Kindertons Accident Management Supplement

SUPPLEMENT 2021
GREAT CUSTOMER
SERVICE DOESN’T
HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT

WELCOME
Modern Insurance Magazine is delighted to have been able to
partner with The Kindertons Group on the production of this special
supplement. We hope you enjoy the following interviews and articles
featuring a diverse and expert group of voices from across the
Kindertons’ family.
We start with an in-depth interview with Kindertons’ Managing
Director, Paul Taylor on the humble beginnings of the business and
how it continues to offer unique and award-winning customer service
year on year.
Through times of uncertainty and change, customer needs must
remain central to daily operations. Fleet Logistics Director, Christophe
Leemanyan discusses Kindertons’ approach to the changing
expectations customers have for exceptional service.
Christian Lindley, Kindertons’ Group Sales Director discusses the new
motor legal expenses product available at Kindertons as well as the
response to the long-awaited PI reforms.
Our final interview comes from Claims Director Lucy Ashmore, sharing
how the claims process at Kindertons puts integrity and transparency
at the forefront, ensuring costs are kept proportionate and the journey
itself remains lean.
Alongside our lead interviews we have feature articles discussing the
brand values and culture that is present in everything Kindertons does
and how technology and innovation drive the best possible claims
journey for customers.
Also, this supplement delves into how customer’s feedback shapes the
claims experience, how the Approved Repairer Network at Kindertons
continue to deliver high quality services and finally, we find out more
about the other niche brands within the wider Kindertons Group and
their unique specialisms and offering to the motor space.
I am sure you will find, running throughout this supplement an
overarching sense of care and respect for the customer in every facet
of daily operations at Kindertons. From working together to bring this
supplement to you, it has become apparent to me just how much the
human element of motor claims is central at Kindertons and that, in
their hands, customer experience really does come first.
Alexander Morrall,
Editor, Modern Insurance Magazine.
alex@charltongrant.co.uk
CONTENTS
INTERVIEWS
4 THE KINDERTONS’ JOURNEY SO FAR
Paul Taylor, Managing Director at Kindertons, shares the history of
the business, from its humble beginning and unique offering within
the claims and motor insurance market to how it continues to deliver
award-winning customer service year after year.
8 HOW WE ADAPT AND RESPOND TO EVOLVING CUSTOMER
NEEDS
Christophe Leemanyan, Fleet Logistics Director at Kindertons
discusses the changing expectations customers have for exceptional
service and how Kindertons operates to keep the customer journey
at the centre of operations. With each customer having unique
needs. Christophe explains how Kindertons adapt its services to
meet and exceed these needs going above and beyond with its
customer care.
16 CONTINUING TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION
Christian Lindley, Group Sales Director at Kindertons, discusses the
new motor legal expenses product available at Kindertons and their
response to the long-awaited PI Reforms.
20 THE IMPORTANCE OF INTEGRITY AND TRANSPARENCY IN THE
CLAIMS PROCESS
Lucy Ashmore, Claims Director at Kindertons, shares how the
claims process puts integrity and transparency at the forefront,
ensuring costs are kept proportionate and the journey itself
remains lean.
FEATURES
6 BRAND VALUE AND CULTURE AT KINDERTONS
Tamsyn Haselden, Group HR Director at ExamWorks UK discusses
the importance of our brand values and how they help to shape who
we are and what we stand for.
10 HOW WE EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATIVE IDEAS
TO DRIVE THE BEST POSSIBLE CLAIMS JOURNEY FOR OUR
CUSTOMERS
Mick Murphy, Customer Services Director of Kindertons takes a look
at how we have embraced - and continue to embrace - the evolution
of new technologies, whilst still keeping our core intentions from
those early days, close at heart.
14 HOW CAN A CUSTOMER’S FEEDBACK SHAPE THEIR OWN
CLAIMS EXPERIENCE?
Tom Batho, Customer Experience Analyst shares his thoughts on
how, through our innovative approach, we can continually adapt
to help achieve consistent excellent customer service.
18 OUR REPAIR NETWORK – ANOTHER VITAL COG IN THE
MACHINE FEATURE
Kindertons’ Approved Repairer Network boasts nearly 190 fully
approved repairers, on hand and ready to expertly manage any
vehicle repairs for our customers. Mike Slater, Repair Network
Manager at Kindertons looks at how our ancillary services set us
apart as a full claims management solution
22 ALL CUSTOMERS ARE UNIQUE, YOUR SERVICE SHOULD
BE TOO
Whether you’re calling your utilities provider to switch to the
latest deal or speaking to your travel company to postpone your
summer holiday once again, we all need to interact with different
service providers in our daily lives - so what makes an interaction
good or bad? We’ll take a look at what good customer service
should look like.
25 THINK BIKE, THINK PLANTEC ASSIST
With over 20 years’ experience, Plantec Assist is proud to deliver
a market-leading claim management, repair and mobility solution
designed exclusively for motorcyclists.
27 FROM HACKNEY CABS TO PRIVATE HIRE VEHICLES…
WE OFFER A TRULY BESPOKE CLAIMS SERVICE WITH THE
TAXI DRIVER IN MIND
The chances are if you try to think of a bespoke taxi claims
provider, Sovereign Automotive will be your first thought – and
for a very good reason!
29 THE FINAL WORD...
The final thoughts from Paul Taylor, Managing Director
of Kindertons
Editor
Alexander Morrall
Project Manager & Event Sales
Rachael Pearson
Modern Insurance Magazine
is published by Charlton Grant Ltd ©2020
All material is copyrighted both written and illustrated. Reproduction in part or whole is strictly forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. All images and information is collated from extensive research and along with advertisements is
published in good faith. Although the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information in this publication was correct at press time, the author and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss,
damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.
Kindertons Supplement 3

THE
KINDERTONS’
JOURNEY
SO FAR
PAUL TAYLOR, MANAGING DIRECTOR
AT KINDERTONS, SHARES THE HISTORY
OF THE BUSINESS, FROM ITS HUMBLE
BEGINNING AND UNIQUE OFFERING
WITHIN THE CLAIMS AND MOTOR
INSURANCE MARKET TO HOW IT
CONTINUES TO DELIVER AWARD-
WINNING CUSTOMER SERVICE YEAR
AFTER YEAR.
KINDERTONS HAS GONE FROM A SMALL FAMILY-RUN
BUSINESS IN 1993 AND IS NOW A MARKET-LEADING
CREDIT HIRE ORGANISATION. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT
THIS JOURNEY?
When the Kindertons’ journey started in 1993, the business
was originally known as Kindertons Motoring Services and
they were known locally for maintaining and selling cars. By
1997, the business had seen the emergence of the large car
supermarkets and decided that it needed to diversify in order
to grow.
Reaching out to local connections who specialised in insurance
broking, they quickly identified an opportunity to assist
customers following an accident, recognising that customers
could benefit from even greater support when making a claim
than just being directed back to their insurance company.
So they tested the water and asked their connections to
start referring their customers over to them, giving them the
opportunity to demonstrate the real value they could bring to
the process – and the rest, as they say, is history!
Within a year, Kindertons went on to look after 10 high street
branches of a well-known broker group, and the word soon
started to spread around the North-West.
In the early days, the company used the stock from the
original vehicle business to lend cars out to help customers
who had been involved in an accident. However, it became
clear that they needed to invest in a small fleet of their own
vehicles to match customer needs – this fleet has substantially
grown over time to become the renowned Kindertons’ fleet
we all know today.
The key theme that runs throughout our journey centres
around strong relationships, word of mouth and good service
recommendation. Since 1999 onwards, the business has grown
from just three people in a portacabin to in excess of 800
employees who each play their own unique roles in driving a
seamless claim journey for customers.
When we moved to our current headquarters in Crewe,
increased demand through local insurance brokers and repairers
led to expansion into London and then eventually opening
transport hubs around the country. By 2006, the business had
several transport hubs throughout the UK, looking after brokers
and repairers in their local areas.
The big turning point came from 2010 onwards, when the
businesses service reputation became national – attracting
corporate insurance brokers and insurer brand interest. We
started to look after some big brands which then led to
the substantial growth of the business and some fantastic
partnerships that we still retain to this very day.
We currently look after some of the UK’s biggest insurance
and manufacturer brands, as well as some of the leading
broker groups.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS KEY TO KINDERTONS’ SUCCESS?
From the very outset of our journey, our success has always been
about the culture of Kindertons. Our people are key to this –
you get a real sense of their commitment, energy and pride to
work here during every interaction. There’s no egos or status
within the business and it’s really about creating that passion
for service, through people enjoying what they do – which
ultimately makes the real difference for our customers.
Still today, that ethos remains crucial. Our reputation for
delivering the best service only comes from the fact that
we’ve got people who want to be at Kindertons and enjoy
working here.
WE UNDERSTAND KINDERTONS IS PART OF A WIDER
COLLECTION OF BRANDS, HAVING JOINED THE
EXAMWORKS GROUP IN 2018. HOW DOES KINDERTONS
FIT WITHIN THIS EXTENDED FAMILY?
We’re an integral part of the ExamWorks UK Group and feel
incredibly fortunate to have received the investment and backing
from our owners to allow us to thrive. We all share the same
culture, values and commitment to delivering the best possible
outcome for our customers – and this radiates throughout the
wider group, whichever business you work within.
Since joining forces, we’ve been able to offer our customers a
much wider proposition and greater economies of scale. We can
now guarantee a complete 360-degree motor claims solution,
including medical reports, health assessments and rehabilitation
treatment utilising the specialisms of the other brands within the
ExamWorks UK Group.
FROM THE VERY OUTSET OF OUR JOURNEY, OUR SUCCESS HAS
ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT THE CULTURE OF KINDERTONS. OUR PEOPLE
ARE KEY TO THIS – YOU GET A REAL SENSE OF THEIR COMMITMENT,
ENERGY AND PRIDE TO WORK HERE DURING EVERY INTERACTION
4 Kindertons Supplement

