Suppose a local bedroom community just finished an Insurance Services Office (ISO) public protection classification inspection and was rewarded with a lower fire rating. For the agency, this means a lot of work: policy endorsements and the return of premium and commissions. What should the CSR do?
No, screaming is not the answer. Automation is.
Automation will not only cut through the nightmare of paperwork such an effort used to require, but afford the CSR an opportunity to build customer loyalty, demonstrate superb customer service, and generate a fistful of personal lines referrals.
Here's how it works: The electronic daily-retrieval system should be loaded with complete underwriting information about homeowners clients. Run a marketing search (or query) to locate all active homeowners clients whose homes are located in a bedroom community with the previous fire rating.
Then merge the extracted information into two separate letters. The first will be an endorsement request to the company advising them of the change and requesting the appropriate endorsement. The second will be a letter to clients informing them of the change in fire protection and the reduction in their premium, then asking them to refer their neighbors to the agency for their homeowners insurance.
This simple automation project can greatly enhance an agency's reputation because it takes the initiative to reduce clients' premiums (which will have to be done anyway). It demonstrates that the agency is looking out for the clients' best interests by providing value-added service, and generates new business referrals that will probably more than make up for the lost premium and commissions. And it allows the CSR to be a hero.
All it takes is looking for the opportunity in a challenge and making use of the automation/information system.