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Press release:

Ref: OGI0175
10th November 2009

Roland Smith’s Online Business Gets a Lift with Open GI’s eBroker

Roland Smith, insurance specialists for serving and retired police officers, is the latest broker to expand their home and motor business over the web using Open GI technology.

Customers accessing www.rolandsmith.co.uk can now get instant online home and motor quotes via Open GI’s eBroker quote and buy solution. Liverpool-based Roland Smith has seen home insurance sales increase by 14% since going live with the technology in June 2008, and motor insurance sales rise by 6% after launching in May 2009.

Built around the power of Open GI’s market leading quotation engines, eBroker enables firms to deliver online quotes in real time and expand their national presence without incurring massive marketing costs.

Since launching the online solution two years ago, Open GI has contracted for a total of 120 web builds, equating to an average of five per month. These cover a wide range of brokers and business lines.

The ability to allow customers to obtain home and motor quotes online, 24 hours a day, has been the key to generating such a significant volume of additional business for Roland Smith, according to Sheila Ward, Financial Director at Roland Smith.

She said: “Providing quotes online reflects our determination to create the widest distribution channel for our products, making it easier than ever for our customers to do business with us. The eBroker solution has effectively opened up a cost effective route to market for non core business, as we can expand our portfolio without having to recruit extra sales staff. It is Open GI’s consistent delivery of reliable and innovative technology that has allowed us to maximise online market opportunities.”

Simon Hughes, Sales and Marketing Director, Open GI, commented: “Online trading is playing an increasingly significant role in a broker’s business, particularly those keen to win market share. With more and more consumers continuing to buy insurance online, our eBroker solution is designed to satisfy this demand.”

For More Information about Open GI:
Adele Clarkson
Marketing and PR Manager
Open GI
Tel: 01905 754455
email: adele.clarkson@opengi.co.uk

Notes to Editors:

Open GI supplies market leading IT solutions to insurance brokers across the UK & Ireland. With 25,000 users in around 2,000 firms, the company has a 40% share of the UK broker market and is committed to technological innovation. Open GI technology enables personal and commercial lines brokers trading in standard and niche markets to streamline business activity and become more profitable. With a workforce of 300 people and a 30 year heritage, the company enjoys a strong financial performance. For the year ended 31 st May 2007 Open GI reported revenues of £27.3 million and an operating profit of £13.6 million.