In a surprising change the founding directors of The Legal Recovery Group plc, Dean Cox and Andrew Harley have gone their separate ways. The Dynamic Duo, as they had been dubbed by the industry has parted company each taking full control of separate parts of the Groups business. Cox will continue to manage LRG, with sales and operational management by Harley, who will leave once the move to the new Solihull offices has been completed. Harley will then take full control of UK Insure Direct which in his words was, being strangled by its own success. Neil Wadsworth, the finance director commented, Harley had taken overall responsibility for the brokerage sometime ago but felt he was being restrained by the other group directors. The greater the success of the brokerage guarantees more business for LRG with a 3 year sole agency contract agreed as part of the arrangement”. UK Insure Direct has bucked the recent trend in broking by trebling in size in 18-months while other high street brokers are closing offices. Andrew Harley, the new Managing Director told us that the high street had to move with the times. it is no use being local if you are closed at 5-30pm when many customers need to contact you. We have opened 12 hours a day 7 days a week to provide the service levels that are expected as we approach the millennium. Recently A-Plan Insurance followed the lead by opening their branches at weekends and evenings. Generally the insurance industry has lagged behind the banking industry who also resisted greater opening hours but even the banks are starting to provide a more flexible approach. Saturday opening for some is considered to be more than a rumour; perhaps this is the true power of the consumer influence taking hold at last.
