Member Article

Towergate Insurance to open contact centre in Manchester creating 400 new jobs

Towergate Insurance, the UK’s largest independently owned insurance intermediary, is to create 400 new jobs in a new customer contact centre in Manchester.

Launched in 1997, Towergate generates more than £3 billion of pro-forma gross written premium (GWP) across its companies, and employs over 5,000 people in 100+ UK offices. Towergate insures everything from small businesses to celebrities, from houseboats to holiday homes. More at: http://www.towergateinsurance.co.uk

The new Manchester contact centre is based in the heart of the financial district of Spinningfields. It will serve a significant number of Towergate’s small commercial and personal lines customers and forms part of the Group’s commitment to drive improved service for customers.

Towergate carried out extensive surveys of favourable locations across the UK, and Manchester was selected as the best site for the new centre.

The team at MIDAS, Manchester’s inward investment agency, supported with valuable advice which led Towergate to choose Hardman Square in Spinningfields – a site that delivers a high quality building in a good location, offering straightforward access for the right workforce.

As a result of this decision, Towergate will become a significant employer in the region with the creation of 400 jobs. Towergate is offering insurance professionals the chance to build a long term career within a growing business. A high profile recruitment campaign will start shortly.

The dedicated centre will result in a faster and more effective service for customers, with phone lines open for longer. Investment in the scale of the new centre will allow Towergate not only to deliver greater consistency and efficiency, but also to build a successful New Business offering for its smaller commercial clients.

Neil Galjaard, CEO of the new Manchester business, said: “We were determined to build something special at this new centre in Manchester. We’ve got a modern stylish building with the facilities and location to attract high calibre candidates.

“The office is being fitted out with cutting edge technology to create a great working environment. We’re investing because we want to attract people who are passionate about customers and who want to build outstanding careers with us.

“We’re hiring team leaders and advisors with the customer focus and drive to build solid relationships with clients. First and foremost we’re looking for the right attitude, so anyone interested should look at our website or for our ads in the local press.”

Tim Newns, chief executive of MIDAS, Manchester’s inward investment agency, said: “MIDAS is delighted to have supported Towergate in bringing its new contact centre to Manchester, adding what is an incredibly strong financial services brand to the city. Spinningfields has become a destination of national and international significance for financial and professional services organisations and this latest investment will continue to cement that reputation.

“The hard work continues as we help Towergate build the workforce that we know will make this new centre an outstanding success, and we look forward to working with partners from both the public and private sectors to make this happen. We continue to see substantial growth in this sector, providing large scale employment opportunities for Manchester’s highly skilled and growing workforce.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .