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The Bottom Line
Tip O’ the Month
Sweeps,
Drafts & Uploads
The Weakest Link in your
Computer System
Tips For Tough Times
Automation is HOT, HOT,
HOT!
Dear Diary ...Notes,
Notes, Notes - The lifesaver of every Insurance Agency
Lessons
From Insurance History
Insurance
Agency Accounting using Automation
Solutions
for
Multi-Location Agencies
Extra
Planning Equals Successful Automation
Why
do I need an Agency Management System?
Panning
for Gold
Automate
or Evaporate
The
NEW E-Sign law makes The Paperless Office a reality
Top
Ten Reasons Not to Automate Your Agency
What
is your Bandwidth Size
What
is wrong with this picture?
If you have any suggestions of an
article on Automation in Insurance agencies, or comments please feel free
to contact me.
Ron
Webber
The Bottom Line Consulting Group, Inc.
5501 Woodland Drive
Savannah, GA 31406
(912) 356-1516
Ron Webber has been a licensed
insurance agent for over 33 years, as an agent, an agency principal, VP of
a multi-office insurance agency and has worked with over 250 agencies
nationwide as an on - site automation implementation consultant.
Happy
4th of July ... God Bless America!
Looking for the perfect gift for
yourself or any animal lover ?
Check out the talent of Joanne Webber
(Ron's better-half).
www.petportraitsbyjo.com
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The Bottom Line
If you have any suggestions of an article on
Automation in Insurance agencies, or comments please feel free to
contact me.
Ron
Webber
The Bottom Line Consulting Group, Inc.
5501 Woodland Drive
Savannah, GA 31406
(912) 356-1516
Ron Webber has been a licensed insurance agent for
over 33 years, as an agent, an agency principal, VP of a multi-office
insurance agency and has worked with over 250 agencies nationwide as an
on - site automation implementation consultant.
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The
Bottom Line Tip O' the Month is sponsored by ... |
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Tips For Tough Times
Customer
Relationship Management
contributed by Ron Webber
The new buzzword in insurance is “Customer Relationship Management” or CRM.
As agencies struggle with how to better manage their customer base, the
solution
most often mentioned is CRM software or automation. Point of sale software
that helps the agency handle the customer’s needs and the endless stream of
paper that is generated for each policy issued. While I agree that automation
is the answer, I also believe that insurance agencies need to remember their
beginnings and good customer relations.
These are crazy times and it is time to re-examine your business model and
customer relations policy and procedures. To get started you will need to
follow these tried and true steps:
1. Sit down with your entire staff and discuss customer needs.
2. Brainstorm with your team and make it a positive meeting. Don’t allow
negative comments.
3. Remind your team of the methods you have taught them for dealing with
customers in person and on the phone. If necessary train new members of your
team on these methods.
4. Discuss stress management and ways to ease pressure.
5. Establish the direction of your agency. Don’t forget to discuss how you got
where you are today.
6. Discuss each team member’s strengths and how you can capitalize on those
talents.
7. Identify any existing or potential problems that might keep you from
reaching your goals.
8. If you identify problems that exist in your agency, take steps to fix them.
Do not let them continue or everyone will feel the negative effects.
9. Identify exactly what your customers want and expect from your agency.
10. The agency owner(s) will then need to do some homework.
a. Establish a realistic business plan.
b. Optimize your working capital.
c. Examine all costs (decreasing where needed and increasing when necessary.
After you have completed the above reviews and have a workable plan, implement
it immediately. Prior to opening each morning hold review sessions for 15
minutes to discuss progress or problems with your entire staff. Examine
success and failure and modify where necessary. The main thing to remember is,
“have FUN with it.” Do not make it so structured that everyone will dread the
sessions.
I know a dentist that has these sessions with his staff each morning before
opening. You can sit in his waiting room and hear them laughing and discussing
ways to help the customers enjoy their dreaded visit to the dentist chair.
Most people dread the dentist far more that a visit to your office. But
is that same customer leaving your office with as much satisfaction as they
are from the dentist office? Now how does automation fit into these tips
for tough times and good CRM?
Let’s examine what you can expect from automating your agency with agency
management software.
1. Complete customer information on the desktop screen, without having to
search for files.
2. Good cash controls of all funds accepted from the insured with checks and
balances to see that those fiduciary funds are correctly delivered or
transmitted to the carriers.
3. E & O controls over policies being issued in a timely and correct manner.
4. Agency accounting procedures that will supply you with business trends and
road maps to correcting detours before it is too late.
5. Good fundamental follow up procedures to track customer business and
requests.
6. Fast and accurate reconciliation of company statements and accounts
receivable for the agency.
These are a few of the benefits and features that agency automation will offer
to the success of the agency. Also, the fact that one small error could be
costly to both agency and customer makes this a stress filled industry and one
of the biggest, hidden benefits of automation is the relief of stress for the
owner. A satisfied customer is a happy customer and a happy customer
will remain a customer and refer more customers. Agencies spend hundreds and
thousand of dollars to advertise and promote their business, but very little
in the way of good CRM.
Agency automation is the best buy and value. That referral from a satisfied
customer didn’t cost you anymore than good business practices. And don’t
forget the smile.
Remember in these tough times, all businesses are challenged and you are not
alone. What you do about it might make the difference in your survival.
Until next month, keep automating those agencies; I really believe the only
way that you are going to survive in the 21st Century is to automate.
Remember, the bottom line is "Automation equals Productivity and
Profitability."
If you have any suggestions of articles on Automation in insurance agencies,
or comments please feel free to contact me.
Ron Webber
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