Processes
As a company we operate a “repair first philosophy” and are constantly striving to develop new repair techniques and processes. Martindales consistently achieves industry leading repair ratios that many of our competitors are unable to get close to. This strategy drives significant reductions in claim costs for our insurer clients.
We are also unique in that our in-house engineering staff can fabricate obsolete parts needed to repair locking systems. This enables high cost claims for replacement doors, windows and conservatories to be avoided. Why not contact us to arrange a visit.
This technology was implemented in order to provide electronic reporting from site, improved administration performance as well as real time video for technical support and before and after digital images.
Highly sophisticated software also ensures that risk assessments are completed on each claim and electronic records maintained for audit purposes.
In order to ensure rapid communication of changes in company procedures and/or policies the PDA units can also receive pocket PC mail from our Operations Hub.
Bespoke software allows leaded glass and locking system design to be prepared by Surveyors whilst on site. This significantly reduces the lifecycle of each claim and ensures that customers are not inconvenienced unnecessarily. It also minimises the number of instances where a “collect and copy” is required.
To receive a full system demonstration of our systems and technology, why not contact us to arrange a visit to our Bolton headquarters.
To enable customer expectations to be managed efficiently, each Martindales surveyor is trained to discuss all available options including repair or replacement.
All survey inspections are carried out by fully trained staff that provide independent validation of the damage.
Our surveying staff are vetted, wear uniforms (a suit and company tie), carry ID cards and also a PDA unit.
By using this method of validation, we can in most cases book in the customers fitting appointment whilst the Surveyor is on site.
Whilst on site, our Surveyors provide policyholders with their own Customer Care Guide.
As the glazing industry has a relatively poor image, this literature is specifically designed to reassure customers that they are dealing with a professional organisation.
It also clearly sets out the claims process and manages their expectations in terms of timescales / excess collection / contact numbers / complaint procedure and guarantees.
From the moment an instruction is received, the Martindales Claims Management System tracks the progress of each claim from “cradle to grave”.
This highly sophisticated system incorporates a range of advanced features including a full CRM log, insurer specific SLA’s, electronic files, surveyor reports, photographic details, video images (if required), CSQ scores, excess collection process and complaint management.
It also supports the SMS text message service and our web portal.
As well as using historical management information to monitor the business, Martindales has developed a diagnostic MI tool to proactively performance manage all key processes.
This tool is linked to our Claims Management System which incorporates individual insurer SLA’s and allows production of real time MI by analysing performance on a daily basis.
The diagnostic tool includes various performance graphs, and reports can be prepared against each key account over selected date ranges.
To receive a full system and technology demonstration, why not contact us to arrange a visit to our Bolton headquarters.
Systems
Martindales is committed to total transparency regarding pricing.
To achieve this aim we developed a fully coded pricing model with fixed costs. This has been operational now for over 2 years and has proved to be very successful.
Each claim can be tracked from the final coded invoice, back through the survey report and photos to the original contracted pricing schedule.
This approach has ensured that when audited by insurers, the process is straightforward and totally transparent. Claims Leakage is also highly controlled, this has been demonstrated by recent insurer audits.
Martindales has successfully achieved full XML system integration. This development has significantly reduced claims processing costs.
The Martindales text message reminder service was also an industry first.
The system was specifically designed to monitor all diary entries for the company’s Surveyor and Fitting Teams.
With prior authority from the policyholder, our claims management system will automatically send them a text message the day before an appointment with us.
To receive a full system demonstration, why not contact us to arrange a visit to our Bolton headquarters.
This new process reduced our vehicle fleet mileage by more than 200,000 miles per year.
The system took more than 12 months to develop and links all surveyor diaries with satellite navigation and mapping software.
When each Surveyor uses their PDA to log into the system from home at the start of each day, the system then notes the home postcode as a starting point and then plots the days allocated jobs using recommendations from a complex mapping programme.
The system is most efficient when claims volumes are high, for example when operating in a claims surge.
To receive a full system demonstration, why not contact us to arrange a visit to our Bolton headquarters.
We recognised some time ago the many benefits that web access can deliver to the claims process and Martindales were the first glazing supplier to launch a web portal for use by insurers and policyholders.
As insurers require more detailed information than policyholders, the web portal provides different levels of access.
Phase I of the portal provided basic claims details, SLA information, key dates and a glossary of information.
Phase 2 of the web portal included enhanced details for insurers and additional information for use by policyholders.
Facillities
In order to provide fully finished products that can be fitted and completed whilst on site, Martindales introduced a timber spraying and oven process.
Martindales currently provide a comprehensive painting service for all primary colours plus mahogany and light oak. This is done in-house through our unique finishing process, which allows products to be fully finished prior to delivery. Therefore unlike many other suppliers we can avoid the additional cost of an onsite painter.
Feedback we have received from the insurance industry shows that this is a problem area for some of our competitors due to the high percentage of items that have to be purchased externally.
Where customers want to finish the item in their own choice of colour, we always supply items in a ready primed condition.
Teams of highly trained call centre operators are on hand 24/7 to ensure that every caller is treated courteously, professionally, efficiently and also fairly.
Our software systems have been designed in-house to meet the exacting needs of our customers and to capture all the information we need from the policyholder.
The Martindales Claims Management System allows us to see immediately any previous work that we have carried out for the policyholder.
At Martindales we are enormously proud of our on site manufacturing facilities. Martindales enjoys a unique position in the glazing market as we have complete control of all key processes.
With 80,000 square feet of frame and glazing production line on site at Martindales’ Head Office we have direct control over all costs and manufacturing.
As glass unit production, toughening, leading and frame fabrication are all on site, no other glazing company can compete on control of costs, quality or service delivery.
We were one of the first companies in the UK to achieve compliance with the quality standard of ISO 9001/2000, and have been accredited to the relevant ISO standard since 1995.
All manufacturing is completed to internationally recognised quality standards – and we provide a warranty on all our manufactured products.
Unlike many other suppliers in our industry, Martindales has always insisted on using fitting teams who are directly employed by the company – and not sub-contracted on a job-by-job basis.
Years of experience has proven that this is the best way we can ensure delivery of a service that matches the promise we make.
This also means that we can guarantee that all the work is done to ISO quality standards – and to Martindales’ own exacting standards.
All branch level activity including Surveyors, Fitting Teams and deliveries are controlled centrally via our Operations Hub.
This team use a fully integrated IT and communications system which includes fleet satellite tracking.
In the case of special order items, the Martindales Claims System can provide a range of exception reports to ensure customers are updated on a regular basis as required by each insurers SLA.
This facility was developed to provide a responsible approach to waste management.
Once a destroyed item is removed from the customer’s home, it is then returned to our central recycling facility.
The item is then stripped down into its individual component parts and disposed of. For example in the case of a UPVC patio door, this is stripped down to UPVC, glass, locks and rubber seals.
This process has significantly reduced the amount of waste that we sent to landfill.
Customers
Martindales offers customers the opportunity to select their own survey appointment date and timeslot via our secure online service. Many customers value the flexibility and choice that this innovation provides.
