Every month, we share some of the highlights of what’s been happening in and around KBA. This month, we have three big pieces of news to share and celebrate this month.
Customer consultant Cheryl has been hitting the books and her hard work paid off with a 100% pass mark on her recent R05 exam. We celebrate Jane’s first anniversary with KBA Financial, and Sarah Tate and her husband have moved their young family into their dream home.
Cheryl scores a flawless 100% pass mark on her R05 exam
Customer consultant Cheryl works in our Yorkshire Building Society (YBS) Agency. After many years working for YBS, she’s been part of the KBA team for just over 18 months and has recently passed the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) R05 exam with an impressive mark of 100%.
The R05 exam forms part of the Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning and focuses on financial protection.
How long have you been working towards the R05 exam, and did you have to pass other exams to reach this one?
I started working towards this qualification in March 2020 and began the R05 segment straight after Christmas. I studied using the Bespoke Training Solutions book and the CII book.
The qualification has six segments. Once you have completed R01, you can take the remaining exams in any order. And there are a total of six parts to the qualification.
100% is a brilliant achievement – have you always been so good at passing exams?
I’m rubbish at passing exams. Studying doesn’t come easy to me; I have to work hard.
I prepared for the exam by reading the notes I had made following the reading of the CII and BTS books, then using Lauren Tudor’s (one of KBA’s financial planning consultants) technique of putting key things on post-it notes and putting them on the walls at home.
What was the hardest thing you had to get your head around?
The hardest topic in R05 was when tax is paid and what type of tax – such as Capital Gains or Income Tax – and benefits. There are so many of them, it’s easy to get confused.
How was the exam? Did you have to go somewhere to take it with others or was it done online?
I sat the exam at the Pitman Centre in Nantwich with lots of other people doing different exams.
When I first saw the RO5 exam I thought I’d been given the wrong one and had to double check that it was right. My heart was pounding in my chest, and I had to keep telling myself to calm down…
What will it mean for you professionally?
The exam has given me a greater understanding of the financial services industry. Better still, my customers receive a more meaningful customer meeting and experience. I can help pick up on things I didn’t previously understand and refer them to the right specialist for help.
Are you now working towards another qualification, or are you taking a well-earned break over the summer?
I’m currently studying for my R02 exam which is super difficult. There are lots of formulae which I need to remember and know what to use them for, as well as understanding inflation and taxation and how it all works. I need to get myself a scientific calculator…
Mortgage administrator Jane has been with KBA for a year this month
What were you doing before you joined the KBA team?
I worked in insurance for 32 years in Manchester city centre.
Starting a new job in lockdown must have been quite strange. Obviously, you nailed the virtual interview process, but how was it and what was it like to start working with people you didn’t get to meet in person?
I’m a quiet person, so I think it was a lot better for me not to have to meet everyone at once, and to meet them gradually.
The KBA team are a nice set of people, very friendly, and made me feel welcome.
What do you remember about your first day at KBA Financial?
It was just me and Karen in the office and it was training via screen sharing due to Covid. I started working just two days a week, then went to three days and now I’m full time.
What do you love most about your job?
The people I work with and the challenge of something different. It’s also rewarding to assist customers on their journey of finding a new home.
Favourite memorable moment?
I haven’t really been here long enough, but I did receive a lovely bottle of Prosecco from a customer. So that was nice.
Sarah Tate and family moved into their forever home
After selling the family home in just five days, this month Sarah (our protection administration consultant) and her young family moved into their dream home.
Was the buying process easy, or were there anxiety-ridden delays?
We sold our house in five days. We did originally buy another house, but had to pull out.
We then found our current house, so there was some stress involved because we moved 10 months after we originally sold our house. We were very lucky our buyer was so chilled about it all.
And how was move day? With two young children and another on the way, how did you cope and how many boxes are still waiting to be unpacked?
Surprisingly very relaxed and stress-free.
We dropped the kids with their grandma at 8am, and she brought them back to the new house at 5pm. They arrived to find their beds and rooms all set up and ready. I played the pregnant card, and my husband decorated their bedrooms the first weekend we moved in, as they were our priority.
Meanwhile, me and my husband had to sleep on a mattress on the floor for a week until our new bed was delivered! I am very impatient and once I get an idea, I need it doing!
Now, there’s just the spare room (soon to be nursery!) to decorate.
How did your children adapt to sleeping in their new bedrooms?
Luckily, they are both sloths and have adapted fine. Travis picked a dinosaur theme for his new room.
Do you plan to do any other work to your new house?
We bought all new kitchen appliances as our old house had all fitted and the new house didn’t. Now we’re just waiting on our new sofas and our fitted wardrobes in the master bedroom (hopefully not much longer).
We’ve had the kitchen sprayed to make it more modern and redecorated every room pretty much (I use the term we loosely, as it’s mainly been down to my husband!).
What do you love most about waking up in your new home?
The view from the back bedroom, which overlooks open fields.
What’s your favourite room and why?
The playroom, because I can hide all the kids’ toys away and not have to look at the mess!
Where do you end up spending most of your time?
The garden! We’ve been lucky with the weather since we moved, and it opens onto a playing field which the kids love.
We’d love to hear from you. Share your news or ask any of the KBA team a question by emailing info@kbafinancial.com or call us on 01942 889883.
