Meet Maddy 👋 She’s worked at Marshmallow for over 2 years and has already achieved a huge amount - including a promotion to Third Party Claims Operations Lead.
We chatted with Maddy to find out what it’s like to work in Claims at Marshmallow, including her career goals, proudest moments and favourite Slack channel (of course).
- Which area of Marshmallow do you work in?
I work within the Claims Tribe, where our primary goal is to safeguard Marshmallow's Loss Ratio.
For those unfamiliar, the loss ratio represents the extent to which an insurer incurs losses from claims payout relative to the premiums collected.
Our focus is twofold: ensuring the best outcomes for our customers and protecting our loss ratio. To achieve this, we work hard to mitigate claims costs wherever possible. By doing so, we can maintain competitive and fair car insurance rates for our lovely customers.
- Tell us about your role and your recent projects
For the Third Party Claims Operations Team, our main objective is simple: to reduce the average cost of Third Party claims so we can continue to offer great policy prices to our customers. We do this through intervention success, liability negotiations and credit hire management.
Recently, we've welcomed a wave of talented and impressive individuals to our team. Now that they've settled in, our attention has shifted towards developing new processes, refining our approaches, and aiming for even greater outcomes for our customers.
- What does a typical day look like for you at Marshmallow?
When I first started my job, I would have said: “No two days are the same here at Marshmallow”. I’d still say the same!
A huge focus for my team at the moment is getting more control over our average cost per claim. I spend a lot of time dissecting what we’re doing compared to our competitors to understand what we can do better. Luckily, I work alongside a phenomenal team day in, day out. They help make our ideas for improvement (even the whacky ones) become reality.
I also strive to make sure everyone across the wider business understands what we’re doing and why. That means lots of presentations at our weekly and monthly business reviews to help get everyone excited about our work.
Of course, I get to hang out with the great people I work with, too! We have monthly team socials and lots of company-wide events. And seeing my team in the office when we go in is always fun.
- What’s been the biggest challenge you’ve faced while working here, and how did you overcome it?
Here at Marshmallow, we thrive on moving fast to maximise our impact. Our environment often entails shifting priorities, where tasks you're passionate about today might not be the focus tomorrow. A tough lesson I've had to embrace is to remain adaptable and open-minded, even when I'm invested in a particular task that’s no longer a priority.
For anyone joining Marshmallow, my advice would be to enjoy the present moment. While it's important to be committed and passionate about your job and projects, it's equally crucial not to become overly attached. Agility is key in our fast-paced teams.
- What tools do you use on a daily basis to help you with your work?
We rely on so many people outside of our team - data scientists, data analysts, marketing, policy and claims fraud and customer operation experts the list goes on! The knowledge across Marshmallow helps me and my team work towards the bigger picture.
In my role as a Third Party Claims Operations Lead, management and delegation are also super important. So communication is a key tool for me!
And, when things get a bit more challenging, I know I can always rely on my manager, Tom. He provides invaluable support and guidance, especially when it comes to navigating timeframes and deadlines. Tom is always willing to entertain my queries and requests, never once saying 'no'. His flexibility is something I truly appreciate and value.
- Looking back at your time at Marshmallow, what are you most proud of?
Oh, that’s a tricky question!
I’m proud of so much of the work I’ve done since joining. But something that stands out to me is a very recent presentation I gave to the whole business about our objectives for 2024.
Not many people know this, but I'm terrified of public speaking. And, thanks to an unexpected IT issue (even tech companies have them sometimes!), I had to take on some slides I wasn’t prepared for during the presentation.
With a push from our Co-Founder Alexander and a big round of applause in the office, I managed to deliver those last-minute updates to everyone and overcame a huge fear of mine. And, at the end, I got a cheer from the entire Marshmallow team (literally across the world!) - in person and over video.
I won’t be rushing to do it again but I was so proud of getting through the whole thing.
- How have you developed your skills while at Marshmallow?
Data used to be a bit of an enemy of mine but I’m getting more and more comfortable with it every day.
We have a really supportive and experienced team of data analysts who take the time to explain anything that’s unclear. And they’re always happy to build me a dashboard so I can analyse important data quickly.
- How do you see your career progressing at Marshmallow? And does Marshmallow help support you with your goals?
I see myself staying at Marshmallow until I’m grey and old! I love the people I work with and what the business stands for.
I was recently promoted from a Team Lead (L4) to an Operations Lead (L5) - my biggest career achievement to date. For now, I’m really focused on perfecting this role.
But I can’t wait to see what's next for me here, too. I want to continue growing my career at Marshmallow and work towards other lead roles in Operations Management. I have the support in place to do that thanks to my ever-patient manager, and the overall Marshmallow support system.
- What’s your favourite Slack channel?
I may be entirely biased but it has to be our amazing Third Party Claims channel. I love watching the way everyone interacts together, offering advice and expertise across their various specialisms.
We also have the BEST ‘Feel Good Friday’ ritual where everyone gives a shout-out to someone for the support and guidance they’ve provided that week - it’s amazing to see everyone celebrating each other.
- Where’s your favourite place to relax at lunch?
If I’m working from home, I’ll take my pugs, Peanut and Marvin, out for a walk so I don’t get swallowed up by Slack messages.
When I'm in the office, it's all about heading out for lunch with whoever's around to one of the many fantastic restaurants or cafés nearby. Alternatively, I love taking a leisurely stroll around London to grab a coffee from the nearest Starbucks. It's a great way to break up the day and indulge in some delicious treats.
Thanks Maddy for sharing what it's like to work in Claims at Marshmallow! Fancy joining our team or just want to know more about working here? Head to our jobs page.
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