Are Your Clients Raving Fans?
My last 2 blog posts at IIABNY have been about establishing the value of buying protection from an independent agent. Having consumers appreciate that value takes the decision on where to buy coverage out of the realm of just price. Technology has allowed price sellers who deal directly with consumers over the internet to offer a decent customer experience. Depending on a consumer’s previous experience they may even believe it’s good to very good service.
That’s why in addition to offering professional advice and support independent agents have to offer exceptional service. As Ken Blanchard says in his book with the same name you need to turn your clients into raving fans.
How much time, energy and money do you put into making your client’s experience so exceptional that they become raving fans? How do they feel about their experience as your client? If their perception is that their experience is just OK you need to be concerned. Remember as I said earlier with today’s technology the internet price sellers can provide them with a similar experience and in many cases for less money.
Do your clients and prospects visit your website and/or Facebook page? If so how many are visiting, what do they look at and how long do they stay? If you don’t have a website or Facebook page how and where do your clients go to gather insurance information? Do you ask every client if they would like information sent to them via email and then get that email address entered into your agency management system?
It’s important that you look at every facet of the service you provide and do whatever it takes to make the overall experience exceptional.
In my most recent blog post I provided a list of the items that people told me they valued in deciding who would handle their insurance protection. Here is a list of those items:
• Convenience in doing business
• Appreciate their business – positive, friendly interaction when they call
• Regular communication in language they understand
• No hassles – don’t need or want problems
• Candid advice with their best interests at heart
• Keeping them aware of issues that could affect them and offering solutions
• Don’t take my business and then forget about me
• I need you most when and if I have a claim – please be there How would your clients rate your agency’s performance in these areas? Do you routinely survey clients on how satisfied they are with the service you provide? When clients leave you do you reach out to find out what caused them to make that decision?
In this article I have posed quite a few questions and there are many more that could be asked. If you aren’t looking at every facet of how you do business and working to make that experience as exceptional as possible you may regret it down the road.
Personal insurance, and very soon small to medium sized business insurance, is experiencing a paradigm shift. Online direct response carriers are gaining market share. Technology is making it possible for traditional insurance providers to consider cutting out independent agents from the insurance buying process. Their consumer advertising is totally centered on convincing consumers that they can give them everything they need at the lowest price possible.
To retain the business you have and take back market share independent agents must convince consumers of the value of doing business with them. You would think the professional advice they provide and their work on behalf of the client when there is a claim would be enough however it’s not. Too many consumers haven’t experienced, or know someone that has experienced, a significant loss where these valuable services would come into play.
So in addition to reinforcing your professional advice and claims support an agency must make that consumer feel special by providing exceptional service. The more consumers feel liked and valued and the higher the level of satisfaction they receive in being your client the less likely they will be lured away by internet price marketers. So look at every facet of your customer service and do everything you can to make it the best experience a client could want. The future growth and stability of your agency depends on it.
