PB Week: A guest blog from Tim Ryan, managing director of the Ryan Insurance Group.

As an industry we want to be viewed as a profession, which is no bad thing. Addressing elements of our businesses such as efficiency, quality and differentiation will allow businesses like ours to remain independent. This is very important to me.

My week begins with a formal Institute of Directors meeting. My chairmanship of the Suffolk branch is a fantastic networking forum that I use to good effect. The meetings are quite dynamic and always come away with a bit more passion than I went in with! My IoD boss is retiring so we celebrate with a game of golf in the afternoon. I will spend my winnings wisely!

I hosted a business dinner last night where we operated a Question Time debate similar to the BBC programme. This was attended by 75 of the great and the good in Suffolk. One of the panel made a thought-provoking comment about the lack of "business morality" in certain areas. Perhaps this is where it has all gone wrong?

Recession proofing

Like many businesses, we have taken steps to minimize the impact of the recession. The rest of my day is taken up with reviewing how the management team has dealt with the implementation. I don't like a business to be operationally led but I do need the delivery element of the group to be focused, lean and effective. I need regular reassurance that this is the case.

The next couple of days have a specific itinerary: reviewing our insurer relationships and business deals. Poor investment returns are forcing insurers to review their pricing in order to reinstate their coffers but some have an appalling approach! Our main insurer partners are in no doubt of my position which is to focus on retaining our good quality customers not forcing them to accept, or look for, alternative products. My impression is that all our partners understand this but the rules from HQ are black and white which can only create client volatility. Something we want to avoid at all costs.

My week ends with a review of technology. Not the intricacies of the systems but whether our recent investments are driving down costs and driving up efficiency.