Employee Reference Guide
Employee Reference Guide
Employees
130 and counting
Agency Snapshot
Departments Roles Administrative VP of Operations and Finance Accounting: Department Manager, Agency Bill & IAAT Accounting Supervisor, Payroll and Accounting Specialist, Accounting Advisors Brand Marketing: Department Manager Claims: Department Manager, Claims Advocate Human Resources: Department Manager, Front Desk Receptionist, Administrative Support Specialist Information Technology: Department Manager, Computer Support Technician Technology Integration Supervisor Benefits
Commercial Lines
Personal Lines
Producers
VP of Benefits Benefits Operations Manager Benefits Account Advisors Benefits Analyst Benefits Service Advisors Benefits Support Specialist VP of Commercial Lines Bonds Manager Supervisors: Carrier Relations and Operations Supervisor and Emerging Business Unit Supervisor Account Executive Insurance Advisors I and II Associate Commercial Insurance Advisor Commercial Service Advisors Commercial Lines Support Insurance and Service Advisors VP of Personal Lines Supervisors: Core and Private Client Personal and Private Client Insurance Advisor Personal Insurance Service Advisors 18 and counting
This document is proprietary and confidential. No part of this document may be disclosed in any manner to a third party without the prior written consent of Watkins Insurance Group.
Employee Reference Guide Watkins Insurance Group (WIG) is an exciting, dynamic, and growing organization. Our goal is to help make your career at Watkins successful. Human Resources (HR) is the Employee Champion. The goal of HR is to help employees feel valued, respected, challenged, and encourage an environment for all employees to grow personally and professionally. This Employee Reference Guide is designed to provide all employees with information about procedures, protocols, and perks.
Useful Contact Information Human Resources / Front Desk Kimberly Vásquez (Manager) Computer / IT Support Herschel Cone (Manager) Roger Burditt Accounting / Payroll / 401(k) Traci Blount (Manager) Loren Pechonis (Payroll Only) VP Operations and Finance Chris Scott VP Commercial Lines Sheila Noxon Benefits Operations Manager Jessica Gardner (WIG Benefits) VP Personal Lines Hanna Ogle Brand Marketing Manager Dshanya Reese Bonds Manager / Producer Jim Siddons Claims Manager Moises Guedes Facilities Billy Kilgo
(512) 637-4273 | KVasquez@WatkinsInsuranceGroup.com (512) 637-4175 | HCone@WatkinsInsuranceGroup.com (512) 276-5284 | RBurditt@WatkinsInsuranceGroup.com (512) 637-4120 | TBlount@WatkinsInsuranceGroup.com (512) 637-4146| LPechonis@WatkinsInsuranceGroup.com (512) 637-4115| CScott@WatkinsInsuranceGroup.com (512) 637-4142 | SNoxon@WatkinsInsuranceGroup.com (512) 637-4187 | JGardner@WatkinsInsuranceGroup.com (512) 637-4133| Hanna@WatkinsInsuranceGroup.com (512) 637-4238 |DReese@WatkinsInsuranceGroup.com (512) 637-4123 | JSiddons@WatkinsInsuranceGroup.com (512) 637-4109 | MGuedes@WatkinsInsuranceGroup.com BKilgo@WatkinsInsuranceGroup.com
This document is proprietary and confidential. No part of this document may be disclosed in any manner to a third party without the prior written consent of Watkins Insurance Group.
Employee Reference Guide
1. A Brief History of Watkins Insurance Group
15. iSolved
2. What You Should Know About Watkins Insurance Group
16. Continuing Education, Licensing, and Designations
3. Microsoft Teams
17. Help Front Desk Help You
4. HR, Payroll, Benefits, and 401(k)
18. Recycling
5. How to Find Austin Coworkers
19. iSolved Share & Preform
6. Employee Roster
20. Who Do I Contact
7. Updating Employee Information
21. Watkins – Who We Are
8. MyWatkins (aka CSR24)
22. Kitchens
9. Email, Phone, and Voicemail
23. First Aid
10. File Storage
24. Getting Involved
11. Document Shredding
25. Ordering Work Supplies
12. Employee Surveys
26. Agency Meetings
13. Reserving Conference Rooms
27. Watkins Strategic Plan
14. Digital Sign to Welcome Guests
28. Computer / IT issues / Internet
This document is proprietary and confidential. No part of this document may be disclosed in any manner to a third party without the prior written consent of Watkins Insurance Group.