As part of the accident management and mobility channel of
the ExamWorks UK Group, we also work alongside a number of
other brands, each with their own unique areas of expertise that
are designed to work in partnership with and complement our
own. This allows us to tailor our offering and provide different
services to different insurance partners depending on their
needs.
We have a niche motorcycle business at Plantec Assist, a taxi
specialist business at Sovereign Automotive, an engineering
business at JP Morriss and more recently, we also acquired
Crusader Assistance, who manage claims for a whole host of
high street and well-known brokers around the UK. We’re very
proud of each of our different brands and companies and the
unique contribution they bring to our family.
KINDERTONS’ MISSION IS TO PROVIDE FIRST-CLASS
AUTOMOTIVE ACCIDENT MANAGEMENT AND MOBILITY
SOLUTIONS, WHAT SERVICES DOES THIS INCLUDE AND
WHO ARE YOUR TARGET MARKET?
Our aim is to make sure that every customer is offered
immediate care and support to deal with whatever comes from
the aftermath of a road accident. It could include many different
services or even just simple advice to help navigate the complex
process of having to make a claim.
We take care of every customer that calls us. Regardless of
who’s to blame for the accident, we offer a direct service to help
people report their claims to their insurers. For us, it’s always
about the welfare of the customer and our priority is to look
after them and focus on keeping them mobile.
We have a network of nearly 190 repairers, with our very own
transport hub network spread across the UK, supported by
an extensive in-house vehicle fleet. This enables us to keep
people on the road, as we can quickly provide customers
with a replacement vehicle to carry on their normal lives. In
addition, we offer a wide range of services including repairs
of alternative vehicles, roadside recovery and negotiating
settlements on behalf of the customer if their vehicle is written
off. We also offer access to legal services through our legal
expenses insurance products.
AN UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO DELIVERING
THE BEST POSSIBLE CLAIMS JOURNEY FOR CUSTOMERS
COMES ACROSS VERY STRONGLY WHENEVER YOU SPEAK
TO ANYONE AT KINDERTONS, ALMOST AS IF IT IS PART
OF THE KINDERTONS’ DNA. AS A LEADER, HOW DO YOU
PROMOTE AND DRIVE THIS PHILOSOPHY THROUGHOUT
THE BUSINESS?
My personal view is that honesty is key. As a leader of
any good business, I always try and make sure that all of our
employees understand what we promise to deliver to our
customers. We share all the performance numbers and customer
feedback across the organisation every day − whether they’re
incredibly positive or there’s room for improvement. When
things go wrong, we don’t blame each other, we just focus on
putting things right and improving our processes. When things
go well, we try and celebrate them and share the news internally
to set the bar and give everyone a sense of the role they can
play in driving an improved journey for our customers. From my
perspective, I always try to challenge the teams to think of new
ideas, which is what keeps us moving forward.
WHAT’S ON THE HORIZON FOR KINDERTONS, GOING
INTO THE FUTURE?
Lots of exciting opportunities! First and foremost, the priority is
to look after the business partners that we already have – the
ones that we’ve committed to support and have committed to
support us. We’ll work with them to enhance their own products,
help them grow their own businesses, and in turn help more
customers with their claim needs.
However, we’ve got a lot of exciting plans to offer more
services and products down the line. We’re investing heavily in
technology right now to enable us to provide claims services of
the future – whether that be through connected vehicles or more
interactive customer experiences. So watch this space!
HOW DOES KINDERTONS SET ITSELF APART FROM ITS
COMPETITORS AND WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE MAKES
KINDERTONS SO UNIQUE?
Simply put, we live and breathe the brands and the ethos of
our business partners from start to finish. We work hard to
enhance the experience of their customers, whether that be the
manufacturer brands that we look after or our insurance broker
partners. Acting as an extension to their brands, we’re always on
hand to offer support, advice and guide their customers through
every step of making a claim.
Our customer feedback, over time and throughout the pandemic,
has been humbling to read because our service is so much more
than providing a hire car or just repairing the vehicle.
Customers remember the care and attention they receive
through our claims team, and this reflects extremely well on
their own loyalty to the insurance brand they purchase their
policy from. Of course, it goes full circle as well – enhancing
the brand, reputation and customer loyalty of our business
partners too.
PAUL TAYLOR
Managing Director, Kindertons.
Paul joined the Kindertons Group in 2016 and now as
Managing Director, has overall responsibility for the
day-to-day leadership of our business and our service
delivery to customers, whilst also managing one of our
other group businesses, Plantec Assist. Paul has a proud
history working across the insurance industry with strong
connections to both claims and underwriting arenas.
Kindertons Supplement 5

BRAND VALUE AND
CULTURE AT KINDERTONS
In a recent board meeting, our Group Sales Director referred
to Kindertons as the industry’s “best kept secret” – a comment
that initially struck me!
But on reflection, he was right (although we don’t tend to admit
that to Christian too often!) As a brand, we’re synonymous with
great customer service. It’s our core purpose, it’s what we’re
known for and more importantly, it’s what we’re good at. From
every decision we make to every single action we take, we
always have the claims experience of the end customer in mind.
And yet, we don’t always shout about it in perhaps the way
we should.
‘Great customer service’ isn’t driven by purely having the
right service provision or processes in place. It’s also about
human connection, a shared vision and a business culture that
empowers our people – so they feel proud to work for us and
strive to always deliver the very best result for customers.
With an unassuming confidence, everyone at Kindertons
fervently works behind the scenes, playing their own unique
role in what makes us as a business so special and unique.
But how do we retain our customer-led culture and still stay
true to the original close-knit, family-feel brand that started out
nearly 30 years ago? Let’s delve a little further.
DEVELOPMENT FROM WITHIN
We have worked hard to build and grow our people along with
our services. There is a sense of fantastic achievement across
the company, a real team spirit and a culture of celebrating our
wins. We developed our ability to support our people along
the journey with us, from the recruitment experience through to
building a full career path. We think it is important to empower
our people to make a difference.
We understand how complex the insurance and credit hire
world can be, and it’s imperative that fresh new talent join and
build long-lasting careers within our industry. Our structured
induction and Academy programme provides those initial
foundations to navigate the world of credit hire in a fun,
structured and engaging environment.
From the start of their career, we ensure all our claims staff
benefit from a full and thorough learning experience. They
start their learning journey by joining our 4–6-week induction
programme, where they learn all they need to know about
Kindertons, the wider ExamWorks UK Group, and the
fundamentals of the insurance and credit hire industry.
Starting from a grass-roots level, we pride ourselves on
recruiting talent with little-to-no credit hire or insurance
experience; anyone can join this industry – if they have the
WILL, we certainly provide the SKILL! Our team of dedicated
trainers take them through the claims journey and provide the
knowledge they need to deliver gold standard service.
After the initial induction, their learning experience doesn’t stop
there! The new handlers move onto our Academy Team, where
supervised by our experienced Academy Management, they
will put into practice all the new knowledge and skills learned
during the initial induction.
We start with basic processes and tasks, and increase the
technical difficulty of the tasks as they progress during their
6-8 weeks in our Academy. During this time, our Academy
Management will coach and mentor our new handlers, assess
their strengths and talk to them about their interests, which
will help decide which area of the business will suit their career
paths. They may show Sherlock Holmes style investigatory skills
and be confident decisions makers – perfect for our Liability
Teams! Or naturally be an organised, methodological person
with attention to detail, which suits our Live Hire Teams! Once a
business area has been selected, in come our trainers to upskill
them on the specifics surrounding their business area, before
they fledge onto their chosen teams.
The induction and Academy last for three months, but we
believe this is time well invested to ensure we give our future
stars the best start along their career journeys – helping to
build a successful and prosperous business for our people
and customers.
Once embedded in the role, individuals get the opportunity
to progress at their own pace. We have performance
support in place with career progression opportunities to
grow and develop.
For our Senior Managers, we have a ‘Top Gear Programme’
that takes our talented individuals on a journey to stretch and
develop their strategic vision. We challenge and shape their
resilience, their leadership style and their ability to think “big
picture”. They take on projects across the business to innovate,
improve and refine our business offering.
Engagement is a key part of how we do business and one of
the projects that came out of one of our talent groups was to
develop our engagement offering. We partnered with a
survey provider to run annual staff surveys and created a full
people agenda to listen to our people and deliver change for
the better.
6 Kindertons Supplement

But it isn’t all strictly business and we’re proud to be known for
our ‘work hard, play hard’ mentality. In previous years, there
wasn’t a week that went by without some sort of social activity,
whether it was karaoke at the office, football, parties in the car
park or drinks out – staff were at the heart of the business and
everybody was part of the family.
Today that spirit still very much remains an important part of
the Kindertons culture – although in recent years, we have
chosen to upgrade our parties from the head office car park
to more larger scale festival parties, rewarding our people for
all their hard work in delivering the best possible experience
for our customers.
We always try our best to support our people to be the best that
they can be – not just in work but in life. We know the business
benefits from having happy, productive people!
Like all businesses, we have spent considerable time supporting
our people through the recent pandemic. We’ve used this time
to refine, adapt and improve and we’ve come out the other
side with new ideas, better ways of working and are excited
to grow. We continued to listen to our people throughout this
period and worked with our engagement partners to run regular
surveys to understand how supported people felt and what
more we could do.
And the results speak for themselves…
LIVING OUR VALUES
Our values are the golden thread that feeds through all
of our hard work. We recruit, make decisions and manage
performance all with our values in mind. At Kindertons, it’s not
only what you do but it’s how you do it that makes a difference.
92%
of employees felt that we had made
clear what they needed to do to keep
safe and healthy through the pandemic.
86%
of employees felt the leadership
acted with integrity.
FOCUS - Our business is all about people and our customers
are essential to our success. We will focus on delivering total
customer satisfaction by understanding what our customers
want and deliver it flawlessly.
84%
of employees felt we had put health
and wellbeing first in making decisions
about the risk of coronavirus.
INNOVATION - We are committed to innovation. We will
continually improve our skills, services and technologies and be
creative so that, together, we are the best we can be.
RESPECT - We care about the people around us. We will
show respect for colleagues, customers and partners; for
the environment within which we operate and the local
communities from which we all come.
STANDARDS - We set our standards consistently high.
We care about the service we provide and will strive for
continuous quality improvement in all that we do; getting
things right first time.
81%
of employees felt we had given
them the flexibility in their
schedule to take care of family.
As a family, we have realised the importance of human
connection, in looking out for each other and supporting our
colleagues. It has been a tremendous effort and we are really
proud of the resilience, effort and transition that we have all made.
TEAM SPIRIT - Our team spirit plays a vital role in our success.
We will show consideration for others’ needs and an awareness
of the impact of our actions.
KEEPING WELLBEING AT THE HEART OF
OUR PEOPLE STRATEGY
The wellbeing of our people is paramount and whilst it has
become a highly talked about area over the last few years, we
have always placed an importance on caring for our people
and our Kindertons’ family. We have a wellbeing wheel of care
that looks at all aspects of life.
Over the pandemic year, we have focused a lot on mental,
physical and financial wellbeing. We recruited internal
‘Outdoor Ambassadors’ to drive physical challenges including
covering the miles as a team to reach our US head office in
Atlanta. We also provided financial wealth support and offered
money saving tips and health and fitness based information
and advice.
TAMSYN HASELDEN
Group HR Director, ExamWorks UK.
Kindertons Supplement 7

