Mike Lawler is Head of Propositions at NFU Mutual. He joined the business in 2014. His background is financial services and his passion is for building customer-centric propositions. We wanted to hear his views on what makes NFU Mutual unique.
“You may not have come across the term ‘propositions’ before, but at NFU Mutual it’s quite simply the sum of three intrinsically linked parts: product features, customer experience and price.
At the centre of all three are our customers. And our goal is simple: to give them peace of mind that their finances are secure with an organisation that gives them real value for money. We strive to develop product features as a result of an in-depth understanding of customer needs and the marketplace we operate in. In terms of customer experience we must deliver clear, relevant, expert advice and great service. When it comes to price, we have to ensure that we are competitive whilst maintaining the profitability of the business.
If we can tick all of those boxes, then we can be confident we’re delivering propositions that can win in the market. I’m immensely proud to work for an organisation that puts customers at the heart of it – and the fantastic thing about marketing is that it’s our job to make sure we shout about it!
Day to day, my role involves working with diverse, interesting and passionate people across the business to look at ideas to constantly improve our customer offer. There’s usually lots of lively debate about priorities and then we work together to make them happen. What I love most about my job is that there’s always something new to consider and the solutions come from harnessing the power of the people in our business.
Of course, you come across challenges. But challenge is what my role is about. It is the challenges that add spark to everyday routine and overcoming them brings job satisfaction. The most challenging thing in my life at the moment isn’t work related; it’s being an Aston Villa fan and staying positive about the Club’s future!
NFU Mutual is living testament that ‘how’ you do things matters. In a commoditised and increasingly impersonal marketplace, we stand out by promoting the value of service and demonstrating the power of dealing with people as individuals not as transactions, particularly when helping people in their hour of need.
The evidence that we are not a ‘me too’ insurance company is written large in the length of our customer relationships and the external recognition of our award-winning products and customer service – this is what makes NFU Mutual unique and a rewarding company to work for.”