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Speed: A New Entitlement
A benefit or a gift can quickly become something the receiver expects to get. Customer satisfaction, for instance, was originally a goal for businesses who cared about their future-something extra for the customers. Today's customers no longer are impressed with mere satisfaction; they deem the extras a basic right of the capitalistic system! Good service and professionalism, once considered added values, have become entitlements. Entitlements have gripped the hearts of consumers. Even complete satisfaction isn't enough anymore. As the mavens have been expounding, you now have to WOW your clients by totally exceeding their expectations. One of the most basic forms of entitlement ever developed is the 'right' to speed. As an article in the Wall Street Journal put it, 'Time is money. Time waits for no man. The unforgiving minute.' Major hotel chains are already beginning to recognize the need for speed. Hyatt and others, for instance, are adding convenience restaurants to service the eat-and-run mentality of today's business travelers. Just look at the coffee carts in the lobbies; even morning room service has become too slow for most travelers. Remember when fax machines seemed a miraculous time-saver? Now we tap a foot impatiently while waiting for a page to print out. It seems unfair, but the entitlement to speed has gradually spread to technologies that have not experienced any great revolution in speed. Take telephones; speed-dialing aside, it still takes roughly the same time to make a connection, and the spacing between the rings remains unchanged. Nevertheless, if the phone has not been picked up by the second or third ring, I no longer tolerate the wait. Often I'll hang up and redial, thinking I must have dialed the wrong number. After all, no one would let a telephone go beyond the third ring! What does all this mean to you, the agency owner? Most agents acknowledge that banks are beginning to compete for their customers. They admit that the banks' deep financial resources will enable them to muscle into a significant share of the insurance market. But, argue the agents, we'll be able to hold our own with personalized service and niche marketing. I maintain that these steps won't help if the agents fail to come up to speed. Since the beginning of time, it seems, it has taken a bank at least two or three weeks to process a home mortgage application, grant the approval, and prepare the paperwork. Well, times have changed. Bank commercials now extol the fact that approvals can be granted within two working days, and in the near future, we'll doubtless see same-day approvals. Processing the mortgage takes a little more time, but Bank of Boston has already cut the average from 25 days to 10. How long do you think it will take the banks to satisfy the need for speed when it comes to insurance? E. Margaret Fulton, a Canadian education consultant who spoke at the 1995 International IMMS Convention, says that we must take time to imagine what an insurance agency can be, and then plan the methods that will accomplish the changes. Automation provides the tools. The question is: Have we taken time to imagine what this can accomplish and then plan for the implementation? Imagine this: The agent of tomorrow is driving to the first appointment of the day (11 a.m.). The cellular car phone rings; it's the agency's in-house telemarketing sales center, saying, 'I notice your afternoon schedule is open. We just got a hot lead and you're already in the general area. The appointment is set for 2 p.m. I'm faxing you a facts sheet now. Good luck!' The producer opens a voice-activated computer appointment notebook and notes the appointment in the daily log. Stopping at a red light, our producer of the future glances at the inbound fax on his new appointment and calls the prospect to confirm the time. Arriving at the 11 o'clock appointment, the producer enters the prospect's office with a laptop computer (with CD-ROM reader, of course) and cellular phone. This particular meeting was called to conduct a risk survey, which will accompany an application. Using the laptop, the producer accesses a standardized risk survey for this particular client's industry and fills it out with the client. Then the producer copies the application form from the IMMS Silver Membership (CD-ROM) company programs section and pastes it into the word-processing program on the laptop. Once that's done, the producer uses the cellular phone and the laptop to fax the application and risk survey to the selected company (for submission), the prospect (for hard copy and signature), and his/her own agency (for the files). While driving to that new appointment, the producer uses the cellular phone to catch up on messages from a personal pager and the office voice mail. Arriving a few minutes early for the 2 p.m. appointment, the producer remains in the car for a few minutes and uses the cellular phone with the laptop to check E-mail. After catching up on call-backs, our producer approaches