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... x No Thanks Loading.. Horseback Riding Or Riding On The Back Of A Horse 4/30/2013 by CompleteMarkets Editor , Michael Manes This content has not been rated yet. HORSEBACK RIDING OR RIDING ON THE BACK OF A HORSE by Mike Manes Are you running your agency, or is it running you? This document by Mike Manes examines the elements that make the difference. Understand them and you'll be well on your way to taking control and steering your business forward. &# 160 As a boy, more than anything else I wanted a horse. In my fantasy world, I'd be Roy Rogers on Trigger, a jockey aboard Man of War, or a pioneer driving a covered wagon on the Oregon Trail. I got my wish (watch what you pray for!) . Suddenly my fantasy world collided with reality. My horse, Sham, was a beautiful animal. He was young, spirited, and impossible to ride. His first evening at the farm foreshadowed his style and our relationship. He went through a corral to visit with an old blind mare that roamed free. We attempted to curb his spirit by limiting his manhood. Watching this procedure hurt me, but it didn't calm Sham. I thought that a horseback ride was the ideal way to spend an hour, an afternoon, or even a day pursuing adventures. This animal would take me places that I wanted to go — physically or imaginatively. The horse and my command of it would make me special. The reality was far different. I never took Sham for a ride; he ...

... IMMS Library Immerse yourself in our stacks. Take some time and browse through our library. We have thousands of articles, checklists, tip sheets, sales letters, and more! Communications Marketing Customer Service Planning Finance/Accounting Risk Management Human Resources Selling Legal and E&O Technology Life/Financial Services Glossaries Management Resources & Links Categories Popular Recent All e mail squareoneconsulting cox Articles tagged with e mail squareoneconsulting cox Back Great Passers! Improve Two-Way Communication This content has not been rated yet. CompleteMarkets Editor , Michael Manes 4/30/2013 10:42:27 PM GREAT PASSERS! IMPROVE TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION by Michael Manes You might be passing along great ideas - but are your listeners receiving them? Who are Joe Montana, Terry Bra.. All Articles by CompleteMarkets Editor Comments (0 ) Horseback Riding Or Riding On The Back Of A Horse This content has not been rated yet. CompleteMarkets Editor , Michael Manes 4/30/2013 10:42:27 PM HORSEBACK RIDING OR RIDING ON THE BACK OF A HORSE by Mike Manes Are you running your agency, or is it running you? This document by Mike Manes examines the elements that make the differ.. All Articles by CompleteMarkets Editor Comments (0 ) x No Thanks Loading.. Loading.. x No Thanks Loading.. ...

... . All Articles by CompleteMarkets Editor Comments (0 ) Are You A Producer Or A CSR? This content has not been rated yet. CompleteMarkets Editor , Grace Bauer 4/30/2013 12:00:00 AM ARE YOU A PRODUCER OR A CSR? by Grace Bauer There are plenty of producers out there who are really CSRs. Are you one of .. All Articles by CompleteMarkets Editor Comments (0 ) Customer Service Report Cards This content has not been rated yet. CompleteMarkets Editor , Dave Kahle 4/30/2013 10:41:34 PM CUSTOMER SERVICE REPORT CARDS by Dave Kahle Although almost every agency claims to give better service than their competition nobody seems to be able to define better service. And since .. All Articles by CompleteMarkets Editor Comments (0 ) Horseback Riding Or Riding On The Back Of A Horse This content has not been rated yet. CompleteMarkets Editor , Michael Manes 4/30/2013 10:42:27 PM HORSEBACK RIDING OR RIDING ON THE BACK OF A HORSE by Mike Manes Are you running your agency, or is it running you? This document by Mike Manes examines the elements that make the differ.. All Articles by CompleteMarkets Editor Comments (0 ) How To Cancel A Policy . . . Correctly This content has not been rated yet. CompleteMarkets Editor 4/30/2013 10:40:33 PM HOW TO CANCEL A POLICY . . . CORRECTLY In this article, you'll learn the correct way to cancel a policy, either by returning the original policy or by using an appropriate ACORD form. You'll also d. ...

