Every month, we share some highlights of what’s been happening in and around KBA.
This month, our Financial Planning Consultants feature in ‘The 2023 Guide to Top Rated Financial Advisers’, Leyna Shuter has been promoted to our new Area Manager, we welcomed three new team members, and Cheryl Clarke and Karen Fogg both celebrated their KBA work anniversaries – with Karen clocking up an amazing 19 years on the team!
Our wonderful Financial Planning Consultants are being featured in ‘The 2023 Guide to Top Rated Advisers’
Well done to our knowledgeable Financial Planning Consultants, Sarah Hogan, David Parkinson, Tom Kennedy, and Joanne Hobson, who are all in line to be featured in ‘The 2023 Guide to Top Rated Advisers’, which will be distributed in The Times.
This was all made possible by the time that many of our lovely clients have taken to leave us honest feedback. We appreciate every single comment because they help us assess what is going well and how we can continue to give our clients the best possible experience.
Do you think you could benefit from any of our financial services? Take a look at one of our 150+ reviews on VouchedFor to see if any of our Financial Planning Consultants can help you achieve your financial goals.
Leyna Shuter got promoted to our new Area Manager
From Team Leader at our Bury agency*, to Area Manager, Leyna tells us more about her new role and the challenges she’s looking forward to tackling head on…
What was your previous role and how have your responsibilities changed during your time working at KBA?
Prior to my appointment as Area Manager, I was Team Leader for our Bury agency, where I was responsible for the day-to-day running of the agency.
With my new role I will be working a lot more closely with our Nantwich and Southport agencies, and establishing new relationships with the KBA Financial Planning Consultants.
I will be overseeing the running of the agencies and assisting the Team Leaders with anything they may need. I will also be trying to get all three agencies more integrated so they can rely on each other for help and any useful tips and pointers.
What excites you most about taking on this new role?
All of it, but mainly getting out and visiting all the other agencies and the Leigh office to build new relationships with colleagues I don’t normally get to work alongside.
What do you think might be your biggest challenge?
I’ve never had a role of this calibre so it will be a challenge, but during my role as team leader I had lots of challenges to overcome, and I feel I dealt with them head on – it’s made me a lot stronger and more confident.
What are you looking forward to in the coming months?
Finding my feet in this new role and getting out and about visiting our other sites.
What advice would you give to someone looking to work with KBA or in the financial services industry?
Don’t hesitate!
I am so grateful to KBA and the opportunities I have been given in less than a year. It is an amazing company to work for where you are definitely a name, not a number.
The support I have been given has allowed me to progress and make a career for myself. My life has definitely been made better by KBA being a part of it.
Karen Fogg celebrated 19 years with KBA
What made you apply for your first job at KBA?
I had been made redundant from my previous employment and had taken the summer off to spend the school holidays with my daughters. A friend (Sarah’s sister) mentioned this role to me, and I applied for it.
How has your job changed over the years?
I have held quite a few roles over the years, all of which changed in some way and came with new progression options.
What’s been the most significant change during your time with KBA?
Technology is definitely the biggest change.
Everything was paper and post-based back when I started and these days everything is online. In most cases, this speeds things up!
Also, the people – when I first started there were just six people working for KBA and now we have a fantastic team of 40!
What do you consider your biggest professional achievement?
The part I played in putting a critical illness claim through for one of our lovely clients.
They were diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and didn’t believe they would qualify for the insurance claim they wanted to put through on their current policy, so they kept putting it off.
However, with help from myself and our Company Director, Sarah Hogan, the claim was successful and it made a massive difference to them.
This reminded me exactly why I do what I do – and it’s amazing. To find out the full story, watch this video on our website.
What’s one thing you wish you knew before you started working here?
At the time, I wished I’d known more about mortgages. Other than having my own, I knew nothing. But I have learnt so much over the years, dealing with mortgages, protection, pensions, and, of course, the company as a whole.
What advice would you give to someone looking to work with KBA or in the financial services industry?
Come and join us! We are a great team and KBA genuinely cares about their clients and staff so much.
Any final words?
Yes, I’m really looking forward to the next 10+ years – my notice period, according to Sarah!
Cheryl Clarke celebrated 3 years with KBA
What made you apply for your first job at KBA?
I have worked in finance for many years – 10 of them were spent at the Nantwich Yorkshire Building Society.
When I first met Sarah, just over three years ago, and it was explained that we would be transitioning from a branch to an agency; I was excited.
The process when a branch flips to an agency* is that you are given the option to re-apply for your position. I have always loved my job and I knew that this new venture would come with opportunities for progression, so of course, I applied, was successful, and my journey began.
What’s one thing you wish you knew before you started working here?
I was very nervous when doing the transition as I didn’t know what to expect. If I could go back in time, I would tell 2019 me that it will all be okay and encourage myself to embrace and enjoy the journey to come.
What advice would you give to someone looking to work with KBA or in the financial services industry?
The financial industry is massive, it influences how we live today, so attention to detail is paramount when carrying out any transaction or interaction with customers.
What are you looking forward to in the coming months?
I’m looking forward to Christmas and the start of a brand-new exciting year under a new organised and more structured regime.
Any final words?
KBA has gone from strength to strength over the last three years, it has grown in size as has our diversity of operation and services we offer to customers. I am proud to say I work for such a forward-thinking, innovative company.
Finally, we’ve welcomed 3 new starters to the team
Jaymee, Andy, and Tom have all joined us as Customer Consultants in our Yorkshire Building Society agencies*.
The lovely trio will be helping people with their accounts, providing their knowledge to customers on what products we have on sale, and taking phone calls.
They’ve all hit the ground running and we’re looking forward to seeing how their careers will progress and flourish as part of the KBA family.
* The Yorkshire Building Society Agency services promoted here are not part of The Openwork Partnership offering and are offered in our own right. The Openwork Partnership accept no responsibility for this aspect of our business.