HOW WE ADAPT
AND RESPOND
TO EVOLVING
CUSTOMER
NEEDS
CHRISTOPHE LEEMANYAN IS FLEET
LOGISTICS DIRECTOR AT KINDERTONS.
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GROUP’S
FLEET FUNDING, PROCUREMENT
AND LOGISTICS, HE REPORTS ON
THE CHANGING EXPECTATIONS
CUSTOMERS HAVE FOR EXCEPTIONAL
SERVICE.
A MOTOR ACCIDENT CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME, SO
HOW DOES KINDERTONS ENSURE CUSTOMERS ARE
SUPPORTED, WHATEVER THE TIME OF DAY?
You’re completely right. We of course see different peaks and
troughs throughout a typical day when accidents occur but the
reality is an accident can happen at any time.
Other industries could quite easily offer their services between
the core hours of 9am to 5pm on a Monday to Friday with
little to no detriment to the customer. But this model
simply doesn’t work when it comes to a customer needing to
report a claim following an accident.
If a customer is stuck on the M25 at 3 o’clock in the morning,
it wouldn’t be acceptable to ask them to wait until our phone
lines open at 9am to contact us. They need urgent assistance
and support with immediate access to an experienced claims
handler who can guide them through what happens next and
triage their case to arrange vehicle recovery.
It’s surprising just how much ‘traffic’ we do get in the
middle of the night. As it tends to be an emergency when
a customer calls us – whether they’re contacting their
manufacturer’s accident assistance number and we’re linked
to that programme or they’re ringing us via their insurance
brokerage – it’s so important that we are always there to offer
support and guidance. This is why we’ve chosen to operate a
claims service delivered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
WHAT MECHANISMS DO YOU HAVE IN PLACE TO
IDENTIFY EMERGING CHANGES IN CUSTOMER NEEDS?
At Kindertons, we’re very much customer led and we continue
to use a number of different metrics to help shape our service
proposition and ensure we can deliver the best possible
outcome for our customers.
Through detailed analysis, we’re able to determine key trends
and can adapt our service accordingly. A good example here
is the direct correlation between a customer’s profession and
what time they can call into us. In the case of teachers, NHS
staff and civil servants, we recognise they have very rigid break
times each day, which can result in ‘peak times’ when they
contact us. Knowing this, we’re able to adapt our call centre
infrastructure to cater for more calls during these periods.
Likewise, by operating a 24/7 claims line, we can now predict
an increase in phone calls after 6pm when customers are back
home and have more time to process their claim. It’s about
reporting claims and call volume by the hour and adjusting
staffing levels at different times of the day to suit the needs of
our customers.
From a vehicle point of view, each customer will have very
different needs. We currently manage a number of accident
aftercare solutions for some of the well-known motor
manufacturers. Often these drivers have specific requirements,
whether that’s 4X4 ability or a towbar because they tow a horse
trailer, and it’s crucial we ensure we’ve got the right car for them
at all times.
IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, WHAT EFFECT HAS THE COVID-19
PANDEMIC HAD ON CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT
GOOD SERVICE LOOKS LIKE AND HOW HAS KINDERTONS
BEEN ABLE TO ADAPT TO THIS?
The pandemic gave us the perfect opportunity to review
our overall service provision – allowing us the time to look
at certain aspects of the business and assess what positive
changes we could make to drive an even better experience for
our customers.
Interestingly, the current pandemic has actually helped us as
a business to be more agile. We’ve been able to embrace a
split between office and home working and adopt greater
flexibility for our employees on not just where they work, but
when they work. In doing so, we’ve be able to reach a happy
medium where staff can work around their current lifestyles and
customers can have greater benefit from our support regardless
of the time of day.
More recently, we’ve also been able to apply the same model
for some of our nationwide transport hubs. We were starting to
see an increase in the number of customers asking for one of our
replacement fleet vehicles to be delivered on a weekend but as
these sessions were previously limited, people weren’t always
able to get a delivery slot for the day or time they wanted. By
extending these sessions to a ‘7 till 7’ model (seven days a week
until 7pm), we’ve been able to introduce greater choice and
flexibility for our customers.
Demand for replacement vehicles also changed during this time,
but perhaps not in the way you would naturally expect. During
the first lockdown, there was unquestionably much less traffic
on the roads. However, even with the majority of the population
staying at home, we did notice an increased desire from our
customers to be quickly mobile again. They still needed to
attend hospital appointments, pop out for groceries and all with
the reassurance they would be safe. A lack of (and potential fear
of) public transport during this time only pushed people more
towards their own personal methods of transport.
WITH COVID-19 LIMITING PHYSICAL INTERACTION
BETWEEN STAFF AND CUSTOMERS, HOW HAS YOUR
STAFF CONTINUED TO MAINTAIN AWARD-WINNING
CUSTOMER SERVICE IN A SOCIALLY DISTANCED WORLD?
We’ve been doing a lot more with image assistance software –
requesting more photos and promoting desktop engineering
inspections, so that we’re not creating physical contact with the
8 Kindertons Supplement

customer. This has worked really well as we’re able to triage
our customers’ potential claim journey a lot quicker. Once the
images are received, we can assess the severity of the damage
and then make an assessment on what route the vehicle should
take and whether it needs to go straight to potential loss
assessment or repair.
We introduced compulsory electronic hire agreements, so
we’re no longer signing bits of paper outside the customer’s
chosen collection point. We also provide a contactless
delivery collection service, observing social distancing
guidelines at all times.
Another improvement is that our vehicles now go through an
intensive sanitisation process. Historically vehicles would get
a pre-delivery inspection that involved a thorough interior
and exterior valet of the vehicle. But now we’ve added a
sanitisation level where all the touchpoints are disinfected
and all our nationwide hubs have invested in sanitising fog
machines. When we’re with the customer, we sanitise the
touchpoints and the keys once again upon handover.
THE MOTOR VEHICLE WORLD IS RAPIDLY EVOLVING.
WITH THE CURRENT PUSH FOR ELECTRIC AND HYBRID
VEHICLES AND THE GOVERNMENT’S INITIATIVE
FOR ZERO CARBON EMISSIONS BY 2030, HOW IS
KINDERTONS RESPONDING TO KEEP UP WITH THIS
EVOLUTION?
Our in-house fleet reflects our customers and their needs. We
deal with a few motor manufacturers where we’re contractually
obligated to provide the same brand of vehicle. We do have
a big proportion of hybrid vehicles and operate a fleet of
fully electric vehicles as well. We’re conscious that the zerocarbon
emissions target has now been set for 2030 which is an
ambitious target for motor manufacturers, but we can definitely
already see the increase of customer ownership.
Although in percentage terms fully electric vehicles represent
less than 0.5% of the UK car parc, however take-up is much
stronger with recent months attributing to 6-7% of new
registrations being electric vehicles. So, as we progress through
the years, you can definitely see things shifting towards electric.
We’ve experienced this ourselves. 10 years ago, I would have
said that 80% of our fleet vehicles would have been diesel.
Now, with various issues that compounded the decline in diesel
sales, we’ve seen a marked shift back towards petrol. So, now
our fleet follows this trend; realistically, we’re probably closer to
a 80% petrol and 20% diesel split.
Just this month, we’ve taken on new fleets of electric vehicles.
We’ve just taken delivery of some Jaguar I-PACE and we are
also supporting Polestar, a Volvo EV sub-brand, by introducing
the new Polestar 2 to our vehicle fleet. These are all fully
electric vehicles available to any customers with a specific
requirement for an electric vehicle.
Of course, as the need for electric vehicles grow, so too will our
own in-house electric vehicle fleet to ensure we always have
the right vehicles available for our customers.
HOW DOES KINDERTONS RECOGNISE THE POTENTIAL
VULNERABILITIES OF CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE BEEN
INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND HOW DO YOU ADAPT
YOUR SERVICE IN LIGHT OF THESE?
There’s an argument to say that all of our customers could be
classed as vulnerable. The shock and stress resulting from an
accident can impair someone’s emotional state, judgement and
thinking and so it’s important we do all we can to support and
guide the customer and treat them fairly.
In the last few months, we have rolled out new staff training
and created a specific ‘vulnerable customer toolkit’ which is
available to all staff and includes lots of information on how best
to support our customers with any vulnerability.
We’re also very mindful that cars can be an emotive subject.
For many people, they are their second biggest investment
(or second biggest) asset and there can be a lot of emotion
surrounding what happened in the accident. Depending on
the severity of the accident, we might also be dealing with
potentially injured people.
But also, if someone is in a vehicle that’s been within the family
for a long time, there’s often emotional attachment too. The
vehicles might not be worth much to an insurer, but could
hold a lot of sentimental value to the customer. So, we’re very
conscious of making sure that we try within reason to get the
best outcome for the customer. If that means a customer’s car
being written off or being deemed as uneconomical to repair,
we’ll try a different tack like enabling the customer to have a
contract repair using green parts or retain their salvage and try
to repair the car independently.
Equally, we appreciate some customers are more nervous
drivers than others, especially if they are used to one particular
vehicle. The average age of a car now in the UK is just under
seven years, but we acknowledge that some people keep cars
for much longer. So, when you’re handing over a brand-new
replacement vehicle, you’re almost talking a different language.
That’s why we choose to offer one-to-one tuition. If a customer
requires, we go through all the controls with them and allow a
detailed orientation so they’re comfortable with the replacement
vehicle. The number of calls that we get from customers
afterwards asking ‘Can we buy the car?’ means the hardest job
for us is often trying to get the cars back!
CHRISTOPHE LEEMANYAN
Fleet Logistics Director, Kindertons.
Christophe was one of Kindertons first employees, joining in
1998 when Kindertons was just a small used car business that
focussed on mechanical and body work. Over the years and
as we’ve grown, Christophe has worked in many different
roles whilst climbing the career ladder. With a wealth of
experience and expertise, Christophe is now in charge of
the fleet funding, infrastructure, procurement and logistics
for Kindertons as well as the wider group.
Kindertons Supplement 9

HOW WE EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY
AND INNOVATIVE IDEAS TO
DRIVE THE BEST POSSIBLE CLAIMS
JOURNEY FOR OUR CUSTOMERS
10 Kindertons Supplement

FOR US, IT’S ABOUT
GETTING THINGS RIGHT
FOR THE CUSTOMER –
FIRST TIME, EVERY TIME
AND ON TIME
AT THE VERY START OF THE KINDERTONS’
JOURNEY, WE HAD ONE VERY SIMPLE AND CLEAR
AIM – TO SUPPORT CUSTOMERS FOLLOWING A
ROAD ACCIDENT AND EXPERTLY GUIDE THEM
THROUGH THE CLAIMS PROCESS.
Since those very early days, the business has hugely evolved,
embracing technology and innovative thinking to drive an improved
service proposition for our business partners and even better claims
journey for their customers. But even to this day, that original intention
still very much applies.
First and foremost, we are here for customers. If they find themselves
involved in an accident, we remain on hand to offer much needed
support, reassurance and guidance, and to hand hold them through
every stage of their claim.
And what’s more, with an impressive resume of helping nearly 1.5
million customers get back out on the road following an accident, we
do it very well.
For us, it’s about getting things right for the customer – first time, every
time and on time.
Over time, we’ve developed the knowledge, wisdom of experience and
finely tuned what we do and how we do it to ensure we continually set
the bar for what great customer service should look like in our industry.
Recently re-accredited with the ServiceMark from the Institute
of Customer Service, everyone at Kindertons proudly wears the
accolade as a badge of honour – a glowing endorsement of our
people, our deep-rooted service culture and our unique approach to
claims management.
It’s not a coincidence that exceptional customer service and Kindertons
are often mentioned hand in hand. When asked why other businesses
should partner with us, our response is simple – because great
customer service doesn’t happen by accident. Instrumental to our
success is staying true to our core customer-centric philosophy, values
which have long stood the test of time.
But what does an ‘innovative’ customer journey look like in the real
world of motor claims?
LET’S START AT THE BEGINNING
First notification of loss is, without question, the most crucial part of any
claim. This is often a customer’s first interaction with us a brand and it’s
so important we make the right first impression to gain the customer’s
trust and confidence that they are in safe hands and we will always act
in their best interests.
Kindertons Supplement 11

