Policy Expert

Launched in 2011, Policy Expert had an ambition to reinvent the way insurance works. Feeling that the market was ‘behind the times’ and overly confusing, the business set out to provide a user-centric experience for people seeking home and car insurance.

Now serving over one million customers, the business employs 420+ staff across three sites in the UK –in London, Milton Keynes, and Motherwell.

A digital-first business, it is the most successful new entrant to the insurance market in the last 10 years. Focusing on delivering the full end-to-end process through its products and services – the company’s offering includes sales, renewals, claims, and product development.

To manage its expansive workforce, Policy Expert had a previous HR system in place. But failing to fulfil the company’s requirements around varied working patterns, it still required the use of various Excel spreadsheets — leading to a process which was over-complicated and unnecessarily time-consuming. This disjointed approach meant that HR documents were stored in separate locations, making them difficult to pinpoint and control.

Meanwhile, using a system that lacked automation, meant the HR department was spending valuable time on basic administrative tasks — a resource which could be better utilised elsewhere. And so the search for an alternative commenced.

When looking for a new provider, the company sought enhanced data security, a means to store documentation all in one place, and the ability to manage basic employee data – such as time, attendance, and absences.

The team required a platform which would accommodate irregular shift patterns —calculating different hours for breaks, as well as making sure time off was deducted appropriately. Noting Natural HR’s ability to tailor its system to the company’s specific needs — a feat that other market players weren’t able to offer — Policy Expert selected it as its provider of choice.

Since implementing the software in June 2019, Natural HR has continued to work closely with the business — truly listening and acting upon feedback. The ability to ‘suggest’ features has seen the Policy Expert team benefit from additional elements which now better serves the company’s evolving needs.

Since utilising Natural HR, Policy Expert has seen a number of benefits, most notably the value it has brought its agents in terms of visibility. Tori Cochrane, people experience manager at Policy Expert, commented that they “…now have a complete and holistic view of all information, which has streamlined our approach to HR.”

With changes to personal details able to be self-serviced by employees, it has effectively removed the ‘middle person’ — freeing up valuable time for HR team members and managers in the process.

Furthermore, the overall efficiency of the team has been improved. Thanks to the use of automation, the HR team can now focus on value-added projects rather than admin – ensuring maximum impact, and return, for the business.

And while the previous system lacked reporting functionality, this is a feature of Natural HR that has proved especially helpful. Now, the HR team can easily retrieve reports and use data to their advantage — rather than sifting through endless, potentially inaccurate, spreadsheets.

Tori adds, “we have worked very closely with our account manager on any challenges that we’ve encountered along the way. Natural HR has responded to our requests immediately, quickly resolving any issues. They are always in communication with us and are extremely proactive.”

To ensure that Policy Expert continues to receive a best-in-class solution, the two companies have quarterly check-in meetings — which are of dual benefit. Not only is the customer kept up to date on any new and planned software updates, it’s also an opportunity for the Natural team to understand developments within Policy Expert’s business — information that can help to influence the evolution of Natural HR’s offering.

To find out more about Policy Expert, please visit www.policyexpert.co.uk