Friends Life, a part of Friends Provident Holdings (UK), has entered into partnership with IT and customer service specialist Diligenta, a TCS's UK FSA regulated subsidiary.
According to Friends Life, this outsourcing agreement will result in Friends Life transferring the remaining half of its IT and Customer Service functions of its UK Heritage business.
The new partnership, announced as part of the company’s market update, provides Friends Life with the enhanced service capability that enables the business to manage its costs more effectively.
Effective from the first quarter of 2012, Diligenta will assume administration responsibility for most of Friends Life’s UK Heritage protection business, the individual pensions business and part of the corporate benefits business that is not currently outsourced.
Diligenta’s new responsibility allow Friends Life to focus on its new proposition developments, including the new workplace savings platform, within its core markets of corporate benefits, protection and retirement income.
Under this agreement, approximately 1,900 Friends Life roles in the UK – across a number of office locations- will transfer to Diligenta.
The terms and conditions for those transferring will be subject to collective consultation with Unite and our Management Consultative Body.
Diligenta managing director & vice chairman and director of Tata Consultancy Services Phiroz Vandrevala said this strategic partnership will allow Friends Life to focus on new opportunities in its corporate markets and grow its business.