A specialist firm that provides competitive insurance quotations for a range of UK businesses and tradesmen has revealed that extending opening times can aid recovery.

UK comparison site has said that, in particular, small businesses with call centres should consider extending their opening times to make the most of customers 'shopping after office hours'.

Recent research showed that a large number of customers continue to search for their insurance well into the night, with 33% of all 'call back' requests during February received outside the hours of 9am to 5pm.

The firm has reacted by extending its call centre closing time from 5pm to 8pm in order to assist customers wanting to discuss or buy policies over the phone. With the UK only recently emerging from the recession, other businesses are being urged to consider taking similar measures to win more business in 2010.


Lyndon Wood, Chief Executive Officer of Constructaquote.com, commented: "Companies are quite rightly exploring new ways of generating business so that they’re in a good position when the UK economy eventually returns to normality. Changing opening times is quite often the last thing a company will do, but if the demand is there then there's no reason why it shouldn’t be at the top of the priority list.

"Many small firms and sole traders cannot get to the phone during the conventional 9-5 slot, so extending your opening times can really help them out, while also boosting your income.

"Of course, companies shouldn't rush into anything without doing their research first, and the ease of implementation will really depend on the size of the individual company."

Constructaquote.com is based in Caerphilly and is part of the Moorhouse Group, and compares quotes for a variety of insurance types from a range of leading insurers.

(BMcC/GK)