THE CHANGING FACE OF THE INDEPENDENT AGENT
Dean D'Camera applies his skills as a former
homicide detective to become a top producer in just five years
By Elaine Tolen
Dean M. D'Camera, CIC, is with Chesapeake Insurance Group in Annapolis, Maryland.
"What I do should be illegal," says Dean M. D'Camera, CIC, Chesapeake Insurance Group in Annapolis, Maryland. "I go around making friends--and get paid for it!"
Dean knows what is legal and what is not--he was a homicide detective before entering the insurance industry nearly six years ago. Building relationships and listening to clients, coupled with Dean's natural sales ability, has paid off in his short insurance career: At the end of 2001, Dean's book of business produced more than $512,000 in gross revenue.
According to Dean, his seven years as a police officer, then criminal investigator, honed skills that he uses now. "I gained a great deal of interpersonal communication skills at all levels. I worked with people from all walks of life--from the ghetto to the affluent. You must be organized when doing criminal investigation work.
"I liked detective work," Dean continues. "It is the ultimate challenge and responsibility. There is an extraordinary amount of pressure ... the first 72 hours after a homicide are the most critical." Before joining the Anne Arundel County Criminal Investigation Division's (CID) homicide section, Dean worked for several years as "a street cop," then in CID's narcotics section and CID's child abuse section. An eight-hour shift on a police beat was never dull. "We might get a call about a menacing dog then get called to a situation where a guy has pulled a gun on someone, then go to a fender bender," Dean recalls.
Dean wanted a better quality of life, though. "I was tired of spending half of my life at the morgue. I wanted clients who could talk back," Dean quips. One of his neighbors, Ray Miller, who has a life insurance agency, talked to him about the industry. In 1995, Ray introduced Dean to Robert (Bob) Elling, president of Chesapeake Insurance Group (CIG). Encouraged by Ray and Bob, Dean took insurance licensing classes in his off hours over the next few months.
During the first part of 1996, Dean worked full time as a homicide investigator and moonlighted as an insurance agent. His first account was Cookie's Country Kitchen, a small café that Dean frequented. "I just told Cookie what I was doing, and could I take a look at her coverage," he explains. In those early months, Dean also called on some friends who had small businesses. Working 25 hours a week, he brought in $40,000 to $50,000 in premiums in those first six months.
On June 1, 1996, Dean went full time with CIG. One modus operandi was to go to a business park, write down all of the businesses' names then call Directory Assistance. "They would give out two numbers at a time. So I'd call, get the numbers, hang up and call back for more." He would also write down observations about physical aspects of the businesses--an investigative skill that he knew well--to use in making a presentation to the potential clients.
Account Manager Denise Santivasci is one of Dean's key team members, handling most of his clients' service-related issues.
Making cold calls, Dean would introduce himself as a former homicide detective to get the customer's attention. "When I used to say, 'D'Camera--Homicide,' everyone stopped. When I started saying, 'D'Camera--insurance,' no one even batted an eye. But when I told them I wanted clients who talked back, I nearly always got an 'X date.'"
Dean began to build a network of relationships with local business people who might introduce him to others or refer business to him. He joined the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce, Contract Services Association (government service contractors) and the Italian Businessmen's Club. He found that "the more often they [potential clients] see you, the better chance you have with them. You have to get to know them. It takes time or money to succeed in business," Dean continues, "and I had a lot of time!"
He worked long hours in those early years, "smiling and dialing." According to Dean, he got one of his best accounts at 11:30 p.m., when a client called because firefighters had cut holes in the roof of his house to fight a big fire. The house had to be secured and the roof covered. "I looked through the Yellow Pages and found a 24-hour restoration contractor. The owner, Rodney Holt, answered the call. I asked him what he was doing in the office at 11:30 at night and he said, 'The same thing you're doing--working.' I explained the situation and within an hour he had a crew on site. The next morning I met with Rodney and within the week we had his insurance," says Dean. By June of 1997, Dean had written $90,000 in new business revenue during his first 12 months as a producer.
Making friends and building relationships is something that comes naturally to Dean. "This is a relationship business. People put their trust in you, and they're not going to put their trust in someone they don't like," he says. "A quality product and service are good, but they have to like you. You have to show a willingness to work with and for them."
