Drawing on almost 30 years of construction experience in Australia and overseas, Jonathan Bell leads the General Works team within Paynter Dixon’s Insurance division. The team is responsible for delivering all repairs up to $250,000. Jonathan shared insights:

Seizing opportunities

I was raised in western Sydney and left school to become a carpenter. My grandfather was a chippie and I have fond boyhood memories of his workshop where I watched him work.

Rugby has been a large part of my life, opening a door to travel, learning and relationships. After completing my apprenticeship, I pursued the opportunity to play professional rugby overseas – a 22-year-old in Europe.

Starting out as an outsider, I embraced the challenge of learning languages, meeting people and finding a way to connect. It changed my perception, and I’ve been a team player ever since.

The game led me to the south of France where I met my future wife, settled down and started a family. I grew my own successful carpentry business and built a family home there. In 2017, we decided to move back to Australia and settle on the Central Coast.

Leadership insights

My sporting career was equally a springboard to leadership experience through captaining various teams. As the Insurance General Works Manager, I’m focused on our team performance and operating to a high standard.

We are a diverse team with skilled professionals from different backgrounds and nationalities.

I’m process driven and committed to educating the team on processes which shape and improve our service. For example, when a claim comes through our network of clients, we have strict KPIs to govern delivery on time.

Creating a positive client experience

We are also dedicated to creating a positive experience for the client. This starts with empathising with their situation. House or property has been damaged, and that is disruptive on a personal level.

In insurance, we are the first point of contact for a sudden and unforeseen event that has occurred to the customer. Our role is to nurture confidence in the process and outcome as we work in their property.

From experience, punctuality and consideration are key drivers of trust. We deliver on our promise to meet service standards – from initial contact and attending site, to submitting quotations in a timely manner and finalising repair work.

Acts of consideration will turn around a negative frame of mind.

Making a difference

Professionally, I gain the most satisfaction in seeing the client happy with the work we’ve done.

Away from work I still maintain a strong connection to rugby. For the last three seasons I’ve enjoyed coaching the Terrigal juniors and premiership-winning first grade side. It’s about nurturing potential around you.

Visit https://www.paynterdixon.com.au/sector/insurance/ to learn more about our Insurance services, or connect with me on LinkedIn.