It might sound fairly obvious but it starts with ensuring we are
always there for customers when they need us to be. If they
require assistance, advice or support, we’re there to pick up the
phone – whatever time of the day. That’s why our front-line staff
are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Our inbound contact centre can handle thousands of calls
each day and we need to constantly look at technology and
innovative ways to help us achieve this.
Through advanced and highly sophisticated telephony
capabilities, we’re able to predict, plan and resource for any
surges in call volumes, ensuring customers are not left on hold
for prolonged periods and can quickly reach a claims handler
for urgent assistance.
By using this insight to shape our contact centre strategy,
we’ve been able to yield some incredibly positive results,
consistently answering calls quickly to provide immediate
assistance and support to our customers when they need us.
While this provides assurances to our business partners that
they were right to place their trust in us to manage claims for
their customers, the ultimate benefactor here is the customer at
the end of the phone, who is quickly put through to one of our
claim experts for help.
SETTING THE WHEELS IN MOTION
With our 24/7 roadside assistance, we ensure that customers
arrive safely home should their vehicle require recovery from
the scene. Our team instruct the agent at the beginning of
the call and complete the remaining details whilst a recovery
truck is in transit to the customer. We are generally with the
customer within 30-45 minutes, through our UK-wide strategic
partnerships with the very best in the recovery sector.
Once we’ve received details of the accident, we’ll provide
an initial assessment on liability – proactively chasing the
evidence for our customer. We then provide the relevant
options available to allow the customer the flexibility and
choice when deciding how they would like to proceed with
their claim. They may opt for services on credit, they may
choose to pursue the third-party insurers directly or utilise
their own insurance policy. Our processes are set up to serve
any route the customer wishes to pursue, offering expert
advice and support throughout.
Our team will then provide the first ‘triage’ of the customers’
vehicle, taking down verbatim comments with regards to the
damage sustained in the accident. Through bespoke and
more closed questioning techniques, coupled with images
from the customer to validate the initial triage, we are able
INSTRUMENTAL TO OUR
SUCCESS IS STAYING TRUE TO
OUR CORE CUSTOMER-CENTRIC
PHILOSOPHY, VALUES WHICH
HAVE LONG STOOD THE TEST
OF TIME
to establish the roadworthiness of the vehicle. Following an
incident, this is absolutely crucial to ensure that a customer is
given the correct advice as to whether or not to continue driving
their damaged vehicle.
In terms of images of any ‘damages’, if the vehicle is repairable
and upon receipt of our instruction, customers can be given a
link to bespoke estimating software that assists the customer
in taking the right type of images to allow a remote desktop
inspection. 95% of our customers currently use this method
when offered, as it means a much quicker assessment of the
damages, allowing us to arrange a quicker booking in date.
We also offer the customer advice on how to take VDA style
images, for potential total loss or pre-accepted claims requiring
further liability investigation.
This allows the customer to be in complete control when listing
the damages to their vehicle. The results have been extremely
impressive. Whilst the initial main driver for the process was to
ensure that vehicle inspections could safely proceed through
the pandemic, we have realised several additional benefits.
Most notably, our repair satisfaction rates have improved –
with a decline of fewer instances of missing accident-related
damages. Not to mention some of our network repairers have
commented on the quality of the customers’ own photos with a
degree of jealousy!
GETTING THE CUSTOMER UP AND
RUNNING AGAIN
We pride ourselves on delivering the very best impression to
our customers – not just on that initial call, but in every single
interaction and touchpoint throughout their claim.
Our processes not only support a better customer journey but
are also designed to reduce frictional discussion points with the
third-party insurers when we come to settle their losses.
Our Deployment Team will discuss the customers’ requirements
for a replacement hire vehicle and delve into the specific
needs of that customer, assessing this against the suitable
replacements available. With our own in-house fleet of vehicles
and strategically located transport hubs across the length of
the country, we’re able to deliver hire vehicles on the same day,
anywhere in the UK.
MANAGING A ‘LIVE’ HIRE
Once a customer is in a replacement hire vehicle, it’s our
dedicated Live Hire team who take over!
Each of our teams are structured specifically to ensure that
whatever route a customer takes, the subsequent touchpoints
and customer updates will be met accordingly. We always
contact the customer again following delivery of the
replacement hire vehicle to reconfirm details of their claim and
guide them through the repair or total loss journey, so they
know exactly what to expect next.
Immediately after the first notification call, our liability team will
work hard on the cases that have yet to receive an admission
12 Kindertons Supplement

of liability from the third party or their insurance company. We
know there is a huge degree of comfort for customers once a
liability admission has been issued and we work hard to fight for
the admission at the earliest possible opportunity.
It’s really important to us that we work within the expected
timeframe, so we’re delighted that our network is moving
towards 100% capability to transact with us through Active Web.
Active Web is a very slick and simple electronic update
mechanism that enables repairers to provide regular updates
and keep all parties involved informed on the progress of
the repairs. This allows us to remain in control of the claim at
all times.
We always work closely with our repairer and insurer networks
to ensure the hire durations are kept in line with relevant
guidelines and case law.
Again, this is another example of where Kindertons has chosen
to greatly embrace technological innovations. We’ve chosen
to partner with Rant n Rave, who provide us with a cuttingedge,
real-time customer engagement solution. Their intuitive
platform not only captures feedback from our customers but
processes their comments, enabling us to understand their
feelings about their experiences with us and how they perceive
our service. This allows us to react quickly, altering our service to
meet any unique demands.
Look out for a feature article later in this supplement from Tom
Batho, our Customer Experience Analyst, on how feedback from
customers can help shape their own claims experience.
IT’S MORE THAN JUST A PROCESS, WE
NEED A HUMAN TOUCH
The world moves fast and we never stand still on creating new
solutions and technology for our customers.
SETTLEMENT OF THE CLAIM
Once a file is invoiced, we work hard to keep the customer
updated on the progress of their claim. From an outsider
looking in, a customer journey could be deemed to end as soon
as the repairs have been completed or a total loss settlement
has been received – but our involvement and customer support
extends much further.
We support our customers with any other uninsured losses as
a result of the accident and work closely with the customer to
evidence their losses to enable a pragmatic and swift settlement
with the third-party representatives.
With the exciting introduction of a new claims and fleet
management system on the horizon, the Kindertons’ claims
process looks set to be slicker than ever.
However, technology can only go so far in driving a good
experience for our customers. For this, we entrust our people
– our internal claims experts – to guide our customers through
the process with efficiency, dedication and empathy. This finelybalanced
professional and supportive approach worked well
for the very first claim we handled back in 1993 – and we’re
confident it will for many more claims to come.
Through the nature of our industry, customers may be required
to provide additional information to support their claim or in
some circumstances, they may need to proceed to litigation
if their claim has not settled. Our experts in the Recoveries
Department work hard to ensure this is the last course of action,
and through our strong and positive relationships with insurers,
will ensure we do all we can to provide the ultimate goal of
ensuring our customers have a hassle-free service.
HOW CUSTOMERS PLAY THEIR PART IN THE
PROCESS
Through our vast experience of managing claims, it’s well
evidenced that by providing customers with the necessary tools
and support, they can help us to make a better and quicker
decision in return.
We genuinely believe the more we involve the customer
throughout the process, and the more they understand how our
process works, the better we can manage their expectations.
Of course, it isn’t just about a customer providing us with
details of the circumstances of their claim and letting us
know their requirements. It’s also about a customer having
the opportunity to tell us how well we’re doing and the
confidence that we will use that feedback to validate or drive
improvements in our service.
MICK MURPHY
Customer Service Director, Kindertons.
Kindertons Supplement 13

HOW CAN A
CUSTOMER’S
FEEDBACK
SHAPE THEIR
OWN CLAIMS
EXPERIENCE?
THE WORLD OF CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
NEVER STANDS STILL. PERCEPTIONS OF
WHAT IS AN INNOVATION TODAY HAS THE
POTENTIAL TO QUICKLY BECOME ONE
OF TOMORROW’S CHALLENGES IF LEFT
UNCHECKED.
At Kindertons, innovation is not only welcomed, it’s a
compound ingredient to our continual success. Real world
customer experience is what matters, and we continually look
for opportunities where technology can be used to help to
bring customers closer with less friction.
We understand that, in many cases, customers reach us via a
means of necessity without ever being in the position to ‘shop
around’ in their hour of need.
We strive to do all within our power to support customers
when they need us. Taking customer expectations to a
place of safety and confidence, we build trust and two-way
understanding around the individual needs of each customer.
They can be confident knowing they are in the hands of
experts who work tirelessly to resolve each claim, without
the grind or uncertainty of managing a tricky and stressful
situation alone.
quickly adapt to any linked trends or themes identified and flex
our approach to how we manage the remainder of the customer
claim based on their direct feedback. In doing so, the customer is
able to directly influence and shape their own journey – and we
ensure we can deliver the best possible experience and outcome
for each customer, every time.
Our people are essential to the success of this strategy and
we actively encourage everyone at Kindertons to seek out
opportunities to positively shape each customer journey through
every single interaction.
But what does this mean in practice? Simply, we advocate an
environment where our people are empowered to ‘call it out’ if
they identify that a customer is less than happy and promote a
culture where doing the right thing for a customer is our primary
goal.
And the fact that we can boast consistent industry-leading net
promoter scores clearly demonstrates this customer-led model
works – for Kindertons, for our business partners and most
importantly, for our customers.
Having a strategy that allows the business to adapt quickly to
shifting customer needs is the backbone of what we do and
how we do it. It allows us to be agile in situations where the
process of making a claim is not quite a neat fit for the real
world needs of a customer. Whilst circumstances can often be
similar, our experience has taught us that no two claims are
exactly alike and the journeys that customers go on can be
different based on individual circumstances.
We don’t want to review our performance against a customer’s
expectations at the end of a claim – recognising that this
approach doesn’t help the customer in the moment.
That’s why we choose to closely monitor feedback from
each customer at multiple touchpoints through their claim
journey, offering our customers an impartial opportunity to
give feedback at each link in the chain. This in-turn provides
us with insights into both what is working well, and areas that
need enhanced focus and attention.
The data we see from these responses allow us to be both
proactive and reactive on an individual case basis. We can
TOM BATHO
Customer Experience Analyst, Kindertons Group.
14 Kindertons Supplement

