Swinton Insurance Employee Reviews about "call centre"
Updated 4 Dec 2019
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Pros
"Great people in each department" (in 20 reviews)
"Not a bad company to work for, good people to work with" (in 13 reviews)
Cons
"the call centre / head office in Manchester will be gone within 2 years when it starts functioning out of King Stoke" (in 19 reviews)
"Redundancies often dealt with in a very unsympathetic manner by senior management" (in 19 reviews)
Pros & Cons are excerpts from user reviews. They are not authored by Glassdoor.
Reviews about "call centre"
Return to all Reviews"Not bad"
- Work/Life Balance★★★★★
- Culture & Values★★★★★
- Career Opportunities★★★★★
- Compensation and Benefits★★★★★
- Senior Management★★★★★
Doesn't RecommendNegative OutlookI worked at Swinton Insurance full-time for more than 8 years
Pros
Full Sick pay, local branches
Cons
Redundancy, no high street branches left, call centre only
Hi, Thank you for your feedback. We understand the uncertainty that has been caused by recent changes has been difficult, but these have been an essential part of changes in how we operate. It has been essential to enable us to take the best of what we had before, and build a platform on which to grow in the future. We wish you the best for your future endeavours. Kind regards, The Swinton Team
- Helpful (2)
"Profits over customer care"
- Work/Life Balance★★★★★
- Culture & Values★★★★★
- Career Opportunities★★★★★
- Compensation and Benefits★★★★★
- Senior Management★★★★★
Doesn't RecommendNegative OutlookDisapproves of CEOI worked at Swinton Insurance full-time for more than 10 years
Pros
Good benefits, full sick pay, good wellbeing programs.
Cons
Went from being a ‘Sales Machine’ to a ‘customer service machine’ now back to being a ‘sales machine’ - currently no care for employees, no training, no observations just focused on sales. The new company and it’s very commercially driven CEO the King of Stoke.....the call centre / head office in Manchester will be gone within 2 years when it starts functioning out of King Stoke! No way will he pay Manchester City rates.
Continue reading - Helpful (2)
"Dissapointing"
- Work/Life Balance★★★★★
- Career Opportunities★★★★★
- Compensation and Benefits★★★★★
Doesn't RecommendNegative OutlookDisapproves of CEOI worked at Swinton Insurance full-time for more than 10 years
Pros
Branch Network had all the experience. Slowly they are being let go for cost saving
Cons
Call centre staff being employed with no experience and on the job training.
Continue readingSwinton Insurance Response
April 30, 2019 – Social Media Manager
Hi, We understand that it has been a difficult time due to the changes at Swinton, but these have been an essential part of changes in how we operate. This has meant we needed to make some difficult decisions to ensure that we can bring the appropriate levels of service to all of our customers. This will enable us to take the best of what we had before, and build a platform on which to grow in the future. Kind regards, The Swinton Team
- Helpful (2)
"Dont listen to staff"
- Work/Life Balance★★★★★
- Culture & Values★★★★★
- Career Opportunities★★★★★
- Compensation and Benefits★★★★★
- Senior Management★★★★★
Doesn't RecommendNegative OutlookDisapproves of CEOI have been working at Swinton Insurance full-time for more than 8 years
Pros
Great staff for now at branches.
Cons
Undertrained callcentre "get them on the phone" culture. 6 months in call centre considered experienced. dont listen to staff. Dont pay enough
Continue readingSwinton Insurance Response
January 31, 2019 – Social Media Manager
Hi, We understand that it has been a difficult time due to the changes at Swinton, but these have been an essential part of a review of how we operate. This has meant we needed to make some difficult decisions to ensure that we can bring the appropriate levels of service to all of our customers. This review will enable us to take the best of what we had before, and build a platform on which to grow in the future. Kind regards, The Swinton Team
- Helpful (3)
"Only a matter of time before it’s one BIG call centre!"
- Work/Life Balance★★★★★
- Culture & Values★★★★★
- Career Opportunities★★★★★
- Compensation and Benefits★★★★★
- Senior Management★★★★★
Doesn't RecommendNegative OutlookDisapproves of CEOI worked at Swinton Insurance full-time for more than 10 years
Pros
Colleagues and my direct line manager any other pros have disappeared gradually over the years from constant changes to the bonus scheme. Now no matter how well you perform if other departments don’t deliver overall objectives you will not get a bonus at all.
Cons
Non existent “bonus”, lies from Exco team, promises of clarity and improved engagement then no communications for months especially in times of crisis redundancies/branch closure. They only invest in head office call centre in Manchester all other areas of the business left on its knees with terrible systems, crumbling offices that they can’t wait to close/sell.
