Diary of an Insurer: Policy Expert’s Linda Crichton

Monday

Mondays always start early for me and for Mylo, our Springer Spaniel. My husband John and I live in a lovely village just outside Glasgow, and our morning walk along the River Clyde is the perfect way to prepare for the week ahead. 

At this time of year, it’s hats, gloves and often a torch in hand. It’s peaceful and grounding – a quiet moment before a full week begins.

Once home, it’s coffee and a quick scan of the headlines before I drive to work. The car playlist is usually Stereophonics, though sometimes an audiobook if I’m in the mood. 

Mondays tend to be meeting-heavy, beginning with a senior leadership roundtable to review KPIs and customer outcomes.

When I’m travelling to our London or Milton Keynes offices, it’s the red-eye flight to London City or Luton. 

Travelling frequently can be challenging, particularly in the Scottish winter, but I plan ahead carefully and make the most of the quiet time on planes to read, think, or catch up on industry news. 

I’ve learned to see travel not as disruption but as part of the rhythm of leadership, time to reflect and reset before another busy week.

Tuesday

Tuesday morning brought one of my favourite routines – my weekly call samples. These are three randomly selected customer interactions from each of our contact centre sites, delivered straight to my inbox. 

I make time to listen to them without fail. It’s a simple but powerful way to stay close to our frontline teams, and most importantly, to the customer experience.

Customer care is at the heart of everything we do. One of our biggest current initiatives is implementing a new customer contact platform across all three of our sites. 

It’s a transformational project that will deliver a true omnichannel experience and a single customer view, making life simpler for customers and our agents alike. The goal is to make every interaction effortless, where customers only ever need to “tell us once”.

Working on such large-scale change can be demanding, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. The industry is evolving fast, and I’m proud to help shape solutions that put people and technology in perfect balance, ensuring innovation drives better experiences, not complexity.

Wednesday

Midweek tends to focus on strategy and governance. Wednesday is our monthly Senior Leadership Team committee meeting, where my direct reports share progress on major projects and strategic objectives. 

Right now, that includes the contact platform rollout. These sessions are crucial for maintaining alignment and momentum across our transformation programmes.

Even as we discuss new systems and processes, I never lose sight of the people behind them. It’s our colleagues who bring these strategies to life, and supporting them through change is one of the most important parts of my role. 

I always try to create space for open discussion, to listen, challenge and learn from each other. That collaborative energy is what makes our business move forward.

Thursday

Thursday began with our customer committee meeting, where I sit alongside fellow C-suite colleagues to review emerging customer themes and root cause analysis. These sessions help ensure our decisions stay grounded in the real-world customer experience rather than dashboards alone.

Later in the day, I attended the Contact Centre Management Association’s annual conference – always a highlight of my professional calendar. It’s a brilliant opportunity to connect with peers, hear about new trends, and reflect on our own progress. 

Unsurprisingly, artificial intelligence and technology dominated the discussion. For us, AI isn’t just about efficiency – it’s about enhancing both the customer and agent experience - creating those “wow” moments that make a lasting impression.

The pace of change can be intense, but days like this remind me why I love what I do. Our industry never stands still, and staying close to new ideas keeps me energised and optimistic about the future of customer service.

Friday

Fridays are for people and celebration. It’s when we host our monthly Experts in Action Awards, recognising outstanding contributions from across our teams. 

Presenting the Expert of the Month Award alongside my leadership colleagues is always a highlight. Celebrating our people’s achievements never fails to lift everyone’s spirits.

Whenever I’m onsite in Motherwell or Milton Keynes, I make a point of spending time with our frontline teams – live listening to calls, dropping into morning huddles, and chatting with team managers. 

Maintaining strong, authentic relationships with our people is mission critical for me. Their insight is invaluable, and they’re the heartbeat of our organisation.

After a full week, Friday evenings are for winding down. Family time is precious, and when I’m home, I try to be fully present. 

My husband and Mylo are wonderfully understanding about my travel schedule, and we make the most of weekends together. 

We enjoy walks, and time at our home beside the beach in the Scottish borders. 

Cooking is my creative outlet, so Friday nights usually mean country music in the background while I cook up a storm. 

It’s the perfect way to switch off and reflect on the week – a moment to appreciate how lucky I am to lead such dedicated teams and to work in an industry that’s constantly challenging, changing, and inspiring.