CONTINUING TO BE PART
OF THE SOLUTION
CHRISTIAN LINDLEY IS GROUP SALES DIRECTOR AT KINDERTONS AND IS RESPONSIBLE
FOR DEFINING AND DELIVERING THE OVERALL STRATEGY FOR SALES AND MARKETING
ACROSS THE DIFFERENT SECTORS IN WHICH THE GROUP OPERATES. HE DISCUSSES
THE NEW MOTOR LEGAL EXPENSES PRODUCT AVAILABLE AT KINDERTONS AND THE
RESPONSE TO THE LONG-AWAITED PI REFORMS.
THE PI REFORMS HAVE BEEN IN THE
PLANNING FOR YEARS NOW, DID
YOU EVER THINK THE DAY WOULD
COME WHEN THE CHANGES WERE
ACTUALLY INTRODUCED?
If I’m being completely honest, there
was a time when I thought they might
not happen because they’ve been
that long in the making. But ironically
enough, not because of Brexit, the
pandemic, elections or government
upheaval – instead due to the resistance
from the industry who at times it seemed
simply didn’t want these changes to
go ahead, believing the introduction of
these changes would not be in the best
interests of the customer.
There’s been so much regulatory and
legislative change over the last 12 years
that it was inevitable that something was
eventually going to happen. Now that we
know what the changes are – and we’ve
managed to come up with the most
appropriate solution to help insurers,
brokers and their customers alike – we
can accept and embrace these changes
and focus on doing what we’re best at,
delivering a first-class service.
HOW HAS KINDERTONS PREPARED
FOR THE REFORMS AND SUPPORTED
YOUR WORK PARTNERS THROUGH
THE TRANSITION PERIOD?
Personal injury is not actually Kindertons’
core business. We’re a full solution claims
management provider of hire, repair and
mobility services. However, we recognise
that personal injury is very much a byproduct
of the suite of services we offer.
When we initially answer that call, it’s
because someone has had an accident
and they may be stranded on the
roadside. It’s about offering support and
guidance in that moment – not the fact
that they may need to make a personal
injury claim.
In the very first days after George
Osborne made his announcement in
November 2015, we took a conscious
decision to work with our partners to
understand what they wanted us to do.
The majority of our partners still wanted
us to hand hold their customers through
the claims process, which is what we’ve
done and will continue to do.
Our mantra is very much: “we want to do
tomorrow what we do today”. When you
think about it, all of the legislative and
regulatory changes in the last few years
haven’t really impacted the customer
in the same way, as we’ve been able
to make changes behind the scenes to
ensure that they would continue to have
the same journey.
Customers weren’t really aware of the
implementation of the portal, or the
portal cost and any subsequent changes
to that cost. They still got to speak to
somebody who would assist them and
handle the claim on their behalf. The
reality now is that The Civil Liability Act
has a direct impact on the customer and
it’s about how the customer can adapt
to that. We ourselves, as a business (as
many others will), have taken a personal
responsibility to work with our business
partners and their customers to make it
work.
MAY 2021 SAW THE LAUNCH
OF YOUR NEW MOTOR LEGAL
EXPENSES INSURANCE PRODUCT,
WHAT MAKES THIS A UNIQUE
OFFERING TO THE CUSTOMER IN A
POST REFORM MARKETPLACE?
We are now live with our post-reform
policy and the response has been
fantastic. It’s so encouraging to see
our business partners sign up to the
new scheme. It shows their ongoing
commitment and trust in Kindertons,
that we’ll work in the best interests of
our customers and provide them with
products of real value, which deliver the
level of protection they need in a postreforms
world.
We always strive to have the best
product and we’ve taken the opportunity
to enhance our level of cover to an even
greater level, because the Motor Legal
Expenses product is a real insurance
product. We want to make sure that if
our business partners and customers are
taking these policies out, it offers more
than just legal representation. Of course,
it provides access to legal representation
for our broker partners’ customers in the
event that they have a claim and there is
no additional cost or charge. But more
importantly, it looks after the claims
journey for them. The customer doesn’t
have to get involved in the Online Injury
Claim portal, arrange their own medicals
or rehabilitation and they don’t have to
deal with the third-party insurers or any
other challenges that potentially they
might otherwise face.
I believe we have a futureproof policy,
which is one of the best products out
there based on the whole of the market
benchmarking exercise we’ve completed
over the last few months.
I think it’s very easy to say that we’ve
got the highest levels of cover and
simply stop there, but one of the things
that we gave great consideration to is
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
cover. A major factor for introducing
the reforms was to try and reduce the
number of fraudulent whiplash claims.
Yes, there are lots of fraudulent claims,
but there are also many more genuine
people who have genuine accidents and
suffer psychologically as a result. With
our Motor Legal Expenses policy, PTSD
cover will again work in addition to that
legal representation and if there is trauma
as a result of an accident, the customer
will have access to a real policy which
will allow them to consult with a medical
practitioner. Plus, it includes a whole host
of other heads of cover that we believe
will ultimately benefit the end customer,
such as vehicle leasing and servicing and
motor prosecution defence.
It is also worth noting that our Motor
Legal Expenses policy was built with
the FCA GI pricing reforms in mind – a
further assurance that our product will
offer excellent value to customers.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF
HAVING A ‘BEFORE THE EVENT’
(BTE) PRODUCT IN PLACE FOR
CUSTOMERS AND WHAT ARE THE
POTENTIAL RISKS TO NOT HAVING
ONE?
For me, personally, I can see the real
value and protection a legal expenses
16 Kindertons Supplement

policy offers a customer. It offers
complete peace of mind and I’ll
certainly make sure I have a policy in
place going forward.
Without a doubt, the Civil Liability Act
is a game changer and I think it’s going
to take another 12 to 18 months before
the general public and the sector fully
get their heads around these changes.
There will still be 100s of thousands
of motorists who will have an accident
every year. In the majority of cases,
there is a genuine customer in genuine
need of a solution but their entitlement
and their access to justice has all been
affected as a result of these reforms.
From my point of view, the benefit is
peace of mind, but it is real peace of
mind not just a cliché or empty promise.
It’s a real policy, offering real value.
The customer can now choose to take
one of two journeys; to go without
or to take our policy. If they choose
to take our policy, it will protect
them, protect their damages, and
give them immediate access to legal
representation, even on a small claim.
For me, it’s quite clear there are tangible
benefits that need to be considered
with a BTE product, other than just legal
representation.
On the other hand, if customers don’t
have our policy in place, they can still
seek to run the claim themselves on the
official Injury Claims Portal. However,
whether they will get the same results
and outcome without professional legal
representation, remains to be seen.
HAVING DISCUSSED THE BENEFITS
OF A BTE PRODUCT, HOW WOULD
KINDERTONS STILL OFFER SUPPORT
TO A CUSTOMER WITHOUT IT?
WHAT DIFFERENCES IN SERVICE
CAN BE EXPECTED?
What underpins nearly 30 years’
experience at Kindertons is a
commitment to service and to providing
a worthwhile and valuable journey
for our business partners and their
customers.
The reality is, if a broker chooses not to
sell a motor legal expense policy, the
customer can seek to run their claim
themselves. However, if we spoke to one
of those individuals, would we turn them
away because they don’t have legal
expenses insurance? Absolutely not! We
believe it’s not in the best interests of the
customer or our business partners.
We will still provide them with access
to legal representation and take care
of their mobility needs, although
ultimately if they have no cover, there
has to be a charge for that. That cost
will be between the appointed legal
representative and the customer. Again,
that’s one of the benefits of having
legal expense insurance; 100% of the
customer’s damages are protected. So,
we will still facilitate a customer journey
and still look after our business partner’s
customer – but it will be down to that
individual customer and that legal
representative to then agree their own
fee structure for running their small claim.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE
TO A BROKER LOOKING FOR A NEW
MOTOR LEI PROPOSITION FOR THEIR
CUSTOMERS?
We understand that a broker’s core
business is motor insurance policies and
there are lots of factors that go towards
policy renewals to retain a customer’s
business. One is price, which obviously
we cannot directly influence. But also, it’s
claims experience. It’s what brokers want
their customers to experience when they
are faced with the daunting and often
distressing task of managing a claim.
To a certain extent, before the Civil
Liability Act, it could be argued this
wasn’t as relevant because solicitors
would run the case on a no win no fee
basis, a structure which of course no
longer applies.
Our message to our brokers is that,
hypothetically, for the equivalent cost of
a cup of coffee per month, why wouldn’t
you provide a policy to your customers
that will take away all that risk and
burden?
We also accept that lots of regulatory
bodies such as the Financial Conduct
Authority and the Ministry of Justice
state that legal expense insurance will
definitely play a significant part following
the introduction of the Civil Liability Act.
So, I can see significant changes from a
regulatory point of view in the future and
a much greater awareness of the benefits
of the legal expenses policy in the postreform
world.
WITH KINDERTONS’ REPUTATION
FOR FIRST-CLASS SERVICE, HOW
WOULD YOU CATEGORISE WHAT
COMPRISES FIRST-CLASS CLAIMS
HANDLING AND HOW DOES
KINDERTONS SPECIALISE IN THIS
AREA?
Kindertons is proud to deliver our
first-class services to a large number
of blue-chip customers. It’s all about
partnerships. We provide the full range of
accident management mobility services;
we answer the phones when customers
need us, we will manage any vehicle
repairs and we arrange the delivery of
vehicles when there is a mobility need.
These are typically our own vehicles,
delivered by our own experienced staff
who each take the care and time to
ensure a suitable handover and make
sure the customer feels more at ease.
We pride ourselves on our proven track
record of outstanding customer service.
We’re constantly evolving how we track,
how we report and how we deliver that
service. We appreciate how easy it is to
just have a badge that says: “we provide
great customer service”. But the reality
is that we have a proven track record of
managing claims and managing them
well – with a plethora of evidence that we
routinely share with our business partners
as part of our open and transparent
model.
CHRISTIAN LINDLEY
Group Sales Director, Kindertons.
Christian is responsible for
defining and delivering the
overall strategy for sales and
marketing across our group
companies. With the support
of his sales team, Christian has
been instrumental in supporting
Kindertons, and the wider
groups’, continued growth
through his commitment to
providing unrivalled marketleading
customer service. This is
demonstrated by strong client
retention and new customer
acquisition on many high-profile
accounts.
Kindertons Supplement 17

