Warwick & Stafford Franchisee

‘A product I’d be proud to sell’

‘I went into business with WPA because I wanted a product I’d be proud to sell,’ says Keith Iliffe. Keith, 54, has been the WPA franchisee covering Warwick, Stafford and Leamington Spa since November 2006. ‘I know I am selling an ethical product, and that WPA will deliver what I say it will,’ he says. Keith had no experience of financial services before he joined WPA, having worked in hospitality as a business development director, run a sales training consultancy and then a property agency in Spain. ‘When I returned to the UK I was looking for a new business opportunity. I had a friend who worked with WPA and saw how much he enjoyed what he was doing. ‘I had also had a family policy while in one of my jobs, so knew the service was good,’ he says. After seeing WPA at the National Franchise Exhibition in Birmingham, attending an open day with his wife Jen, and speaking to several franchisees, he decided to take the plunge. ‘WPA’s training gave me a thorough grounding in the products, which is vital because it is your product knowledge that gives you credibility with customers,’ says Keith. ‘It is certainly not the hard sell. I am more like a consultant or advisor, listening to my customers’ needs and guiding them as to their best product choice.’ After two years in the business he is planning to employ his wife Jen in the New Year to support existing clients and help with claims issues, leaving him more time to concentrate on sourcing new business. He advises others considering a WPA franchise: ‘Don’t be daunted by the idea of selling medical insurance. You get good initial and on-going training and there’s a back-up team at the end of the phone to ask about anything you are unsure of. ‘WPA has a sound range of products, and an ethical way of doing business.’ Linda Whitney is a freelance contributor on Franchising in the Daily Mail and has written about Franchising and Personal Finance for more than a decade.

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