- Home >
- News > Commercial
Retail giant beats Tesco to the punch in aggregator battle
Dixons this week became the first established retailer to confirm its plans for an insurance aggrega...
Post | 16 Aug 2007 | 01:00
Dixons this week became the first established retailer to confirm its plans for an insurance aggregator, pipping Tesco to the post (see box left).
Advertisement
Call Connection has developed the insurance business for Dixons in a move that signals its entry into the wider financial services market outside warranties.
Ipswich-based Call Connection will build and manage the comparison website and expects to go live towards the end of 2007. Initially the aggregator will offer home and motor insurance.
Jonathan Hewett, financial services director of DSG International Group, which owns Dixons, said: "The combination of our strong brand and in excess of 25 million site visits every year mean that moving into financial services is a logical next step for Dixons."
He added: "Uniquely, the new Dixons financial services aggregator will work seamlessly across both telephone and the web."
Graeme Kalbraier, managing director of Call Connection, added: "Dixons customers will have the choice about whether they want to use the net or get a personal service by calling one of our agents. No one else offers customers this choice."
Call Connection claims to handle more than 50,000 calls per week and has recently expanded to a 230-seat call centre and employs 400 staff.
Tesco has earmarked September for the soft launch of its aggregator website, Post has learnt. However, it remained tight lipped on its actual plans as Post went to press.
It had been thought that the retailer would use Tescocompare as the brand for the site, and had registered the web domain name.
But Post has discovered that another firm, Call Connection, has registered that brand - along with Tescoscompare - at Companies House.
Call Connection denies that it is working with Tesco Personal Finance, a joint venture between Tesco and Royal Bank of Scotland, despite its Dixons tie-up.
Tescocompare and Tescoscompare are both listed at the same Saxon House, Ipswich address and Graeme Kalbraier is the only director. Saxon House is the headquarters of Call Connection and Mr Kalbraier the managing director of the company.
A third brand, Tesco Personal Finance Compare Limited, is registered in Scotland at the same address as TPF.
A well placed market source this week said that Tesco had signed up a host of major insurers including NU Direct and More Than for its aggregator venture. It had originally been expected to launch at the end of July, but has now pencilled in September for a soft launch.
A TPF spokesman confirmed it planned to launch an aggregator in the autumn.
Most read
-
Brit appoints Sydney MD
Post | 10 Mar 2010
-
Fortis Insurance to be rebranded "Ageas"
Post | 10 Mar 2010
-
Ambant appoints former FSA associate to head up new unit
Post | 10 Mar 2010
-
Law firm backs referral fees
Post | 10 Mar 2010
-
Pick of the week
Post | 10 Mar 2010 |
Most commented
-
Ambant appoints former FSA associate to head up new unit
Post | 10 Mar 2010
-
Law firm backs referral fees
Post | 10 Mar 2010
-
Pick of the week
Post | 10 Mar 2010 |
-
The Aldermanbury Declaration - live webinar today at 3:30. Sign up now
Post | 10 Mar 2010
-
Fortis UK profit down £47m
Post | 10 Mar 2010
Popular topics
Updating your subscription status 
Related articles
-
Testing times
Post | 11 Jun 2009
-
Watch your step
Post | 28 May 2009
-
Managing general agents - Extreme reactions
Post | 07 May 2009
-
Interview - Chris Giles - The last of the big spenders
Post | 07 May 2009
-
Reflections on 2002
Post | 26 Mar 2009
-
A broads appeal
Post | 19 Mar 2009
Related jobs
Advertisement
Recent comments