OUR REPAIR NETWORK – ANOTHER
VITAL COG IN THE MACHINE
If you bumped into anyone from Kindertons at an industry
event and asked them to summarise in one line what we do,
the chances are they wouldn’t just say ‘we’re a credit hire
organisation’. You’re far more likely to hear the terms ‘motor
claims partner’ or ‘we’re a specialist service provider who offer
a full claims management solution’.
There is a very deliberate distinction here – recognising the
service we offer to our business partners and their customers
is so much more than just picking up the phone and arranging
delivery of a replacement hire vehicle.
If you consider the needs of a customer who has been involved
in an accident, of course they will need to initially report the
claim and the chances are there may be a requirement to
provide them with a replacement vehicle.
But in order to provide a full claims management and mobility
solution, we also need to offer a number of ‘ancillary’ services.
These could range widely from vehicle valuations, theft
handling and total loss management to vehicle recovery,
storage and salvage.
And what about the repair of their damaged vehicle in cases
where it’s not deemed as a total loss?
For this, we entrust our Kindertons’ Approved Repairer
Network, expertly managed by our in-house bodyshop team,
to provide the best possible repair journey for our customers.
INTRODUCING OUR SPECIALIST REPAIR
EXPERTS
Initially starting out as a small team managing just 50
approved repairers and a number of outsourced repair
networks, the original aim of the bodyshop team was relatively
straightforward. They were responsible for creating a ‘best in
class’, industry-compliant repair network.
By this, we mean a repair network that offers a broad spectrum
of manufacturer and specialist material approvals, BS10125
accreditations and who could offer reciprocal non-fault business
– all of which could deliver a superb customer repair journey,
report low complaint volumes and consistently achieve or surpass
any repair management targets set.
Sounds simple, doesn’t it? It definitely was a challenge to get
this set up at times but I now look back on those early days with
great fondness, pride and a huge sense of satisfaction on what
we were able to achieve – after all, it set the foundations for the
Kindertons’ Approved Repairer Network we now know today.
OUR KINDERTONS APPROVED REPAIRER
NETWORK
Fast forward to 2021 and the Kindertons Approved Repairer
Network now looks substantially different, with nearly 190 fully
approved repairers on hand and ready to expertly manage any
vehicle repairs for our customers.
At first glance, this may seem like quite a high number. But key
to our repair model is the need to remain fully scalable to absorb
any spikes in capacity and ensure we always have the right repair
specialties in place for the ever-growing type and complexity of
vehicle repairs to meet customer requirements.
But it isn’t just the Kindertons Approved Repairer Network
that falls under the remit of the bodyshop team. Some of our
long-term business partners manage a large number of vehicle
manufacturer schemes, who each require their own manufacturer
approved repairers. We therefore work in close partnership
with these repairers to ensure the very best repair is undertaken
for customers and we protect the brand reputation of the
manufacturers at all times.
During the triage process, if we identify any cases where we
believe the vehicle damage is relatively minor, we may also
choose to utilise the expertise of Xpress Centres, a nationwide
body repair work specialist who can offer same-day service. They
specialise in a wide range of car body repair services for dents,
bumps, scratches, scrapes and scuffs to bumpers, wings, doors,
boots, tailgates, bonnets, roofs and headlights. We ensure they
use experienced, trained technicians who use the latest specialist
equipment and approved paints to repair and refinish the
18 Kindertons Supplement

customer’s vehicle. In placing work with Xpress Centres, we can
ensure a swift repair resolution for our customers.
When managing such an extensive repair network, it’s crucial
we have the right audit and compliance framework in place to
ensure consistency of service, and make sure that all customers
benefit from the same high standard and quality of repair.
Aside from repairers being independently audited by any
manufacturers and/or BS10125 accreditations they hold, our
network managers routinely visit each repairer to carry out onsite
audits. This ensures the highest repair standards are being
undertaken, as well as ensuring the correct repair methods and
correct equipment are used. It also allows us the opportunity
to check and record evidence of any certifications or insurances
they need to have in place and check they each work to the
GDPR policies and processes set by Kindertons.
Of course, it would be remiss of us not to mention the impact
the recent pandemic has had to our repair network. It’s well
documented that vehicle parts supply seemed to dry up
overnight – a devastating blow for the sector which no doubt
caused a lot of sleepless nights to repairers who I’m sure initially
wondered if this could be the end for them. What actually
happened was nothing short of remarkable! We saw so many
proactive measures quickly put in place – from introducing
streamlined processes and increasing communications with
us to offer their support, to making vehicles roadworthy again
when parts supply were an issue and repairers even travelling
miles to collect parts to ensure they could repair a customer
vehicle without delay. It definitely restored my faith in humanity
and reinforced the power, strength and resilience of everyone
within our repair network.
Repairers will ultimately have to diversify, as they will need
a wider offering of services and revenue lines to offset any
drop in demand for accident repairs. There are many ways
for repairers to do this and some early adopters are already
ahead of the game, offering ancillaries to body repairs, vehicle
wrapping, ceramic coating, smart repairs – even simple things
like a vehicle refurb for customers wanting to sell their vehicle.
As with keeping up with technology, investment will be
needed from repairers.
PAS2006 – CARBON NEUTRALITY
We already have some repairers within our network who are
certified as ‘carbon neutral’. We will continue to encourage
our network repairers to work towards carbon neutrality
status. And of course, when it becomes a formal requirement,
it will become a mandatory prerequisite in order to join our
repair network.
A MORE CONNECTED WORLD
Like many work providers, our repairers are connected to us in
several ways beyond the usual phone calls and emails. Estimate
transmission through Audatex or other electronic estimating
systems are standard across work providers now.
Our network is also linked directly to our claims management
system via a tri-party agreement with CAPS and Pinetree. This
allows real-time data to flow both ways between us and the
repairer, so repair date milestones and notes are fully clear and
transparent for both parties.
The generation who will use the bodyshop of the future are,
in general, very tech ‘savvy’ and already very well connected.
These days, there is an app for almost everything and we
anticipate the network of the future will utilise this technology
greatly going forward to better connect with customers. This
could be used to arrange bookings, keep customers updated,
provide copies of reports showing the repair work undertaken
and if they are really clever, it could also be used to market their
wide range of future services to customers!
KINDERTONS APPROVED REPAIRER
NETWORK 2.0 – THE FUTURE
It is clear the speed at which vehicle technology and how they
are powered is changing at a rate that will only gather greater
pace as time goes on. So, what will our network look like in 5 or
10 years and beyond?
TECHNOLOGY
Unquestionably, the pace of technological advancement is
going to put pressure on repairers to keep up, not only from a
training standpoint but the changes in tooling and equipment
will add additional costs for the repairer.
We would expect to see greater collaboration between
vehicle manufacturers and repair industry bodies like BSI,
RMI, CARS QA and Thatcham Research. I think we’d all
agree a consistent and joined up approach to training, repair
methodology and equipment would be greatly welcomed by
everyone in our sector.
ALTERNATIVE FUELS
The shift from petrol and diesel to alternative power sources is
quickly growing and increasing in pace, driven largely by the
current research and development into autonomous driving and
potential restrictors being placed on vehicle speeds.
This is likely to lead to less incidents due to driver human error
should this be adopted and become the norm.
MIKE SLATER
Repair Network Manager, Kindertons.
Kindertons Supplement 19

THE IMPORTANCE OF
INTEGRITY AND TRANSPARENCY
IN THE CLAIMS PROCESS
LUCY ASHMORE, CLAIMS DIRECTOR AT KINDERTONS, SHARES HOW THE CLAIMS
PROCESS AT KINDERTONS PUTS INTEGRITY AND TRANSPARENCY AT THE
FOREFRONT, ENSURING COSTS ARE KEPT PROPORTIONATE AND THE JOURNEY
ITSELF REMAINS LEAN.
KINDERTONS IS VERY TRANSPARENT AS A SERVICE
PROVIDER, CAN YOU TALK US THROUGH HOW THIS
INTEGRITY TRANSPIRES IN THE CLAIMS HANDLING
PROCESS WITHIN THE BUSINESS?
Transparency is such a distinctive feature in how we run our
business. We’re firm believers that by acting with integrity,
openness and honesty at all times, it can instil trust in us as a
valued service provider and play an integral role in our longterm
business success.
This approach underpins everything we do throughout every
single claim we manage, with long-established and tried and
tested processes all designed to ensure customers have a clear
understanding of exactly what their claim journey will be and
clear expectations on what will happen next.
We recognise that each claim is different and each customer is
unique, so we work really hard to make sure that each person is
treated as an individual and knows what they can expect from
both us and any suppliers within the chain.
It’s our aim to ensure that nothing should ever come as a
surprise to a customer, so we maintain regular contact with
them at all times and ensure we use appropriate signposting
throughout the life of each claim. This includes making it clear
who our suppliers are, the role they play within the claim and
having a diligent framework in place to ensure they consistently
provide the same level of transparency and care towards our
customers as we do.
KINDERTONS IS UNDOUBTEDLY A BIG PLAYER IN THE
MOTOR SPACE, PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU CONSIDER
YOU’VE HANDLED OVER 1.5 MILLION CLAIMS FOR
CUSTOMERS SINCE THE BUSINESS STARTED. IN YOUR
EXPERIENCE, WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL AND COMMON
FRICTIONAL POINTS IN THE LIFECYCLE OF A CLAIM AND
HOW DO KINDERTONS MANAGE THESE TO ENSURE A
POSITIVE OUTCOME FOR ALL PARTIES?
Without a doubt, one of the most frustrating things for
customers is when they are uncertain of what is happening with
their claim and feel completely left in the dark.
We do all that we can to help remove frustrations, by being
clear about what services we are providing, what replacement
vehicle a customer will receive, what claim route their journey
will take, what the likely outcome will be and by acting as
quickly as possible.
Ultimately, our goal is to minimise any inconvenience and
disruption to customers and to do all we possibly can to
quickly put them back in the same position they were in before
their accident.
THE DURATION AND COST OF CLAIMS COULD QUICKLY
ESCALATE IF NOT MANAGED IN THE APPROPRIATE WAY.
HOW DO KINDERTONS WORK WITH EVERYONE IN THE
SUPPLY CHAIN TO ENSURE THIS DOESN’T HAPPEN?
It’s not in our interest to let the duration and cost of claims
escalate as this is a poor experience for our customers and is
not reflective of the streamlined processes we operate to get
customers back on the road as soon as possible.
Our supply network forms a part of our ability to provide
this speed of service which is why we have carefully chosen
strategic relationships with our suppliers, who we trust. We
work closely with our suppliers so they understand our business
and processes, and us theirs, which is an integral part of why
our supplier relationships work and align with our service
offering to customers.
WHAT EFFECTS HAS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAD ON
THE CLAIMS PROCESS AT KINDERTONS OVER THE LAST
12 MONTHS?
I would never sit here and say the pandemic hasn’t challenged
us as a business, of course it has. It’s affected everyone,
from every walk of life, in some form or another – and we’re
definitely not alone in that.
Whilst at times it has been a real uphill challenge, it has
absolutely reinforced the strength, power and resilience of
everyone in our business to pull together when we need to –
and in a time of crisis no less.
Whilst at times we have seen reduced volumes throughout the
pandemic, there has continued to be an absolute need for us
to provide mobility solutions for customers – even more so in
some cases.
IT’S NOT IN OUR INTEREST TO LET
THE DURATION AND COST OF
CLAIMS ESCALATE AS THIS IS A POOR
EXPERIENCE FOR OUR CUSTOMERS
AND IS NOT REFLECTIVE OF THE
STREAMLINED PROCESSES WE OPERATE
TO GET CUSTOMERS BACK ON THE
ROAD AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
20 Kindertons Supplement