the new prospect with confidence that the laptop and the CD-ROM library have everything necessary for a professional presentation, whatever the risk might be! This is not a pipe dream. Agents in the field are currently operating in this manner. Unfortunately, many agencies have all these automation tools at their disposal but have not yet mastered their marketing capabilities. Achieving speed, however, takes more than high-tech automation. Here are just a few items to review that could be turning off your prospects before you ever start: Does your switchboard receptionist answer the phones immediately? How often does that phone ring more than two or three times when you call in? Once answered, how long is the average call placed on hold? Remember, time goes much more slowly when you're waiting. Just 20 seconds on hold can easily seem like two minutes to the caller. [Suggestions: Holding is a necessary evil in many agencies, especially with recent down-sizing trends. To help eliminate problems, the operator should check back with the caller every 15-20 seconds if the call is slow to be processed. Also, take advantage of this time by providing your client/prospect with needed information through a message-on-hold service for your phone system.] This one may get me into a bit of hot water: Get rid of the automated answering systems. This is one area where automation actually impedes business. These menu-driven systems often force the caller to endure up to two minutes for the compu-voice to list their options. What's more, once a selection is chosen you are often branched into another menu-ad infinitum. A well-trained, personable telephone receptionist can handle the call in a tenth of the time. Also, if most customers call long distance, they may resent paying for the additional line time. Develop a policy on call-backs and adhere to it. Producers should return all calls during every break between appointments. If not possible, have a support person call to advise the client/prospect when the producer will be calling them. Internal support people (CSRs and claims processors) should return every phone message within 30 minutes. If in doubt about a call-back policy, think back to the last time you left a message with a customer service operation for some product you had purchased. As each hour goes by without a call-back, you become more and more angry until you finally reach a decision to never purchase from that company again. Ring a bell? Process all information daily. The need to cater to what this article calls 'entitlement' does not allow you to postpone sending any certificate, correspondence, or any other information to your clients. They're waiting for it-and they aren't waiting patiently. By the way, this information is not restricted to paper-sending of data or information electronically must be prompt, too. As shown in the example of the producer example, automate your producer of tomorrow, train your producers in the science (and the art!) of using automation for greater marketing effectiveness. Pressure your companies to speed up processing. The old excuse, 'We're waiting for the company' won't cut it any longer. Your clients will move on to speedier competitors and you'll lose! Remember that every journey begins with the first step. You aren't necessarily going to get your 'speed quotient' up overnight. Even management advisor Tom Peters blows it. His latest book extols readers, 'Return phone calls fast,' but when Fortune reporter Andrew Serwer called Peters, he was directed to leave a voice-mail message with an assistant-and then waited several days for the call-back. Perfection may be elusive; but the first step toward it is only a second away.

Happy Employees Increase Efficiency
Some employees are actually happy in their jobs these days, and for good reason. The wave is starting to swell as more and more agencies are truly taking care of their employees. From a half-day off per week to allowing them to pick up their kids from school to telecommuting, agencies are thinking about how their employees feel and taking care of their personal needs. Surprise! Employees really are happy. After all, what other agencies or companies these days would even think of such things? Enlightened agencies are identifying their employees’ needs and satisfying them. Needless to say, revenue is increasing, morale is up, employees are sticking around, and overall efficiency is increasing. TAKE A HALF-DAY OFF Yes, some agencies are giving employees a half-day off with pay. Agencies pay their employees for a full 40-hour week and give them the half-day off of their choice. Employees can schedule doctor appointments, be at home while a special service is performed, or run errands during that time. Remember those instances when an employee had to run home to open the door for the rug cleaners or take one of their children to the doctor? Think about how much more efficiently the agency could run with a consistently full staff most of the time. It could eliminate disruptions throughout the day and result in a higher quality of work. After all, employees know they have their half-day off to take care of personal needs that might otherwise be on their minds. Morale goes up, and work remains up-to-date. PICK THE KIDS UP AT SCHOOL 'Sally has a temperature, and the school nurse called me to pick her up.' 