WORKING FOR YOU IN PERTHSHIRE Farming roots led to great tools for future
Chanceto airyouridea orbusiness challenges
Facing a particular business challenge or have an idea about a business solution but not sure how to make it happen, or if it is a good idea?
Fancy batting it about and running it past someone else?
This is what Perthshire Chamber of Commerce’s new solution centre is for.
It is not always obvious who to turn to for help, nor how to access the expertise and experience you need.
In the current climate our “norms” are being constantly challenged, requiring frequent and ongoing review and revaluation of our working practices.
The purpose of our solution centre is to hear about and understand specific challenges or potential opportunities for new or improved ways of doing business.
We then work to bring together a panel of relevant individuals to “thrash out” the issue and help identify possible solutions.
The Perthshire Chamber network and partners have a vast wealth of skills, expertise and experience which can be harnessed to help fellow businesses.
This forum can provide opportunities to support our local economy through partnerships, enhanced B2B engagement, stronger and new working relationships, greater knowledge sharing and collaboration.
It can help tap into the huge range of relevant skills and experts from within the chamber network to help identify a way forward to reach a conclusion.
Subjects already being explored include logistics, tendering and procurement, workspaces and new market development collaborations with a drive to keep business local.
So, if a business has any thorny business problems or inspired ideas, please bring them to the table for peer assistance and exploration – we would love to hear from you.
This new services is in response to our members’ needs and will evolve over time in line with local demand.
Perthshire Chamber can be contacted on 01738 448325, info@ perthshirechamber.co.uk or via www.perthshirechamber.co.uk/ contact-us
Born and brought up on a livestock farm outside Inverness, Margaret Hebbourn could not have predicted that after having over 30 years’ experience in the insurance industry, she would be running the Perth agency of NFU Mutual with a handful of prestigious awards under her belt.
Her business gives her the opportunity to combine her strengths, using the skills and experience gained working for two insurance industry giants with her agricultural knowledge and rural roots.
When Margaret took over the agency in September 2017, she was keen to grow the business but ultimately the goal was to help customers make sure they had the right protection in place should the worst happen.
Margaret explains that insurance of a complex business can be hard to navigate.
“It’s important to put yourself in your customers shoes, understand what risks could affect their business and how these can be protected against most effectively,” she says.
“Insurance covers must change as a business changes, and we help a business identify and reduce the risks they face on a day to day basis.
“At the end of the day, it’s better to prevent a claim happening than to have the trauma of dealing with the aftermath.”
2020 has been a challenging year for Margaret and her team, having to adapt working practices and ensure flexibility for staff to work from home at the same time as providing customers with the excellent levels of customer service they have come to expect. Despite these challenges, Margaret was delighted to receive the 2020 ‘top agency’ award for the Perth office in the recent NFU Mutual
Scotland Recognition Awards, having also scooped the NFU Scotland Flame award for recruitment and retention two years running.
Commenting on these successes, Margaret said: “We like to take the time to understand our customers and their business, so we can provide a tailored bespoke solution for them.
“Our customers find us easy to do business with preferring the personal touch we are famous for. We have a fantastic team within the office who always go out of their way to help. That’s the same whether you are looking to insurance a small house or a large complex business.”
Margaret has expanded the team over the last three years and puts the success of the agency down to the strength and enthusiasm of her partners and team in the office.
She is particularly proud and impressed by the younger staff who have come up through the modern apprenticeship route. Two of her apprentices have been finalists in the Perthshire Chamber of Commerce Star Awards.
The work does not stop in the office though. Margaret describes herself as a people person and, when coronavirus restrictions allow, enjoys networking and attending events to promote her business.
“It’s great to get a chance to meet both existing and new customers at agricultural shows, chamber of commerce events, seminars and the like, and that’s something I’ve really missed over the last yeas.”
Margaret also looks after a group of NFU Scotland (the farmers union) members and is kept busy organising meetings and events for members as part of her union activities.
With Margaret at the helm, NFU Mutual in Perth has been pro-active in the community, and as well as sponsoring a youth football team over the last 12 months has helped support Perth and Kinross Food Bank, Mindspace and RSABI.