FIND OUT WHATS REALLY GOING ON INSIDE YOUR AGENCY by Grace Bauer Grace Bauer explains how a comprehensive review and revamping of procedures will pay dividends in terms of boosting ef...

HAPPY EMPLOYEES INCREASE EFFICIENCY by Grace Bauer Some employees are actually happy in their jobs these days, and for good reason. The wave is starting to swell as more and m...

The prediction is that business intelligence (BI), currently regarded as a specialist technology utilized primarily by experts who work in big companies and organizations, will soon become a valuable mass-market tool.

MARKETING CLUSTERS - A MEANS OF GROWTH AND SURVIVAL by Jack Fries The benefits, drawbacks, and formation of a marketing cluster. Clustering has been around for ...

MEETINGS, MEETINGS, MEETINGS! by Grace Bauer 'Meetings, meetings, meetings! How do they expect me to get anything done if I have to attend meetings all the time? I can't believe how many ...

ONLINE COMMUNICATION: ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE! by Jack Fries The catastrophe of September 11 has shaken our nation. What can you do to assuage some of the feelings of fear and anxiety ...

PENNY WISE AND DOLLAR FOOLISH: MEASURES TO INCREASE BACKROOM EFFICIENCY by Dana Falardeau The independent agency today is performing just about all the tasks that the carriers used to h...

Do customers really want more personal service? The answer may seem obvious, but is it? It's true that there are plenty of complaints-many of them justified-about shopping in stores where sales and service personnel are in short supply and the workers lack training, courtesy, and a desire to be helpful. But is all this a plea for bringing back old-fashioned personal service? It may seem so, but what's actually happening is quite different and far more significant.

POLICY RENEWAL WITH NEW CARRIER Dear (Customer Name), Your current (Type of Coverage) insurance policy will be expiring soon and we are now in the process of preparing your renewal policy. In the i...

SECURE A COMPANY APPOINTMENT, PART I: ANALYZE THE NEED by Jack Fries This two-part article focuses on how to get the companies and markets your agency needs. Securing a com...