By Emily Huling, CIC, CMC
It's no secret that strong personal relationships with clients and companies help agencies grow and prosper. All too often these relationships are sustained only at the manager or producer level of an agency. Front-line personnel--account managers, CSRs, claim staff, accounting, and reception--are excluded from participating in the cultivation of client and company relationships. This is a big mistake. Without the involvement of the front-line staff, all parties suffer.
Think of it this way. Picture a ladder. The steps of the ladder are reinforced with vertical supports. The more securely attached the steps are to the vertical frame, the stronger the ladder. When front-line personnel at all levels of the agency develop strong bonds with their client and company counterparts, the relationship ladder strengthens.
The agency as an organization and its people personally benefit from front-line to front-line relationships in many ways.
The agency has more eyes and ears available to keep abreast of what's going on with the client and company organizations. Staying alert to cutbacks, business growth, and change in management can bring opportunities to the agency or detect unsuspected problems that could damage or end the relationship.
Internal processes and externally generated work in the agency can be handled more efficiently. Give the people most qualified to do the work the authority to get it done.
Teamwork and communication are enhanced within the agency. All parties who work with a client will benefit from knowing as much as they can and sharing the information with each other. The clients and companies both benefit by having several agency staff people who are familiar with and responsible for the relationship. This translates into ease of doing business for everyone involved.
Here are several suggestions for an agency and its front-line people to create vertical relationships.
Use a welcome board for visitors. Agency guests, both client and company, usually have appointments with one, maybe two, individuals in the agency. However, there are others in the agency who do business with that guest. If they're not included in the scheduled meeting, they may not know about the visit. A welcome board serves two purposes. It makes the guest feel expected and welcome. It also alerts everyone in the agency as to who the guests will be that day. Front-line personnel have the opportunity to do business during the same visit or simply to cultivate the relationship.
Agency management and sales people need to support both the company and client in dealing directly with the front-line staff. Who is better equipped to take a claim, handle a vehicle change, or investigate a payment issue? Customers want to do business with the person who is best able to handle the situation. Frustration mounts on all sides when a producer or owner gets involved when it's not necessary. Not only does this undermine the front-line to front-line relationship, it's just plain inefficient.
Have front-line staff introduce themselves personally to their clients. Personally means making contact through either a phone call or a personal note with a business card enclosed. Even when the agency account handler's names and contact information are on the proposal, this added personal touch reinforces the agency's commitment to supporting the front-line/client relationship.
Agency and company people need to learn more about each other. I still find agency personnel who have never visited a company and company people who have never been in an agency. Not only do visitations to each other's offices build relationships, it's critical that each knows about the other's workflow and decision-making processes to do business more effectively.
When agency people get a first-hand view of the company's procedures involving applications, renewals, rating and billing, it's easier for the agency people to tailor their own internal processes and communications to coincide with the company's operation. In addition, they can educate their policyholders to make it easier for all parties to do business together. Equally important is to invite the company staff to your agency to see how work is done on the agency side of the business.
Encourage front-line staff to visit their policyholders' offices. Making visits to client offices to have documents signed, gather renewal information, and deliver finalized policies frees the producers' time and strengthens the agency and client relationship. This front-line/client relationship should begin during the prospecting stage. Clients benefit from having a team handle their business. Providing a team of qualified professionals who can serve their needs is far more timely and efficient than committing one individual to do it all, who may have trouble delivering.
Accompanying a company loss control representative on a service call is another way for front-line staff to visit the insured's place of business. This is a great way for agency personnel to see the policyholder's business through company eyes and learn about safety and quality control. Since loss control reports are the eyes of the underwriter, this knowledge will help agency people learn more about the underwriting process.
Invite clients and company personnel to participate in educational sessions that you are conducting for your front-line personnel. Consider all kinds of educational workshops including software training, CPR and personal safety courses, professional presentation skills, investment classes, or a golf or fitness clinic. These classes are terrific ways for people to get to know each other while acquiring meaningful information.
Making a commitment to strengthen front-line to front-line relationships with both clients and companies will build your business, help educate and retain employees, and boost teamwork and morale. How can you afford not to do it? *
The author
Emily Huling, CIC, CMC, helps the insurance industry achieve customer service and sales excellence through speaking, workshops, and consulting. Her new book, Selling in a Hard Market, is now available. For information call (888) 309-8802 or visit www.sellingstrategies.com.