Employee Reference Guide 1. A Brief History of Watkins Insurance Group David Watkins, who people refer to still as “Mr. Watkins,” will always be the cornerstone of the Watkins Insurance Group story. He worked with the R.B. Lewis Agency (established in 1949) which focused on mortgages; however, Mr. Watkins also offered insurance and soon became known for it. In time a partnership with an additional member was created which became the “Lewis-Watkins-Farmer Agency” in 1965. In 1985 David Watkins became the sole owner of the agency as Mr. Lewis and Mr. Farmer retired from the industry. David Watkins (Left) & Patrick Watkins (Right)
Patrick Watkins, son of David Watkins, was in his early teens when he first started helping out with odd jobs at his father’s office part-time. Patrick didn’t really anticipate a life in insurance and pursued his college career at Texas A&M University. In 1994, Patrick joined the agency full-time. Watkins Insurance Group at the time comprised of 3 full-time and 2 part-time workers. The office was a small, converted house on Koenig Lane where Mr. Watkins is fondly remembered as talking and smiling on the front porch with any of the friendly folks who happened by.
Watkins’ converted office space on Koeing Road
Mr. Watkins anticipated his retirement and made sure Patrick had plenty of time and training to get used to the role of President, a role he officially assumed in 2002. Mr. Watkins would still be at the office though, continuing to smile and talk with the friendly folks who would happen by. David Watkins passed away in 2009, but his friendly and caring nature which earned him the title of “Chief Morale Officer” still embodies the culture of Watkins Insurance Group.
This document is proprietary and confidential. No part of this document may be disclosed in any manner to a third party without the prior written consent of Watkins Insurance Group.
Employee Reference Guide Patrick Watkins and the Shareholders of Watkins Insurance Group have worked hard to establish strong bonds with top insurance carriers and their clients. Watkins Insurance Group has grown from 5 employees in a small office to over 100 employees in four locations. Patrick, as well as other members of Watkins Insurance Group, has earned well-respected positions in industry and community organizations. Among other notable accomplishments, Patrick served as the President of the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas. IIAT is the largest state organization of independent insurance agents in the nation. Our Shareholders are: 1. Patrick Watkins 2. Rodney Watkins 3. Matt Womack 4. Sheila Noxon 5. Andy Webb 6. Hanna Ogle 7. Brent Howell 8. Greg Meserole 9. Scott McGuire 10. Chris Scott 11. Mike Draeken 12. Jim Siddons
(Shareholders from Left to Right) Hanna Ogle, Andy Webb, Chris Scott, Rodney Watkins, Jim Siddons, Brent Howell, Matt Womack, Scott McGuire, Mike Draeken, Greg Meserole, Sheila Noxon, and Patrick Watkins
2. What You Should Know About Watkins Insurance Group
Privately Owned. Austin Based. Watkins was founded in Austin, Texas. In an industry where many agencies are owned by large conglomerates that are not a part of the Austin community, we take pride in being independent and unbiased.
We have 4 locations with Austin serving as our headquarters. Our other offices are located in: Georgetown, Marble Falls, and Waco.
Watkins is an IIABA Best Practices Agency. The Best Practices Study was initiated by Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, “IIABA or the Big I” as the foundation for efforts to improve agency performance. The agency has been consistently recognized as a Big “I” Best Practices Agency by IIABA since 2013.
Watkins has been consistently named a Top Workplace in Austin by the Austin AmericanStatesman since 2011. This list is solely based on employee feedback. Being recognized as a Top Workplace reaffirms that the agency fosters an environment where employees feel valued.
This document is proprietary and confidential. No part of this document may be disclosed in any manner to a third party without the prior written consent of Watkins Insurance Group.
