Aggressive Agents - November 2014

More Information about Aggressive’s “Cajun Christmas” at www.CajunXmas.com

That’s a Great Idea!

For example …

Agency Management How to find, hire, train and compensate CSRs and producers.

How to set realistic goals for CSRs and producers.

Agency Production How to increase agency revenue by 32% How to track Closing Ratios Marketing on a Shoestring 10 Tips on Free Marketing How to get the phone to ring Internet Marketing How to be on page #1 in Local Search How to create free videos Social Media

In This Edition THAT’S A GREAT IDEA! ................... 1 HOW TO CREATE A FREE AGENCY NEWSLETTER.................................. 2 AGGRESSIVE’S CAJUN CHRISTMAS AGENDA ........................................ 3 GROWTH-LOADED PRODUCER COMPENSATION ............................. 4 AGGRESSIVE MOTORCYCLE ............ 5 BENEFITS OF REPRESENTING AGGRESSIVE .................................. 6 WHAT INSURANCE ACTIVITIES ARE COVERED BY YOUR E&O POLICY? ... 7

Aggressive Agents

It’s been said that when two people meet and exchange a dollar bill, each leaves with a dollar.

But when two people exchange an idea, each leaves with two ideas!

Your entire agency staff is invited to attend “That’s a Great Idea!” seminar on Tuesday, nd December 2 at Horseshoe Casino in Bossier City, LA. We will share ideas on every aspect of an independent insurance agency operation.

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How to set up & use Facebook for Business How to use LinkedIn to attract new clients Tax-Saving Strategies Reduce your taxes by writing off your Fun! How to write off your medical expenses Attendees are encouraged to bring their own ideas to share.

Everyone who shares an idea wins an extra ticket for the fabulous prize drawing on Tuesday evening.

November 2014

More Information about Aggressive’s “Cajun Christmas” at www.CajunXmas.com

I’ll also post a “How To” video for those who can’t make it to the conference.

“Touched by an Agent”

It will be under the “Great Ideas” tab at www.CajunXmas.com as soon as I get a couple of minutes to spare.

How to create a free agency newsletter Reaching out and touching your clients & potential clients is the easiest way to stay “top of mind”.

In the meantime, enjoy this example from my friends at Talbert Insurance Services:

Sending an agency newsletter on Holidays is a great idea.

http://us7.campaignarchive1.com/?u=698a4b6da82784649813c4b98&id=b5 15be444e&e=b96c4312e1

There’s plenty of free content popping up around all holidays.

All you need is free software and a strategy to harvest e-mails.

I’ll provide both during the free Insurance Agency Internet Boot Camp at Aggressive’s Cajun Christmas on December 2-3 in Horseshoe Casino.

Aggressive Agents

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November 2014

"Cajun Christmas" December 1-3, 2014 Horseshoe Casino in Bossier City, LA More Information about Aggressive’s “Cajun Christmas” at www.CajunXmas.com Texas & Georgia Agents & CSRs are invited to

12:00 a.m.: Midnight Madness Giveaways

attend "Aggressive's Cajun Christmas" on December 1-3, 2014 at the newly-renovated Horseshoe Casino in Bossier City, LA. FREE Continuing Education FREE County Mutual Pre-Licensing FREE Internet Marketing Boot Camp FREE Cajun Christmas Dinner FREE Midnight Madness Giveaways

Free Registration at www.CajunXmas.com Agenda Tuesday, December 2nd 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.: "Ethical Insurance Dilemmas": 2 hours Ethics CE County Mutual Pre-Licensing Class (part 1 of 2) Internet Marketing Boot Camp: non-CE 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.: "That's a Great Idea!": 3 hours CE County Mutual Pre-Licensing Class (part 2 of 2) Internet Marketing Boot Camp: non-CE

6:00 p.m.: Dinner in the Riverdome

Wednesday, December 3rd 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.: "Ethical Business Practices": 2 hours Ethics CE County Mutual Pre-Licensing Class (part 1 of 2) Internet Marketing Boot Camp: non-CE 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.: 3 hours CE "Insurance Advertising in Texas": 3 hours CE County Mutual Pre-Licensing Class (part 2 of 2) Internet Marketing Boot Camp: non-CE

Special Room Rate only $49.00 We are creating a rooming list from the seminar registrations.

If you plan to stay overnight at Horseshoe Casino.

Please indicate your check-in / check-out dates and room type when you register for the seminars.

Enjoy Dinner Celebration then try your luck at the tables or explore all that Bossier City has to offer!

Aggressive Agents

October 2014

More Information about Aggressive’s “Cajun Christmas” at www.CajunXmas.com

Managing Quality Customer Service Growth-loaded Producer Compensation

It takes a unique individual to convert from a “doer” to a “manager”. It has less to do with insurance knowledge and the ability to fulfill a customer’s request than it has to do with making sure that your employees fulfill those requests at least as quickly, courteously, and accurately as you would. This process begins with Training, carries on with Managing and Monitoring, and concludes with Feedback from your clients and to your employees.

