At some point, someone will blame
you for their ills, regardless of how well you’re doing your job
Hold yourself to a higher standard than any client ever could,
and you’ll be less likely to lose a client because of your performance.
by Michael Wayne
Though it’s probably wrong to do so, I’m going to assume you’ve heard this quote: “You can please some of the people all of the time; you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of time.” John Lydgate of Bury, a 15th Century monk and poet, is credited as that quote’s originator, but various versions have been attributed to others including Abraham Lincoln.
The words are undeniably true, especially in the context of being an insurance agent.
Despite all of my good intentions, best practices, and genuine desire to provide clients the most complete coverage possible, there have been times when that simply has not been good enough. At this point in my career, I have seen enough so that I can unequivocally determine when there actually has been some shortfall on my end of things, as opposed to a client looking for a scapegoat to blame for their misfortune.
Part of being able to see this so clearly is that the feedback typically falls into a handful of repetitive complaints. These are the top five complaints that clients have voiced to me for what they feel is a failing on my part. Keep in mind—just because I am labelling these as the top five, that doesn’t mean they’ve been voiced to me an extensive number of times.
This claim is taking too long to process. Nobody likes to wait, especially when that wait is tied to being able to fix a home, a business building, a vehicle, or anything else. Processing delays happen for any number of reasons—there could be an overwhelming number of claims because of a natural disaster; payouts by the responsible party may only be doled out at certain times of the year; there may have been a clerical error.
Regardless of the reason, whether they’re being reasonable or not, clients expect instant gratification. Newsflash: you aren’t always going to be able to provide it.
Why was my claim denied? Waiting for a claim to be processed may be frustrating, but having one denied usually releases a much wilder torrent of emotions. Being an agent in this scenario is tantamount to being the direct cause of the denial. There are endless reasons why a claim may be denied, including many legitimate reasons.
Ensuring that all paperwork is correct and properly submitted, that accurate contact information has been provided, and that policies have not lapsed are primary steps that can be taken to avoid a claim denial.
That all being said, you are likely the one person a client can actually reach in this situation and have a verbal confrontation/conversation with to discuss what is going on. Being a part of that conversation, without the ability to actually resolve it immediately, can be uncomfortable.
Why is my settlement so low? Second only to “Why was my claim denied?” in the complaint department is the extreme dissatisfaction of a settlement that comes in below a client’s lofty expectations. The reality is, strict rules and policies leave little wiggle room regarding settlements.
This really is where the fine print comes into play, and it is vital that clients understand what exactly they are paying for regarding their policies. That includes what policies they have and how they differ; homeowners versus flood, for instance.
While the amount of the settlement is out of your hands, you can certainly address the issue if the offer completely misses the mark. Your client may believe that to be the case no matter what. Be prepared to have an honest conversation with them.
Why did you let my premium go up? Being an insurance agent is a bit like being the quarterback of a football team. When things go right, we both get way too much praise. When things go wrong, the bulk of the blame is often misplaced. In the eyes of clients, we’re their go-to experts for dealing with something that, quite frankly, they don’t want to and, in many cases, don’t really want to understand.
The mechanics surrounding premiums are usually fairly easy to explain—if the cost of materials for potential repairs increases, premiums go up; if the cost of labor increases, premiums go up. These are not factors that any agent can control.
Certainly, there are instances where fault can be found with an agent that contributed to a premium increase. That is not the norm though, and education regarding the real-world factors at play is critical to fostering a relationship or losing a client.
What did/didn’t you do that got my policy cancelled? We work knowing that policies can be cancelled at any time, and the reasons vary from a structure not being repairable to false declarations to an abundance of claims. Even if an agent is doing everything properly, there’s no guarantee of a renewal. This is another situation that calls for open dialogue with clients about the realities of coverage.
The fact is an agent should be prepared for this possibility. What I mean by that is an agent needs to have multiple backup plans to find coverage. In some cases, however, finding that backup may simply not be possible. That has to be a possibility that an agent prepares for, and prepares their client for, as well.
This is not an easy business to be in. Establishing and maintaining success is difficult. Along the way, at some point, some client is going to blame you for their ills, regardless of how well you are doing your job.
Hold yourself to a higher standard than any client ever could, and you’ll be less likely to lose a client because of your performance.
The author
Michael Wayne is a freelance insurance writer