Continue readingSwinton Insurance Response
April 26, 2018 – Social Media Manager
Thank you for your feedback. If you would like to discuss any of the issues you raise any further please call us on 0161 233 3850. We value our colleagues and would like to discuss your experience. Thanks, the Swinton team.
- Helpful (16)
"New low"
- Work/Life Balance★★★★★
- Culture & Values★★★★★
- Career Opportunities★★★★★
- Compensation and Benefits★★★★★
- Senior Management★★★★★
Doesn't RecommendNegative OutlookDisapproves of CEOI have been working at Swinton Insurance part-time for more than 3 years
Pros
Line manager is superb when it comes to giving time off for personal issues , or swapping shifts to help you out
Cons
Do not believe what you are told in the interview . You are sold the dream of working for a high flying progressive insurance company however once you arrive you are nothing more then a call centre employee . This has gotten to a new low now as staff are pressured to spend their day raking through old client files to cold call them and try to sell them policies despite the fact they have left us for being too expensive or other reasons . This is bordering on harassment as you are pressured into calling at alternative times in the day to ensure that contact is made and Saturday calls are becoming the norm now as we are pressured to contact ex customers who have the cheek to be at work during the first call . Over the last week i have tried to contact two deceased customers causing heartache for the family members who have answered the call requesting to speak to the passed family member. Only yesterday i dragged a chap out of bed who had only been out of hospital a week after major cancer surgery this is leaving me and my colleagues feeling empty as we do not want to be causing this pain to people . This tactic smacks of desperation of that of a company that is rapidly sinking through a complete lack of business and industry knowledge from director level all the way down to regional manager level . They think that harassing customers like this is the answer if so why dont other insurance companies do this? Who has ever been cold called by aviva or hastings? Most of the people we chat to arrange a call back to be polite then immediately activate the block function on their handset or we get the odd pensioner too polite who sits through a call just to be nice . Then there is the flip side of the coin , most of our ex customers are elderly and really worried about rogue callers thus when we call we achieve nothing more then worrying them sick. They have left due to the branch network closing.... our usp ...... All this is detrimental to swintons business plan and although we may achieve the odd new business out of this we are fast becoming a business associated with harassing customers who in turn must think im not going to them as i will be bombarded with phone calls trying to flog me stuff !! This is such a short term strategy dreamed up by somebody completely devoid of creative ideas , possibly over promoted to a position with too much responsibility for their abilities, perhaps the same person who wasted 7 million pounds in trying to rip off sofaworks neal and compare the markets meercat and came up with the dreadful fusion of the 2 in nagging doubt .... the most meaningless advertising campaign ever .
Continue readingSwinton Insurance Response
February 7, 2018 – Social Media Manager
Hi, thank you for your feedback. We are sorry that you are unhappy and would like to assure you that we take the issues you have raised very seriously. Have you spoken to your line manager about the issues you have raised? Alternatively you can call 0161 233 3850 to discuss these issues in confidence and in more detail. We would encourage you to call as soon as possible to discuss so that we can help you. Thank you.
- Helpful (12)
"The truth"
- Work/Life Balance★★★★★
- Culture & Values★★★★★
- Career Opportunities★★★★★
- Compensation and Benefits★★★★★
- Senior Management★★★★★
Doesn't RecommendNegative OutlookDisapproves of CEOI worked at Swinton Insurance full-time for more than 10 years
Pros
Worked with some amazing hard working and loyal staff
Cons
We're to start the company would not know the truth if it jumped up and smacked them in the face.Last restructure we were advised reason behind it was the changing market and more people shopping online,if that really was the case why our your remaining staff in branches drowing in the amount of phone calls coming into branches surely if what you said was true the remaining branches would be quieter as the customers would be buying online and not needing to telephone the branches.The whole restructure excuses now turns out to be nothing more than a smoke screen as reported today covea now selling Swinton.Restructre was nothing more than covea tidying up the business to make it more appealing to prospective buyers. I hope who ever buys this sinking ship puts a whole new board in and arranges better systems and rates or the long serving experienced loyal staff will be leaving and they will be left with nothing more than the call centre staff who have no idea what there doing
Continue readingSwinton Insurance Response
September 8, 2017 – Social Media Manager
Thank you for your feedback. We understand that the changes within Swinton have been difficult ones as we have undergone a transition to a more digitally-focused company. However has been essential to alter the way we work in order to meet the changing needs of our customers. You can contact the HR Helpdesk directly on 0161 233 3850, who will be able to assist.
