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...anged in organizational structure, technology utilization, compensation strate...entations: Your agency should provide technology tools, access to information, technical instruction (manuals, CDs, Int...

... a poor country boy lost in a high-tech world that carbon paper still impresse... tell me how wonderful this new “high tech” world is and is going to be. I us...

...ork in business (or for you “techies” — as long as humans wr...) 939-5944 (Cell), e-mail squareoneconsulting@cox.net, or visit www.squareoneconsulting.com.

...added services and products. These techniques can help you do the job: TIP #1:...

...ved have done so by using technology to become more efficient and by ...pport this demand with their technology and service staff. If you mak...

... agency's lifeblood, the people who handle their accounts should have the pretty, comfortable work areas, complete with windows. Agencies that have reorganized to use account managers (who can concentrate on the client-contact functions of service, placement, certificates, rounding, and so on) and account technicians (who specialize in policy-checking, correction-seeking, and follow-ups) realize that good physical placement increases their effectiveness. Account techs need quiet space to concentrate on technical detail. They must be out of any waiting client's sightline so that there's no pressure of courtesy-that is, so they won't have to interrupt their flow by getting up to help the client. The account techs must be situated close to each other so that they can back each other up comfortably during heavy work times (such as big renewal months) and ... to principals-to sketch office arrangements, write down ideas, recommend colors, design a desk arrangement, or express wish-list items. Create a master plan. Disregard the way you've always done things, and have some fun. You can make the place you work help achieve what you want in your work. Virginia M. Bates, LIA, is an educator on management and coverage topics and an independent consultant who advises insurance agencies and companies on E&O protection, successful technology usage, profitability, marketing, operations, and perpetuation. She can be reached at VMB Associates, Inc., 115 Ashland St., Melrose, MA 02176, (781) 665-0623, fax (781) 662-1288, E-mail [email protected] . Login or Register (for FREE) to gain ...

... seminars) but, like beauty, "lies in the eye of the beholder (customer) ." Customer service is a "bottom up" activity. Part of your challenge is that customers differ, not only as a niche of one, but in their demands for individualized service. Some customers want "high touch": a relationship that they can trust, while others need "high tech": a seamless and fast transaction. Your problem is that you don't sell either; you sell products, commodities, and/or services. What do customers expect you to do — alter your delivery system to their idiosyncrasies? The bad news is that the answer is "yes." The good news is that if you narrow the market, it's doable! Customers want what they ... ) is that most people's expectations of us are low. I'm given latitude by the Politically Correct Police because I'm, you know, a "hick." This latitude lets me write in unvarnished terms, based on personal experiences and observations of the marketplace. What follows is my best effort to provide insight as a customer into the problems with service today, as well as my suggestions as a consultant on ways to return to the good old days when the "customer was king." You'll find the first lesson of this article in this disclaimer. Please note the words "forgive me" a few lines above. If you offend someone or if you think you might have, apologize. Acknowledge your mistakes. Don't argue with customers. If what you did or said, or what ...

...call system to a manager or system tech to handle system trouble (such as cras... CONSISTENCE As we all accommodate to technology in our personal and professio...

...lly combine the advantages of high tech delivery with the personal dimension? ...