A Loss of a Local Business: Swinton Insurance Kirkintilloch Branch Permanently Closed
It was a sad day for staff and clients in Kirkintilloch last week when Swinton Insurance closed its doors for the final time.
The East Dunbartonshire branch, which was previously named Kirkintilloch Insurance Services Limited up until 2012 when it was taken over by Swinton Insurance, had been offering motor, home, travel and business insurance services for over 50 years in this area.
When Swinton Insurance took the company over in 2012, much of the existing team of staff remained.
Unfortunately, Swinton Insurance plans to create a commercial insurance centre in the town was not successful and after just 7 years of trading, the closure of the Kirkintilloch branch has meant that all of the staff that worked there, some for many years, have been made redundant.
The staff that worked in this team were well known for providing a local and personalised insurance service to residents and businesses in the town and outlying areas, offering a range of different insurance policies that local people in the area could rely on, and always called upon, year after year.
However, since the branch was taken over by Swinton Insurance, many of its clients felt that this personalised approach had diminished, with customer calls directed straight to large call centres in Manchester rather than being handled by the local team that they once knew and trusted.
Steven Bett of Stephen John Hairdressing, who is a business owner in this town and who had remained loyal to the Kirkintilloch branch for over 30 years, commented that he had been disappointed with the way that the insurance company had progressed since the takeover, how impersonalised the service had become and also what a shame this was for both the clients and the local team that were used to dealing with their clients on a more individual level.
When talking about the closure of this well-known Kirkintilloch branch, Graeme Robertson, Director of Hamilton Robertson Insurance Brokers, said, “It is a great shame to see the heart ripped out of local business and seeing staff who have given their working life to a company being made redundant.”
Looking to the Future
However, if one positive point can be taken from the situation, it is that several of the Swinton Insurance staff from Kirkintilloch were not out of work for long – some have now managed to take up work with Hamilton Robertson.
One such new member of staff is Margaret Heeps, who lost her job with Swinton but is now working in customer care for Hamilton Robertson. Margaret was essentially the face of the Kirkintilloch branch and many clients knew her and asked for her personally, trusting her to give them a high level of service when it came to arranging their insurance policies.
She commented that since working with Hamilton Robertson, it has been like a breath of fresh air returning to a local, customer-facing role, where she can once again have a high impact delivering excellent levels of service to local companies and residents face to face.
Hamilton Robertson are pleased to welcome her, and other members of staff who have joined their team, and regard them each as assets which are sure to make a positive impact on the business now and in the future.
Hamilton Robertson would also like to take this opportunity to reassure clients of Swinton Insurance who may now wonder where they stand with their insurance policies. The experienced team can assist with offering advice and also transferring any insurance policies should this be required.
Hamilton Robertson is now the only Chartered Insurance Broker in North Glasgow that can offer car, home, business and travel insurance.
For more information on this story or any insurance advice, please contact us.
Contact Details
Hamilton Robertson Insurance Brokers Limited
Address: 2 Catherine Street, Kirkintilloch, Glasgow, G66 1LJ
Telephone Number: 0141 776 7600
Website: www.hamiltonrobertson.co.uk