'I don’t want Sally riding the bus today. I really need to pick her up at school.' How often have you heard these kinds of concerns from parents? One agency allows an employee to do this every day. Apparently, the employee wanted to make sure that the child wasn’t riding the bus every day. They wanted to be there when the child left the school grounds. Believe me, the employee is very grateful to have this opportunity. After all, what other company would allow this benefit? Again, morale and efficiency increase. TELECOMMUTE WHILE THE BABY’S SLEEPING Enrolling young children in preschool is now very common. Parents drop off their children at school in the morning and pick them up in the afternoon. One employee wanted to do just that. They wanted to pick their child up and make sure they were home with the child in the afternoon. That’s what one agency did for its employee. The agency furnished a computer for the employee’s home and forwarded the employee’s telephone calls there. Is the employee grateful? You bet, more than anyone could ever know! The employee is very happy, and the agency is working more efficiently. HELP EACH OTHER TO PREPARE FOR VACATION TIME Vacation time! When aren’t we excited to go on vacation? But as we all know, that means an up-to-date desk. One employee thought of having a co-worker cover phone calls for two days so that they could get their desk caught up before heading out on vacation. Of course, it meant there would be a payback time. But the vacation started on time, and the employee was excited to be out the door on Friday. Again, another very happy employee, and another very happy agency. Efficiency is up. Morale is up. Employees are sticking around. These are only a few things I’ve heard about in my work. I’m sure there are plenty more. Agencies are riding the wave and listening to their employees to make them happy. From that half-day off to schedule a doctor appointment to CSRs covering for one another to take vacation time, more and more companies are realizing how important it is to keep their employees happy. Revenue is up. Morale is up. Efficiency is up, and turnover is reduced!

...ce requires plenty of flexibility. Jack Burke examines what it takes to succee...d supply chain. Some pundits say that Jack Welch of General Electric blew his ...

Successful Telephone Communication Techniques: Part 2
  SUCCESSFUL TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES: PART 2 by Bruce Shaffer In 'Successful Telephone Communication Techniques: Part I,' we talked about initiating a phone conversation with a prospect. In Part 2 we cover ways to move the conversation along to your desired outcome. SILENCE CAN BE DEAFENING Once you're into a telephone conversation with a prospect, don't be afraid to pause to make sure they understood what you said or to make a point. If you pause just a few seconds, the listener has a chance to digest what you said and to respond, and you can gauge their reaction. It also shows that you're not dominating the conversation, but rather are taking the time to listen (you're in control). Silence can be used to create positive tension: Ask a question and shut up. Don't speak again until the other person answers. Silence can be deafening. It's surprising how loud a few seconds of quiet can be before someone caves in and has to speak. 'He who speaks first loses,' goes the saying. Consider it another tool in your briefcase. A pause can also be used to test the water - a trial close. Say something like 'What we usually do is send someone out to visit with you and discuss your current policies,' and then pause. If they don't respond, assume they think it's a good idea, then say, 'Boy, this week is getting pretty short already, would next week be a better time for you?' If they agree, set an appointment time, finish up with anything else you want or need to add, then go to the next call. If they respond in the negative, acknowledge their response and ask a question. If at any time in the conversation they indicate they want to 'buy' (make an appointment), shut up and set the date and time. If you're talking with the decision maker, keep your conversation down to two or three minutes. Do what needs to be done, then go on. They'll appreciate your professionalism. DID YOU MAKE A NOTE OF OUR APPOINTMENT? When you set an appointment, you don't want to be stood up. Here's something you can do to help ensure that they keep the appointment. The conversation can go something like this: 'So Tuesday will be a good day, at 2:00. Let's see, what date is that?' Let the prospect tell you the date so you know they're looking at their calendar, and chances are they'll write it down at that time. Five minutes after the phone call they'll forget they ever talked to you, much less that they have an appointment next week. Confirm the address before you hang up, and follow up with a letter reminding them of the date and time. As a general rule of thumb, don't call to confirm the appointment; it gives them a chance to back out. Try to set the appointment within the next five to seven days. If it has to be two or three weeks out, tell them you'll be calling the day before to make sure nothing's come up (to remind them). WHEN A 'NO' ISN'T A 'NO' Many people are going to say no, but you need to practice polite persistence. 