Customer Service Focus

Control your time—don't let it control you!

“Suzy” needs to learn a few time management techniques

By Ruth E. Phillips, CISR, AAI, AIS, CPSR, CPIW, DAE

Suzy is a CSR whose work habits may be leading her to a breakdown. It is a shame because she is a young, energetic person who has the capability to build a successful career in the insurance industry. So why is she on the brink of pulling her hair out? Because she doesn’t know how to manage her time!

Like many of us, Suzy needs to learn a few time management techniques. By learning to control her time, she will be able to get more work done, become more effective and productive, and reduce her stress level. In addition, she will be able to balance her family and work time.

The “To Do” list. One of Suzy’s problems is that she doesn’t know where to start. She should create a “to do” list at the beginning of each day. Then she needs to think about her daily tasks, those that take five minutes or less. Those simple tasks that can be accomplished easily should be at the top of her list. Because she can get those done within five minutes and cross them off her list, she will immediately feel a sense of accomplishment. Next, Suzy should prioritize all of the remaining items, working in order of importance.

Delegate. Suzy also doesn’t know how to delegate. She thinks that she has to do everything, including overseeing every aspect of every project. I have seen Suzy take the mail to the post office because she was worried that other staff wouldn’t get it there on time. Delegating tasks and responsibilities allows a person to manage time more effectively. The key to delegating a task is giving it to someone who has the skill set to handle the responsibility. Then, let it go! Don’t try to micromanage it. Trust the person to whom you have delegated the responsibility. Don’t waste time trying to oversee their work.

Breaks. Suzy never takes a break. When I arrive at the office, she is already at her desk (which she rarely leaves during the day). She never leaves for lunch, and when I leave at night she is still there working. She doesn’t build in personal or family time. Breaks are important because they give us time away from our work and allow us to come back and look at it with fresh eyes. We need to step away from our desks from time to time so that we don’t end up banging our heads on them.

Write things down. Suzy thinks she has a photographic memory. She doesn’t. She spends half her time trying to remember what she forgot to write down. From meeting notes, to appointment times, it is important to write things down—whether on paper or electronically. Trying to remember all the small details is always a hassle and something always gets left out. If you write it down to begin with, you won’t have to worry about forgetting later and wasting time trying to remember what it was you may or may not have forgotten or missed. And remember, good documentation reduces the chance of an E&O claim.

Say “no.” Suzy never tells anyone “no.” She is always taking on more projects, serving on more committees, reviewing more files, and taking on more work than she can handle. Sometimes it is perfectly okay to say “no.” If you don’t have the time required to do the job to the best of your abilities, or if the extra work will interfere with your existing job, it may be necessary to say “no.”

Maintain your health. Suzy regularly reschedules routine checkups with her doctor because she is too busy at work. This increases her stress levels. In addition, no matter how busy we are, we should always take time to take care of ourselves. This includes eating right and getting enough sleep and exercise.

There are only so many hours in a day. No matter how hard Suzy works, she can’t make time stand still. She needs to consolidate similar tasks and give herself a time limit for each task. She should assess what time of day she does her best work and should schedule her most difficult tasks for that time of day. Once she sets a routine and sticks to it, her days will flow more smoothly.

E-mail. Suzy always seems to be checking her e-mail or responding to an instant message. She should check her e-mail on a regular schedule, either once or twice a day, and also should turn off her instant messenger. Once she reads an e-mail, she should take care of it right then, by deleting it, handling the matter, or delegating the task to someone else. The same rule that applies to paper—handle it only once—applies to e-mail. In addition, Suzy should never leave an e-mail just sitting in her inbox; she should always do something with it.

Interruptions. Because Suzy is a friendly person, people are always stopping by her desk to ask for advice on how to handle clients and accounts. Suzy needs to learn to count on interruptions. Whether it is traffic jams or computer problems, something will always crop up to slow a person down. If Suzy is prepared in advance, these interruptions won’t ruin her schedule. It is important to remember not to let anyone take your time away from you.

In conclusion. Perhaps Suzy will learn that she is the only person who is in control of her time. Once she learns that and acts upon that, she will become a more valuable employee, her health will improve because her stress levels will be greatly reduced, and she will be able to spend more time with her family and friends.

The author
Ruth E. Phillips, CISR, AAI, AIS, CPSR, CPIW, DAE, is a licensed property and casualty agent and customer service representative for Morrell Agency, Inc., in Magnolia, Mississippi. She has received several industry awards including the 2004 National CSR of the Year Award from The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research and the 2006 PIA National Customer Service Representative of the Year. For more information on the CISR program, call (800) 633-2165 or go to www.TheNationalAlliance.com.