Employee Reference Guide
Watkins Insurance Group is proud to offer a comprehensive line of insurance solutions and services. 1. Commercial Lines: Watkins provides risk management and business insurance solutions to businesses from a variety of industries. The subunits in the department are Condominium & Other Home Associations (Condo) and Emerging Business Unit (EBU). 2. Personal Lines: Watkins has a team of insurance professionals dedicated to assisting clients with their home, auto, and personal insurance needs. Private Client is a subunit that helps individuals and families with significant assets secure the appropriate risk management protection. 3. Employee Benefits: Watkins works to ensure that our clients’ employees have a comprehensive understanding of their benefits. 4. Bonds: Watkins is a strong business insurance partner to clients, handling their bonding requirements with care and fast quality service.
Watkins has a strong online presence. Employees are encouraged to frequent our website and follow us on social media. If you have an idea for a posting, contact the Brand Marketing Manager, Dshanya Reese, at DReese@WatkinsInsuranceGroup.com. 1. Our Website = www.WatkinsInsuranceGroup.com 2. LinkedIn = www.linkedin.com/company/watkins-insurance-group 3. YouTube = http://www.youtube.com/user/WatkinsInsurance1949 4. Facebook = www.facebook.com/Watkins.Insurance 5. Twitter = @TweetWatkins 6. Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/WatkinsInsurance/ Be A Brand Ambassador. If you will be attending a sponsored event as a brand ambassador, please take a couple of photos. We would love to hype up our attendance on LinkedIn and possibly our website. Please send Dshanya the photo(s) after the event along with a few details about the event.
This document is proprietary and confidential. No part of this document may be disclosed in any manner to a third party without the prior written consent of Watkins Insurance Group.
Employee Reference Guide
The Evolution of Our Logo:
Partnerships:
Trusted Choice is a national brand that represents 140,000 licensed independent insurance agents and Brokers of America. These are independent business owners who are bound by a common commitment to serving their customers. You will often see the Trusted Choice logo connected to the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas (aka IIAT). IIAT is very different than IAAT below.
IAAT stands for “Insurance Agents Alliance of Texas”. You likely will not see this too often, but it IS different than “IIAT” above. IAAT is a voluntary group smaller agencies can join to write business for the larger carriers under our “wing”. Rodney Watkins serves as the President of this entity. IAAT is a member of the Strategic Insurance Agency Alliance (SIAA), an international alliance dedicated to helping smaller independent agencies grow.
Assurex Global is an exclusive Partnership of the most prominent and successful independent agents and brokers across the world. Membership in Assurex Global holds several benefits, including the abundance of resources, knowledge-sharing, training, and global business community offered by Assurex. This document is proprietary and confidential. No part of this document may be disclosed in any manner to a third party without the prior written consent of Watkins Insurance Group.
Employee Reference Guide Employees have access to these resources through Assurex Global’s portal called Community. Self-registration is required. To access your own account: 1. Visit community.assurexglobal.com. 2. On the log-in screen, click Forgot Password. 3. Enter your Watkins email address and click Submit. You will then receive an email with instructions to reset your password. Once complete, you're in! Community brings you features such as Find a Partner, Ask a Partner, Discussion Forums, Meetings, Employee Benefits, Property/Casualty, Education, International, and Operational Resources. Here are some things you can do now after logging in: 1. Choose the information you would like to receive – Assurex Global distributes communications by industry, region, Partner news, carrier, current topics, etc. Once you have logged in to Community, access your profile and choose email preferences based on your role and professional interests. The Community User Guide gives step-by-step instructions on how to edit your profile. 2. Connect with others – Use the Community Ask-A-Partner feature to ask questions, connect with others, and receive insight or best practices on any topic. 3. Consider registering for upcoming meetings – Virtual and in-person meetings happen regularly throughout the year. In Community, information is posted to register and participate. If you are interested in attending a meeting, speak with your manager prior to registering. In addition to the resources available, employees will receive monthly newsletters. Contact Kimberly Vásquez, if you have any questions. 3. Microsoft Teams: This is the agency’s collaboration tool. You can chat, call or video call your co-workers and attend meetings. Meetings have screen sharing capabilities and other features. Within Microsoft Teams, there are Team groups. These groups can be created by role, department or projects.