By Al Diamond www.AgencyConsulting.com It truly gets tiresome. At least once each month we encounter another agent with the UNIQUE problem of losing more customers than he is gaining, even though he swears that his team provides superb customer service.

Training

The typical symptom is the high number of customers leaving for non-payment of premium. Often the agent does not even know that the customer is gone until he runs into him at a function somewhere to be told that they have left the agency. Or, worse yet, the agent does not find out until he sees the customer’s file in the “dead” group to be filed away. Typically, agency service employees do not call or question the reason for nonpay cancellations. The result is that clients are wooed by other agents who promise the kind of service of which the host agency already boasts (but does not actually accomplish).

Training is not only for new employees and inexperienced insurance people – it’s for everyone and should be on going. If you do the same thing often enough without re-training, you get stale and the quality of both work and service levels tend to drop. The training to which we refer is not insurance knowledge training.

The training that assures quality customer service includes Active Listening Skills and Customer Relation Training. The best process of training is role-playing.

Identify problems and objections that are brought to the agency by clients. Take turns playing the customer and the CSR while addressing the problems and objections.

As the agency owner/manager, you will quickly notice the responses that make you cringe. “No wonder customers have problems if we treat them like that!” is not an unusual comment after the first round of roleplaying. However, if the session is used as a clinic with ideas radiated of how to address the problems and issues, your staff will begin developing ways of handling customer issues that make you proud instead of making you cringe.

Often the agent and his staff feel that the loyalty of customers that they had years ago is no longer prevalent. “The customers have changed,” they tell us.

When In fact, it is the agency that has changed, slowly but surely, without the agent ever noticing. The personal touch that used to mark the norm of the agent’s operations when he was more in control of customer service is now an exception to be applauded – when noticed.

When the agent, himself, is personally interviewed, he always admits that he does not feel as much in control as he used to. “After all,” he rationalizes, “we have to give up control as we get larger. There’s no way I can pay personal attention to thousands of customers.”

Managing the Process Manage by the numbers – new business vs. retention. The percentage of business generated by referrals is one indicator of high or low quality service to your current clients. If most of your new business comes from marketing campaigns and advertising, you may have a quality problem that keeps clients from referring you when friends discuss insurance. Customer retention is a simple formula. How many customers do you have at the end of the year? Identify lost customers each week with reasons lost. The decreasing ratio as the year progresses identifies your customer retention. Perform the same calculations and analysis of lost policies (even if you retain other lines for the customer).

That’s true. However, “paying attention” is not equivalent to answering every phone call and talking to every customer. The definition of “paying attention” as an agency grows larger has changed. “Paying Attention” now means how an agent keeps control of the quality of service as the agency grows beyond his ability to personally treat with every customer. “Paying Attention” has to do with the development of your employees in the same work ethic and service expectations that you have about yourself, and “paying attention” has to do with managing the personnel and the processes of quality service where previously you simply performed the service yourself.

The “reasons” for loss is the most important indicator that you can identify with respect to quality service measurements. Staff meetings should include a reiteration of “customer stories” that arise for every employee from time to time.

Continued on page 6

Aggressive Agents

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November 2014

AGGRESSIVE MOTORCYCLE INSURANCE

The Aggressive Motorcycle Insurance program is written on the American Reliable Insurance Company - an "A-rated" member of the Assurant Group.

We offer an annual term with monthly payment plans along with credit card, EFT, E-check and even cash payment options.

Here's what we cover: • • • •

Bikes valued up to $35,000 Cruiser Motorcycle Sport Motorcycle Harley Motorcycle

• Standard Motorcycle • Tour Motorcycle • High Performance Motorcycle • ATV & Scooters

Our discount packages include credits for: • • • •

Motorcycle safety training programs • Over 55 driver training Motorcycle association • Theft alarm Multi-unit policy • Claim free renewal Transfer insurance from another insurance carrier [restrictions apply)

Our coverage options include: • • • • • •

Bodily Injury Liability Guest Passenger Liability Uninsured Motorists Property Damage Collision Medical Payments Safety Clothing

• Property Damage Liability • Uninsured / Underinsured Motorists • PIP • Other Than Collision • Accessories and Add-On Equipment • Towing

Ineligible Units Please review our guidelines for a complete list • • • •

Motorcycles with more than two wheels Units used for racing Physical damage on units 20 years or older Units over $35,000

Ineligible Operators Please review our guidelines for a complete list • Operators who do not have a valid US license • Operators who do not have a valid International license

Accessories Accessory coverage starting at $3,000 Marketing · 866-424-9511

More Information about Aggressive’s “Cajun Christmas” at www.CajunXmas.com

Growth-loaded Producer Compensation Those agents who “Walk the Talk” can PROVE their quality customer service through high customer retention rates (over 95%) and a high and growing rate of new business with other customers as the referral source.

Continued from page 4 Re-telling the stories reiterate the need for quality service and educates all employees regarding how to manage issues and problems.