... 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 ...

... who is a "tire kicker" and who is a "buyer." You can learn who is there to gather information – the Reactive personality – and those who want an opportunity to take action – the Proactive. In many cases, "Reactives" are passive personality types – followers. They also tend to experts in specific bodies of knowledge. In uncomfortable or unfamiliar situations, many people can't initiate activity, but need to gather information in to understand the situation before they can begin to make a decision. For example, if you've ever gone to an amusement park and found yourself at roller coaster you face only two choices: 1) get in line; or 2) have an anxiety attack at the thought of getting on that insane ride which will surely throw you to your death. In the context of roller coasters, are you Proactive or Reactive? People who initiate action are "Proactive." They're often the impulse buyers, leaders, pioneers, early adopters. Their unconscious motto is, "Fire, Ready, Aim." In battle, Proactives would waste all of their ammunition by the time they saw the whites of the enemy's eyes. Back to the sales scenario: If Bill is leaning forward in his chair, the chances are that he's a Proactive who hates inactivity, tends to get involved in a situation early on, and wants to take action. He's not a researcher or planner – give him the opportunity to buy as soon as possible. On the other hand, if Bill is ...

... crises. In the presence of such a calm and effective management style, enough new business is produced to more than offset attrition. The agency is on a steady growth curve and morale is good. Then, seemingly overnight, things start to unravel. The system that had been running so smoothly becomes a roller coaster of minor disasters. The team spirit grinds to a shaky halt, and what was once frequent laughter becomes almost constant bickering. Revenues level off or even begin to decrease, and the profit margin erodes. When this happens, a lot of agency owners and managers blame the market conditions, temporarily forgetting that they had been doing just fine in the same competitive market until only recently. Seizing on this convenient excuse for all of their ills, they are tempted to try to ride out the storm until the market turns. With so much capacity available, the hardening of the commercial market still lies in the distant future-if it will happen at all. An agency that was generating a 12% profit can withstand 10% revenue decreases for only two years before serious adjustments have to be made to keep from going under. Waiting is not a viable option. At the first sign that the well-oiled machine is rusting, you must actively search for the cause and get things turned around quickly. With premiums and commission rates going down at a steady pace, there's not a lot of room for procrastination. In most cases, the organizational difficulties are rooted in the very success that the agency had been enjoying. It may simply have grown past the point where the existing organizational structure ...

... Member Content Member Content - Content Package Categories Popular Recent All Back 20 Tips For Prospective Agency Buyers 12/9 /2013 12:00:00 AM by CompleteMarkets Editor 1 Verified Reviews - 5 of 5.0 1 2 3 4 5 Before you buy an agency, check out these tips. If you're planning to purchase an agency, these guidelines are essential. Do a thorough investigation of the agency in question. Look at: Its five-year figures; its relationship with its companies; the breakdown of its premiums (Commercial Lines vs. Personal Lines); its history in regard to ownership, claims, employee agreements, and prior Errors and Omissions claims. Find out which carriers it has lost. Also, take a look at the accounts receivable. Does the current agency/owner let payments ride? If it's tightened, will the accounts go elsewhere? Take a good look at the other agency's loss ratio, especially Personal Lines. Some companies today are gearing future commissions on the last three years' loss ratio. Get an independent appraisal by a consultant. Determine the average age of at least the key accounts. People like to do business with their contemporaries. If possible, do your own financial analysis and have it checked by an accountant. Determine how the newly formed agency will work. Deal with the "nuts and bolts" of the agency's operations. Talk to carriers about the agency in question. They're excellent information resources. Make sure that the deal will pay for itself. Structure the terms so that the repayment plan fits into cash flow. If it's not self-supporting ...

