MACHINE SHOPS - CUSTOMIZED INSURANCE PLAN Dear (Customer Name): A machine shop is a specialized business and carries its own unique risks. Machine shops are more vulnerable to fires, with a number o...

MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP Management implies the existence of formal authority, while leadership may not have any connection with formal authority. Marketing managers are in their...

MANAGING DOWNSIZING, LAYOFFS, AND RIFS by Don Phin Many companies are facing the reality that they have no alternative to eliminating hours, reducing pay, or terminating employees nd...

MANAGING, TRANSFERRING, AND ACQUIRING FAMILY INSURANCE AGENCIES by Carol Hammes Independent insurance agencies are often family businesses. Many current owners took over the agency from t...

IT DOESN'T QUITE FIT, BUT IT WILL DO. Dear (Customer Name): Could you market sheet metal parts that were 'pretty close' to specifications...

METALWORKING SHOPS - 'WE DO THE RIGHT JOB' Dear (Customer Name): IT TAKES A SPECIALIST TO DO THE JOB RIGHT. That's why you employ craftspeople who take pride in the job they do - you a...

Motivation is tied closely to compensation, but the two are very different. Compensation is simply one form of motivation. There are many forms, all of which should accomplish one thing: encourage producers to sell and make them feel good about what they're doing and where they're doing it. A good motivational environment will help both Life and P/C producers. You should have a motivational atmosphere for your CSRs, as well. You should maintain a high recognition level in which all agency members can participate.

NASCAR: SUCCESS CREATES CHALLENGES by Chris Burand Chris Burand compares agency management challenges with NASCARs: Learning to manage people and their emotions, while still succeeding...

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has marched on, and now there's more to say about classifying employees. Federal law (that is, IRS regulation...

NEW IRS EMPLOYEE CLASSIFICATIONS by Marvin Sahl, CLU The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has marched on, and now there's more to say about classifying employees. Federal law (that is, IRS regu...