Best Companies to Work For in the North West, and we’re delighted to announce that we have placed 47^th.

The list, compiled by Best Companies, recognises the leading organisations that are creating the most engaging and exciting workplaces. The research also indicates that chief executives and senior teams understand that engaging with their workforce is the most effective way to attract and retain the best staff in challenging markets.

Nasrin Hossain, Culture Director at Shepherds Friendly, said:

“This result, alongside placing 21^st in the Sunday Times Best Not-For-Profit Organisations to Work For in the UK, is testament to our commitment to making Shepherds Friendly a positive and engaging place to work.

“Everyone at Shepherds Friendly contributes towards making this a happy and supportive environment. Our ethos means we are always looking to enhance our workplace with engagement schemes, ensuring we continue to progress. As a friendly society, our staff and members are at the very heart of everything that we do.”

Laura Hassall, Business Development Manager at Shepherds Friendly commented:

“Shepherds Friendly is a fantastic and engaging place to work. Since joining in 2018 as a Sales Support, I have been given the encouragement and support to progress to my current role as Business Development Manager, in under two years.

“Alongside staff development, there are lots of committees you can get involved with, such as the Green Committee and there are volunteering days available for all staff for our chosen charity, Seashell Trust.”

This is a great accomplishment because this list compromises of organisations of all sizes, large and small in the North West and we’ve been ranked against all of them and placed 47^th position. We are joined in the top 75 by the likes of Stockport Homes, Marriot Hotels International, Everton Football Club and Hobbycraft. The regional list can be viewed here.

What is RBCI?

The Regional Best Companies Index (RBCI) is the most academically rigorous way of measuring engagement. Using the Best Companies b-Heard Survey, employees are asked to score 70 questions on a 7-point scale from ‘Strongly Disagree’ to ‘Strongly Agree.’

The results are then calculated from the responses to 49 scoring questions aligned to the 8 Factors of Workplace Engagement. The final score is normalised for company size and calculated out of 1000.

Our official place in The Sunday Times Top 100 Best Companies to Work For has been announced! We are thrilled to share the great news that we placed 21^st in Best Not-For-Profit Organisations to Work For 2020 list.

The Sunday Times Top 100 Best Companies To Work For celebrates and recognises organisations with the very best in workplace engagement.

We ranked 21 out of 100 having already received a 2-star Best Companies accreditation earlier on this year for our outstanding commitment to workplace engagement.

Some of the companies who also made the top 100 list include; Manchester City Council, Alzheimer’s Research UK and Salvation Army Housing Association. You can view the complete Best 100 Not-For-Profit Organisations list with everyone’s ranking here.

The awards and good news doesn’t end here. At the ceremony held last night, not only did we find out our 21^st ranking, we also won the ‘Innovation in Engagement Practice’ award for our Mutual Moments initiative, launched earlier on last year.

Nasrin Hossain, Culture Director, commented on the announcement:

“It is an honour to have been named as 21^st in The Sunday Times Top 100 Best Companies to Work For list. This fantastic achievement was made possible because of the wonderful feedback from our staff, and it’s great to know that the culture we work so hard to build is appreciated by everyone working at the Society.

“We are constantly looking for ways to make improvements to workplace engagement, so as to create a positive environment, for staff and members alike. This award recognises the commitment and contribution of everyone here in doing just that.”

Jonathan Austin, CEO and founder of Best Companies, said:

“I would like to congratulate Shepherds Friendly Society on your achievement

“Best Companies have been producing the accreditation standard since 2006 to acknowledge excellence in the workplace.

“Organisations like Shepherds Friendly Society have continued to focus on their employees and have been rewarded with an engaged workforce who tell us that this is a best company to work for.”

We are very proud to announce that we have gained the 2020 Defaqto Gold Service Rating for our Protection Services. This outstanding rating is distinguished across the industry and provides an unbiased testimony of the quality advisers can expect from us.

