17 December 2021

Collaboration, communication and quality cover

2021 has been a challenging year in many ways, but for both the BPIF and Aston Lark, it’s been a year of many positives too. At the end of the first full year of partnership, we caught up with key players from both sides to look back on some of the highlights of the last 12 months of working together – and to consider what’s coming up in the months ahead.

A strong start 

For Josh Reid, BPIF Account Handler at Aston Lark, this year has been one in which the team has flourished. “We’ve gone from strength to strength in terms of the internal BPIF Insurance team and we’ve now secured numerous BPIF and non-BPIF print businesses,” he says – adding that the team has spoken to almost every BPIF member, “most of which have also now provided us with their renewal dates, so they can move over to us in 2022.”

Steve Walker, Commercial Products Manager at BPIF, points to the enthusiasm of the Aston Lark team as being a key driver behind the success of the partnership. “That willingness not only to meet on a regular basis but to take charge of the relationship has been absolutely great. It’s a collaboration and enthusiasm that we haven’t really seen before.”

This has led to regular sharing of information between the two teams, which enables them to better serve the printing industry.

Clear communication

“It’s definitely working well with communication,” Steve says. This makes it easier for Aston Lark to offer the right sorts of products and service for the customer, something which Dan Frankland, Employee Benefits Business Development Consultant, echoes: “Working closely together is the way forward. For example, we had a referral only recently and they were signed up within 48 hours.”

Converting on cost

This success is driven by the quality of the cover BPIF Insurance Services can offer through Aston Lark. As Steve points out, “We’re not just stuck with one offering and that’s the beauty of a broker. Now we can offer cost-effective insurance that our members know we’ve vetted and validated.” 

This has led to nearly all leads being converted, and Josh is particularly proud of the fact that they have saved most new clients between 10-15% on their current premium and have widened their covers to a more print-specific policy.

An enhanced offering

It’s this industry knowledge that forms a cornerstone of the partnership, and in particular the power of the BPIF brand. “Aston Lark appreciate the value of the brand and the information we provide,” Steve explains.

Dan agrees from an employee benefits perspective too. “I’ve found the BPIF brand really does work – and it’s just a case of getting the name out there more.”

“Why do people buy products we recommend?” asks Steve. “It’s because they know we have done the vetting for them. We’ve made sure we offer the best market product, and also a very cost-effective product.” 

Josh agrees. “So many members we’ve spoken to are genuinely impressed by the cost-saving and cover enhancements that we have provided.” And in today’s hard market, this is particularly important.

Overcoming challenges 

“Market conditions are creating a rise in premiums and a reduction in covers for most,” Josh says. “Through the development of the BPIF Insurance Services scheme, we can avoid the impact of the hard market and offer wider covers and lower premiums as standard.”

Steve confirms this helps provide peace of mind for customers. “We’re providing our members with a Rolls Royce of a scheme, and it’s competitive. What more could you want?” 

For Steve, the quality of the cover is a real bonus as it enables them to offer competitive solutions for more clients. “Traditionally, we’ve always covered smaller printing businesses but now we’re converting large high-end businesses, and that’s a great success for us.”

A bright future

At the end of the day, BPIF and Aston Lark have a shared ethos. “Clients are the most important part of our businesses,” Josh explains. “With this attitude we are always working together to understand what we can do better together and separately for BPIF members. And with so many new members joining, we’d love to put more pressure on the insurers to provide wider cover and sustainable reductions in premiums.” 

It's a shared aim to build the BPIF insurance facility further and continue to help so many members in the year ahead. For Dan, his focus is on getting the word out about the Employee Benefits scheme, while Steve looks forward to maintaining the strong collaborative relationship, which will help keep subscription fees down for members. 

“2021 has been a challenging year for everyone,” Josh concludes. “But thank you to all our customers for your support. We love to play our small part in helping your businesses thrive.”