THE MORE PERTINENT POINT IS THE CONTINUED EVOLUTION OF HOW WE INTERACT
WITH CUSTOMERS AND INSURERS AND THE STRENGTH THAT THIS CAN BRING TO THE
CLAIMS PROCESS THROUGH SWIFTER CUSTOMER JOURNEYS
We’re a business that prides itself on putting the needs of
customers first and delivering that service, whatever the
circumstances, if there is a genuine need. We would never use
a global pandemic to excuse any lapse in service.
If the customer cared for elderly relatives and needed to stay
mobile in order to visit them and deliver medication or food
supplies whilst they isolated, we would never dream of leaving
them without our support and assistance just because some
repairers were closed due to lockdown or we were seeing parts
on some vehicles being delayed.
It wasn’t about making changes to process, it was about
thinking creatively and finding workable solutions to the
hurdles we faced to get the customer back up and running
again as quickly as possible.
Touch points with insurers, our suppliers and our customers
increased to ensure that we were understanding the customer’s
need as they unfolded, whilst remaining sensitive to their
individual circumstances.
It wasn’t about changing what we do, but running our
claims to be reflective of the challenging times that we were
operating in.
of process and performance metrics with an ‘open door’
policy across all areas of a business breeds an environment of
unity and healthy challenge, with everyone working towards
the same common goal.
The ability to problem solve, react to and understand change
is achieved with ease when everyone is working together.
This ultimately leads to being able to provide the best
possible experience and level of service to our customers.
IT WASN’T ABOUT
CHANGING WHAT WE DO,
BUT RUNNING OUR CLAIMS
TO BE REFLECTIVE OF THE
CHALLENGING TIMES THAT
WE WERE OPERATING IN
HOW DO YOU THINK THE CLAIMS PROCESS WILL NEED
TO EVOLVE IN THE NEXT 3-5 YEARS TO CONTINUE
TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE CUSTOMER AND WIDER
MOTOR INSURANCE INDUSTRY?
The need for mobility solutions will no doubt still exist and I
think the evolution will come in the need for claims processes
and service provision to stay relevant to market requirements
and the medium by which customers will want to interact
with us.
We will continue to see the changing face of well-versed topics
such as electric vehicles, vehicle groupings and increased repair
costs due to advancements in technology – all of which have an
impact on claims processes.
That said, I think the more pertinent point is the continued
evolution of how we interact with customers and insurers and
the strength that this can bring to the claims process through
swifter customer journeys.
Connected vehicles, customer portals, self-service claims and
technological advancements in evidence gathering, to name
but a few, will all continue to develop and add value to claims
processes and ultimately allow a more bespoke service offering
to customers.
WHAT ARE YOUR ULTIMATE GOALS WHEN DEFINING A
CLAIMS PROCESS?
The ultimate goals for me are all about having a joined up
and co-ordinated process across all areas of a business – not
something that is just limited to a claims function. Transparency
LUCY ASHMORE
Claims Director, Kindertons.
Lucy is a relatively new appointment for Kindertons,
having joined the business at the start of the pandemic.
Over the past 12 months, Lucy has successfully reshaped
the claims function to create a more aligned
structure, strategy and process, which better reflects our
core values. As a qualified Solicitor with a background
in law and 11 years of RTA litigation practice under her
belt, Lucy oversees everything from Live Hire, Billing
and Recoveries all the way through to Litigation –
ensuring the delivery of a great quality claims journey.
Kindertons Supplement 21

ALL CUSTOMERS ARE UNIQUE,
YOUR SERVICE SHOULD BE TOO
WHETHER YOU’RE CALLING YOUR UTILITIES PROVIDER TO SWITCH TO THE LATEST
DEAL OR SPEAKING TO YOUR TRAVEL COMPANY TO SADLY POSTPONE YOUR 2020
SUMMER HOLIDAY FOR YET ANOTHER YEAR, WE ALL NEED TO INTERACT WITH
DIFFERENT SERVICE PROVIDERS IN OUR DAILY LIVES.
The role of a service provider should be fairly obvious. They
should do exactly what it says on the tin: provide a service to
customers when they need it. And yet everyone will have their
own experiences and expectations of what good and bad
service looks like.
At some point, we’ve all encountered poor customer service
in some form or another. Those frustrating interactions where
you’re left feeling undervalued, that you haven’t been listened
to or your needs as a customer have not been met. Typically,
those interactions stay with you, leaving a lasting impression of
the company you dealt with – and for all the wrong reasons.
We can all also give examples of good customer service.
Where you’ve contacted a service provider and they have
gone above and beyond to meet your needs or exceed your
expectations. These are the shining stars in the service industry,
who uniquely tailor the service they offer to deliver the best
possible outcome for every customer.
All service providers, whatever the industry, will undoubtedly
promote a commitment to delivering ‘great’ service to their
customers – and the motor claims space is no exception. But
doesn’t great customer service look very different dependent
on the road user?
Let’s consider the needs of a parent with a young toddler. If
they find themselves involved in an accident, the health and
physical wellbeing of everyone in the vehicle will certainly
be their primary concern. Second to this, they then face the
daunting prospect of how they can get themselves back up
and running again.
With nearly 30 years’ experience under our belts, we’re
acutely aware of the stress, anxiety and uncertainty a
customer will face if they ever find themselves in this position
and it’s our aim to do all we can to lessen the burden for them
by offering support, guidance and somewhere to turn to in
their time of need.
But in this instance, we understand the needs of the customer
is so much more than just having an experienced claims
handler at the end of the phone and us providing one of our
replacement vehicles to use whilst our repairers quickly set to
work on fixing their own vehicle.
This is why we take the time to get to the heart of each
customers’ needs and find a practical solution. Whether that
is offering a 5-door replacement vehicle to allow them to
easily get their child in and out of the back seat or providing a
replacement child car seat to ensure their safety and protection
when travelling in the vehicle.
But what if the road user was a taxi driver? Unquestionably,
they would have very different requirements from a claims
service. Yes, they need someone at the end of the phone to
help manage their claim. Yes, they will need appropriately
qualified repair specialists to fix their vehicle. Yes, they will need
a replacement vehicle whilst the repairs are being carried out.
But first and foremost, the customer here will need a workable
solution that allows them to quickly get back out on the road
and earning a living again.
In this situation, just providing a replacement vehicle for use
isn’t enough. A taxi driver’s needs are undoubtedly more
complex than a typical motor claim and greater consideration
will need to be given to the specific type of vehicle they
require, as well as the appropriate licensing and plating
requirements to permit them to operate in their local area. For
this, we entrust our sister company, Sovereign Automotive, to
expertly deliver a niche claims service tailored to the unique
needs of taxi drivers.
Whether the customer needs a hackney cab or a private
hire vehicle, Sovereign Automotive can assist. What’s
more, through their long-standing relationships with local
authorities, the replacement vehicles will be fully licensed to
allow the customer to quickly get back out on the road and
working again.
Equally, we can recognise different customer needs for
motorcyclists. Of course, there will be some similarities in
what a two-wheel and four-wheel customer needs when
22 Kindertons Supplement

Whoever your customer, however unique
their individual requirements, we’re
confident we have the right claims solution in
place across our wider group of companies.
To find out more about how partnering with The
Kindertons Group can support you and your customers
with their mobility and repair needs, contact
salesteam@kindertons.co.uk
0343 506 4316
you handle their claim but there are also some subtle but
important differences.
Characteristically, a rider will see their motorcycle as their pride
and joy and it’s typical to see them form an emotional attachment
to their bike. So, if a rider finds themselves involved in an accident
and their bike damaged, they will want to see it restored to
its former glory and all with the same passion, dedication and
attention to care as if they carried out the work themselves.
This is where we would rely on the expertise of Plantec Assist.
Also, part of The Kindertons Group family, as a market-leading
and specialist motorcycle claims provider, Plantec Assist’s whole
service proposition centres around the unique needs of riders.
With their vast experience and knowledge of motorcycle
claims, they appreciate the necessity to reassure customers
on their diligent approach to the repair of their bikes and the
importance of putting their minds at ease. That’s why they
choose to offer a dedicated hotline that connects the customer
directly to the technician who carries out the work, ensuring
they are always kept in the loop on progress.
But Plantec Assist know that it isn’t just about providing a
replacement bike and a quality repair for a rider. There are
other unique considerations as part of a claim. A biker’s helmet,
clothing and accessories is a good example here. When a rider
comes off their bike, how do you know if the integrity of these
items has been compromised as a result of an accident? Will
they still be protected in the same way if they continue using
the same helmet and another incident were to happen?
It’s not just about getting the customer back on the road
quickly, it’s about making sure they are safe and have the right
levels of protection when they do. As a niche claims specialist,
Plantec Assist has the experience and knowledge to ask these
questions and arrange full replacements if the condition of
these items is in any doubt. And herein lies the real value of
partnering with a claims service provider who truly understands
the bespoke needs of customers. The potential life-changing
results of not asking those pivotal questions during a claim just
doesn’t bear thinking about!
A market-leading service provider
of full accident management and
mobility solutions to the UK motor
and insurance industry.
Offers award-winning motorcycle
hire, repair and claims management
services to the insurance and
accident management sectors and
has been proud to serve bikers for
over 15 years.
A firm of independent engineers
and insurance assessors who
provide vehicle inspection services
to the UK legal, insurance and
motor sectors.
A motor claims solutions provider
who specialise in getting licensed
taxis and private hire drivers back
on the road following an accident.
A provider of full claims
management and Legal Expenses
cover to the UK insurance broker
market.
Kindertons Supplement 23

