FOLLOW UP ON CERTIFICATES OF INSURANCE by the IIABA Virtual Faculty Many insurers dont want their agents to copy them on certificates they issue. Other carriers have expr...

GETTING BACK TO BASICS by Andrew J. Byrne Don't let anyone tell you your copy is 'too long' or that 'no one will read all that.' Someti...

Six questions every company should consider in their hiring process.
Companies today face the same daunting problem that confounds so many job seekers: The high hurdle of transferable experience.
Whether it’s an individual attempting to get a job or a company trying to break into a new market, both face the difficulty of having someone recognize the value of their knowledge and experience, even though these qualities might not be directly related to a new field or industry. Although applicants offer experience, a proven track record, and skills that are an ideal match for a particular position, they’re passed over. Why? The individual has worked in a different field.

HOW A CSR CAN ASK CLIENTS ABOUT LIFE INSURANCE A group of Los Angeles gang members recently were taken rafting on the Colorado river. Street-smart toughs suddenly became timid boys fearful of...

HOW DO YOU HANDLE CLIENT COMPLAINTS? by Bill Cates In this extended hard market, the chances of having a client complain to you have increased. Although I assume that you work hard to ...

In 1976, 12 insurance executives spent a day trying to pinpoint the reasons for their success. Their large insurance agency had doubled in size over the last three years. The company's employees had worked hard to achieve a high rate of referrals and were aggressive in their roles as producers. But what factors led to their astonishing success? How did they attract a client? And most of all, what made each client buy and renew year after year?

HOW TO BUY, SELL, MERGE OR PERPETUATE AN AGENCY: INTRODUCTION, PART II by Larry Morrison and Gary Jacobson A Comprehensive Look at the Best Ways to Handle One of the Most Significant Finan...

HOW TO MAKE SALESPEOPLE MORE EFFECTIVE The challenge for salespeople is to be ahead of the curve, not behind it. by John Graham Not withstanding the value that many salespeople bring to ...

IDEAS FOR MOVING FORWARD: PUTTING A STALLED ECONOMY BEHIND YOU by John Graham If weve learned anything over the past couple of years, its that nothing is easy. No matter wha...

The major goal of any agency or brokerage can be expressed in just one word: survival.
The mounting failures involving seemingly strong, well-established businesses that have been around for 15 to 75 years are of great concern.
The time has come for agencies and brokerages to take immediate action in order to survive a protracted economic downturn that may extend for several more years in some sectors of business or regions of North America.