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A
NALYSIS OF
A
GENCIES WITH
R
EVENUES
B
ETWEEN
$1,250,000
AND
$2,500,000
B
EST
B
USINESS
P
RACTICES
A
NALYSIS
C
USTOMER
S
ERVICE AND
S
ATISFACTION
The key business practices as they relate to customer service and
satisfaction depend largely on the types of customers served by the
agency. For those
Best Practices
agencies with a large account
focus, customer intimacy and exceptional personalized service are
generally at the top of the list. For main street or generalist
Best
Practices
agencies (in which such a close relationship with the
insured is simply not possible given the numbers), efficient systems,
procedures, and technology go a long way to ensuring that
customers are well served.
“We don’t want our clients getting hit
out of the blue with significant premium
increases so we try to notify them well in
advance of any significant increase
they might expect and educate them on
the issues behind the increases. I think
we are in a much better position to keep
the competition out if we stay on top of
this.”
“Voice mail is a great tool but nothing
alienates a customer faster than not
being able to get through quickly to a
real person when there’s a problem. We
make sure our employees don’t hide
behind it. During business hours, a live
person always answers the phone and
then the client is given the option to leave
a message. All messages are returned as
soon as possible but always within the
same business day.”
“We don’t attempt to be all things to all
people. We have a very small number of
very large accounts. That’s the only
way that we can give our clients the
service and commitment they demand.
One way or another, we are always
available to our clients.”
Customer service characteristics that may have represented a
competitive advantage for agencies in the past (a good reputation,
dedicated employees, solid markets, a timely response) are now
simply the cost of admission to the agency game.
In the new millennium,
Best Practices
agencies, more than ever,
have to plan and execute carefully to ensure that they can deliver
the specific service proposition their valued customers demand.
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