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... done for more than 10 years. The beauty of this redeployment is that it requi...T-Filing could never do. Postage and supply costs have escalated to the point ...

... surprised to find out that not only could they handle all the paper processing, they were able to attain zero backlog — a a status that the departments hadn't seen in years. The CSRs were then able to make proactive service and goodwill' calls to the customers. Personal Lines CSRs will begin calling customers to do annual exposure reviews. This hasn't been done for more than 10 years. The beauty of this redeployment is that it requires no additional personnel and in some cases provides the opportunity for staff reduction. Our next consideration is the creation of written procedures. The manual should incorporate proper procedures and accountability. In many agencies, I've found folklore procedures. They're not written, but are passed down from one employee to another with different emphasis and interpretations. Procedures must be in writing. ... than two hours per day. Imaging allows the CSR to use their knowledge to help clients protect their assets, which is far more satisfying than processing paper. Imaging is a mindset and a way of life that's meant to eliminate the problems with paper, not just the paper itself. Imaging will result in an immediate hard cost savings for the agency, something T-Filing could never do. Postage and supply costs have escalated to the point that they represent a substantial percentage of an agency's expenses. In the new and improved agency, an agent can reduce these costs substantially. To do so, they must begin to retrain themselves and their customers to move away from costly, old-fashioned mail to an economical electronic method. Postage costs are only a part of the picture, together with the tremendous cost ...

... 2. Offer a friendly greeting, followed by proper identification. Once you've started on the right foot by answering the call quickly, it's time to slow down and offer an appropriate, friendly greeting. A simple "good morning" or "good afternoon" sets a warm, hospitable tone. Consider using a non-denominational holiday or seasonal greeting at certain times of the year. (" It's a beautiful summer day at Smith Insurance" would almost bowl people over with friendliness.) &# 160 Then, give the full agency name. It's a name you should be proud of. It's a name that you want your customers to recognize and get to know, so say it clearly and plainly when you answer the phone. &# 160 You'd be surprised how many agencies simply answer the ... doesn't acknowledge the name. "Who's calling?" can also backfire if someone on your staff has the bad habit of turning away calls at whim or leaving the office without letting the receptionist know. In such cases, the caller can't help but feel that their call has simply been refused. &# 160 It's true that having the receptionist ask who's on the line can help you avoid office supply salesmen and nuisance calls, but ask yourself if this is worth the price of possibly offending your clients. Yes, you'll get client service calls that you can't really handle and that will need to be transferred to someone else in the agency. But now you've had a personal contact with one of your insureds that you might not have had otherwise — a chance to touch base and ...

...an help you avoid office supply salesmen and nuisance calls, but ask ...