“It is important that claims made by clients are paid out to their satisfaction; this can only be done if the policy is correct in the first place”

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Russell Bresland OWNER AND PRINCIPAL, BRESLAND CONSULTANTS PTY LTD

SUCCESS DRIVER: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION “Our focus is on fully protecting our clients and making sure that the cover provided is the widest possible for the premiums charged. One thing I’ve learnt over the years is the importance of making sure all claims made by clients are paid out to their satisfaction, and this can only be done if the policy is correct in the first place. We monitor client satisfaction by the number of referrals we get and the reputation of Scott Winton as a whole; we work to understand the specific needs of our clients and identify cost effective solutions for them, and nearly all of our new business written is from personal referrals as a result.”

based relationships that not only keep his retention rates high, but that also generate new business via referral time and time again. “Our business structure is designed to put the clients needs’ first, as we’re geared towards providing expertise in all the different types of insurance,” Tatarka explains. “If specialist expertise is required our clients are referred to our network of independent consultants, surveyors, valuers and risk management experts.” Now with offices in Melbourne and Sydney, Tatarka says that providing clients with excellent service is both his goal and his passion. “Meeting and anticipating our clients’ needs is what gives Scott Winton its edge over our competitors,” he says. “In this complex and aggressive market, it is often difficult to negotiate competitive terms, but we excel because our clients understand that price is not everything; they trust us to protect their interests and know that we are available to assist them any time of the day or night.”

Coming in at the number two spot is Russell Bresland, who was “absolutely shocked and amazed” when Insurance Business caught up with him on the phone in Singapore to give him the good news. “I feel very privileged – I would have been excited just being in the top 30, but to be number two? It’s fantastic,” he says. “It’s not only for myself, but I’m also proud of my staff – I really do work with a wonderful team.” A supportive and client-oriented workplace is not something that Bresland, who semi-retired from the industry six years ago, takes for granted. When he sold his successful brokerage in 2007 he moved to Singapore, and quickly learned the value of good customer service. “I’d get phone calls from former clients saying, ‘where are you?’ Can you help me with my policy?’ But I’d signed a three-year restraint of trade when I sold my brokerage, so I couldn’t do anything for them,” he explains. “When the three years expired in February 2010, I was getting too many phone calls to ignore, so I started again with a brand new brokerage. We’ve rebuilt a business that is actually bigger than what I sold, and it’s all grown through referral. We go out of our way to try and make sure we give really, really good service. Some of my clients I’ve been dealing with since February 1981.” SUCCESS DRIVER: TEAM WORK “You don’t achieve something like this by yourself. We all help each other out, and if one of our clients rings and their usual contact is unavailable, we handle each other’s client requests and everyone chips in.”

MAY 2013 | 17