This document is proprietary and confidential. No part of this document may be disclosed in any manner to a third party without the prior written consent of Watkins Insurance Group.
Employee Reference Guide Teams are either private where only invited users have access, or public. Documents can also be stored and shared within each Team. Channels are sections within a team that help keep documents and chats organized. All employees have access to the Watkins team, which is the location of the Human Resources (HR) channel. The Employee handbook and other HR related information can be found there.
4. HR, Payroll, Benefits, and 401(k): iSolved is Watkins’ Human Resources platform. Employees can access information related to HR, Benefits and Payroll. You can find everything under the Employee Self Service menu on the left of the screen. The Employee Handbook can also be found under the menu, “Company Information.” Employees can access their 401(k) information online at www.go-retire.com. Contact Information: If you have questions about employee benefits, contact Jessica Gardner. Traci Blount for Payroll and 401(k), and Kimberly Vasquez for all other HR matters including 401(k). 5. How to Find Austin Coworkers: A list of employee extensions (the Austin Extension list) and office maps can all be found through Microsoft Teams in the Human Resources channel under the Watkins team. 6. Employee Roster: Positions, departments, emails, and phone numbers are provided for all locations. You can also view who in the company is a Notary. This document can be found through Microsoft Teams in the Human Resources channel under the Watkins team. 7. Updating Employee Information: Employees may update specific information relating to their employee record via iSolved or by submitting the appropriate forms to Payroll or HR. Below is a description of the procedures that an employee must follow to update their record.
Tax Information. Employees can change their tax withholding and filing status at any time on the Tax Updates Wizard menu in iSolved. Updates are effective based on the current payroll period and are effective on the next payroll. Employees can view tax withholding information under the Tax Updates menu. For questions, please contact Payroll.
This document is proprietary and confidential. No part of this document may be disclosed in any manner to a third party without the prior written consent of Watkins Insurance Group.
Employee Reference Guide
Personal Information and Name Change. Employees can update their name, mailing address, and personal contact information in the Name and Contact Information menu in iSolved. Updates are pended to HR and Payroll for approval and are effective immediately once approved. Name changes require a copy of the employee’s Social Security Card or any government issued ID that reflects the new name. The copy must be delivered to HR or Payroll. Once the name has been updated in iSolved, employees must submit a support ticket. The subject of the ticket should be “Full System Name Change – YOUR NAME.” IT will then begin updating the employee’s name on their computer, phone, etc.
Employee Contacts. The Employee Contacts menu serves two important functions in iSolved. The first is providing online access to an employee’s emergency contact information. The second function is essential for benefits administration such as dependent and beneficiary information. To make changes, employees can navigate to the Employee Contacts menu and select Emergency Contacts, Dependents, or Beneficiaries. Beneficiary information is for life insurance only. Updates are effective immediately.
Direct Deposit Information. Employees must submit an updated Direct Deposit Form to update their accounting information. If an employee is changing their checking account information, a copy of a check must also be submitted. The Direct Deposit form can be found through Microsoft Teams in the Human Resources channel under the Watkins team. Updates are effective based on the current payroll period. Employees can view direct deposit information in iSolved under the Direct Deposit menu. For questions, please contact Payroll.
License and Designation. Employee credentials such as licenses, designations, and some continuing education are entered and tracked within iSolved under the Certifications menu. The only CE course tracked is the Ethics-3 hour course. In addition to the items above, TDI’s CE Exemption status and Texas Notary are also stored. HR is responsible for updating this information. Employees who obtain a license or designation must email HR to have their credentials added. The Employee roster, located in Human Resources channel is also updated.
