Svensoni

Svensoni Paraplanning is one of the fastest growing paraplanning outfits in the UK, with a network of paraplanners nationwide. The organisation offers support in a number of areas, including defined benefit pensions, mortgages, and protection report writing.

“Financial advisors send us cases,” explains Claire Gottemaker, Personal Assistant to the Director, “we prepare the suitability letter for them, and send to compliance where necessary. In layman’s terms we do the background admin for financial advisors.”

Based in Swindon, the company has a small number of internal staff, but a large and growing network of consultants: “We employ 3 staff internally, and a number of consultants, some of which work at home.”

As a result of this spread of employees, Svensoni knew good HR and health & safety practice was paramount, but didn’t necessarily have the resources to tackle it as effectively as they would have liked. Claire explains:

“As a small business we do require guidance on things like employment law and health & safety compliance. It was on that basis that we initially sought out Croner’s services and signed up.

“Prior to Croner, both HR and health & safety were managed internally, you’re the first business support company we have taken on.

“At the moment getting our health & safety up to scratch is our priority, but I think moving forward we’ll be using Croner’s services on the employment side, just as and when we need it.”

Although Svensoni had signed up with Croner several months previously, due to an internal management change, the initial visit was put off. When Claire took on the responsibility of HR and H&S, she ensured that the initial on-site visit happened.

“We joined Croner in August last year, however our old Managing Director left not long after, so not much happened as a result of our sign up. When I picked it back up in January we arranged an initial meeting and Natasha Hamblin came to our premises. In that initial meeting, Natasha was great, she clearly works very hard, she was even emailing me documents over late in the evening when I requested them. We’re very impressed.

“Natasha arrived around 10am, we started with a brief meeting where she informed us of her aims, then we walked around the offices and she made some notes. She gave us a few pointers there and then, but assured us that everything we were discussing would be in the final report. The report came through a few days later, which was incredibly detailed and nicely set out.

“Now, when I put together a new document, whether it be related to HR or health & safety, I’ll run it by Natasha, and if she approves it I trust it to be accurate.

“Richard Hall, the Managing Director, has used the advice line for employment support regarding a redundancy. He found the call to be helpful, he definitely got what he needed, and as far as I’m aware he got all the letters he required from Croner.

“We’re definitely going to continue using the Croner service moving forward, and if we have any future issues you’ll be the first port of call. The support so far has been great.”