Zurich Financial Services Reviews in London, UK Area

Pros

Good People, Good working environment

Cons

Too much outsourcing of key functions (IT, HR)

Advice to Senior Management

If you want to look at expenses then consider how many Business Managers and Relationship leaders are actually needed as opposed to how many we have. Clients want to speak to the people who directly affect their business and not a go-between.

Pros

It's company on the up - after some fairly tepid years, Jim Schiro has successfully turned the firm around, with a focus on the fundamentals of the business, that has improved the way business is done, and the bottom line.

Internal barriers to communication appear to have diminished, and continue to reced, with a more united approach to doing business: Despite shoddy systems, the average employee has a great deal of knowledge and'or experience, and there is generally a can-do attitude to pushing through improvements and utilising international relationships and opportunities.

The image and office accomodation of Zurich has also improved, with a move from slightly shabby office on Fenchurch Street, to something more professional in the form of the London Underwriting Centre.

Cons

The internal systems are a legacy of the old Eagle Star days, and are a hinderence to doing business, however steps are being taken in this respect to introduce electronic workflow - a step in the right direction.

The company also suffers from being less well-known outside of the insurance community, and is tarred with the same brush as other insurance firms that can be considered the poor relation of banking, etc.

The remuneration may be considered fair by some, or slightly mean by others, perhaps a refllection of the (supposedly) less stressful working environment, and better benefits in terms of pension (perhaps) and other employee benefits, although these seem sub-standard compared to other companies.

Advice to Senior Management

Once the financial requirements are in place, strip the sytems down and streamline them: It's better to have a simple, effective system, than to cheaply outsource a slow and inefficient one.

Aside from that, things are looking good for the future.