EMPLOYEE SHORTAGES by Chris Burand According to US Banks December 2000 Simply Business, the U.S. will have 151 million jobs, but only 141 million workers by 2006. Other forecasts...

GOOD COMPENSATION PLANS ATTRACT GOOD PEOPLE by Mark Shlien Many agencies have had to change their approach to compensation during the recession. Faced with declining revenues and profits,...

ITS HUNKER- DOWN TIME! by Edward Curry How well is your agency prepared to deal with todays economic and market woes? Now might be a good time to...

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...

Last week I was at a regional meeting where I met up with several producers from Texas. Having been a producer (a long time ago) and knowing how to swing a golf club, I fit right in. Being as committed to growth as I am, I ask the killer question that quickly exposes a problem. “John, what’s your growth goal for this year?”
He pauses and says “Um...around 65%.”
“Uh-huh. Where’s that from?” I asked.
“Well, I doubt I can do 80% and I didn’t want to sound like a loser and say 50 %, so I came up with 65%.”

SELECTING THE RIGHT LIFE PRODUCER Dear Dave, As president and sole stock- holder of a $3 million P/C agency, I have decided to set up a Life/Benefits department, probably as a sep...

The alert raised in Washington, D.C., on May 10, 2005, when a light plane mistakenly flew into restricted airspace sent thousands of people fleeing from the U.S. Capitol and the White House. Once the buildings were evacuated, however, most people were unsure of where to go or what to do. Bill Kliewer discusses the need for personal contingency plans in cases of emergency.