Monitoring the Results Share the victories and the losses with the employees. Some agents feel that if they lose a prospect or a customer it will lower morale. That, or the hurt to ego stops them from sharing what happened and why with the staff that worked hard toward getting or saving the accounts. Your employees are all adults, the buy homes and make investments, manage their households and families, live through personal victories and tragedies, and are perfectly capable of sharing either victories or defeats with an analysis of the reasons that caused the results. This process makes them truly feel a valued part of the team. It is that respect that makes employees more loyal to their employer. By the way, it is not a sin to make money and to make profit. Some agents actually feel that if the employees know that they have increased revenue or profit, they will want more money or feel upset about the owner’s situation. At least the employees already acknowledge that the owner will earn income from the efforts of the employees. From whom are we trying to hide this fact??

Benefits of Representing Aggressive Aggressive is committed to the Independent Agent. Well over a thousand agencies appreciate our loyalty and dedication to serving them. We hope you will join us.

We strive to provide leading edge technology tools to improve the management of our business and yours. We use the most advanced techniques available so we can deliver accurate service. Here are some of the benefits Aggressive offers to you and your customers: Commissions Paid Twice Monthly Down-Payments accepted with Credit Card or E-Check Collect Agency Fees by Credit Card

Asking for Feedback from Clients

Monthly and Semi-Annual Automobile Programs

You want to know if you are providing good service?

Ask the customers at every opportunity (not just when good things happen). Make customer surveys a part of the agency operations so that every customer gets a short survey indicating service quality once every two years.

Multiple payment options for customers Recurring EFT Nation Safe Driver – Increased commissions on Policy Premium

Providing Feedback to Employees

Web enabled Point-of-Sale and Policy Administration System

Good or bad, tell the employees what the customers have said and use all feedback as a learning experience.

The first time you criticize an employee as the result of feedback, you have lost the battle for their loyalty to you and to quality service. From that moment on they are more concerned with saving their jobs and covering their backsides than with saving the customers and covering yours. Instead ask the employees what could have been done differently that would have changed the results of the contact. This turns criticism into a learning experience. The only things missing are blame and accusations.

Real time Agency Reporting Real Time Endorsements Point-of-sale Endorsement Issuance Competitive Rating Structure Fast and Friendly Customer Service Reliable In-Office Claim Service 100% Reinsured by an A++ A.M. Best Rated Company

I have never met an agent who said, “We give a moderate service to our customers.” Every agent prides himself on operating a high-quality servicing agency.

There may be no basis for this beyond the comments of the employees, themselves, or the laudatory comments of a few customers each year.

Aggressive Agents

Producer meetings include Continuing Education Unit sessions.

To request an appointment, please contact us at 866-424-9511.

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November 2014

More Information about Aggressive’s “Cajun Christmas” at www.CajunXmas.com

Aggressive Insurance E&O Express Quote & Binding

What insurance activities are covered by your E&O policy?

For assistance in our E&O quote/bind process contact Affinity Insurance at 877-843-4553.

If coverage cannot be placed through Aggressive, Affinity can place coverage with one of their many carriers.

If you were to ask most agency owners this question, there is a good chance that some may indicate that they are not sure because they haven’t read their policy. In actuality, this is one of the key areas of an E&O policy that could heavily determine whether that E&O claim that you are concerned about facing would even be covered. Within every E&O policy, there is a list of those professional services / activities that are covered. Take 10 minutes and review the list; it will be time well spent.

Office hours from 9am - 5pm Mon – Fri EST. Affinity Insurance - Brandi Baggett - Kristin Howland - Martha Klocke - Robert Hansen - Joan Mobley

If you are assuming that because you listed the activity on the application that should mean that the activity is covered, don’t bet on it. Unfortunately, that line of thinking is no sure bet.

Underwriting Referrals For underwriting referrals and/or special acceptances please contact Bruce Jones at 972-827-3681 during office hours from 9am - 5pm Mon - Fri CST.

There have been over the years many E&O claims that an agency faced that ultimately were not covered by their E&O policy. Some of the differences could involve non-admitted business or possibly some life and health activities. What about premium financing or loss control activities? Are these covered? It depends on the specific E&O policy form that the agency has. In the world of Agents E&O, it is generally understood that no two policies are the same and the list of covered professional services is a common difference among the forms.

Here's what we offer: Competitive prices We focus on the small to mid-sized personal lines agency Limits up to $ 1 million per claim/ $2 million

If you are performing a specific service that does not appear to be covered, it is probably best to contact the broker or carrier that you secured the policy through and ask them if coverage for that activity could be provided. If they are able to, there may be a corresponding premium charge. Absent that, it is important for agents to understand that they may be “self-insuring” any claims involving that activity.

aggregate Retroactive coverage available.

One Month Down-payment with 11 equal monthly payments Automatic EFT from your operating account.

No premium finance charges

So make sure that as the agency owner, you understand what your E&O policy covers and what is doesn’t. In addition, every policy contains exclusions so it is important to review those as well to determine, to what degree, those exclusions are of concern for your agency.

Minimum $1,000 deductible Automatic Renewals

Bottom line – Don’t wait for a claim to occur to find out that you didn’t have the coverage you thought you did.

More E&O advice at http://www.agentseotips.com/

Aggressive Agents

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November 2014