- Helpful (4)
"Horrific - company has no idea what it is doing."
- Work/Life Balance★★★★★
- Culture & Values★★★★★
- Career Opportunities★★★★★
- Compensation and Benefits★★★★★
- Senior Management★★★★★
No Opinion of CEOI worked at Swinton Insurance full-time for more than a year
Pros
Nice colleagues in the branch network. The uniform you get to wear is ok. The company is a shambles however.
Cons
No stability constantly closing branches and making people redundant. Bonuses without targets none knows what they are aiming for. Managers have no clue. Call centre job from a branch. Every move is policed. Worse job in my career.
Continue readingSwinton Insurance Response
June 12, 2017 – Social Media Manager
Thank you for your feedback. We understand that the changes within Swinton have been difficult ones as we have undergone a transition to a more digitally-focused company. It has been essential to alter the way we work in order to meet the changing needs of our customers. All staff were consulted throughout each stage of the process and support was available for all affected staff. If you wish to discuss these issues any further, please contact our Recruitment team directly on 0161 233 3822, who will be able to assist.
- Helpful (7)
"Customer Focus Zero"
- Work/Life Balance★★★★★
- Culture & Values★★★★★
- Career Opportunities★★★★★
- Compensation and Benefits★★★★★
- Senior Management★★★★★
Doesn't RecommendNegative OutlookDisapproves of CEOI worked at Swinton Insurance full-time for more than 10 years
Pros
Great team at Branch level, hard working people doing there best with what they have got, putting the customer first, good holiday pay and benefits. Face to Face Service which a customer still strives for.
Cons
Ever Increasing prices, cannot insure certain people / companies because the new system cannot allow it ???? Turning away customers who have been with us for years because the system cannot quote for them as it doesn't fit into the new system techonology - crazy. No Common Sense. Shut branches down that were making money but because an external company said to shut branches they did. Not interested in the customer or personal touch anymore, will be lucky to still have branches on the high street in the next 3 years, more call centre environment.
Swinton Insurance Response
April 21, 2017 – Resource Advisor
First of all, thank you for your open and honest feedback. As we look to become an employer of choice and create a working environment for all colleagues, it’s essential we listen to and act on feedback in areas that we need to improve on. If you feel comfortable with the idea, I would like to ask that you contact our Recruitment team directly on 0161 233 3822 to discuss and understand your frustrations/experiences. That way, lessons can be learned and shared to ensure we avoid making the same mistakes and ensure other colleagues do not experience anything similar in the future.
- Helpful (13)
"So bad - Avoid!"
- Work/Life Balance★★★★★
- Culture & Values★★★★★
- Career Opportunities★★★★★
- Compensation and Benefits★★★★★
- Senior Management★★★★★
Doesn't RecommendNegative OutlookDisapproves of CEOI worked at Swinton Insurance full-time for more than 3 years
Pros
Made friends whilst I was there
Cons
I worked in ISD (Information Systems Development – IE: Information Technology) for over 4 years and seen it reduce from 200 people down to less than 40. From an IT perspective its basically done. For the remaining 40 people who are still working there they are doing nothing but taking old servers offline and looking at ways in house systems can be turned off and replaced with third part outsourced systems. Not one single person who left got replaced. The company is lacking a clear direction and running on an outdated business model. The “insurance broker” model is dead in the water. Aggregators like MoneySuperMarket: GoCompare are just eating into profits yet Swinton still decides to keep branches open. The only reason braches “sell” policies is that calls overflow to them when the call centre is busy. How many other insurance providers have branches, not many because everyone buys online! Wake up! With the move to new leased offices (whilst selling up current offices which Swinton own), it feels like they’re shrinking down with the hope of been acquired by a bigger insurance provider. The current moto within Swinton is "Shrink to grow" The new outsourced system was a joke. I’ve never seen so much down time in my life. The future does not look good for anyone working there.
Continue readingSwinton Insurance Response
April 18, 2017 – Resource Advisor
First of all, thank you for your open and honest feedback. As we look to become an employer of choice and create a working environment for all colleagues, it’s essential we listen to and act on feedback in areas that we need to improve on. If you feel comfortable with the idea, I would like to ask that you contact our Recruitment team directly on 0161 233 3822 to discuss and understand your frustrations/experiences. That way, lessons can be learned and shared to ensure we avoid making the same mistakes and ensure other colleagues do not experience anything similar in the future.
Join the Swinton Insurance team
Swinton Insurance Response
September 24, 2019 – Social Media Manager