THINK BIKE,
THINK PLANTEC ASSIST
WITH OVER 20 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE, PLANTEC ASSIST IS PROUD TO
DELIVER A MARKET-LEADING CLAIM MANAGEMENT, REPAIR AND
MOBILITY SOLUTION DESIGNED EXCLUSIVELY FOR MOTORCYCLISTS.
With a proven track record of helping more than
500,000 motorcyclists get back out on the road
following an accident, we thrive on providing innovative
claim solutions to the wider motorcycle industry and
their customers.
Key to our success is having a deep-rooted
understanding of the complex and truly unique needs
of bikers following an accident and an ethos to do all
we can to drive a seamless and bespoke motorcycle
claims journey for our customers.
From the moment we are notified of a claim, we
immediately set to work. Offering a full nationwide
service, bikes are quickly collected so the damage can
be assessed by a member of our specialist team.
We offer next day delivery of a replacement motorcycle
for use whilst the customer’s bike is being repaired.
We boast an extensive fleet of over 1,200 motorcycles
including everything from 50cc scooters through
to 1000cc Superbikes and 1250cc Sports Tourers
– ensuring we always have the right motorcycle for
a customer’s needs. What’s more, all of the main
motorcycle brands are represented, including Honda,
Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Triumph, Ducati and Harley
Davidson.
With our head office based in Southport and repair
and distribution centres based in Altrincham, Dudley
and Hillsborough (Northern Ireland customers), we
are perfectly positioned to provide full nationwide
distribution and repairs. Our repair services are carried
out by fully IMI and ATA accredited technicians, who
specialise in motorcycle repairs, use manufacturer
approved parts and offer a lifetime guarantee on any
repairs undertaken – so you can be confident of the
highest levels of repair service at all times.
Of course, as a motorcycle claims specialist, we
understand a customer’s mobility is more than providing
a replacement motorcycle and carrying out a quality
repair to their bike.
There will, more than likely, be a requirement for
replacement helmets, clothing and accessories that
were damaged as a result of the accident. We take care
of everything, ensuring the customer is fully kitted
out and has the right level of protection to get back
out on the road.
We pride ourselves on our professional service-led
approach, always putting the customer’s needs
first. And with a strong market reputation for claims
excellence and recognition through a number
of industry awards, we believe we do this very
well. In 2020, we were awarded the Best Use of
Customer Feedback trophy at the UK Customer
Service Excellence Awards and were recently
named as Finalists in the Credit Hire Solution of the
Year category at the 2021 Insurance Times Claims
Excellence Awards.
Our approach is simple – to expertly manage all
aspects of a motorcycle claim, reduce how long the
process takes and keep costs to a minimum. But
most importantly, we aim to get riders back out on
to the road quickly and back to doing what they
love. To find out more about Plantec Assist,
please visit www.plantecassist.co.uk or
contact sales@plantecassist.co.uk
SERVICES INCLUDE:
4 First notification of loss
4 Full outsourced claim solutions
4 White-labelled service
4 Motorcycle credit hire
4 Motorcycle specialist repair
4 Theft handling
4 Estimating and valuations
4 Legal assistance
4 Transport and logistics
4 Third party intervention
4 Salvage disposal
4 Uninsured loss recovery
4 Motorcycle equipment and accessories
4 Fraud screening
4 New for old schemes
Kindertons Supplement 25

FROM HACKNEY
CABS TO PRIVATE
HIRE VEHICLES…
WE OFFER A TRULY
BESPOKE CLAIMS
SERVICE WITH THE
TAXI DRIVER IN MIND
THE CHANCES ARE IF YOU TRY TO THINK OF A
BESPOKE TAXI CLAIMS PROVIDER, SOVEREIGN
AUTOMOTIVE WILL BE YOUR FIRST THOUGHT –
AND FOR A VERY GOOD REASON.
As the UK’s leading specialists in taxi accident aftercare
and mobility services, we offer the complete outsourced
claim management solution to the taxi market. From first
notification of loss, recovery and replacement licensed
vehicles through to quality repairs, salvage, uninsured
loss recovery and even third-party intervention – we’ve
got you covered.
With a niche specialty in the provision of public hire,
private hire and chauffeur vehicles and a consistent
record of providing over 600 replacement taxis to
customers each month, we have a rich and proven
history in providing valuable assistance and support to
taxi drivers following an accident.
Of course, we understand providing a replacement
vehicle isn’t the only requirement for a taxi driver. It
needs to be appropriately licensed and plated to permit
them to operate in their local area. That’s why we have
a number of long-standing relationships with local
authorities and work in close partnership to ensure each
of our replacement vehicles are fully licensed – allowing
the customer to quickly get back out on the road and
earning a living again.
We are truly passionate about customer service,
recognising that having a holistic and deep-rooted
understanding of the distinctive needs of taxi drivers
will ultimately translate into the delivery of a firstclass
service which goes above and beyond for every
customer on every case we manage.
In everything we do, and every decision we make,
we strive to always put the customer first. We have
an experienced, conscientious, professional team at
Sovereign Automotive who strive to always deliver a
transparent customer claims journey.
We pride ourselves on our unique service offering, a
proposition based on tried and tested processes and
procedures designed to reduce workloads and enhance the
journey for customers – all with the purpose of reducing
costs without any compromise to service or quality.
With our head office based in Epsom and a distribution
centre in West Drayton specialising solely in licensed
vehicles, we are in a prime position and have ease of
access into London. But our services extend much further
than our local area and we pride ourselves on being able
to offer full coverage nationwide to respond to requests
promptly and efficiently for our customers. In the North
of England, we have distribution centres in both Scotland
and Blackpool and we can also benefit from the other
nationwide sites occupied by the wider Kindertons Group
where required.
To find out more about Sovereign Automotive,
please visit www.sovereignautomotive.co.uk or
contact info@sauto.co.uk
SERVICES INCLUDE:
4 Full outsourced claim solutions
4 White-labelled service
4 First notification of loss
4 Credit hire
4 Extensive licensed replacement taxi fleet
4 Direct and authorised hire for intervention
4 London black cab specialists with own repair network
4 Credit repair
4 Taxi recovery
4 Estimating and valuations
4 Salvage disposal
4 Third party intervention
4 Uninsured loss recovery
4 A bespoke range of insurance products tailored to
taxi drivers
Kindertons Supplement 27

THE IMPARTIAL ‘MIDDLE MEN’
IN THE CHAIN
ESTABLISHED OVER 50 YEARS AGO, JP MORRISS ASSESSORS LTD ARE AN
INDUSTRY-LEADING EXPERT WITNESS COMPANY WHO PROVIDE INDEPENDENT
AND FULLY IMPARTIAL VEHICLE INSPECTION AND DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS.
We work with claimant and defendant solicitors,
direct insurers, brokers, local government, fleet
providers, police constabularies and private
customers to assess and complete over 4,500
witness reports each month on behalf of individuals
who have had damage to their vehicle as a result of
an accident.
Our witness reports are then used by the instructing
customer to establish the level of damage sustained
from an accident or collision and the legal status
of the vehicle – namely, whether the vehicle is
repairable or a total loss and the associated cost
and method of repair.
We have a team of highly experienced and
professionally qualified engineers who provide
full coverage throughout the UK, working with a
wide array of standard, modified, converted and
coach-built vehicles. In fact, by utilising the latest
estimating and claims management technology,
we can inspect and report on pretty much any
moving vehicle. We are able to deliver a truly
comprehensive inspection service – whether it’s a
bicycle or heavy plant equipment.
Given the nature of our role in the overall claims
journey, we can sometimes find ourselves playing
‘middle man’ between two or more parties.
However, we take great pride in this position of
trust – using our experience and extensive expertise
to bring disputes to a fair and speedy conclusion to
the benefit of the customer.
Having long-lasting, collaborative and strategic
partnerships with our customers allows us to
continually establish their needs, requirements
and gain a greater understanding of their business
and their processes. No two customers are the
same and as such we evolve and adapt to meet
their individual and exacting requirements. It goes
without saying that our customers are the very
foundation of our business and we understand the
importance of every point of contact – from the
initial enquiry with the administration team to the
presentation of the final report.
For us, it’s about ensuring consistency, impartiality
and professionalism at all times. We are always
on hand to provide a quick independent opinion
or advice, before committing to a more formal
instruction, adding value at every stage of contact.
When the pandemic hit, we were fortunate enough
to be in a strong enough position to allow us to
continue to offer a first class, uninterrupted service.
Having spent many years evolving our offering and
operation, it was a pretty seamless transition to
remote working. Focusing on image-based desktop
inspections and tailoring our front-end service to
convert and capture instructions on that basis,
provided our customers with an exceptional service
delivery. It also enabled our customers to save time
and money by providing better consistency and
fluidity within the overall claims journey.
Ensuring we attract talented, experienced individuals
with a deep-rooted understanding of customer
expectation has allowed us to not just deliver an
excellent level of customer service, but develop a
journey that evolves with the customer. The fact that
our employees love what they do often resonates
with our customers. Continual feedback helps to
further cement our customer relationships, allowing
us to establish what works and what we need to
evolve. This is a key part within our customer journey,
offering transparency and open communication to
deliver unrivalled engineering solutions at all stages.
To find out more about JP Morriss, please visit
www.jpmorriss.co.uk or
contact mail@jpmorriss.co.uk
SERVICES INCLUDE:
4 Comprehensive vehicle assessment service
4 Fully independent and impartial
4 Remote digital image inspection service
4 Small claim service
4 Post repair inspections
4 Diminution in value
4 Motorcycle reports
Kindertons Supplement 29

THE FINAL WORD...
Who would have thought that the world of motor claims could
offer so many different perspectives and service options,
all designed to help customers navigate the aftermath of a
traumatic event?
It has been a pleasure working with Modern Insurance
Magazine to bring our own business to life. It’s been a great
opportunity to raise awareness on the importance of the entire
motor claims supply chain to deliver a first-class service for
customers – and to showcase the part we play in enhancing
the brands and reputations of the many business partners
who make that famous promise when an insurance policy is
first sold, and then live or die by the levels of service delivered
when something happens.
Service and culture feature heavily in our articles here and I
really don’t think it is possible to achieve the accolade of great
service unless you truly have created the culture to underpin
what is delivered every day. Whether that be through your
recruitment and inductions, through the behaviour of your
leaders or, just as importantly, how all of your own suppliers
respond with their own quality of service – it’s about instilling
that pride, passion and consistency in everything you do over a
sustained period of time.
partners or simply being able to provide the right advice to a
customer about their policy cover.
Our specialist motorcycle and taxi businesses at Plantec
Assist and Sovereign Automotive are experts in their own
field and we place our trust in them to deliver a great service
experience with the very best technical advice for their own
customer base.
So, all in all, I hope you have found our contributions to be
interesting and thought-provoking. The overriding sentiment
from me is that motor insurance is a much better product for
customers when it is treated as a complete service from end
to end at the very start of the buying process. Well trained
employees who are passionate about doing their very best
every day, combined with a transparent claims process and
professional supply chain, is critical to success – both now and
in the future.
A last word for the future as it certainly won’t be boring …
connected vehicles, growth of electric vehicles, integrated AI
technology, complexity of repair methods and the changing
dynamics of road use will all keep us engaged in being the
best we can be for many more years to come!
Of course, the legal reform changes are very topical right
now and we firmly believe that the insurance marketplace
can fully represent customers’ interests by protecting against
the unlikely event of a claim – with a comprehensive legal
expenses insurance product that fully caters to their needs and
ensuring that claims partners are fully prepared to handle cases
in exactly the same way as they do today.
At the heart of it all, we are a proud automotive business with
a mission to keep our customers motoring when they need it
most. Being able to respond immediately from the roadside or
to provide a replacement vehicle similar to the customer’s own
and then get claims settled for the customer either through
repair or negotiation of a total loss as quickly as possible, is
the bedrock of why we and many of our fellow partners exist
– and we are very clear in our own minds that quality is just as
important as speed when resolving claims. That is why we have
experts to oversee all elements of our business whether that
be engineering, vehicle logistics, our repair network, salvage
WE ARE A PROUD AUTOMOTIVE
BUSINESS WITH A MISSION
TO KEEP OUR CUSTOMERS
MOTORING WHEN THEY NEED
IT MOST
PAUL TAYLOR
Managing Director, Kindertons.
30 Kindertons Supplement