In This Blog:
What this means for you and your role at Marsh Finance?
How did you get started in the finance industry?
What are your primary responsibilities as Head of Operations at Marsh Finance?
How do you stay up to date with industry trends and changes?
What challenges have you faced in your role?
How do you ensure that Marsh Finance provides excellent customer service?
What are the biggest growth and expansion opportunities for Marsh Finance?
How does Marsh Finance differentiate itself from other car finance lenders?
Can you share any success stories or notable achievements?
This week, two of our senior managers were enlisted into the 2023 Credit500 Hall of Fame. We sat down with our Head of Operations, Jamie Burgoyne, to discuss what it means to him as well as sharing his insights on the industry and his career journey within motor finance so far.
Congratulations on being selected as a member of the Credit 500 index. Can you tell us more about what this means for you and your role at Marsh Finance?
I’m very proud and honoured to get this recognition, but I sincerely feel this reflects on the business and the fantastic people I work with. I have a supportive and trusting boss, peers in the Senior Management Team who are all committed to the company’s success, and a talented & dedicated management team who work extremely hard.
How did you get started in the finance industry, and what inspired you to pursue a career in this field?
I’d love to tell you how inspired I was to follow my financial services dream, but I fell into it by accident. Having finished my A Levels, I got a summer job with the Abbey National, where my step-mum was a branch manager. I decided to defer my place in university for a year, where I intended to be a PE teacher, and I got a permanent job in my local Lloyds Bank branch. Once I started earning money, the thought of university became less appetising, and the rest is history.
What are your primary responsibilities as Head of Operations at Marsh Finance, and how do you contribute to the company’s success?
I look after the five teams operational teams; Lending, Collections, Legal Recoveries, Complaints & Quality Assurance. My role is to ensure all these teams perform optimally for the business to serve its customers and clients. My input is to ensure the teams have the most compliant and effective processes possible, with a high level of control and transparency. I also provide strategic direction for the operation, which involves collaboration with all business areas. Additionally, I work closely with my managers daily to support the smooth running of operations.
How do you stay up to date with industry trends and changes, and how do you use this knowledge to improve the operations at Marsh Finance?
I keep up to date via industry body updates, e.g. FCA, FLA, Credit Strategy etc., LinkedIn and traditional media outlets. I also keep in touch with various peers & ex-colleagues in the industry and try to keep my ear to the ground. At Marsh, we pride ourselves on acting proactively rather than reactively, so it is vital we are aware of the industry landscape. A great recent example is how we adapted our affordability measures to take into account the Cost of Living crisis.
What challenges have you faced in your role at Marsh Finance, and how have you overcome them?
In this industry, there are always challenges! My first day in the role was the first day of Covid lockdown, 23rd March 2020. I was immediately faced with getting our call centre agents up & running from home and putting forbearance policy measures in place to support our customers. We were cautious to ensure all aspects of the regulatory guidance were followed, and we also made every effort to act empathetically and keep our customers. Looking back now, I am incredibly proud of how Marsh handled that period.
How do you ensure that Marsh Finance provides excellent customer service, and how do you measure success in this area?
Excellent customer service is vital to the success of any business. In my time here, we invested in a new cloud-based phone system and staffing resource to minimise wait times and abandon rates. We are looking to further improve this area through 2023, with greater self-service options via web portals and web chat. We have also put great effort into automating our lending decision-making process and now provide our introducers with an incredibly smooth journey.
What are the biggest growth and expansion opportunities for Marsh Finance, and how do you plan to capitalise on these opportunities?
Our biggest opportunity for growth is by utilising technology to make it as easy as possible for our customers & clients to interact with us. This will allow us to attract, service and retain customers in greater numbers.
How does Marsh Finance differentiate itself from other car finance lenders, and what do you think sets the company apart?
We have a great blend of being ambitious, forward-thinking and innovative whilst retaining the identity of a family business. It’s a fabulous combination.
Can you share any success stories or notable achievements that you and your team have accomplished at Marsh Finance?
All of my teams have had successes in their own right over the last couple of years:
- The lending team produced record new business levels in 2022. Our collections have managed forbearance measures through covid and subsequently reduced arrears levels through 2022.
- Our legal recoveries team have performed superbly in mitigating losses with their recovery process.
- Our complaints team have managed workloads well within regulatory timescales, providing detailed root-cause feedback into the business.
- The Quality Assurance team has been set up from scratch and now is a vital support and feedback function across the business.
Finally, what advice would you give to others who are interested in pursuing a career in the finance industry, particularly in the area of operations?
Grow your knowledge in as many areas as possible; lending, collecting, complaints etc., so that you understand the entire end-to-end lifecycle of an agreement. Having that holistic view will give you an advantage as you move into more senior roles.
Are you interested in joining a fast-paced, leading car finance company? Visit our careers page to learn more about what Marsh can offer and take a look at any available jobs.