Teamwork and success

By George Cole

Norwich Union is one of the UK’s leading financial services companies, dealing with life assurance, pensions, investments and insurance. When customers call Norwich Union Direct, their call may be handled by any one of four call centres.

Each centre has 300 agents or, as Norwich Union Direct prefers to call them, tele-executives, and the business handles 20,000 calls a day.

Each call centre is similar in design; with open-plan offices- senior management do not have separate offices. The tele-executives work in small teams of around 8 to 12 people. Between each desk is a low screen, which provides some privacy, but without making employees feel isolated.

A team coach sits next to the employee during the first stages. “There is a lot of hand- holding,” says Jackie Connolly, the company’s customer services director. “We try to encourage a mind-set which says that you’re not just dealing with 60 accident claims a day, but with 60 different customers.”

There are regular meetings with team coaches and the team leader, and team games are organized to promote healthy competition.

English Language

Pre-Intermediate (2 year)

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