FEATURES
ELITE BROKERS 2016 JARON BRESLAND
IAA Bresland Consultants Pty Ltd
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Jaron Bresland is excited to be part of the Insurance Business Elite Brokers Top 10 list for 2016. “It is an amazing honour and is certainly a career highlight to date,” he says. But he tells Insurance Business he can’t take all the credit. “We have an exceptional team here at Bresland Consultants and receive great support from [Insurance Advisernet] who give us the tools to grow.” Bresland’s focus includes not-for-profit organisations. “I travel far and wide seeing clients, ranging from remote communities in the Kimberleys to all around the Central Wheatbelt. There is no part of WA that Bresland Consultants will not or does not visit.” Bresland believes succeeding as a broker in the current market is about service, advice and knowledge.
“The market we are in dictates that we need to be at the top of our game to succeed. I am always available 24/7 to my clients. New clients usually laugh when I mention this, but they soon find out that it wasn’t just a pitch for their business,” he says. Bresland also raises the importance of being mentored. “Having a mentor is invaluable, no matter how many years’ experience you have, as we all keep learning every day; I am just lucky I have Russell [Bresland] to bounce off as 40 years of experience cannot be taught.” Asked to single out his greatest highlight as a broker in the past year, Bresland says: “It would have to be my growth and client retention over the past 12 months in this difficult market. It shows that service still very much counts in this digital age.” Congratulations to Jaron Bresland!
BONNI GORDON
Global Risks Pty Ltd (AR of Westcourt General Insurance)
What does Bonni Gordon think it takes to succeed as a broker in this increasingly competitive market? “I think to succeed one must adhere to your principles, and mine have not changed since I entered the industry – namely to be advicedriven, show attention to detail, remain customer-focused, and always transact
“The shop window of any brokerage is claims, and ultimately you are judged on how claims are handled and settled, and this invariably comes down to product and insurer.” Commenting on the challenges brokers face today, Gordon mentions technology: “How to combine age-old traditions, on which I have based my modus operandi thus far, together
“The shop window of any brokerage is claims, and ultimately you are judged on how claims are handled and settled” business in utmost good faith,” she says. “One has to understand, listen, assess, be able to negotiate, and arrange programs that are tailored to the specific needs of the insured. If you are not sure, call in an expert to assist you. Your client will respect you more.” Gordon adds: “Don’t rest on your laurels. Whilst one has to be competitive, it is important to keep in mind not all products and insurers are the same. If you explain these differences, your client can make an informed decision. 28
with new disruptive platforms is a constantly evolving challenge which one has to embrace.” And what’s ahead in the coming year? Gordon says: “We have been selected as one of only 25 brokers in Australia to have access to a market-leading product available to the industry we are targeting for the first time in Australia from an APRA-approved insurer. We believe that being one of very few brokers selected consolidates our position in the market as a responsive, dedicated, clientfocused broker.”
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7/04/2016 10:58:35 AM