Customer satisfaction is a priority for Groupama Insurances, and the company and undertakes regular surveys to determine how well it is performing in this area. Lisa has long recognised the benefits of improving customer satisfaction, in 2009, she created the firm’s Customer Services Academy to provide focus and momentum for its efforts in this area.
From the offset, Lisa was determined to share the outputs of the Academy with the community in and around Letchworth, where she is based. She contacted local schools, colleges and Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce to volunteer her team’s support and assistance.
The clear response was that many students were not “work ready” when they left education. Lisa voluntarily invested a great deal of time to identify the roots of the problem and found that individuals were lacking in interview technique, time-keeping and the ability to compose and present a persuasive CV.
Keen to raise the aspirations and achievements of young people, she devised an Apprenticeships programme, which was launched in 2009. In its first and second year, it provided educational and mentoring support to two year 11 students. By 2010 the programme supported three Year 11 students who were studying business qualifications.
Through links established by Lisa with local business, community and educational organisations, she and her colleagues at The Business deepened their links with the local community and now participate as volunteers on a range of projects.
For example, thanks to links with a nearby college, Lisa worked on a pro bono basis for Emmaus, a charity which supports the homeless. She organised a catering student to help The Business volunteers cook a Christmas dinner for the Emmaus Companions at her local Emmaus centre, and for a photography student to take pictures of the event.
She also arranged for a local supplier to donate a new bathroom suite, without charge, and for a student to install it at the local Emmaus centre, this assisted the student in completing his NVQ in Plumbing.
Lisa is now a trustee of Emmaus and regularly gives up her time to support the charity. She has also become active member of BITC’s Right Step Project, which helps ex-offenders assimilate themselves into the community.
In addition, Lisa is a member of the Hertfordshire Skills Board, working with the Government, Herts Chamber of Commerce and County Council to identify and plug skills gaps.
On receiving the award Lisa Hall said:
"I was very surprised and delighted to have received the South East Employee Volunteer of the year and Community Impact award for 2011.
Providing support that gets others involved in projects, which has a sustainable impact in the community, is what it is all about for me.
It’s the satisfaction of starting the initiative off knowing the effects will last for years to come. It has been great engaging staff, other companies and those less fortunate all at the same time.
I get so much out of the volunteering work I do. It makes me appreciate what I have in life, and it has completely changed the way I look at people. Volunteering is one of the best things I have ever done – I know I have made a difference to somebody, and it’s this which makes it all worthwhile."
