Customer Service Focus

Quick tips for exceptional service

Building relationships and loyalty doesn’t take a lot of money or time

By Lynn DellaCroce, CIC, CPIW

In our busy lives, “immediately” is an expected response time.

In our busy lives, “immediately” is an expected response time. With that in mind, I’m offering some quick tips to help you easily provide service that’s well above the average. Before reviewing the tips, let’s take a moment to consider the meaning of “service.”

Good old Webster defines service as “contribution to the welfare of others.” Do you contribute to the welfare of your clients? Following are some easy and inexpensive ways to improve your servicing techniques. Each tip takes less than five minutes, but offers lasting positive results.

Take advantage of opportunities. When you see a favorable article about a client or a family member, clip it out and send it to them with a brief comment such as “Good job!” Make it easy and informal. Simply write your comments on the article and include a business card. It takes only a minute.

Send cards for special events such as new baby, wedding, sympathy, etc. Save time by keeping a stash of cards at your desk. Save money by buying special occasion cards in bulk.

Give referrals. This can be a double dip. Your client is thankful for getting the referral, and your referral (client) is thankful for getting the business. Thus, both will appreciate your efforts.

Say “thank you” whenever you can. Say, “Thank you for calling.” Say, “Thank you for bringing this error to our attention and giving us the opportunity to correct it.” Say, “Thank you for renewing your policy.” Say, “Thank you for giving us the opportunity to handle your account.”

You get the idea. “Thank you” is a powerful statement. Use it as often as possible.

Compliment clients. Everyone loves compliments. Compliment your clients on their wise business decisions, new purchases, profitable year, merger, etc.

Empathize with clients. Send a “Sorry to hear about your recent loss” letter to a client who has filed a claim. (Remember to save time by creating a form letter.) Empathize with your clients’ concerns about rising insurance and business expenses.

Educate and inform your clients. The better your clients understand insurance, the easier your job will be and the fewer errors and omissions exposures you will incur.

Share information you’ve acquired at a recent class or seminar. Your clients know you attend seminars. They hear it from the receptionist or from your voice mail message when you’re out of the office. Let them know they are profiting from your newly acquired knowledge. They’ll be impressed that you thought of them while attending your class.

Explain coverages that clients don’t currently have but may need such as building ordinance, excess insurance, personal injury or backup of sewer and drain. Inform them when new coverages of interest become available, such as mudslide coverage if they are located in an area prone to this kind of problem.

Share insurance information with your clients. Often clients express interest or concern about current issues like workers compensation, contractors’ issues or mold. When you come across articles regarding an issue of client interest, send your client a copy. E-mail and the Internet are perfect for this. For a real time saver, send the same article to several of your clients. However, be sure that only one client’s name shows on the e-mail. This is especially effective when the article reiterates something you’ve recently discussed with the client. This reinforcement strengthens your credibility and lets clients know they are important to you. And it only takes a minute to do.

Update your messages. Voice mail: It’s extremely frustrating to hear a message on March 15 stating you are out of the office and will return on March 13.

E-mail: Many clients prefer to communicate electronically. If you’re going to be away from your office, leave an electronic message for your clients letting them know you’re out of the office and when you will return. Again, remember to revise your message upon your return.

With both of these types of messages, it’s good to leave an alternate number or contact person in case the client needs immediate assistance.

Implement good telephone techniques. Return calls by the end of the business day, even if you call to say you don’t have the information the client wanted but will obtain it as soon as possible.

Leave detailed voice messages. Provide your name and phone number at the beginning and end of the message, being sure to speak slowly and distinctly. Remember, you know your name and phone number; your clients do not. Also, it’s irritating to have to listen to the entire message a second time just to be sure you got the phone number correct.

Contact key clients. If you’re going to be out of the office for an extended period of time, it’s a good idea to inform your key clients who contact you often. Give them an alternate phone number or person to contact. Let them know when you will return or if you will be available while you’re gone.

If you haven’t had recent contact with a key client, make a quick call just to be sure everything is okay. Clients will appreciate the call.

Maintain a supply of forms. Your insureds often need forms such as workers compensation brochures, claim forms, etc. It’s a special service to quickly provide necessary forms to clients, and it’s easy to do.

Develop forms. Develop a form for your clients to help them notify you of changes or to request certificates of insurance. Many clients like to communicate via e-mail or fax.

Design a generic form and store it in your computer. It will take only a minute to customize the stored form for your client as the need arises. Remember to save the customized form for future use should your client misplace the form. While you’re creating the form, remember to give your agency errors and omissions protection by letting your client know that coverages cannot be bound via fax, e-mail or phone. Sometimes faxes and e-mails never make it to the office but end up in electronic limbo.

Give examples. Help your clients understand insurance and risk. Give them examples or share claim stories. Remember to keep your stories generic. Never include names or other identifying information.

Service is about contributing to the welfare of our clients. Our clients want to trust us and believe we are looking out for their best interests. Be an active partner in your clients’ business, providing useful information and suggestions. Keep their information private. Treat them as you would like to be treated. It’s the little things that count big. *

The author
Lynn DellaCroce, CIC, CPIW, is the owner of LDC Insurance Education. She is also a producer for Byars-Thompson-Buchanan Insurance Services. With experience as a CSR and producer, she has been teaching for 24 years, including the CISR and Dynamics of Service programs. For more information on CISR or Dynamics of Service, call (800) 633-2165 or visit the National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research Web site at www.TheNationalAlliance.com.