In light of the recent changes in the independent agency distribution system and the myriad economic challenges that agencies face, several behaviors and practices should be implemented immediately. Each one of these will influence your success in the near term and beyond.

All too often, people embrace an idea enthusiastically, only to abandon it for another great idea before long. That’s why it’s so important to establish your agency’s primary initiatives and stick with them. Typically, these include: Filling the Pipelines; Installing a “Set Offense” (Selling System); Cross-selling All Accounts; Recruiting Top Producers; Controlling Expenses; and having a Culture of Accountability, to name a few.

Whatever initiatives you establish, you have to stay the course. We all know the quick-start type who loves an idea at first and then quickly moves on to something else—the person who has a lot of “start” and not a lot of “finish.” I think of these people as magpies because, like the bird, they’re easily excited by anything bright and shiny. They’re very susceptible to distractions.

Besides being counterproductive, the problem with shifting gears to pursue the “flavor of the month” is that it soon becomes obvious to your staff. They know that you’ll soon be distracted by another bright and shiny thing. They may give you lip service, but they’re saying to themselves, “This too shall pass.” They know you’ll be moving on to the next great thing before they ever implement your previous idea.

Naturally, this assumes that you have a “course,” or some sort of plan to follow that has been communicated and is understood. More important, this plan should be one that is actually working!

What we’ve observed is that many agencies have been waiting for the economy or market­place to change, which in the current eight- to nine-year market cycle, has made for a very long wait. Compounded by risk shrinkage, things have gotten worse for many agencies. That’s why it’s imperative to have a course: (a) that sets the foundation for your agency culture (as defined by the language and behaviors that are normal) and (b) that your employees must buy into.

For example, what would I hear if I called your office and asked whoever answered the phone, “What’s it all about at your agency?” If there isn’t a consistent message about what you do (i.e., a consistent culture), then you really don’t have a course to follow.

Several years ago, I heard an inspirational statement from writer/management expert Tom Peters. In essence, it says that if you’re not getting better faster than your competition, you’re getting further behind.

Does the culture of your agency call for continuous and never-ending improvement? Or are you so hung up on the day-to-day dealings and transactions that no one has time to get better?

Here are a few ways your agency can improve:

• Practice. Does your sales team practice at least once a week? Your salespeople won’t get sharper by themselves, so if they’re not practicing, they’re not improving. Remember: Steel sharpens steel.

• Rehearse. Are all final presentations rehearsed? If not, there’s a good chance they’re not getting better, either.

• Critique. Do you record and critique your practice sessions? If not, you aren’t alone; 99% of agencies don’t. But that’s no excuse for not doing it. With the advent of smart phones, flip video cameras and other digital technology, video recording is easy to do.

• Train. Does your internal service team have ongoing training? What sort of training is it? No train—no gain!

We know how tough the business world is today, and we realize that it’s not as easy as it used to be. But that’s precisely why you have to get sharper.

Is your agency “Activity-Based” or “Results-Based”? Those of you who have read my articles over the years or heard me speak know that this is a topic I frequently discuss. The answer all boils down to culture.

Is your culture all about getting actual results? Or is it more about the activity or busy-ness involved in getting them? How often do you hear, “Are you keeping busy?” vs. “What results are you getting?” I don’t care about how busy you are. Everyone stays busy. I want results!

Everything that happens in the agency—all the systems, all the processes, the accountability—should be aimed at achieving positive results within the organization. Those results are going to tie directly to the course you’re on.

Once you’ve decided where your agency is going, you should be asking: “Are we on track? Are we doing the right things to reach our destination? Are we making management decisions based on the results we want, or are we just throwing more people at the problems we face?” Achieving a better result rarely comes from adding more people. Typically, it’s a matter of getting to the root of the problem.

This reminds me of a man I see almost every day on the way to my office. It’s obvious he takes great pride in his yard because he’s always working on it. He probably spends hours on his hands and knees each and every day, pulling weed after weed. But it occurs to me that if he’s always out there pulling weeds, he must not be getting to the root of the problem!

Similarly, many agencies will add people to their service department rather than get to the root of the problem. Bad approach! In the 30 or so years I’ve been in this business, I have rarely seen agencies that are properly staffed to their workload. They’re not measuring productivity, they’re not examining their backlogs, and they’re not even using their automation. That’s because the root of the problem is inefficiency, not lack of manpower. They’re simply not as productive as they should be.

At the end of the day, it’s all about how the client feels. How do your clients feel and what do they say after dealing with a member of your team? If their experience is anything less than stellar, you’ll probably lose their business, sooner or later.

At the heart of the client experience is customer service. Ideally, excellent customer service should send a message that the client’s business is all-important. Conversely, poor service sends a very different message, as most of us know from first-hand experience.

About 10 days prior to a recent fishing trip, I lost my one and only pair of prescription sunglasses, so I made an urgent call to my long-time eye doctor’s office to get a new pair ASAP. After I explained my predica­ment, the receptionist told me that the person I needed to talk to was off and that I’d need to call back the next day. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing! In fact, I blurted out, “Are you kidding me? Can’t you take my number and have HER call ME?” The receptionist’s reply: “No, you’ll have to call her.”

Needless to say, I was flabbergasted—and livid. Had the eye doctor not been an old friend of mine, I would never ever have gone back to his practice. Instead, I let him know what happened, reminding him of the importance of the client experience. When I saw him the next day, he apologized profusely and, as a result, retained my business. But that’s rarely the case when the client experience is less than optimal.

Referrals are the ultimate litmus test when it comes to gauging the client experience. If clients are renewing but not referring, it strongly suggests that your client experience is not that great. You’re not wowing them. If you’re a traditional agency, your clients view you as a vendor of a commodity and not as a trusted advisor who brings value beyond the risk transfer transaction.

The client experience encompasses every single thing that happens between your agency and your client, including the way the first phone call is handled, the appearance of your correspondence, the quality of your presentation, and the way your policy is delivered (is it in a beautiful binder or a plain manila envelope?). How do your clients view you? Are you presenting solutions or delivering quotes?

While most agencies provide little or no training focused specifically on the client experience, the most successful businesses in the world do. One of the best examples is the Ritz-Carlton. Above the employee entrance at every Ritz-Carlton is a sign that reads, “Ladies and Gentlemen Serving Ladies and Gentlemen.” This ever-present reminder to treat guests with ultimate respect sets the tone for a phenomenal client experience. Does the Ritz cost more than the average hotel? Certainly. But between the quality of the facility and the level of service provided, it is well worth it.

The Bottom Line: These are four practices and behaviors that will help you succeed going forward. Are they the only four? Absolutely not—there are probably 100 more. But are these important? You bet! In fact, I strongly suggest you include them in your top 10.

As always, it’s your choice!

Roger Sitkins is founder and chairman of Sitkins International. He is the creator of The Vertical Growth Experience™ programs which are offered exclusively to their private client group. These programs focus on continual improvement of agency/brokerage operations, thus providing members with ongoing development and strategies that literally force vertical growth in the agency/brokerage’s critical indicators of closing ratios, revenue per employee, revenue per relationship, and revenue per producer.