In a recent edition of The National Underwriter, Editor Sam Friedman recommended that risk managers begin to explore the capabilities of sophisticated regional and local brokerages. This recommendation was based on recent broker megamergers and the growing lack of choice available to buyers.

For an independent agency or brokerage to take advantage of this opportunity, it should adopt the consultative brokerage style. In particular, its managers must learn the techniques that these sophisticated buyers have come to expect. The stewardship report and the executive summary are two techniques that firms must master to be successful in large accounts.

SUCCESSFUL STRUCTURAL OPTIONS: MERGER, CLUSTER, OR ACQUISITION? by Catherine Oak and Bill Schoeffler The pros and cons of merging versus clustering. ...

SUCCESSFUL TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES: PART 1 by Bruce Shaffer Do you find it hard to use the telephone to help build your business? A lot of people do. This two-part series...

SUCCESSFUL TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES: PART 2 by Bruce Shaffer In 'Successful Telephone Communication Techniques: Part I,' we talked about initiating a phone conversation ...

SUCCESSFULLY GOING BROKE by Roy Phillips Various studies conducted by an aggregate of trade groups report that insurance agencies and brokerages suffer from inconsistencies in manag...

SUGGESTED SCHEDULE FOR RETENTION OF BUSINESS RECORDS KEY: 'P' means that the records should be retained permanently. Figures represent the number of years for retaining records. 'AT' means ...

SUPER SERVICE: A PROCESS, NOT A PROJECT by George Nordhaus We often see 'service' as a magic word-the 'open sesame' that will somehow ensure customer retention and build bottom-line profits....

SUPERMARKETS - 'OFF THE SHELF' INSURANCE Dear (Customer Name): INSURANCE? IT'S ON AISLE FOUR, NEXT TO CANNED GOODS. Yes, we know you don't sell insurance at ( ). The value of an adequ...

SUPERMARKETS - COMPARISON SHOPPING Dear (Customer Name): A SUPERMARKET MAY NOT SEEM LIKE A RISKY BUSINESS . . . yet you know that the risks involved are great. So do we. We're (...

SUPERVISION: MODULE III-D INTRODUCTION Training is simply the first step in establishing a producer and/or CSR in your Life department. Once they have learned wha...