Following a strategic review which, among other things, will also see the bringing together of the direct mortgage sales teams in C&G and the Lloyds TSB network, C&G is overhauling its branch-led approach to intermediaries by deploying sales managers to ensure greater coverage around the country.
The result is that C&G will be able to ensure that intermediary sales managers are where they are needed, rather than where the branches are based, as was previously the case.
This means that C&G will be represented in areas of the country where it currently has limited or no presence. For instance, C&G has been unable to support intermediaries in Northern Ireland for the past 10 years because it does not have a branch there.
From January 1 next year however, there will be a business development team based in Belfast, dedicated to serving the NI intermediary community.
The restructuring of the sales force will have no impact on intermediaries who have an existing relationship with their local C&G branch. The restructuring simply means that intermediaries without a nearby branch will, for the first time, be able to deal directly with a C&G intermediary sales manager.
The number of intermediary sales managers will stay broadly the same as it is now (around 100), although there will be some additions to ensure nationwide coverage described is achieved.
C&G intermediary sales director John Champion says: "From what IFAs tell us, the C&G brand is synonymous with leading products and excellent service. This move is only going to further strengthen what the brand stands for.
"The IFA market is a high priority for us. What we are doing here is building an intermediary sales team around the needs of intermediaries rather than around the C&G branch network. Our ambition is to ensure we can maintain our sales team's reputation for being the best in the business."
