Managers tackle the recession, cutting expenses and consolidation

Andrew Tjaardstra reports on a PB-hosted roundtable discussion held in the run-up to this year's British Insurance Brokers Association conference in Manchester

A roundtable published over two days in the Biba Daily - which was available at the conference - covered the recession, signs of a hardening market, the future of broker consolidation, cutting expenses, the impact of the internet on customer service and cutting expenses.

Commenting on keeping staff morale high, Tony Simper, managing director at Woodstock Insurance Brokers, said: "The wrong knowledge is dangerous. You want them brought into the vision of the business but bringing them into the