401(k) Enrollment/Changes. Changes must be completed online through the EPIC Retirement Plans Services (Go-Retire) website at https://www.go-retire.com/. Changes include but are not limited to 1. Opting out of the 3% automatic contribution arrangement, 2. Salary deferrals, and 3. Beneficiary information. More information can be found through Microsoft Teams in the Human Resources channel under the Watkins team.
This document is proprietary and confidential. No part of this document may be disclosed in any manner to a third party without the prior written consent of Watkins Insurance Group.
Employee Reference Guide 8. MyWatkins (aka CSR24): This is an online tool that allows Commercial Lines and Personal Lines clients to view their policies and print ID cards at any time. Few agencies have this ability and it is indeed a selling point for doing business with our agency.
9. Email, Phone, and Voicemail: Information about email etiquette, email signatures, phone and setting up your voicemail can be viewed below. Questions can be directed to the IT Department. If you need help setting up your outgoing message, refer to the Avaya Phone Guide or contact your manager.
Avaya Phone Guide The Watkins Avaya Phone Guide provides you with all the necessary information to use your phone. This document can be found through Microsoft Teams in the Human Resources channel under the Watkins team.
Email Etiquette Tips o Include a clear and concise subject header. o Double-check your attachments. o Think twice before you hit “Reply All”. o Use exclamation points sparingly. o Be cautious with humor and sarcasm. o Proofread every message.
Email Notes: o The font is Calibri (11pt) o Red code is: 140-21-21 o Gray code is: 73-73-73 o Please do not insert any images (including the Watkins logo) in your email signature.
Email Signature To ensure that your email signature will be compatible with Applied Epic, we are asking employees to use a simplified email signature.
This document is proprietary and confidential. No part of this document may be disclosed in any manner to a third party without the prior written consent of Watkins Insurance Group.
Employee Reference Guide 1. Open a new email in Outlook and Click Signature and then Signatures:
2. Select the entire signature above, right click and select ‘Copy’ 3. Click “New” and name the signature type. For example, “Outgoing” or “Response Email” 4. Paste what you just copied in a “new” signature 5. Correct the signature information to match your contact info: o Change your name & designations o Change the title o Change your direct phone number, add cell if you’d like 6. Select ‘okay’ when done w/ your info editing. 7. On two drop downs indicating which signature should be used for New Messages
and Replies/Forwards. Set this one (or a variation of it) on each.
This document is proprietary and confidential. No part of this document may be disclosed in any manner to a third party without the prior written consent of Watkins Insurance Group.
Employee Reference Guide
Producer, Shareholder, Manager only To hyperlink your designation or LinkedIn profile in signature line. 1. While in the above dialog box, highlight the text you want to have hyperlinked. In this case, your designation. 2. Choose the last icon on the right… 3. Enter in the web address you want to link to in the “Address” box:
4. Click OK to save.
Sample Outgoing Voicemail Message Hello! You’ve reached the voicemail of [YOUR NAME] with Watkins Insurance Group. I am not available to take your call. If you need immediate assistance, just press ZERO. Our receptionist will be happy to connect you with an available agent. If you’d like to leave me a voice message, PRESS # at any time. Please remember that we may not bind, or make changes to policies solely based on voicemail, fax, or email requests. Thanks so much for calling today! We sincerely appreciate your business. *Whenever you will be out of the office, it is very important to tweak this message to include when you will be out, when you will return, and if someone specific is helping your accounts they can “press zero and ask the receptionist to transfer you to X”.
This document is proprietary and confidential. No part of this document may be disclosed in any manner to a third party without the prior written consent of Watkins Insurance Group.
