Regardless of the role AI may play in our business,
it never hurts to do everything possible to stay relevant
The road to success is not one that your clients typically can manage alone.
Clients require someone who understands each fork along
the way and someone who will lead them to a positive outcome.
By Michael Wayne
Every day, there seems to be an article or report about the next job that artificial intelligence or automation are going to make obsolete soon. Companies and consumers alike are looking for ways to save money, and it feels like that is becoming more and more difficult. Both sides are demanding greater efficiency; the latter also demands exceptional service at reduced cost with instant gratification.
Online portals and apps are becoming more sophisticated, making insurance agents seemingly expendable. Why dole out commissions to agents when they aren’t necessary?
Admittedly, there are several functions that I believe chatbots and automation can absolutely handle in our world. I’m also certain that we are a long way away from clients being able and willing to rely on algorithms to be certain that their homes, livelihoods, loved ones, and valuables are protected.
Still, it never hurts to do everything possible to stay relevant. Here are the top five ways to be invaluable to clients.
Be available. As a consumer, nothing is more frustrating to me than not being able to speak to someone with expertise about a product or service for a company with which I’d like to do business. It really is as simple as having the ability to pick up the phone when it rings, responding to a text or email within a designated amount of time, or taking the time to meet a client where they are. Just be there to hear their concerns or questions in a way that doesn’t make them feel like they are a number and you are responding because you were trapped and had to in the moment.
Yes, you absolutely need to set limits and should guard against being taken advantage of, but insurance is a relationship-oriented business. No one who is spending money wants to have a relationship with voicemail or be ghosted.
Be knowledgeable about specific products. When it comes to something as technical as insurance, most clients need a guiding hand to walk them through what’s available to them. Sure, some clients can get that from an FAQ page. A chatbot may even be able to provide some answers, but neither really has the capability to lay things out properly when someone is wondering what the right kind of insurance is for their specific needs.
AI isn’t sophisticated enough yet to know all the ins and outs of your client’s situation. While a search may be able to tell a client that they need auto insurance, that doesn’t begin to explain what coverage they need for their fleet of 100 vehicles.
Be an expert about your clients. The specifics that make your client who and what they are really are infinite. You have the capability of getting to know your client, their family, their business, their employees, and everything you want by simply asking questions.
If your client relies on you as an expert, as someone who requires intimate details to make sure that they have the correct coverage, and enough of it, they are going to willingly provide that information. They may not be so forthcoming when it comes to divulging their life story to a faceless computer screen or app on their phone.
The consequences of withholding valuable and necessary information could be dire. In knowing your client and being an expert about their needs, you can guide them toward the best risk solutions for them.
Be your client’s champion. In instances where something doesn’t go according to plan as far as a client is concerned, you can stand up for them. If a claim is denied, advocacy is a superpower in the eyes of a client when the result is a win.
AI is not going to call and hound a carrier on behalf of a client. In fact, AI was probably responsible for a blanket denial of your client’s claim in the first place.
The road to success is not one that your clients typically can manage alone. Clients require someone who understands each fork along the way and someone who will lead them to a positive outcome.
Be an active part of your client’s lifecycle. Seldom is the insurance journey of a client a “set it and forget it” proposition. Regulations are constantly changing. Clients’ circumstances are in flux. The only thing constant is change.
You should make it your goal to be on the forefront of adapting your clients to necessary changes, instead of allowing surprises to affect your clients’ insurance experience. Businesses grow and shrink. Regulations are passed. Parents become empty nesters. Newlyweds welcome children into their lives.
You need to anticipate your clients’ needs. Better yet, you need to be a part of your clients’ lives to the extent that they keep you in the loop of where they’re going next.
Remember, AI isn’t the only entity ultimately coming for your job. Flesh and blood competitors are in the same boat as you. If you allow them to be invaluable to your clients, they will be. Be a full-service agent and give yourself as much job security as possible.
The author
Michael Wayne is a freelance insurance writer.
