What was said
What this says
Current to 10 Oct 26Callum Reid says the post-Christmas usage dip is seasonal, admits he is the heaviest user, and backs a hands-on session for underwriters. He says renewal sits with finance, not him.
What happened: Daniel Okafor reviewed a draft usage page, a small usage dip since the autumn and one closed ticket. Callum Reid was content with the nightly refresh and the ticket.
Customer view: Callum put the dip down to the holiday break and wants proof it is recovering. He wants the usage page to show which roles ask questions, because syndicates care that underwriters themselves use it.
Commercial: Daniel said the contract runs to the end of June. Callum said renewal is finance's, and that finance will ask for the usage page.
Watch: Callum is the heaviest user and says so. Usage is concentrated, and the evidence does not show who signs the renewal.
Themes
Current to 9 Oct 26Who was there
BB-Demo
Them
Follow-up
Next steps
Current to 9 Oct 26- Daniel to rework the usage page by role and send the numbers side by side by the middle of next month.
- Daniel to offer morning slots for the hands-on session the week after next but one.
- Callum to send an example of a repeated search for the saved-searches idea.
Risks
Current to 9 Oct 26- Questions are concentrated in Callum, so usage is exposed if he is away or leaves.
- Finance, not Callum, owns the renewal, and the evidence does not show who will decide.
Opportunities
Current to 9 Oct 26- A hands-on session on the underwriters' own binders, including the claims liaison, could widen use.
- A usage page broken down by role gives finance and capacity providers a concrete value case.
Transcript
- Daniel Okafor NoneMorning, Callum. Thank you for your time. Have I got that right, is it just the two of us again?
- Callum Reid NoneJust us. Morning, Daniel. Sorry, two minutes late, I was stuck on a call with a broker who wouldn't stop talking.
- Daniel Okafor NoneNot at all, I was glad of the chance to get my notes in order. Did you manage a proper break over Christmas, in the end?
- Callum Reid NoneFour days. Which in this market counts as a holiday. Right. What I need from this one is the usage page, how it went down, and anything I should know before the next capacity provider call.
- Daniel Okafor NoneGood, then let me start with the page, because I owe you that. I sent the draft a few days ago, did it reach you all right?
- Callum Reid NoneIt did. I read it on the train. It's close. The data-location paragraph is exactly right. The part about who's asking the questions is a bit thin.
- Daniel Okafor NoneThin in what sense? I'd like to get that properly.
- Callum Reid NoneYou've said how many people use it. A syndicate won't care about that. They care that it's the underwriters themselves asking, not just me. So say which roles. Underwriters, ops, the claims liaison.
- Daniel Okafor NoneThat makes sense, and I can do that by role without putting names on it. I'll rework that section. Can I ask, is there a risk if it looks like most of the questions come from one or two people?
- Callum Reid NoneThere's a bit of that. I'm the heaviest user, I know I am. I'd rather it were spread.
- Daniel Okafor NoneThat's honest, and it's actually useful, because it tells us where to put effort. Which brings me to the usage numbers, because I want to be straight with you. They've come back a touch compared with the autumn. A little lower, for the most part the break.
- Callum Reid NoneI'd expect that. Half the floor was off until the week after New Year. What I'd want to know is whether it's recovering.
- Daniel Okafor NoneIt's coming back, but I wouldn't call it recovered yet. I'd like to look at it again in a few weeks before I say anything firmer. I don't want to guess.
- Callum Reid NoneFine. By when?
- Daniel Okafor NoneI'll come back to you by the middle of next month with the numbers side by side.
- Callum Reid NoneGood. Put it in writing.
- Daniel Okafor NoneWill do. Now, there was one ticket from your team in the last month. It's closed, but I wanted to make sure you were happy with how it went, since you'll have been the one to hear about it.
- Callum Reid NoneYes, that was one of the underwriters. Something about a view he couldn't find. Sorted the same day, I think. No complaints.
- Daniel Okafor NoneGood. Nothing high priority, which is what I'd hoped. I only mention it because a quiet month on tickets isn't always the same as a happy one, so I like to ask.
- Callum Reid NoneHappy enough. They're busy, they don't write in unless it's broken.
- Daniel Okafor NoneFair. Which leads to something I'd suggest. If the usage is concentrated, and you've said it's mostly you, a short hands-on session for the underwriters might help. Half an hour, on their own binders, using their own questions.
- Callum Reid NoneOn their own binders. Not a generic walkthrough.
- Daniel Okafor NoneExactly. Their own. I'd rather it were something they'd actually use on Monday morning.
- Callum Reid NoneThat I'd back. When? I can't do it this week, we've got month-end bordereaux.
- Daniel Okafor NoneOf course. How does the week after next look? Or the one after that, if month-end spills over.
- Callum Reid NoneThe one after that. The week after next is still going to be a mess. Mornings are best, before the underwriters start taking calls.
- Daniel Okafor NoneMornings, the week after next but one. I'll send a few slots and you can pick one. Should I include the claims liaison?
- Callum Reid NoneYes. She asks good questions and doesn't use it enough. Put her down.
- Daniel Okafor NoneWill do. Anything else you've noticed that I should know about the refresh or the dashboards? You mentioned last time the bordereaux one needs to be right at 07:00.
- Callum Reid NoneIt's been right. I'd tell you if it weren't. It's the one thing I check first, every morning. So far so good.
- Daniel Okafor NoneGood. And that search idea, the saved searches you mentioned, did you get a chance to send me an example?
- Callum Reid NoneNot yet. Sorry. It's on the list. I'll send it today.
- Daniel Okafor NoneNo rush, today or tomorrow is fine. It just helps to have something concrete when I pass it on.
- Callum Reid NoneUnderstood. Now the next capacity provider call. I want to know what you'd say if they asked whether the brain could be switched off tomorrow and what we'd lose.
- Daniel Okafor NoneThat's an interesting one. Honestly I'd say it's your data in your own Snowflake account, so it stays with you, but you'd lose the layer that joins it up, and the speed. I'd rather not put it any more strongly than that in writing without thinking about it. Shall I draft a couple of lines and you tell me if they work?
- Callum Reid NoneDo that. Keep it short. They don't read paragraphs.
- Daniel Okafor NoneShort. Understood. And just so you have it from me early, the contract runs to the end of June and renewal follows from there. We'll have the proper conversation in the spring, so nothing for you to do now.
- Callum Reid NoneThat's not mine, that's finance. I'll tell them it's coming. Just make sure the usage page is solid, that's what they'll ask for.
- Daniel Okafor NoneIt will be. So, to close the loop. I'll rework the page by role, send the numbers by the middle of next month, offer slots for the hands-on session and include the claims liaison, and draft those couple of lines. You'll send the repeated search.
- Callum Reid NoneThat's right. Nothing else from me.
- Daniel Okafor NoneThen thank you, Callum. Have a good weekend.
- Callum Reid NoneYou too. Callum.