Claims Handler Review

Daily I answer calls from customers who are looking to claim on their insurance policy after having an accident. We go through the claim process with them and ensure we have captured every detail of the incident. We then talk the customer through the best nexts steps suited to them I.e getting their car repaired, hire cars, injuries etc. The majority of my daily role is on the phone however a certain amount of time I spent doing off the phone activities. This includes things like processing payments and online claims. The main focus of our day is to provide an easy and good customer journey.

My people skills and customer service skills have definitely developed and improved due to being in a customer facing roll. It is definitely challenging dealing with customers day in and day out however it has positively impacted the way I deal with customers and difficult situations. I feel my computer skills have improved also as I am using systems that I only had basic knowledge on from school but I am now using these daily and more intensely.

I enjoy my role within the business as it is very interesting. My apprenticeship does take a lot of time and work and balancing this with quite a demanding role can sometimes be difficult and stressful however I enjoy knowing I am gaining a qualification while working and getting that experience. The support from my training provider makes it a lot easier and takes off some pressure as everything is thoroughly explained and there is a massive amount of support there while we are completing tasks. Overall I am currently enjoying the apprenticeship programme and my role despite it being challenging.

Obviously due to covid there has been a bit of a halt put on to our apprenticeship programme but during normal times when we are in the office I feel the programme is structured very well. We know exactly when our assessor is coming in and have time booked off for this and we know exactly what is to be discussed or handed in at this meeting. During our meetings everything is thoroughly explained to us to ensure we know exactly what we are working on until the next time we see the assessor. We are always reminded of the support we have and our assessors make sure we feel comfortable with what we are doing and if not we know we will be able to contact them for help at any time.

Our employer gives us 3 hours a week away from our role to spend doing apprenticeship work. Most of the time this time is granted however understandably during busy periods it is sometimes not possible for the company to give us this time off. The company arranged an apprentice day for us to learn more about the programme and to network with other apprentices within the business. We do receive substantial support from the company however I feel there is a possibility for more support at times.

I can’t fault the support from our two training providers. If we are not sure of something or need help with something we know we are able to email or text our assessor at any time and we will receive a response to make sure we are comfortable with what we are supposed to be doing. After every meeting with our assessor I come away feeling confident with the next task I will be working on and know exactly what I should be doing as everything is explained well and in a way I understand it.

Through the tasks set for us we are able to use this information in our role for example our customer services skills which we need every day when speaking to a customer. It allows us to understand our role more and use these skills to make us better and the customer experience better. Learning the information about insurance and how it works allows me to understand and explain situations more when faced with a difficult situation in my role.

Within the business we use Yammer as a way of networking. On Yammer we can join different groups with people who have the same interests. We have a committee within our building who arranges events such as the Christmas party and other social events for the whole building and also select departments. This allows us to form relationships with colleagues on a professional level and outside of work also and meet people from other departments/floors or even sites that you wouldn’t usually.

Yes

I would recommend friends to work at Direct Line as I feel within the company and especially my department there is a nice bond between everyone and everyone is very friendly. The relationship between team leaders and the advisors makes you feel very comfortable and I feel there is a lot of support offered from management within work and also with personal life. The job can be challenging at times however it makes it interesting and there is a lot of different options for improving and different ways to contribute and do new things within the department.

Be prepared for a challenging role especially if you are applying to a customer facing role. You’ll feel comfortable joining a team and I have felt everyone is very welcoming and not just from management but everyone is very eager to help and supports you. If there is something you struggle with or don’t fully understand don’t be afraid to voice it or ask for help. Use your own initiative every day as a lot of questions can be answered yourself.