COMMUNICATING INSURANCE JARGON
Good communication skills are necessary to satisfy clients' needs-and that is the most important part of a CSR's job. A common barrier to good communication, and one that's easily remedied, is the use of insurance jargon (industry-specific terminology) in daily conversations with clients.
Often, coverage descriptions are referred to in an abbreviated form, or acronyms are used that are completely foreign to clients and others not in the industry. The use of such technical terms is perfectly fine if the conversation is between co-workers or agency and company personnel, since they understand them. But clients don't, and it's important to be sensitive to this.
To drive home the importance of this point, look at a hypothetical conversation between a CSR and a client.
CSR: Hello, Mr. Jones. This is Mary, your CSR at The Smith Insurance Agency. I'd like a few moments of your time to review your insurance coverage with you.
MR. JONES: Great.
CSR: If you could give me just a moment, I'll punch up your file. Okay, I have your Auto dec page on my PC. Let's see . . . Under Comp, it states that the coverage is ACV, less a $50 deductible. The Collision is Broad Form, with a $250 deductible. Is that okay?
MR. JONES: Mary, I don't understand what you're saying. Could you please speak in terms I can understand?
Do you speak to clients in this overly technical manner? They won't always say they don't understand, like Mr. Jones did. It is up to you to become more aware of the language you're using. Consider recording your half of telephone conversations with clients. Have someone outside the insurance usiness, perhaps a friend or family member, listen to the tape. If they can understand the conversation, you're probably communicating clearly.
It's easy to get carried away with the use of industry-specific terms. But by being aware of the problem and using 'plain English' in conversations, you can attain your goal of communicating more effectively with clients.