Do you regularly negotiate such contractual issues as commission rates, growth goals, etc. with your companies?

Congratulations to the 57% who responded, “Yes!” Based on those positive responses, it appears that agencies of all sizes are negotiating. Negotiations aren't limited to larger agencies. If these agents weren't succeeding in their negotiations, even in a hard market, they'd be giving up. Although 57% is a good percentage, I'd love to see this number keep growing. If you aren't negotiating contractual issues with your companies, isn't it time to begin?

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Paying attention to business is one of the major benefits of a recession. Ford figured it out. So did Starbucks by bringing back the founding CEO, closing nearly 1,000 marginal stores and most significantly introducing their own instant coffee. This could be a brilliant move. While proudly passing up their $4 cup of coffee, we take the instant stuff home and keep a little Starbucks in our lives.

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.

A few months ago, a client came to us with a last-minute project that required the services of...

WHAT DO CUSTOMERS WANT? by Chris Burand Visitors to www.ebix.com , an insurance portal Web site, were asked what their top concern was in purchasing insurance. As many as 56% of respond...

WHAT DO LIFE CUSTOMERS EXPECT? There might be some surprises in an article addressing this question which appeared in Resource, the magazine of the Life Office Management Association (LOMA). Based on...