'No' can mean that the prospect doesn't have enough information to make an informed decision. For example, I asked one of our major clients if any of our competitors had contacted him this year to offer a quote. He replied that he'd been contacted but let them know that he was well taken care of. What was the competing agent's rebuttal? 'OK, I'll call you next year.' If the competition always stops at the first 'no,' they'll have a hard time getting in to see anyone. Lucky for us. Our client's 'no' is a typical answer, so be ready for it. This is where you use your questioning skills. Acknowledge the response (so they know you're listening), then ask a question. You should always have some questions in your back pocket, ready to use. It could be a question on Workers Comp claims, EPL, safety programs, or whatever. It could be as simple as 'How often does your current agent do a claim review with you?' Then you can discuss some coverages or services. You can ask, 'They must be a really good agent; what's their name?' It's surprising how often they can't remember the name of the agent they think so highly of. Whatever you come up with, at least put up a fight - don't just roll over and give up. Remember, the same skills you use in a face-to-face meeting are the basic ones you use on the phone. If the contact person isn't there when you call, call back, but don't leave a message until the third call. Then try to talk to someone else. You might ask, 'Perhaps you could help me, I'm looking for the person who handles the Property and Liability insurance. Do you know who that would be?' Or 'Perhaps you could help me, are you the person who handles your firm's insurance?' You might be talking to the right person after all. If you can't connect, leave a message, but don't necessarily expect a return call. GAMING SKILLS Remember, be disciplined. If you're going to use the phone, make a plan and stick to it. Pick a time of day to call, decide how many calls you'll make per day, then do it. It's a numbers game. How many people do you have to call before you get an appointment? Start to keep track, so you'll know what to expect. If you know that every 10-13 calls results in an appointment, it makes your job easier because you have some goals and you're not shooting in the dark anymore. You also need to plan when to call certain types of businesses. For example, contractors are generally early-morning calls, restaurants between and/or after the breakfast and lunch rush. Break up your day with other duties so you don't get burned out, but do pick certain times to call and then do it! RECORD YOUR INFORMATION You'll rarely get an appointment on the first call. It may take up to three years just to get in to see the person you need to see. Keep notes of each conversation. List the date of call, first and last name and title of the person you talked to, agent's name, insurance company, number of employees, personal information, and any indications of discomfort with their current agent. Always send a letter after you conclude your contact with the decision maker, regardless of the outcome. You should have several form letters ready to go for these occasions: It was nice to talk to you, I will call you back on ____. I will be out to see you on ____. A nice letter of declination. You'll also need to set a 'pend,' a time and date to call them back. There are several marketing software programs to help you do this. Once you've collected all this valuable information, pay attention to what you do with it. Information is crucial to any marketing plan, so make sure before you get started that you have a good grasp of how to manipulate it and what you want to track. Now you realize you're in control - you're the driver, and you know where you're going. You know what information you're looking for and how to track it. Your next step might be to determine a class of business to go after to build a list of prospects. Good luck! Bruce Shaffer is marketing manager for Talbot Agency, Inc., Albuquerque, NM, one of the 20 largest insurance brokers in the United States. He has been involved for more than 15 years in sales and marketing management and teaches classes on how to develop prospects. He can be reached at [email protected].

...into the arms of your competition. Jack Burke shows you how to treat your cust...

...ctronic file and deletes all follow ups. CANCELLATION PROCEDURE AGENCY REQUES...cited, CSR/Marketer deletes all follow ups. 11. Once cancellation is finalized...

.... Don't live vicariously. Jack Welch was a great business le...

