Lori Jensen wears many different hats. Not only is she a top producer at Peterson Brothers Insurance, she's also an active mother to her three children, performing the day-to-day activities required to keep them--and her household--functional.
She may not be more powerful than a locomotive or be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but by her own right, Lori Jensen is a superhero. Juggling a successful career and a demanding family, this superwoman deserves to be commended for going above and beyond the call of duty.
Since 1994, Jensen has been with Peterson Brothers Insurance, Inc., an Omaha, Nebraska-based insurance agency that provides home, auto, life and health coverage to both commercial and personal lines clients. Jensen started out as a customer service representative (CSR) but quickly worked her way up to producer in 1996.
Jensen's typical workday may not be like most top producers. A large part of her day consists of being mother to her three children--who range from Kindergarten age to high school age--and carting them around to school, hockey practice or their friends' houses. Saying she's a busy woman may be the understatement of the year.
"Because I have such a demanding schedule, I tend to do a lot of work from my car using my mobile phone or from home using my computer," says Jensen. "The agency allows me to have flexible hours, which works perfectly for me. I'm able to spend more time with my children and avoid daycare costs."
Jensen began her career in the insurance industry about 11 years ago when she went to work for Geico as an insurance advisor. "I went into the industry with misguided intentions," Jensen says. "I thought that if I worked for Geico, I could get discounted auto rates!" She didn't get any discounts, but she decided that she liked the industry and wanted to pursue a career in insurance. Although Jensen enjoyed being on the service end, a friend convinced her that she would be happier in sales. "That was when I decided to work for the independent agency system."
Off she went into the exciting, yet sometimes grueling world of sales. Jensen says she was never discouraged. She knew this was how she wanted to make her living. "I did have a certain fear factor, however," she says. "I knew that because I was a commissioned producer, I had to make it--no ifs, ands or buts. I had a family to support."
Jensen, who is the state young agent chairperson for Nebraska, was given the responsibility of rebuilding IIAN's local young agent chapter, a task that she successfully completed.
Jensen has a tried and true sales philosophy by which she has lived for many years: "Successful networking breeds relationships, and those can turn into sales."
Just how does she network? When she first started out in the business, Jensen held social gatherings once a month at a central location in town. She invited several real estate agents and loan officers to join her in having food and drinks--her treat, of course. While they were in a relaxed atmosphere, she would get to know them and let them know what she wanted from them. "When you're in a social setting, it's easier to establish rapport and trust with potential clients," says Jensen. "These people automatically referred business to me."
However, offering free food wasn't her only method of boosting clientele. Jensen built her personal lines book of business by cold-calling. "I called a lot of real estate agents and mortgage loan officers and also visited them personally," recalls Jensen. "I asked for referrals for new home buyers. I figured that people will need insurance when they close on a new home. I thought that if I could attract that market, I could have the potential of insuring not only their new home, but providing their auto and life insurance needs as well."
Her philosophy paid off. After contacting a few real estate agents and loan officers, her business snowballed, and she had to hire an assistant within her first year as a producer.
After Jensen joined Peterson Brothers Insurance as a CSR, one of the owners suggested that she attend the local Independent Insurance Agents of America (IIAA) meetings. She did attend and enjoyed them so much that she soon began accepting responsibility for individual projects such as calling sponsors and asking for donations, assisting in research projects and helping out at luncheons. Then came her greatest challenge, one that she accepted with great enthusiasm: rebuilding the local young agent chapter.
Three years ago, the young agent involvement in the Independent Insurance Agents of Nebraska (IIAN) was dwindling. When Jensen took on the task of increasing membership, only five members existed.
Jensen's goal was to facilitate the involvement of young and new agents in association activities and programs. By developing and offering educational programs designed specifically for the young agent and convincing agency principals to invest in the development of the young agent, Jensen increased membership from five to 33 within a few months. After that goal was accomplished, Jensen was asked to become the state young agent chairperson.
During her reign as chairperson (she will be passing the torch to another individual at the end of the year), Jensen won the Outstanding State Committee Project award for her participation in the 1999 IIAA Young Agent Leadership Conference.
Jensen and the IIAN young agents chapter played an active role in last year's conference. Her goal was to get young agents involved based on their area of interest. With a lot of hard work and dedication, Jensen and the committee were able to provide a convention scholarship to a Nebraska young agent; convince marketing companies to sponsor a young agent's attendance at the convention; host a young agent hospitality suite; organize the opening night reception and operate a booth at the convention.
Another one of her responsibilities as chairperson was to urge young agents to get actively involved. Earlier this year, Jensen established a successful "buddy system" program at the Nebraska Insurance Agents Coalition Legislative Conference. She paired young agents with older, more seasoned ones. Their task for the day was to escort their state senators and state representatives to lunch. The intent was for the young agents to become acquainted with the senators and representatives and to discuss significant issues.
"When I initiated this program, I discovered the agents were intimidated by the thought of meeting with the political figures," Jensen says. "Some of the younger agents were afraid they wouldn't know how to react in the presence of such high political authorities. That's why I decided to pair the younger agents with older ones. The older ones were there to walk them through the experience."
Jensen is excited about the direction in which the independent agent is headed: becoming a full service insurance and financial advisor. "With the new opportunities to come our way soon--InsurBanc and other programs being developed by IIAA--our roles as insurance agents are going to change," says Jensen. "I'm excited about using my existing customer base to expand my income and opportunities."
Jensen believes that the role of the young agent is much more predominant today than it was 10 years ago. "Young agents are the future of the agency system," says Jensen. "Most companies require a perpetuation plan before they trust you to write their business. They want to know how the insurance agency is going to continue to operate."
Not that she doesn't have respect for her older counterparts. "Sometimes the more seasoned agents look at us younger ones and think we're here to make a pile of money in a quick amount of time," Jensen says. While that may be partly true, Jensen respects that the older agents were out selling insurance when there weren't as many coverage options available. "I respect the older generation's sales ability and determination. We wouldn't be where we are today if it weren't for them."
Jensen says that young agents have the respect of their older mentors as well. "It wasn't always the case, but with the full thrust of technology and global communications, young agents are on the cutting edge and are leaders in the industry."
What are Jensen's super secrets of success? She believes that making personal connections with her clients is key. That's how she builds trust. She makes it a priority to get to know each and every one of her clients. And she doesn't even carry a Palm Pilot. Call her old-fashioned, but she gets the job done. Having three very active children, Jensen knows what it's like to always be strained for time. If she needs to do work from her home computer at 1:00 a.m., then she does it. She's that dedicated. "My greatest satisfaction is knowing that I have found a career for a lifetime," says Jensen. "I don't ever want to do anything else." *