Are you still sending those personal thank-you notes to your insureds throughout the year? How about the initial claim letter expressing your concern and assistance? Still completing the yearly account review?
Most likely not!
With agencies using e-mail, voicemail, and 'press one for Commercial Lines, press two for Personal Lines,' the personal touch is disappearing from businesses today. Agencies are too busy trying to maintain what they have and work with existing staff, though workloads might be increasing. Unfortunately, customers are left starving for that personal touch.
When calling a business, I act as if I have a rotary phone and wait until a live person answers. It doesn’t always work, especially with more businesses getting voice activation; however, most of the time it does. I’ll keep trying to get a warm body to talk to.
Be different. Send thank-you notes. Start sending an initial letter to the insured when a claim is reported, and follow up with a phone call. And start completing the yearly account review. The results might amaze you. After all, not very many agencies are giving personal attention anymore.
THE THANK-YOU LETTER
The thank-you letter, note, or postcard was common years ago. Nowadays, it’s rare to receive one from a business. We’re so involved in keeping our heads above water and maintaining business that most agencies don’t send thank-you cards. However, if you’re one of the unusual agencies that does, continue, continue, continue! Your agency will stand out and be noticed. So again, be different — send thank-you notes and keep your insureds in front of you at all times. The personal touch can help maintain accounts.
THE CLAIM LETTER
Why do we have insurance, anyway? Why do we keep paying premiums year after year? Of course, we know why — in case of a disaster. We’re paying huge sums of money just to take care of one unexpected claim. So why don’t agencies take extremely good care of their insureds when a claim occurs? Send a claim acknowledgement letter with a copy of the claim report. Follow up with a phone call a week later, even if you just leave a message on their answering machine. Keep the personal touch and take the extra step to make the insured feel special. Show the insured that your agency really does care.
THE YEARLY ACCOUNT REVIEW
I keep bringing this up, but it’s truly a rarity to find an agency that completes a yearly account review. Of course account reviews are done for large accounts, but when it comes to small Commercial and Personal lines, forget it! 'We’re just too busy to do a complete yearly account review.' Start completing a yearly account review, and you’ll maintain current business and generate new business.
Keep that personal touch! Pull out the thank-you letter you used years ago. Brush the dust off and start using it again. Show that your agency cares by sending an initial claim letter and following up with a phone call. Begin the process of the total yearly account review. Keep the insured on the front line. Maintain business. Give the insureds what they yearn for — the personal touch!