Management

One of the most common questions we hear during consultation involves compensation for owner/producers, existing producers, and new producers. The principal question is how much and how to pay for production that compensates salespeople fairly and gives them incentives for continued growth.

The answer is complex because the same compensation models don't fit all producers.

With the dawn of every new media technology comes the fear on the part of agents that their customers will either find a new agent or buy insurance direct from the company. In this document, Sam Meyer describes how you're now in a position to encourage your clients and prospects to buy their insurance direct — direct from you!

'Nothing happens until somebody sells something.' Traditionally, in the independent insurance agency that 'somebody'...

After an automated sales center is up and running, it's up to producers to act on the qualified leads that the sales center coordinator, assistant, and support staff have worked on.

Prospecting is an old term; replace it with "business development."

Business development requires a positive attitude, confidence, and discipline. The business development mind-set can be picked up by anyone who has a desire to step to the front line and just do what must be done. Commit to a business development plan of action, then organize and follow through.

In a small company, the death of the key executive can often trigger a complete business failure. A larger business can take basic precautions,...

Roughly defined, disintermediation means removal of the middle man. Do a linear projection based on historical forces and you'll conclude that the disintermediation of the agent from the Personal lines process is inevitable. After all, when Warren Buffet, Conning & Company, banks, large insurance companies, and others agree on something, they must be correct, right?

DRIP MARKETING: ART AND SCIENCE by Al Diamond As Al Diamond tells it, a marketing campaign combines art (getting your message across effectively) with science (doing so...

Distinguish between the terms “non-compete” and “non-piracy.”

In its basic terms, a Non-Compete clause protects the agency against a former employee taking accounts that they produced or for which they were responsible while an agency employee. A Non-Piracy clause protects the agency from a former employee taking any agency accounts, whether or not they were responsible for producing or servicing them.

It used to be the $1 million ceiling. That was the level of revenue at which an individual performing agent with a few helpers had to become a business with different people handling different clients and responsibilities. Everyone still worked for the agent, but the agent no longer made every decision.

However, running an agency as a business doesn't automatically result in growth and a high quality of professional service. By the time the agency reaches $2 million, it runs into another "invisible ceiling."

The insurance industry continues to evolve rapidly, with customer expectations rising and regulatory requirements becoming more complex. Insurance firms that embrace intelligent management systems position themselves to meet these challenges effectively. Companies that delay insurance management system implementation risk falling behind competitors who can process claims faster, assess risks more accurately, and respond to market changes quickly.