Improving Zurich’s customer services

At Zurich’s Cheltenham and Swindon call centres we deliver customer servicing, policy administration, and new business and claims activities for Zurich’s 2.8m UK open book life and pensions customers.

In May 2005, 11.6% of all calls were abandoned and competency and overall performance was at just 87%. In March 2006, one month after we took over, call abandonment had been cut to 2.3% and overall competency was up to 99%. Two years on from contract start these levels are being sustained, while call abandonment has been reduced further to just 1.8%.

We transferred 1,200 staff in two phases (February and May ’06). Staff communication was key to the transition and we created a collective working group with joint Capita and Zurich HR and Communications teams. Staff were kept regularly updated through newsletters, the weekly issue of FAQ’s and the Zurich intranet. We also organised employee benefit and pensions briefings as well as six ‘Town Hall’ sessions hosted jointly by Zurich and Capita with 150 staff present at each.

In November 2007 the Capita/Zurich account was officially recognised as an Investor in People. Areas of particular commendation included: 

• Our values
• Our performance management system
• Our culture of valuing individuals.                  

“The transition has been seamless and service performance has stepped up a gear – great work! Please keep it up, and thankyou.”

David Etherington, Chief Operating Officer, Zurich UK Life