AIFA has plans to take the results of its research to a voluntary collective of providers, called the Raising Standards Quality Mark scheme, which has agreed to look at call-centres as its first task.
The IFA trade body aims to improve the administrative standards of product providers by asking brokers to identify which three things they look for when they telephone call centres; which three elements they find the most irritating; and, which three improvements they would like to see most from call-centre operators when they compare the service they look for with the service they actually receive.
Director general of AIFA Paul Smee, said: “Call-centres are a bug-bear for many IFAs and their views will help providers identify how to improve their service. If provider administration standards improve for IFAs - with a reduction in errors and in the time taken to process paperwork and rectify any mistakes - in the long-term this should have a positive impact on IFAs’ clients and their confidence in the industry."
John Enos, director of customer operations at Norwich Union, said: “In 2003 we made significant progress in improving our policyholder service. However it is vital that we also receive feedback from IFAs about their experience of those companies which participate in the Raising Standards initiative, which is why we are very keen to hear from IFAs and to act on their feedback
