INSURANCE SPOTLIGHT - June 2021

2021

INSURANCE spotlight special feature PRESENTED BY

WORDS Dwain Hebda and Catherine Frederick some interviews have been edited for length and clarity

Do South® is proud to recognize the talents and contributions of select insurance agencies and agents in our community. They set the bar for excellence and are committed to ensuring our families are protected. Join us as we salute their missions and the passion they share for their profession!

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

Travis Hill Cross Pointe Insurance Advisors Any business that’s survived for more than 130 years is doing something right. Cross Pointe Insurance Advisors, founded in 1889 as The Allen Kennedy Agency, has grown to 130 employees across thirteen locations in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Travis Hill, business risk advisor and partner, says the same commitment to excellence that grew the company is on ready display today. “It’s all about relationships,” he says. “In our industry, anyone can get you a quote. What sets us apart is working closely with our clients to help them reduce their total cost of risk. We represent several companies, and they all have their strengths. We match our clients with the companies who are strongest in the areas that meet each client’s specific needs.”

The company also offers tools that boost accessibility and convenience. “ We can look up property records, take pictures and email them immediately. We can take pictures of ID cards and text them to our clients, so they have a copy with them. Plus, clients can access their documents from our Portal app, where they can retrieve auto ID cards and certificates. It is our goal to provide a range of options to our clients, so they can do business the way they want.” Most important of all, Travis says, is the uncompromising customer service that the company delivers. “From a service side, we want to be as accessible and efficient for our clients as much as we can be. We strive to always take that ‘extra step’ on their behalf,” he says. “It goes back to Sunday School and the Golden Rule: ‘ Treat others the way you would want to be treated.’ It’s that simple.”

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

Aaron Windsor, Christi Mathews, Shannon Weir

Windsor Insurance Services Approaching each client as an individual, listening to their needs and matching those needs to the right insurance products are keys to the Windsor Insurance Services way of doing business. The Fort Smith company has the experience and wherewithal to provide insurance across a wide range of client considerations.

“We are independent agents, which means that we are contracted with many different companies. This allows us to provide our clients with choices for coverage,” says Christi Mathews, agent and agency manager. “We take the time to meet with clients one-on-one and we go to great lengths to make ourselves available so if a problem arises, our clients won’t ever feel alone. We are here to provide answers and help create solutions.”

Christi says given the complexity of today’s insurance marketplace – especially in Windsor’s specialty area of Medicare – connecting with clients on a personal level is key to solving their needs on a professional level.

“Medicare can be confusing, and we want to relieve the stress by explaining things clearly and helping every step of the way,” she says. “We often help our clients with billing and claims issues by calling the provider’s office, the pharmacy and in some cases, the insurance carriers.”

“Our agency strives to be the best source for Medicare information. Each agent is licensed, trained, and annually certified for every product that we offer. Therefore, we have a reputation for being informed, educated and available to help bring a resolution to virtually any issue the client may experience during the life of the policy.”

The firm enjoys many longtime client relationships, thanks to its commitment to unequaled customer service. Even in the age of technology and digital communication, says Christi, the human touch is still of paramount importance, often turning on the smallest and simplest of details.

“I would say that our success comes from building relationships with our clients and providing service that exceeds expectations,” she says. “Really good customer service is going above and beyond what is expected and paying attention to the little things. Just having a staff that is here to answer the phone and greet you in person is one of those small things that people really appreciate.”

“We love our clients; we love hearing about the jobs they are retiring from, the family they love and might have lost, their future plans, and stories of the past. We genuinely care for each person that we get to help. I often tell my clients, it’s not just about selling insurance, it’s about the relationships that I get to create and enjoy. And I hope they feel the same way.”

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

Kendall Price PRICE INSURANCE SERVICES After years in the insurance business and hundreds of satisfied policyholders, you’d think there was some secret formula to Kendall Price’s success. Actually, says the owner and president of Price Insurance Services, it’s really about paying attention to the fundamentals.

“We answer the phone, and we call back,” he says. “And we let people know that we care.

People may not remember what you said, but they will remember how you made them feel.

That’s hard to do and we aren’t perfect at it, but we try very hard.”

Kendall and his employees have built a reputation for attentive service and expertise, particularly in his specialty senior market. Clients appreciate the lengths to which the agency goes to explain how its products, allowed under Medicare, can help them plan for the future.

“In my little patch of business, the products themselves are not terribly complicated. They just seem to be, because people get fire-hosed with information when they turn 65,” he says.

“So, we talk in a language the clients can understand without skipping any pertinent details, because the details are what makes the difference in choosing the right product.”

“We consider ourselves mentors. We don’t push any one particular product, but work to help clients understand their unique situation and understand how our range of Medicare solutions applies to them. We ask the right questions in order to get at the key information that helps us tailor the right solutions.”

Kendall’s résumé in his field is impressive. He is certified to sell Medicare supplements, prescription drug plans, Medicare Advantage plans, long term care, life insurance, and other supplemental products.

In addition, he was instrumental in the creation of River Valley Senior Alliance, a group of individuals and businesses in Fort Smith and the surrounding area dedicated to improving local seniors’ knowledge about resources at their disposal.

Making genuine connections with seniors, and helping meet their needs, are things Kendall finds most rewarding about his chosen line of work.

“I like helping people,” he says. “I can ease those times of life transitions, from working to retirement, from group insurance to Medicare, changes which can sometimes be unnerving.

Medicare seems complicated because there are choices we never had before and never really had to concern ourselves with before, and you need the right person to help you make sense of it. I find it enjoyable to provide that clarity. It’s rewarding to let people know they are well-covered.”

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM