As a customer service professional, you have a big job with huge responsibilities. You’re responsible for everything you do and say, and for everything you don’t do and don’t say. That’s a tall order. Karen Flaherty offers information and perspectives on remaining ethical in your pursuit of professionalism.
Your job has many aspects. You must communicate sophisticated technical policy coverage information to customers from various age groups, ethnic groups, religious persuasions, occupations, educational levels, and of both genders. To make matters worse, many of your customers are 'have to' buyers. They’re buying insurance not because they want to, but because they have to. Their bank or the lienholder on their car told them that in order to secure a home mortgage or car loan, they’d have to present an insurance policy to cover the risk. It’s important that they understand that not ony can you satisfy the have-to requirement, but that you have their best interests in mind.
Establishing a trust-based relationship sets the scene for ethical performance at the highest level. When you accept a new client you commit yourself and the agency to provide all the resources, knowledge, and expertise to meet their insurance needs.
Assessing the ethical environment in your agency is an ongoing job. This article will help you make that assessment.
MORAL ASPECTS OF ETHICS
When given a choice, most people prefer to operate in an environment where they can act with personal integrity and where employees and management have high standards and behave in accordance with their values. Does your current work environment meet your ethical standards? Do producers sell the right products for the right price? Do managers make decisions for the right reasons? Are you allowed to become a customer advocate? Are situations resolved in the client’s best long term interests? Do profits take a back seat to doing what’s right? If not, what are the shortfalls? Where or with whom does the system break down? What authority do you have to improve the system? It’s your responsibility to identify shortfalls and suggest changes.
PRAGMATIC ASPECTS OF ETHICS
Good ethics make good business. When agencies are ethical with customers, employees feel more confident that they’ll also receive ethical treatment. Ethical environments encourage long-term satisfied employees. Ethical agencies have standards of treatment for their employees, customers, and companies. Each of those groups can be assured of receiving fair and honest treatment in all circumstances. This type of environment eliminates distrust, anger, hostility, and fear. Employees know that they’re free to discover ways to change procedures, reinvent systems, and realign performance guidelines for the good of their customers.
LEGAL ASPECTS OF ETHICS
Implement, oversee, and improve your E&O program continuously. Monitor loss prevention through vigilant observation. Support continuous learning opportunities and proper licensing for your staff. Fees and consequences of E&O claims are substantial and can affect every phase of agency operations and jeopardize your carrier relationships.
PERCEPTUAL ASPECTS OF ETHICS
When others perceive your agency to have high ethical standards they’ll think highly of you and treat you more professionally. An effective ethics initiative serves your agency when customers and company employees recognize and acknowledge that you make obvious efforts to set and meet the highest ethical standards in your work and your relationships.
CHANGE AS AN ASPECT OF ETHICS
The insurance industry is always changing. The only true constants are those values and beliefs that pertain to honesty. Ethics and ethical behavior should never change. What’s best for your customer coupled with solid insurance practices and disciplined professional behavior should be the basis for everything you do on your job. Make ethics the foundation for everything you do and every action you take. If you don’t know what to tell a customer, consult your supervisor or manager. If you’re in doubt about anything, let someone with greater authority make the determination and deliver the message.
ETHICS AND COMMUNICATION
Documentation of customer files plays a key role in ethics. Whenever you speak to — or work with — a client, document the file professionally and completely. There should be no question about what you did or why you did it. Be clear and concise; don’t take shortcuts. Anyone who picks up a file you’ve worked on should be able to follow the trail of documentation.
If your agency or your department doesn’t have written ethics policies, procedures, and statements, you should. Consider volunteering to research the ethics issue and make recommendations to your agency owner. Your E&O carrier might help you create such a policy.
When you hire new employees and give them an orientation and introduction to the agency, discuss ethics in detail and at length. There should be no doubt that ethical behavior is expected from all employees from the moment they’re hired. Tell them that if they ever witness unethical behavior by anyone in the agency that they should report it to the appropriate manager immediately.
There are video programs, self-learning courses, seminars, and continuing education workshops on ethics in most states. Find them and ask to attend them. Ask that those who attend return to the agency and share what they learned with others.
Post small plaques and signs discretely around the office which will trigger you and other staff members that ethical behavior is not optional, but rather, expected.
Put the topic of ethics on the agenda at each staff meeting. With the number of news stories that highlight politicians, celebrities, and private citizens behaving without morals and ethics, it’s important to define and reinforce good ethics and what it takes to remain ethical regularly.
Be vigilant. Reward yourself when you stay on the high ethical road and commend others who do so as well.