Mark Orton, managing director of Prism Network, discusses how the trials and tribulations of 2020 have made for a stronger, more flexible organisation. And what’s more, how Covid-19 has accelerated the use of technology in the insurance sector.

Ready to adapt

Throughout August and September, the Prism Network team were physically back together in their Leicester headquarters.

To their insurance partners and policyholders – it doesn’t matter where they’re based. They still get the same top-quality service.

When the UK went into national lockdown at the end of March, employees found themselves either working from home, or furloughed – with some of the management team popping in sporadically to keep things ticking over. But as restrictions started to lift in July, the staff were keen to get back to the office – despite having the technology to work from home.

Mark said: “We asked our employees what they wanted to do: stay at home, or come back to the office. The majority wanted to return – so that’s what we did – but making sure it was safe to do so first.

“And because our people have the tools to work from home, we can seamlessly switch between home and office working, to reflect government guidance as it evolves.”

When they are working from home, the staff use message boards to allocate claims to each other. And to kick start the day, they exploit Microsoft Teams to run ‘virtual huddles’.

But, like most Prism Network employees – Liam Bosworth, technical claims handler – has a strong preference for coming into the office. With two young children – one under school age – it’s a balancing act. He said: “The office is where I prefer to work from. We’re a great team and I like being around my colleagues. But equally, working from home works too – even if I do miss the face-to-face, socially distanced banter!”

Ready to be flexible

The one thing coronavirus has taught most businesses, is the need for flexibility. This is something Prism Network now prides itself on.

Mark adds: “Luckily, the technology we use is flexible. We can be plugged-in at home, or plugged-in at the office. Either way, we’re ready to go.

“But as a management team, I think we’ve become more flexible in our attitudes too. It’s about recognising what works for the wellbeing of our people, and that’s why we ask them what they want to do.

“We’re all social animals, so lots of us like an office environment. But at the same time, if we need to work from home, then that’s fine too. Flexibility is definitely the key to unlocking wellbeing.”

Ready to do new business

One of the highlights for Prism Network since lockdown – has been the re-signing a new, three-year contract with Zurich.

Mark says: “We’re thrilled with this – especially as the domestic market was hit so hard earlier in the year. It provides us with even more insurance validation work and gives us greater levels of delegated authority to handle claims of a higher value.

“To be honest, all our suppliers and partners have been brilliant amidst the Covid-19 challenges. For example, by allowing interim billing to improve cashflows. We’ve all looked out for each other.”

At the beginning of lockdown, many households stopped making insurance claims. Being at home meant they could immediately deal with any domestic emergencies that cropped up. As opposed to returning home from work, only to find out their laundry room has been flooded.

And because more people were working from home, there were fewer motor accidents, and fewer workplace incidents.

When problems did arise – in homes or offices – physical visits to assess the damage were off limits and contractors couldn’t always go out to do the work.

However, delivery drivers were busier than ever – meeting the demands of an upsurge in online shopping. This unusual dichotomy of events meant that while domestic claims slowed down, commercial claims maintained steady in the haulage sector.

Despite everything, the last three months have been the best on record for Prism Network – as claims have been coming in thick and fast, and customer expectations are higher than ever.

Ready to exploit technology even further

Prism Network has always used technology to: speed up the lifecycle of claims; improve the experience for everyone in the process chain; and reduce costs for all parties.

One of the more positive trends to have emerged from the coronavirus pandemic, has been the eruption in technology usage – especially amongst policyholders – now willing to use their devices to get a faster resolution to a mishap at home or on the road.

Mark says: “People are much more comfortable with using technology as a result of lockdown. For example, we’re seeing more and more policyholders wanting to use the self-serve claim validation service we offer.

“Technology will continue to be the critical enabler for streamlining processes in the insurance sector, and Covid-19 has accelerated this. This growth in digital is something we’ve been championing for years.”