GROWTH PLANS: Two new Directors join taxi specialists Patons Insurance
Updated: Mar 31, 2022
Two new Directors have been appointed at Patons Insurance as plans to step up on growth within the taxi industry reaches next stage.
The family run business has offices in Manchester, Liverpool, Middlesbrough, Edinburgh, Dundee and Glasgow. The taxi insurance broker is now looking to scale up on plans to grow with the appointment of Jo Noonan as Operations Director.
Matt Chadwick will also join the team as Sales Director, establishing an experienced and dedicated management team looking to the future.
Patons’ new Directors are vastly experienced insurance veterans and have spent decades working together in the industry, getting to know what matters to clients and insurers and providing a service with can deliver those needs.
Managing Director Darren Roberts has been in the driving seat since 2010 and has seen the business enjoy successful growth. Darren’s key focus has been how Patons looks after customers, both drivers and insurers, as well as its own people.
Roberts said: “Jo and Matt are both highly experienced senior managers within our business with a deep understand of our clients’ needs. Within their roles as directors, they’ll have the autonomy to be able to create the structure within the business to support continued growth and high levels of client satisfaction including the support and development of section heads and new managers.
“These promotions are in recognition of all the fantastic work they have done, especially during the pandemic, which has been key in putting our business in a robust position and ready for the next phase of our growth plan.
“We’ve already seen a strong start to 2022 which shows that after the disruption of the past two years, drivers are coming back to the industry as demand increases now that lockdowns and restrictions have ended.”
Noonan said: “We have all known each other and worked together for so long and it is nice to be recognised for the role I have been doing.
“We get on incredibly well and there is a fantastic bond of trust.
“We have been working hard through the pandemic to look after our people first, and make sure the business comes through the other side.
“Our clients were prevented from working because of lockdowns and restrictions and even as they returned to work, demand for taxis wasn’t what it was and we did what we could to support them through that.”
Chadwick added: “I’m really looking forward to continuing to support and develop the next generation of managers within our business and help them to be able to make decisions to keep our clients and insurers happy.
“The pandemic was difficult, and we knew as a team that we were going to have to make some tough decisions, but we got through that part relatively unscathed and are now in a strong position post pandemic.”
“Whilst I’m the sales director, we don’t operate a sales-at-all-costs policy and we make sure that customer service is at the focus of everything we do. We need sales teams who can help customers with every aspect of their insurance – not just to try to convince them to spend more.
“Investing in people is key going forward, especially as things change as we come out of the pandemic and drive our business forward."
