LV= General Insurance hosted the latest annual edition of its Sole Site Repairer forum in late November with the key message to attendees: ‘keep doing what you are doing’.
Held, for the fourth consecutive year, at F1 Williams and courtesy of supporting partner PPG – the invite-only event provided an opportunity for business updates, a focus on future Sole Site strategy and discussions around further opportunities on how the network can continue to optimise its customer-centric experience.
Chris Payne, Head of Networks and Engineering at LV=, opened proceedings by emphasising how relationships are the key to Sole Site success. On that basis he outlined how during 2023 the business had added 14 Sole Sites to its network which now totals 40, with a further 10 sites scheduled for the coming 12 months. The key, suggested Chris, was to now focus on developing the ‘network of the future’.
Success
Chris highlighted that such has been the success of the Sole Site initiative, that it has now been mirrored in home claims with the first site now live and a further six planned for 2024. With obvious ‘differences’ between motor and home solutions, Chris pointed to how LV= would implant staff within its home Sole Suppliers and pondered how the same approach could or should be applied within motor.
Chris also pointed to the success of the insurer’s dedicated EV brand ElectriX and how, as part of the transition to EV and its associated standard – now standalone from the Green Heart Standard, the insurer had all engineers ATA EV qualified. Nine new Level 1 apprentice engineers – five of which are female – have also started their journey with the insurer during 2023.
Performance
LV=’s Network Manager, Michael Golding offered an insight into more of the data and metrics which sit behind the network’s performance – the key theme being ‘keep doing what you are doing’ with positive advances made in parts sourcing and resolution of any ‘problem cases’. He backed this up with research which highlighted LV=’s claims process had been voted as ‘excellent’ 17% higher than the industry average. Michael also highlighted how 44% of LV=’s repair volumes go through its Sole Sites network.
Outlining the focus for 2024 Michael pointed towards the key areas of: further roll-out of the Green Heart Standard which sees the EV pillar – now a separate standard – replaced by Environmental Repair; a focus on green parts; continuing to explore how efficiencies and, therefore, profits for Sole Sites can be leveraged; trialing of more projects; and furthering recognition of the Sole Site programme within Allianz [Allianz Holdings plc owns LV= General Insurance].
“We want everyone to realise the benefits of being a Sole Site repairer,” said Michael, “and with that comes the requirement to be profitable.”
Insights
The day was also supported by a number of LV= representatives and partners who provided insights into their specific areas of expertise including: LV=’s Lead Customer Insight Analyst, Mark McFarland provided an in depth customer service and NPS (net promoter score) of LV= motor claims activity; Mike Monaghan, owner of Auto-Motivate, gave an insight into the importance of psychological safety for employees within business; PPG’s National Business Development Manager Gary Langford offered a glimpse of the latest product, digital and added value offerings developed to support cost, energy and emissions reduction; Wes Young, Sales Director at AGM Services, gave insight into oven technology and advice on how to make significant savings from spraybooth operation included real time monitoring options; repair over replace was the theme of Peter McAninch, Managing Director of Plastrepair EU Ltd’s session during which he spoke of the need to see things differently in order to satisfy future business requirements; and finally Steve Silverwood, Managing Director at ECA Business Energy, gave his views on the increasing need to work towards carbon neutral operations and how 2024 could see average energy costs per job settle at a slightly reduced level to 2023.