Alongside the Gold Protection Service Rating, our Income Protection and Over 50s Life Insurance products have both received the highest possible Defaqto rating of 5 Stars, for the 4^th year running.

Defaqto Gold is a “key differentiator”

Our Business Development Team is thrilled to have scored the highest ratings from Defaqto. After attending Defaqto’s exclusive ‘Night of the Diamonds and Stars event’ last week, Head of Sales, Alex Fallowes said:

“This is a fantastic result for us. It can be difficult for advisers to distinguish between providers, so the Defaqto Gold Protection Service and 5 Star Ratings offer them a key differentiator when researching and selecting Income Protection or Over 50s Life Insurance products. We always strive to offer the best quality service to advisers and their clients.

“I would like to thank all of the advisers who voted for Shepherds Friendly in the Defaqto Satisfaction Survey; it’s a great achievement for us but we couldn’t have done it without their support.”

Exceeding Expectations

When speaking about Defaqto’s Service Satisfaction Survey, Light Blue said,

“We recommended Shepherds Friendly as they provide exceptional service from start to finish and always exceed our expectations.

“They stand out from the crowd as the Business Development and Underwriting teams always go above and beyond to ensure our clients’ needs are met. The claims process is straightforward and fair, and Shepherds Friendly has an outstanding reputation for claims paid rates.

“If I had to sum up Shepherds Friendly in three words, I would say ‘efficient, friendly and helpful.’ Overall, we really can’t recommend them enough!”

The society is owned by our members and run for their benefit and these achievements reflect our commitment to mutuality; by providing an exceptional and individual experience for every member and adviser.

For further information on our Income Protection plan or Over 50s Life Insurance, please get in touch or register today.

Defaqto Supporting Businesses

Defaqto is an independent financial information business, helping financial institutions and consumers make better informed financial decisions. It has over 25 years’ experience, with 60 analysts spending over 400 hours a week evaluating the market.

Since 2005, Defaqto has been conducting service satisfaction surveys across the adviser community, asking them to rate the service they receive from providers. The service satisfaction surveys cover DFMs, pensions, platforms, bond providers and protection insurers.

The comprehensive surveys ask advisers to rate the importance of a list of aspects of service that fall into different categories, using a 5-point scale.

Advisers are also requested to note down details of their preferred supplier(s) and rate their satisfaction level using a pre-defined set of satisfaction scores, ranging from ‘very dissatisfied to ‘very satisfied’. From the data gathered in their service satisfaction surveys, providers are rated Gold or Silver, based on their overall satisfaction score. Any other providers who do not qualify for these ratings are given ‘no rating’.

Advisers working in today’s market have a variety of Income Protection and Over 50’s Insurance Plans to choose from. Defaqto Service Ratings help them to make better-informed choices based on their peers’ perception of service. It also enables advisers to compare different product providers based on their service provision.

We are thrilled to announce that our Junior ISA has been awarded Highly Commended by Moneyfacts for the second consecutive year!

The Moneyfacts Investment Life and Pension Awards take place annually, celebrating and recognising industry leaders in the financial world for product excellence and outstanding service.

Our Junior ISA has been offered to members for eight years and we are delighted that our savings plan for children has been recognised as ‘Highly Commended’ by the Moneyfacts judging panel, for the second year running.

We would like to thank those who helped us through the initial stage of the Moneyfacts ILP Awards process by voting for us, making it possible for us to be shortlisted for a total of four different awards, which were:

• Best Junior ISA Provider
• Best Income Protection Provider
• Best Claims Support
• Best Protection Service

Max Jarrold, chief marketing officer, said:

“We are delighted that our Junior ISA has been highly commended by Moneyfacts for the second consecutive year. We work hard to provide our members with simple, value for money products, as well as outstanding levels of service when they need us. Our Junior ISA is a product that provides many families with an accessible and flexible route into saving for the future of their children, and we’re pleased that the competitiveness of our product has been recognised again.”