Pictured above: (back row left to right) David Harrison and
Paul Brown (back row left to right) Neil Chatburn and Nick
Coe
About the time when the catchphrase 'credit crunch' was being
coined and the recession was taking its grip on the nation,
Derby-based insurance broker and risk management specialists,
Franklands were in the process of implementing their ambitious
expansion plans, starting with the acquisition of one of their
local competitors, Shevill Parkes.
Fast forward three years and despite the challenges that they
have faced during the recession, the decision to continue to expand
in the face of the difficult economic conditions has proved to be
the right one with record breaking sales and unprecedented success
across a number of new markets.
Following the purchase of Shevill Parkes in 2007, Franklands
moved into new offices on Wyvern Business Park and set about
integrating the two companies to ensure that both company's clients
could see clear benefits from the merger.
In January 2010 the directors officially merged the two
businesses and rebranded to signify the start of something new and
innovative.
Since then the company has undergone a major restructure and has
managed the safe transition of the Shevill Parkes client base
thanks to efforts to make the process as smooth and client friendly
as possible.
Prior to the restructure, the team of directors consulted with
their employees and asked them what changes they thought would
benefit the company's clients. The results were collated and a
series of internal changes were carried out, namely the
restructuring of the company's large bustling team into smaller
teams with dedicated team leaders.
Since then there has been a noticeable improvement in
communication between the teams and increased efficiency. The
company has also launched a series of innovative new products and
services, including a new property owners scheme and a suite of
products aimed at the IT sector.
Keen not to rest on their laurels, however, two new account
administrators have recently been recruited and there are plans to
recruit more new staff to cope with increasing demand for the
company's portfolio of services.
Commenting on the restructure and the expansion programme, Paul
Brown, director at Franklands, said:
"The past three years have been a very exciting time for the
company. Of course certain markets have suffered in the downturn,
but we have continued to respond to market changes and provide the
best possible service for our clients to ensure that we continue to
grow year-on-year.
"What makes Franklands unique and so successful at what we do is
our commitment to ensuring that our clients have the right
insurance cover, should they need to make a claim.
We offer a refreshingly friendly but technical approach to
Commercial Insurance, whilst most of our competitors focus so
heavily on price that they often leave crucial gaps in cover.
"The next 12 months are set to be even more exciting with the
introduction of a whole host of new products and services and
further expansion," added Paul.
Franklands is one of the Midlands' leading firms of independent
commercial insurance brokers. Its services include professional
risks insurance, corporate insurance, risk management and disaster
recovery. The company also arranges health and safety audits and a
formal building valuation service.
The company prides itself on providing the right cover at the
right price and allocates a dedicated team of qualified insurance
professionals to each client to ensure they build strong, long-term
relationships with them.