Dean's philosophy is to help people before doing business with them, and his goal is to become a "Trusted Advisor for every client" a term coined by performance coach Roger Sitkins. Dean asks clients and potential clients, "What is your toughest challenge in doing business today?" This question has afforded him many opportunities to help and thus endear himself to clients and potential clients. "I've told my clients, 'If all I do is sell insurance to you, then fire me.'"
In one situation, a security guard contractor needed to fund the firearms for the armed security guard requirement of a contract. "We were unable to secure leasing due to the exposure," Dean explains. "However, a small local bank with an innovative CEO determined that it could be described as a 'mobilization expense.' We were able to secure the funding and the client obtained the firearms. This was accomplished solely on the relationship between our agency and the bank."
In the helping process, Dean strives to connect clients and potential clients. "I have a pool of 58 clients to tap resources from," he says. During a regular quarterly review, one of Dean's clients mentioned that the company was changing its fleet management, going with a national firm that offered fleet leasing. Included were vehicle maintenance and a fuel management system. Fuel cards would be tied to the odometer, which would allow the client to better manage the company's fuel cost. In the first nine months of 2001, the client realized a fuel cost reduction of $26,000, a savings of roughly two extra tanks of gas per car, per month. Dean points out this was during a time in which fuel costs had had a marked increased over the prior year. "I have passed this valuable information along to two clients who have implemented fleet leasing and are also seeing positive results," Dean says.
Being a trusted advisor has meant helping clients secure future contracts, Dean says. "One of my largest accounts has grown 2,500% over the past two years. We were able to secure a bid and performance bond that was very difficult to place, allowing the client to win several new multi-year contracts. During the bid process, we worked very closely with the client in estimating costs, securing equipment and strategizing on the best way to perform the contract.
"We must be proactive and keep our clients informed far ahead of time [to renew]. We have to be 'up front' and let them know what to expect."
--Dean D'Camera
"The client is a former police officer who now owns a security guard firm. We have a natural fit and both have an understanding of the security business," explains Dean. "In addition, since the firm has grown, there has been a need to add personnel in various areas. We recently assisted the company in hiring its new director of finance."
His investigative skills have also come in handy on more than one occasion. In one situation, Dean was asked by an accountant friend to look at a company's financials that looked suspicious. Dean sat down with the owner and pored over the records, helping him identify accounts and a money trail that led to the CFO, who they figured out had embezzled $350,000. Dean picked up a broker of record letter from the company that week. He worked with the assistant state's attorney (whom he knew from his previous life) to get the prosecution process started. The CFO was convicted, and Dean became best friends with the company owner. "We write everything for them," he proudly reports.
Dean's talent in sales, relationship building and networking was producing a recipe for success, and in 1999, he was feeling pretty good about his place in the insurance industry. "I thought, 'I'm not getting spit on, I don't have to go to the morgue, and I'm making more money than ever before.'" Then Dean attended a Roger Sitkins "Dare to Soar" seminar and learned some additional principles that propelled him further up the path of success.
One tenet that has improved Dean's business methods (and sales) is "trading down" accounts. At the end of 1999, he had 147 clients and $212,240 in gross revenue. After dividing his accounts into three categories according to revenue, Dean gave 63 smaller accounts to Harriet Kiilehua, small business accounts manager. "When I first joined the industry, I vowed to treat all of my clients equally. But the low-end group has different needs than the high-end group. It is a disservice to both groups," according to Dean.
Dean also forged a team with account manager, Denise Santivasci, CISR, in what Sitkins calls "SHO" (Service Handoff). Giving her responsibility to handle 98% of his clients' service-related issues, Dean is free to work on the business. "It is more efficient to have the account manager handle most of the service problems, because when I take the service calls I just add another layer to the process. She would have to call the client back anyway." Denise, Dean and Lori Kempf meet regularly to review their goals and "the game plan" so they can operate smoothly as a team.
Lori handles Dean's automated scheduling and appointments. Dean receives an activity report every day that outlines the services provided to each of his accounts as well as any activity that has been performed on the accounts. "This allows me to stay informed without having to be at my desk. The key to being able to be out of the office and in front of your clients is having professional team members who can adeptly handle the day-to-day service. Denise and her assistant, Andrea Gardner, and their backups are great."
Other Sitkins principles that Dean adopted are "MAS" (minimum account size) and working strictly from referrals. Dean now takes only accounts that have a minimum of $1,500 in revenue. His business cards say "referrals only." He feels this raises the quality of clientele, and his clients know that they are in an elite group that will get quality attention. Dean's new modus operandi has resulted in 58 accounts with an average revenue per relationship of $8,829. At year-end 2001, he had $512,102 in gross revenue.