Work Flow Procedures Manual-Commercial Claims Procedure
COMMERCIAL INSURANCE CLAIMS PROCEDURE The most important service that we provide a customer is Claims Service. Most agencies put a very low priority on items such as claims reporting and follow up. This not only leads to lost customers, but also Errors and Omission losses. Claims is also a source of additional protection that can be provided by the agency for their customers. For example, the time a person is most likely to think about Life Insurance is right after they have come face to face with their own mortality. This could occur after a collision loss, a burglary or a fire. The CSR/Claims Representative must be alerted to pass this information to the agency's life representative. There are other types of claims (covered and uncovered) that provide the attentive CSR/Claims Representative the opportunity to provide additional protection for the customer, but only by discussing these items in an agency meeting, can the procedures and techniques be effective. The keys to a successful Claims procedure are: KEEP THE CUSTOMER INFORMED Set a follow up procedure so that you can keep your customer up to date. (Don't let your customer's irate phone calls be the trigger to your follow up) Use draft authority whenever possible Don't say anything that will give the customer unrealistic expectations 1. CSR/Claims Representative receives notification from customer of loss. 2. CSR/Claims Representative creates appropriate ACORD claims form from customer's data base and then enters additional claims data. (Should be done whether or not coverage exists) 3. CSR/Claims Representative reviews customer's electronic file to ascertain if coverage exists. 4. If CSR/Claims Representative can verify that coverage exists, and is within the agency's authority, CSR/Claims Representative issues claims draft and records in draft log (Go to step 11) 5. If CSR/Claims Representative can not verify that coverage exists, or the claim is not within the agency's authority, CSR/Claims Representative forwards claims ACORD form to the company. 6. CSR/Claims Representative enters appropriate data into electronic claims log or note pad. 7. CSR/Claims Representative sends one of the following letters to customer: Type of Loss: Other Party: Date of Loss: Dear : Thank you for your report of loss. We are giving it our immediate attention. In order to expedite the settlement of your loss, please send us a list of the items lost or damaged, their approximate age, the cost to replace them, and the amount you paid originally, if known. Since claims service is our most important service to you, please let us know if you have any questions or are not completely satisfied with the handling of your claim. Sincerely, Dear : Thank you for your report of loss. It is being given our prompt attention. Please note the following: The loss you called in to our office today has been referred to your insurance company. Enclosed is a copy of the report. Please make any necessary changes; sign, date, and return to our office in the enclosed self-addressed envelope. Since claims service is our most important responsibility to you, please let us know if you have any questions or if your loss is not being handled to your complete satisfaction. Sincerely, Claims Supervisor Enclosure Type of Loss: Other Party: Date of Loss: Dear : Thank you for your report of loss. It is being given our prompt attention. At your request, we are retaining this loss for our records only. Claims service is our most important responsibility to you. Please let us know if you have any questions or if your loss is not being handled to your complete satisfaction. Sincerely, Type of Loss: Other Party: Date of Loss: Dear : Thank you for your report of loss. It is being given our immediate attention. Please send our office any correspondence you receive from the other party or their representatives. Also, be sure to refer the other party to our office. Since claims service is our most important service to you, please let us know if you have any questions or are not completely satisfied with the handling of your claim. Sincerely, Type of Loss: Other Party: Date of Loss: Dear : Thank you for your report of loss. It is being given our immediate attention. The driver of every motor vehicle involved in an accident that results in damage to property in excess of or in bodily injury or death must file a report of injury or damage with the Department of Motor Vehicles within 15 days after the accident. Enclosed is an SR-1 Form. Fully complete, sign, and return the form to our office. A self-addressed envelope is enclosed for your convenience. Since claims service is our most important service to you, please let us know if you have any questions or are not completely satisfied with the handling of your claim. Sincerely, Dear : I am sorry you have experienced a loss. Since claims service is our most important responsibility to you, please keep us informed if your loss is not handled to your complete satisfaction. If you have not heard from an adjustor in a few days, please advise our office so that we may follow up on your behalf. My Customer Service Hours are 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Your Lienholder may require an inspection of any damaged property. We suggest you call them immediately to expedite the settlement of your claim. In the event your property is mortgaged to a bank, mortgage company, etc., any settlement may be payable to you and your Lienholder. You both must endorse the check before it can be cashed. Should you have any questions or problems, please contact me personally. Sincerely, 8. CSR/Claims Representative sets up a suspense to follow up if the claim is not handled in a specific period of time. (If the agency's automation system has an electronic claims log showing open and closed losses, it should be reviewed weekly to follow up on open losses) 9. If claim check or denial has not been received in a predetermined period of time, send follow up letter. 10. When claims check is received from the company send the check to customer along with Cover Letter (CLAIMFRM.PL). 11. CSR/Claims Representative updates customer's electronic claims file. 12. CSR/Claims Representative deletes any unnecessary follow up dates. 13. If customer returns claims letter, file in Insurance Company file to review with Company Representative on a regular basis. (Also if there are criticisms of agency's handling of claims, refer to agency principal)

...ctronic file and deletes all follow ups. AGENCY REQUEST 1. The CSR/Marke...cited, CSR/Marketer deletes all follow ups. 11. Once cancellation is finalize...