... creates a powerful competitive advantage. Many readers are probably familia.. All Articles by CompleteMarkets Editor Comments (0 ) Agency Litigation Support Primer This content has not been rated yet. CompleteMarkets Editor , Paul Di Stefano 4/30/2013 12:00:00 AM AGENCY LITIGATION SUPPORT PRIMER by Paul DiStefano At one time or another, many agents become involved in litigation surrounding the agency or its principals and will require the professio.. All Articles by CompleteMarkets Editor Comments (0 ) And Karnack Says … This content has not been rated yet. CompleteMarkets Editor , Pamela Millard 4/30/2013 10:42:47 PM lsquo;AND KARNACK SAYS hellip; by Diane Herbert and Pamela Millard Take a close look at your capacity and take the steps needed to position your agency for the wild ride ahea.. All Articles by CompleteMarkets Editor Comments (0 ) Are You A Good Boss? This content has not been rated yet. CompleteMarkets Editor , Maribeth Kusmeski 4/30/2013 10:41:34 PM ARE YOU A GOOD BOSS? by Maribeth Kusmeski Are you a good boss? Really? I know when I ask myself that question, I come to the conclusion that I could be better. So what makes a good.. All Articles by CompleteMarkets Editor Comments (0 ) Are You A Producer Or A CSR? This content has not been rated yet. CompleteMarkets Editor , Grace Bauer 4/30/2013 12:00:00 AM ARE YOU A PRODUCER OR A CSR? by Grace Bauer There are plenty of producers out there who are really CSRs. Are ...

... Member Content Member Content - Content Package Categories Popular Recent All Back 20 Tips For Prospective Agency Buyers 12/9 /2013 12:00:00 AM by CompleteMarkets Editor 1 Verified Reviews - 5 of 5.0 1 2 3 4 5 Before you buy an agency, check out these tips. If you're planning to purchase an agency, these guidelines are essential. Do a thorough investigation of the agency in question. Look at: Its five-year figures; its relationship with its companies; the breakdown of its premiums (Commercial Lines vs. Personal Lines); its history in regard to ownership, claims, employee agreements, and prior Errors and Omissions claims. Find out which carriers it has lost. Also, take a look at the accounts receivable. Does the current agency/owner let payments ride? If it's tightened, will the accounts go elsewhere? Take a good look at the other agency's loss ratio, especially Personal Lines. Some companies today are gearing future commissions on the last three years' loss ratio. Get an independent appraisal by a consultant. Determine the average age of at least the key accounts. People like to do business with their contemporaries. If possible, do your own financial analysis and have it checked by an accountant. Determine how the newly formed agency will work. Deal with the "nuts and bolts" of the agency's operations. Talk to carriers about the agency in question. They're excellent information resources. Make sure that the deal will pay for itself. Structure the terms so that the repayment plan fits into cash flow. If it's not self-supporting ...

... Member Content Member Content - Content Package Categories Popular Recent All Back 20 Tips For Prospective Agency Buyers 12/9 /2013 12:00:00 AM by CompleteMarkets Editor 1 Verified Reviews - 5 of 5.0 1 2 3 4 5 Before you buy an agency, check out these tips. If you're planning to purchase an agency, these guidelines are essential. Do a thorough investigation of the agency in question. Look at: Its five-year figures; its relationship with its companies; the breakdown of its premiums (Commercial Lines vs. Personal Lines); its history in regard to ownership, claims, employee agreements, and prior Errors and Omissions claims. Find out which carriers it has lost. Also, take a look at the accounts receivable. Does the current agency/owner let payments ride? If it's tightened, will the accounts go elsewhere? Take a good look at the other agency's loss ratio, especially Personal Lines. Some companies today are gearing future commissions on the last three years' loss ratio. Get an independent appraisal by a consultant. Determine the average age of at least the key accounts. People like to do business with their contemporaries. If possible, do your own financial analysis and have it checked by an accountant. Determine how the newly formed agency will work. Deal with the "nuts and bolts" of the agency's operations. Talk to carriers about the agency in question. They're excellent information resources. Make sure that the deal will pay for itself. Structure the terms so that the repayment plan fits into cash flow. If it's not self-supporting ...