The future
The year 2002 will see some personal and professional changes for Dean. In July he is to be married to Christy Sandusky and has recently been promoted to vice president as a result of CIG's acquisition by Sandy Spring Bank (finalized in December 2001). "It's excellent for us," says Dean of the acquisition. "A lot of banks are acquiring agencies now. Sandy Spring studied what banks have done right and wrong. We're working together to ensure due diligence to our customers. They have an outstanding reputation for customer service and we believe our philosophies are very similar," he explains. The bank has 30 branches in four counties, including Annapolis, Silver Spring, Bethesda, and its corporate offices in Olney, Maryland. "The opportunities are tremendous for increasing our revenue by providing our services to their clients."
Looking at the hardening market, Dean says: "Everyone's reading the newspapers and getting nervous. We [agents] must be proactive and keep our clients informed far ahead of time [to renew]. We have to be 'up front' and let them know what to expect." No surprises, he emphasizes.
Dean's hard-working, proactive efforts continue to pay off. In November 2001, all of his January 2002 renewals were done. "We are seeing premium increases for our clean accounts at 10% to 12%. Accounts with claims activities are seeing higher increases, with one account increasing by 70%. That account has a loss ratio of 160% over the past three years," Dean states. Before year-end 2001, he was already into March renewals.
"We have to continue to add value to our clients," Dean continues. "We're their business partner--we protect what they've spent a lifetime building." And who would know better how to protect the interests of others than a policeman-turned-producer? *
Being goal-oriented to Dean D'Camera means being football goal-oriented also. Five years ago, he began a relationship with some of the former and current University of Maryland coaching staff by providing auto, home and personal umbrella policies. Through these contacts he became involved in the Maryland Gridiron Network, the football program's booster club. Dean has served as the Network's president for the last two years, during which time the club has grown from 100 members to 600 members, "and growing," says Dean. According to Dean, the Maryland Gridiron Network is now the largest sport-specific booster group at the University of Maryland.
Working with members of the Terrapin coaching staff and the university president, Dean led the Maryland Gridiron Network in committing $500,000 of the $5 million budget for the addition to the Gossett Football Team House. Toward that end, Dean took over coordination of the club's annual auction in 1999, which is the group's main fundraiser. Under Dean's leadership, the auction netted $43,000 in 2001, up from $17,000 the year before. He says it's "the best function on campus," with 500 attending last year. "We are moving the auction to the football field this year," explains Dean. "With the recent success of the Terrapins [as the ACC champions, they played in the Orange Bowl], we need a bigger venue. We expect more than 750 people to attend the gala in 2002."
Besides being a top producer, Dean D'Camera is a top cook. Using a 10-foot trailer with a 275-gallon drum converted to a grill (right) and deep-fry cookers, he and two buddies are the hosts and cooks for pre-game University of Maryland football tailgate parties.
Dean is also the vice president of the Touchdown Club of Annapolis, which was founded in 1955 to support Navy football. The club has more than 400 members and supports youth and high school athletics. as well as Navy and Maryland football.
A true University of Maryland fan, Dean and two high school buddies have begun another football season tradition--hosting tailgate parties before Terrapin home football games. But the "Burp'n Terp Tailgate" is no ordinary tailgate party. The three cooks haul a 10-foot trailer with a 275-gallon drum converted to a grill mounted to the back, a bar, deep-fry turkey cookers and the most recent addition-a brand new stainless steel grill that boasts a 10-square foot cooking surface. In 1998, Sport magazine named them the "best food in the country" for cooking their Sicilian pig (called "Porchetta").
The weekend begins on Thursday, with the three cooks shopping for groceries to feed approximately 100 guests who will attend the tailgate. Friday is spent prepping the food. Dean and his comrades arrive 10-11 hours before kick-off (you can do the math; if the game is at 2:00 p.m., they arrive around 3:00 a.m.) to begin the feast preparation.
Dean and his fellow cooks serve about 100 guests at their "Burp'n Terp Tailgate."
In January 2001, during Super Bowl week, the cable channel Food Network's "Calling All Cooks" program did a series on tailgate parties and was going to include a segment about the "Burp'n Terp Tailgate" on its half-hour show. The producers were so impressed that they devoted the entire 30 minutes to Dean and his gang.