Having worked at Winns for 13 years, Simon was delighted with his latest promotion to Training Officer, which he put down to the recognition of individual potential and support from management.
We caught up with him to find out more about his career and what has made him so happy to stay with Winns.
Tell us about your career progression with Winns
I started with Winns in 2008 working on the First Response Admin Team back in the day when we had paper files. I gained knowledge through this of the way Winns works and I was then given the opportunity to progress to work as a Claims Handler in First Response.
Next, I had a spell as a legal clerk on the Vehicle Damage team, however I missed FRT so, when the opportunity arose to return to FRT as a Senior Claims Handler, I made the move back.
I was able to bring the legal experience gained from Vehicle Damage and use this in my FRT role.
My knowledge has increased over the years by having the chance to work in a wide variety of roles. I was supported by FRT management, who gave me more responsibility to mentor and train new staff.
I also overhauled the FRT training, updating the training manual and schedules and I made the new starter training more structured.
Thanks to my involvement in training, FRT management then offered me a full-time role as FRT Training Officer.
How will your new role change what you do?
I am now responsible for the training and development of all staff within the First Response Team. I coordinate and deliver training to new staff, while making sure our training manuals and guides are up to date and fit for purpose.
I also assist with ongoing staff training, including new processes and try to increase knowledge within the team which hopefully will improve FRT’s overall performance.
What do you like most about working for Winn Group?
The main factor is that Winns recognises individual potential and management supports us with opportunities for progression.
In FRT, we are like a happy family and the relationships we have between each other help make FRT THE team to work in!
How did your working life change during the pandemic and what are you most looking forward to on a return to ‘normality’?
I initially worked from home throughout lockdown, but when the opportunity arose to return to the office, I jumped at the chance to get back amongst the team. I am looking forward to normality returning so we can have team nights out again!
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Paul Hewitson, Deputy Head – First Response Team, wanted to take the opportunity to congratulate Simon on his promotion saying;
“Simon has been a loyal Winns employee for almost 13 years, building his knowledge in claims handling, litigation and the full Winns service. In recent years, we have relied on Simon to assist with training and mentoring. He has helped us overhaul training manuals and procedures within First Response and received excellent feedback from new staff who have benefited from his support and guidance.
“Simon’s promotion is in recognition of his dedication to FRT, his contribution to improving our departmental training and the support he has given us all as a team. It's great to see the respect Simon has from his fellow colleagues, and I am delighted that Simon is now progressing into his new role as FRT’s Official Training Officer. He brings a wealth of experience to the role, which means we can have confidence that our claims staff will be equipped with the knowledge they need to ensure we continue to be ‘best in class’ for accident management and the service offered to our clients.
“Congratulations on your promotion Simon!”
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The Winn Solicitors First Response Team is growing rapidly. If you are interested in joining the team as a Claims Handler or Trainee Claims Handler, please click here for more information and to apply.