Broker Expo 2024 Countdown: Clear regional managing director, London, Nick Smallcorn

UK Broker Week aims to offer a complete week of activity aimed at promoting the broking sector. What two or three things would help constitute a perfect working/broking week for you?

No meetings other than in the pub or a wine bar, but with good company. The third?

Seriously, productive meetings with clients, colleagues and insurer-partners. Meetings that achieve and are not for their own sake. Learning about initiatives and ideas that colleagues have. It’s something we need to encourage more of – free thought.

Can you give us a short snapshot of the insights you will be looking to share during your session at Broker Expo 2024?

That is an easy one – customer, customer, customer. Without them, we do not exist. Yet customers in my opinion have less choice and are receiving a weaker service than at any time that I have been in the industry, nearly 30 years.

Claims take too long to handle, response times are poor, but because the industry has such a well oiled PR machine at its elbow, we portray the notion of continuous improvement.

This is not me being negative, it is a call for us all to be more realistic and to improve outcomes.

I do not like the fact that clients view insurance as either one of the dark arts, or a choice of the lesser of multiple evils. That we have to change because insurance purchase and use can be a very positive experience.

The UK Broker Awards take place on the Thursday night of Broker Week; if you were to give an award to a broking individual or company who would it be and what for? 

Allianz and in particular Mike Thomas (distribution director) would be worthy winners. We award the top dogs and recognise younger talent but here is an individual who has driven Allianz’s proposition in the South for many years.

Tough but fair, commercial but realistic. An inspirational person to his colleagues and brokers.

Allianz are also often at the forefront of change in our industry and yet remain committed to the broker partnership approach.

As we look forward to 2025, how well placed is the broking sector to prosper – and what gives you the confidence in your answer?

It’s been a tough few years since Covid because for various reasons the global economic climate has been in turmoil.

I’m not sure how much the BBC and so on actually tell us, but insolvencies are higher than 2008 now and that was supposed to be the end of the World.

We can prosper but two things will decide if we do or not – first and foremost the customer MUST return to the centre of what we do. Not shareholder or investor value. The customer has been forgotten in my view.

Secondly, we have to develop our people better. Where are the next generation of insurance broking leaders? I fear a dumbing down over time and again that’s not good for the customer or for the industry.

Birmingham is home to CadburyWorld. What is your favourite chocolate bar and why?

I can tell you my least favourite: rum and raisin Yorkie. I once was required to eat a whole one in one go while drinking a glass of whisky at the same time. Not easy.

Favourite? Bounty dark chocolate, but they don’t them make them anymore, do they?

Ozzy Osbourne is a famous Brummie. Who is the most Heavy Metal person in insurance and why?

Well, you could argue it’s me. Because I was in a band, but we were absolutely lousy, I have to say. Kingston Polytechnic bar is hardly Wembley is it? I also fell off the back of the stage once while playing – I was the drummer.

I remember Dave Hare was a massive Status Quo fan but I don’t think that counts as ‘heavy metal’ does it? He wasn’t a Brummie, either… was he?

Outside Broker Expo, have you ever attended any other trade shows at the Birmingham NEC, and if so,  what was it?

Various classic and car shows in my youth. I also went to the wrong hall once and it was a railway modellers convention. It was so obscure I actually stayed for a bit. I have never seen so many navy anoraks and weathered Sainsburys carrier bags in my life.

Various people discussing the pitfalls of modelling victorian engine sheds and having trouble with their bogies, etc, etc. I think the term is “niche.”

To sign up now to join Nick at Broker Expo at the Birmingham NEC on 10 October click here.

For more details on the event click here.