Lornefield Pensions Administration / B-Brain – Win Back
Callcompleted
Lornefield Pensions Administration: documents · 2026-10-06 10:00
Douglas Baird says the group's standard suite falls short on member queries and trustee call preparation. Fiona Mackie says this call is for scope and terms, not a decision. She works towards 29 Jan 2027, pending group sign-off.
What was said
What this says
Current to 10 Oct 26Douglas Baird says the group's standard suite falls short on member queries and trustee call preparation. Fiona Mackie says this call is for scope and terms, not a decision. She works towards 29 Jan 2027, pending group sign-off.
What happened: Lornefield's contract ended in the spring at the group's direction and moved onto the group's standard suite. Douglas Baird, Chief Operating Officer, asked whether the brain could fill the gap on member queries and trustee call preparation.
Customer view: Fiona Mackie, Integration Director at Dunmarra Group, agrees the suite handles those two areas poorly. She asked whether the brain sits alongside the suite, what standing it up involves, and what the termination terms are.
Commercial: Tom Ashdown said the previous setup was Growth and promised an options note and the order form wording, with no figures quoted from memory. Fiona cannot commit budget without group sign-off and works towards 29 Jan 2027.
Watch: Whether the Snowflake account is retained is a group matter, and Daniel Okafor is to check what is still in place on the data side. Tom committed to a second call before the end of the month.
Themes
Current to 9 Oct 26Theme
Win-back scope and terms
Importance
renewal
Sentiment
positive
Voice
decision-maker
Who was there
B-Brain
CRMmade from
Them
CRMmade from
Follow-up
Next steps
Current to 9 Oct 26- Tom Ashdown to send the options note and order form termination wording within the next few days.
- Daniel Okafor to check with Lornefield IT what is still in place on the data side.
- Tom Ashdown to book a second call before the end of the month.
Risks
Current to 9 Oct 26- Budget needs group sign-off, and the group's standard suite remains in place.
- It is unconfirmed whether the Snowflake account and its structure were retained after the spring.
Opportunities
Current to 9 Oct 26- A Growth-tier return as a layer alongside the group suite, covering member queries and trustee call history.
Transcript
Tom Ashdown NoneMorning, all. Can you hear me alright? Fiona, Douglas, lovely to see you. How's your week been so far? It's only Tuesday, but you never know.
Douglas Baird NoneGood morning, Tom. Thank you for setting this up. A busy week, but a constructive one so far.
Fiona Mackie NoneMorning. I have until quarter to eleven, so let's keep this practical.
Daniel Okafor NoneThank you both for your time. I've been working with Lornefield since it joined us, so it's good to be back on a call with you, Douglas. Tom's leading today, and I'm here for continuity.- Tom Ashdown NoneThat's right, no drama, this is a first conversation really. Douglas, you reached out to Daniel in September, so perhaps you could tell us in your own words where things stand and what prompted it?
- Douglas Baird NoneCertainly, and thank you. To summarise where we are: the contract with B-Brain came to an end in the spring, at the group's direction, and the arrangements moved onto the group's standard suite. In fairness to everyone, that was a reasonable decision on the information available at the time. What I've found since is that the suite has fallen short in two areas that matter to me, namely answering member queries and preparing for trustee calls. I'd welcome a conversation about whether the brain could fill that gap.
- Fiona Mackie NoneLet me add the group view. The standard suite does most of what we need. Reporting, group-wide analytics, consolidated finance. It does not do everything. Member queries and trustee call history are two things it handles poorly. That's why I'm on this call.
- Tom Ashdown NoneThat's really useful, thanks, Fiona. And fair play for saying it plainly. Can I ask, when you say poorly, what do the teams actually do today when a trustee asks about a call from last year?
- Douglas Baird NoneThey look for it, Tom, by hand. Through the call recordings, through the ticket history, sometimes through somebody's email. It takes time, and I'd not like to say how much, because I don't have a figure I'd trust. But the relationship managers have been vocal about it.
- Daniel Okafor NoneI remember that being the very thing the brain first did well for you. One view of the trustee calls, the member-query tickets and the fee invoices. How are your managers coping without it, if I might ask?
- Douglas Baird NoneWith some difficulty, and with a fair bit of goodwill, Daniel. I don't say that as a criticism of anyone. It's simply that the habit had been formed, and it's been missed.
- Fiona Mackie NoneQuestions from me. One: would this sit alongside the group suite, or replace parts of it? Two: what's involved in standing it up again? Three: what are the termination terms, if we sign and it doesn't work?
- Tom Ashdown NoneGood questions, and I'll take them in order, because I don't want to wave my hands. On the first, it sits alongside. It's a layer over the systems you already have, so it doesn't replace a CRM or a helpdesk. It reads from them. That's why it works well next to a group-wide suite.
- Daniel Okafor NoneWhich fits how it was run before. It's built inside your own Snowflake account. I'd add that a good deal of that structure may still be there, depending on what's been done since the spring. That's something I'd want to check with your IT colleagues before saying anything firm.
- Fiona Mackie NoneNoted. I'll ask the question internally. Whether the Snowflake account is retained is a group matter.
- Tom Ashdown NoneOn standing it up, it depends on which tier and which connectors you'd want. The previous setup was Growth. I'd rather scope it properly than guess. I'll put a short note together with the options, and I'll confirm any figures in writing rather than quote from memory.
- Fiona Mackie NoneFine. And the third question?
- Tom Ashdown NoneTermination terms sit in the order form, under the master agreement. I'd want to show you the actual wording, not paraphrase it. I'll send that with the note, so you can put it in front of whoever signs off.
- Fiona Mackie NoneGood. I can't commit budget without group sign-off, so I'd want to be clear about that. This call is for scope and terms. Not for a decision.
- Douglas Baird NoneI'd echo that. I can't make a promise on the group's behalf, and I'd not wish to. But I would like to see something I could take to them, and I would not wish to hurry it.
- Daniel Okafor NoneThere's no hurry from us. Can I ask what a sensible timeline looks like for you? Tom would want to put something in the diary.
- Fiona Mackie NoneThe group's planning cycle matters here. If a decision's to be made, I'd aim for the end of January. Friday 29 January 2027 is the date I'd work towards.
- Tom Ashdown NoneBrilliant, let's get something in the diary around that. So, leave that with me. I'll send the options note and the terms wording within the next few days. Daniel will check what's still in place on the data side, and we'll find a second call before the end of the month.
- Douglas Baird NoneThat would be most welcome. Thank you, Tom, and thank you Daniel.
- Fiona Mackie NoneThanks. I need to go. Fiona Mackie, Integration Director, Dunmarra Group.
- Tom Ashdown NoneCheers, everyone. Speak soon.
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