Employee Reference Guide 10. File Sharing and Storage: File sharing is available on Microsoft Teams within each team. The F: Drive is our secondary storage device which is only accessible to Watkins staff. As a Watkins employee you will have your own folder to store any documents you require for your position. 11. Document Shredding: Shred every document with sensitive information. Shred containers are located in the 1st floor workrooms and next to the printers on the 2 nd floor. If you need to retrieve something accidentally put in the box, see a manager. 12. Employee Surveys: Watkins recognizes the usefulness of employee feedback in developing organizational success and effectiveness. Throughout the year, employees will receive surveys from their managers and complete the annual Top Workplaces survey. Watkins is a Top Workplace which is based soley on the survey results. Employees are always encouraged to participate and share honest feedback. 13. Reserving Conference Rooms: You can check for room availability and reserve a conference room in Outlook. Each conference room has it’s own calendar, which can be viewed much like an individual’s calendar. To view a calendar, open your calendar, click on the Folder tab then on Add Calendar. From the drop down list, pick From Room List and double click the room to open the calendar and check the room’s availability. To reserve a room, create a New Meeting from your calendar, double click on Location and select the room you want to reserve. You will receive an email stating if the request was accepted or declined. 14. Digital Sign to Welcome Guests: If you have a bigger client or guest coming in, notify the front desk at least 1 day prior. Your guest will be added to our welcome screen at reception. 15. iSolved: Employees have one location where they can enter hours worked, review benefits, and check payroll and W2s. Training documents were provided in your New Hire Welcome Packet. If you miss a clock in or clock out punch, email your manager with the time you should have punched in or out. 16. Continuing Education, Licensing, and Designations: It is important to the agency to have all necessary staff maintain and uphold an insurance license. The agency will pay for all continuing eduction (CE) classes, license renwals, and designation dues. More information is provided below about the process and who to contact.
Apply for a License. HR handles the licensing process at the direction of the employee’s manager.
Continuing Education. Employees are responsible for keeping up with their own continuing education and licensing requirements. Send an email to your manager before registering for a CE course. CE Tracking is available with Producer Edge through Sircon Solutions.Visit the website at https://www.sircon.com/login.jsp and login or CREATE an account to see your CE transcript.
This document is proprietary and confidential. No part of this document may be disclosed in any manner to a third party without the prior written consent of Watkins Insurance Group.
Employee Reference Guide
Licensing Renewals. Send an email to HR when your CE is complete and need your license renewed.
Designations. Managers handle the designation process as well as payment for annual designation dues.
Documentation and Tracking. For information about documentation and tracking, see the section Updating Information.
17. Help Front Desk Help You: When you go to lunch, leave for the day, are coming in late, or are not going to be in the office, please inform Front Desk so they can handle incoming calls, etc. appropriately while you are unavailable. It is also helpful if Front Desk has an idea of when you’ll return to the office. PLEASE NOTE that informing the reception desk that you will be late or out of the office is not a substitute for letting your manager know. 18. Recycling: We have recycling collection boxes in the downstairs and upstairs kitchen. Please be sure the items you add are empty (like soda cans). Boxes should be broken down, folded, and slipped behind the containers. 19. iSolved Share & Perform: A full-service engagement platform with an anonymous suggestion box, surveys, and recognition features. 20. Who Do I Contact?: The list below is to help direct employees to the correct staff member for specific questions, but it’s not all inclusive. If you are unsure who to reach out to, check with your manager.
Promo Items Employment Verifications Building Key Cards Business Cards Facilities Issues: o o o o o o
Parking lots issue HVAC systems, plumbing, electrical systems, lighting, doors and windows, etc. Office furniture and appliances (including coffee machines) that are malfunctioning or in need of repair Janitorial service issues Water leaks, Ceiling tile & carpet Anything else that has to do with the physical spaces in which we work
Dshanya Reese Kimberly Vásquez
Billy Kilgo
This document is proprietary and confidential. No part of this document may be disclosed in any manner to a third party without the prior written consent of Watkins Insurance Group.
