AGENCY MANAGEMENT: GETTING TO THE NEXT LEVEL by Emily Huling Whether you're a standard lines company or a specialty market, a small-town agency or a big-city broker, you have one ...

MEETING CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS by Carol Hammes Loyalty used to be a mainstay of the independent agency system. Having a long-term relationship with an insurance carrier actually meant something...

Imagine a forest ranger complaining of a forest having too many trees. Absurd, isn't it? And yet how often in your own job have you thought about how great work would be if you only didn't have to deal with customers? This business - and our jobs - depend on customers. They are not an annoyance; they are our employers!

SENDING THE WRONG MESSAGES: 18 WAYS TO BRAND A BUSINESS ... BADLY by John Graham In the West, cattle ranchers still brand cattle. Once the brand has been burned into the ...

In the West, cattle ranchers still brand cattle. Once the brand has been burned into the hide, nothing can change it. Altering a brand is illegal and easily detected.
The branding of a business, product, or service is no different.

THE BIGGEST JOB IN BUSINESS TODAY: TURNING THE TIDE IN YOUR FAVOR by John Graham Even the most self-assured and stoic among us feels the intensity of the times. The economic recovery seem...

Knowing what customers expect may be the most important key to successful selling. While every customer is interested in getting an appropriate price, many salespeople seem to think that price is the primary issue. As a result, they lead with price and seem to base most of their sales presentation on cost issues.

WORLD-CLASS CUSTOMER SERVICE by Diane Herbert and Pamela Millard What sets your agency apart? What do you do better than othe...