As business owners, our arrogance sometimes precedes us. That’s a strong statement and some might have already taken offense. If so, I’m sorry. However I include myself in this category. Loosely defined, arrogance is a feeling or posture of superiority due to exaggerated or presumptuous claims. The arrogance to which I refer is the sense that we, as business owners, know what’s best for our clients and prospects – a feeling that’s highly presumptuous.
Our clients need to access our expertise as advisors, evaluators, guides, and educators in guiding them through the intricacies of insurance and risk management.
Our presumptuousness lies in the fact that we believe we know exactly what they want and what goes into their decision-making process. We don’t – unless we have the courage to ask them.
Over the years, I have recommended a simple focus group session that requires you to buy your client a cup of coffee, lunch. or dinner. During the conversation, ask the client three questions:
1. What are we doing right?
2. What are we doing wrong?
3. What do you need us to be doing in preparing for your future needs?
Although asking those questions takes courage, this simplified focus group approach is no longer enough in today’s world. We need to involve our clients as partners in our business. After all, we think of ourselves as partners in their business. It’s time to think of them as partners in ours.
So how do you involve our clients as partners? All you have to do is think CIA –
Communication, Involvement, Action.
Communication
All too much has been written on this topic, but it bears repeating. Communication is not a monologue, it’s a dialogue.
Here’s an example from one of my clients:
We send a monthly electronic newsletter. Each month we would review a number of potential articles to determine topics that we believed would interest the customer’s readers. We never asked them because it would make the process too unwieldy, particularly with deadlines. Suddenly the light went on! The tracking results of each newsletter showed how many people clicked through to each article. The readers were already telling us what they wanted – we just weren’t listening. (By the way, the articles they wanted weren’t the ones we were choosing for them.) Today we maintain running tallies of article topics and reader response. This enables us to provide articles on topics that we know will interest the clientele.
Communication in and of itself can be worthless, even annoying – unless we provide what our clients want. This means that we have to listen to them.
Involvement
Now we’re getting into the danger zone, dropping our defenses and inviting clients into our inner sanctum. I recommend that every agency shave a Client Advisory Board. The members shouldn’t be your top clients, but represent a mix of your business. Maybe it’s three “A” clients, two “B” clients, and one “C” client. Remember many C’s become B’s and B’s become A’s over time.
Before you nix the idea, remember that most business owners are problem solvers. So doesn’t it make sense to surround yourself with people who know how to solve problems and are willing to help you become the best agency you can be?
Your board can critique advertising and marketing campaigns, help plan risk management education seminars, etc. But more than that, the board is there when the excrement hits the fan. For instance, let’s say a market pulls out. Wouldn’t it be nice to lay the problem out to your board, review available options, and come to a consensus on the best way to move the book? The critical aspect is to be honest, open, and forthright with your board members. If you aren’t, they can’t help you. By vesting them as your partners, you are also instilling in them a sense of loyalty because they become part and parcel of your agency process.
If you fear making a total commitment to an advisory board, start with some baby steps. Select several clients who you respect and seek their advice on an informal basis. It’s a start and everyone wins.
Action
Here’s the kicker: anytime you involve clients in your business, you need to take action on their suggestions and comments. That doesn’t mean you have to implement everything they suggest; however, you need to take time to review their suggestions and then advise them about any actions you’ll be taking – even if this means taking no action. If you don’t, they will consider their involvement an exercise in futility and question how much you really care about their input. So unless you are willing to take action, don’t get your clients involved – you could lose them.
Although your agency can take a number of actions to serve the needs of your clients more effectively, don’t tackle them all at once. Take time to research, review, discuss, and prepare for any actions that you will be taking. Determine when you’ll implement the plan and how to implement and monitor it. If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right. Once you’re done with one action, move on to the next. Too many good ideas self-destruct because the agency failed to focus on the necessary implementation.
Remember, your greatest asset is the loyalty and goodwill of your clients. Solicit their input and feedback, respect their thoughts – and enjoy the success that they will give you!