Employee Reference Guide 21. Who We Are: We’re passionate about helping our clients, each other and our community. Our culture and people drive the success of our agency. Our mission, vision and core values support our identity. Our Mission: Our Vision: Our Core Values: The Watkins Way:
We’re Here to Help. The advocate of choice for insurance and risk management solutions. Continuous Improvement, Relationships, Excellence, Serve, and Teamwork (C.R.E.S.T). A list of behaviors that reinforce our culture and represent the general operating norms of the agency. The way card can be found on Microsoft Teams in the Human Resources channel under the Watkins team. (The Way Card)
22. Kitchens: We should ALL work to keep the kitchens tidy. The cleaning service does NOT empty & clean coffee pots or wash any dishes. You’re welcome to use the refrigerator but please add your name and expiration date on your food items. We ask that you remove items after they expire. Watkins provides a selection of tea, coffee, and creamer. 23. First Aid: First Aid kits are in each kitchen. There is also ibuprofen, Tums, etc. in there for your use as needed. 24. Getting Involved: Committees are a part of the overall success of the agency. They also are an important part of the agency’s commitment to employees and the communities we service. Our current committees are Watkins Aware (Community Service and Outreach) and Social (internal networking activities). 25. Ordering Work Supplies: With their manager’s consent, employees are permitted to order the supplies they need in order to do their jobs. Supplies are ordered on the 2 nd and 4th Wednesday of each month. The Front Desk will send a reminder email to staff prior to placing the order. 26. Agency Meetings: Our agency celebrates and recognizes the progress we make together. We gather as a group several times a year so that each department can share their successes, challenges, and newsworthy events. 27. Watkins Strategic Plan: Agency Goal: Reach $50MM by 2030. The agency has created a strategic roadmap to focus our efforts to reach this goal. Components of the roadmap are broken into benchmarks. Each benchmark has a number of goals attached to it. Once those benchmarks are reached, we move to other benchmarks. While each of these benchmarks may have an assigned owner, all employees contribute to the success of the agency. As such, employees receive an update every few months about goal status. More information can be found in Microsoft Teams in the FiftyInTen channel under the Watkins team. This document is proprietary and confidential. No part of this document may be disclosed in any manner to a third party without the prior written consent of Watkins Insurance Group.
Employee Reference Guide 28. Computer / IT issues / Internet:
IT Support. If you have issues with equipment or internet connectivity submit a support ticket by emailing Support@WatkinsInsuranceGroup.com. If you have a question you can email Herschel or Roger directly. Of course, your manager and co-workers are happy to help if they can as well. Below are pointers for submitting a support ticket to IT.
o If you are copied on an email to support, please DO NOT reply all to that email. It sends another email to support creating another ticket.
o If you need to add comments to your support ticket once created, please respond to the email you receive from the ticket system confirming the receipt (even though it says DoNotReply).
Spam Filter Barracuda. To help filter spam from your email inbox, all employees have a spam filter called Barracuda Networks. With this filter, you will be able to see all of your incoming email; however, some may be marked as quarantined or as spam. When emails are put in Barracuda, you will receive an email containing links of quarantined or spam emails so that you may determine if they are legitimate prior to them being released to your
Lock Your Computer Screen. When you leave your desk for any period of time, please lock your computer. It may seem unnecessary, but it is a security risk to leave it unlocked. As you get acquainted with your new position it is important to get into this habit. To lock your computer, press the Windows key and L at the same time.
Restart Your Computer. It is also important to restart your computer at the end of each business day. This will keep your computer current with updates. To restart your computer, press Start (1), Power (2), and Restart (3).
This document is proprietary and confidential. No part of this document may be disclosed in any manner to a third party without the prior written consent of Watkins Insurance Group.
Employee Reference Guide
Epic Logout Reminder. It is important to log out of Epic before you leave for the day. When you do not log out of your Epic profile:
A designated Watkins staff member might kick you out of the system manually The system could inactivate your account, causing IT to reset your account Your account will be locked. You will have to wait for IT to unlock your account and reset your password (MOST IMPORTANT) You could be losing data that you spent time entering in the system
All your information will be lost if a designated Watkins staff member or the system end up kicking you out of Epic. That includes open policies & activities, any updates you were making, and notes you were in the process of attaching. Leaving your session active in Epic creates system locks that prevent Epic from doing what it needs to do from 12:00 am to 6:00 am. The system is available during this off time but is running updates, processes, downloads, reports, and other items that work properly when everyone is logged out of Epic. A recommendation that has helped employees change their routine in the past is to close all applications and restart their computer at the end of the day. By doing this you are refreshing the system and preparing it for your next workday.
