VIDEO: THE ULTIMATE E-MARKETING TOOL by Patricia Berry Launching a video e-mail campaign can be a gut-wrenching ...

VOODOO VALUATIONS by Chris Burand People pay dearly for simple answers. And many insurance agencies pay dearly for 'voodoo valuations' because they offer a quick and inexpensive way t...

WALKING THE TALK: WHEN AN AGENCYS SERVICE STANDARDS FAIL by Al Diamond Every agent with whom we speak tells us that their primary product is service. The agency provides such a high leve...

WHAT ABOUT THE YEARLY ACCOUNT REVIEW? by Grace Bauer Have you ever thought about completing a yearly account review of your insureds in Commercial and Personal lines? You might be thinking,...

Follow this six-step program to keep ahead of the pack.
The idea of 'value-added' is changing. The term has become so overused that it's now of little value to most customers. So-called value-added resellers stay in business by discounting, rather than adding anything significant to their products. In service businesses, value-added usually means a few bells and whistles rather than extraordinary service.

WHAT BRANDING IS NOT by Patricia Berry Developing a consistent message is difficult when consumers can share their exp...

WHAT BUSINESSES CAN LEARN FROM RECENT CORPORATE SCANDALS by Janine Reid Scandals and controversy can devastate a company regardless of size. Janine Reid examines these crise...

WHAT DO CUSTOMERS WANT? by Chris Burand Visitors to www.ebix.com , an insurance portal Web site, were asked what their top concern was in purchasing insurance. As many as 56% of respond...

WHAT DOES AN AGENCY OWE ITS PRODUCERS? by Chris Burand This is the softest market the P/C industry has ever experienced. To thrive, agencies must eliminate waste, work harder, and work sm...

WHAT IS AN AGENCY WORTH? by Roy Phillips, CIC, CPIA Agency management consultants are often asked, 'What is the value of an independent insurance agency?' During the 15-plus...