KnowBe4 Security Awareness Training. Cybercrime is getting more serious by the month. The bad guys are getting quite smart about tricking people into clicking on fraudulent links or opening up malicious attachments in emails. Watkins Insurance Group has decided that it is really important that everyone gets comprehensive Security Awareness Training. We need to defend our organization against cybercrime, and security is everyone’s job. The IT department will set up KnowBe4 and will notify you with instructions on how to complete the required training. The enclosed Social Engineering Red Flags document shows some of the tactics employed by attackers.
Please continue to be diligent in screening emails for spam, phishing and CEO fraud. There have been a number of CEO fraud type emails going around lately. They look like they are from Patrick or Rodney, but aren’t really.
If you receive a spam/phishing/fraud email and you know it is such, please DO NOT send it to IT. Just delete it. If everyone sent IT their spam emails, they would spend all day going through them.
If you are unsure whether it is spam or legit, send it to support@watkinsinsurancegroup.com and we will check it out.
This document is proprietary and confidential. No part of this document may be disclosed in any manner to a third party without the prior written consent of Watkins Insurance Group.
Social Engineering FROM • I don’t recognize the sender’s email address as someone I ordinarily communicate with. • This email is from someone outside my organization and it’s not related to my job responsibilities. • This email was sent from someone inside the organization or from a customer, vendor, or partner and is very unusual or out of character. • Is the sender’s email address from a suspicious domain (like micorsoft-support.com)? • I don’t know the sender personally and they were not vouched for by someone I trust. • I don’t have a business relationship nor any past communications with the sender. • This is an unexpected or unusual email with an embedded hyperlink or an attachment from someone I haven’t communicated with recently.
TO • I was cc’d on an email sent to one or more people, but I don’t personally know the other people it was sent to. • I received an email that was also sent to an unusual mix of people. For instance, it might be sent to a random group of people at my organization whose last names start with the same letter, or a whole list of unrelated addresses.
Red Flags
DATE
• Did I receive an email that I normally would get during regular business hours, but it was sent at an unusual time like 3 a.m.?
SUBJECT
• Did I get an email with a subject line that is irrelevant or does not match the message content?
• Is the email message a reply to something I never sent or requested?
ATTACHMENTS
• The sender included an email attachment that I was not expecting or that makes no sense in relation to the email message. (This sender doesn’t ordinarily send me this type of attachment.)
• I see an attachment with a possibly dangerous file type. The only file type that is always safe to click on is a .txt file.
CONTENT
• Is the sender asking me to click on a link or open an attachment to avoid a negative consequence or to gain something of value?
• I hover my mouse over a hyperlink that’s displayed in the email message, but the link-to address is for a different website. (This is a big red flag.)
• Do I have an uncomfortable gut feeling about the sender’s request to open an attachment or click a link?
• Is the sender asking me to click a link or open up an attachment that seems odd or illogical?
HYPERLINKS • I received an email that only has long hyperlinks with no further information, and the rest of the email is completely blank.
• Is the email asking me to look at a compromising or embarrassing picture of myself or someone I know?
• Is the email out of the ordinary, or does it have bad grammar or spelling errors?
• I received an email with a hyperlink that is a misspelling of a known web site. For instance, www.bankofarnerica.com — the “m” is really two characters — “r” and “n.”
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OUR CORE VALUES
C
Continuous Improvement
R
Relationships
E
Excellence
S
Serve
T
Teamwork
We explore new and better ways to improve services and processes through constant review, measurement, and action.
We have a commitment to building partnerships by being compassionate and trustworthy.
We are passionate about striving to reach the best solution and experience in all that we do.
We are driven to help others and take action.
We value the collaboration and accountability of a group of people moving towards a common goal.
Mission We're Here to Help.
Core Values CREST Continuous Improvement
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$50MM By 2030 Defined Portfolio of Insurance Partners
Relationships Optimized Technology Excellence Resources for Producers Serve Defined Sales Strategy Teamwork Robust Marketing Strategy Build Out Claims Service