Posts Tagged ‘insurance agency marketing’
The 3 Types of Customer Service Calls
Really? Why would an Internet company blog about telephone calls? Simple….. we all use the phone to interact with our clients. There is still something to be said for having that “personal” contact that is still essential to providing a well rounded customer service platform. Let’s take a look at 3 types of customer service calls and some ideas and tips on how to provide an effective, loyalty building experience for your clients.
1) Informational – pretty straight forward, the client has questions regarding your company, services, coverages etc…..
2) Problem solving – the client has an issue that requires your assistance to resolve. This is an opportunity to shine and earn a customer for life!
3) Angry beyond reason – redirect to #2 – the client is definitely not happy, wants to bend someone’s ear and set things straight! The goal here is to get them back to status #2.
The key to successfully negotiating all of these scenarios is to LISTEN carefully to what the client has to say! Don’t get ahead of yourself and start forming a response in your mind before they finish their statement, really listen to what they are saying. Confirm what you’ve heard back to the client, using the appropriate tone of voice. Once you’re both on the same page, respond with positive words, your willingness to assist with the request. If it is a problem solving opportunity, be compassionate and empathize with the client. Be prepared to offer alternative solutions to counter the sometimes unreasonable solution requests. Don’t make any promises you cannot keep and honor any time line commitments you make to respond to the client. By quickly addressing the issue, following through with your commitments, you can earn a client’s business… for life! For those dreaded angry beyond reason calls, take a deep breath, let the client air it out and don’t take it personally… I know, easier said than done, but you can do it! Sometimes, simply saying “I’m sorry”, or “I apologize” can diffuse a tense situation. The goal is to get the client beyond being mad and focusing on a solution to their problem (#2), which is at the root of their anger.
At AgencyIQ, we strive to provide excellent, effective, timely customer service. If you need assistance, use our video trainings, email, on-line chat or call one of our customer service reps… We look forward to hearing from you!
SPAM, SPAM, SPAM,SPAM……
If you happen to be a Monty Python’s Flying Circus fan, the word spam brings a smile to your face and fond memories of their quirky British humor. But for most us, SPAM can create all kinds of heartburn, headaches and worries. The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 set guide lines for the use of the internet to send commercial emails. How does this affect your email marketing campaigns? If you follow a simple set of guidelines as outlined by the FTC, you will be in compliance and worry free! Check out the list below:
• Don’t use false or misleading header information
• Don’t use deceptive subject lines
• Identify the message as an ad
• Tell recipients where you are located
• Tell recipients how to opt-out of receiving future emails from you
• Honor opt-out requests promptly
Take a few minutes to review your emails and you will probably find you are already complying with these requirements. AgencyIQ has gone to great lengths to make sure that all of our clients comply with the CAN-SPAM laws. If you have any areas of concern about your emails, use a simple rule of thumb…. If you received this email, would you feel like you were being mislead, could you find the sender if you needed to, and could you stop the messages if you wanted. There are a number of individuals and some organizations that are extremely concerned with being found in violation of this law, some to the point of nearly paralyzing their email marketing efforts. If you have specific questions regarding this Act, click on the following link http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/business/ecommerce/bus61.shtm to go to the FTC website for specific guidance. This law is not designed to cripple the use of email for commercial business purposes… it was created to ensure the responsible use of a powerful marketing channel. At the end of the day, email marketing is a significant tool in your marketing arsenal and when used correctly and responsibly, you have no worries. Now, hit the Send button!
CALLING IT QUITS
Mike Modano, the star forward for the Dallas Stars hockey team, has probably played his last professional hockey game. I was one of the fortunate few to be in the stands for his last Home game appearance. What a night to remember: Modano had an assist on a goal, scored the game tying goal late in the 3rd period and scored a goal in the overtime shoot out to win the game against his nemisis the Anaheim Ducks! Talk about a story book ending to a career….. And a perfect end to a career spent with one organization for his entire career, playing key roles as leading scorer, team captain and mentor and elder statesman in the locker room as his career ended. A truly humble player and man, Mike gave back to hockey and the community; generous with his time, money and talents, the city of Dallas is better for his involvement over the last 16 years. The Dallas Stars have some mighty big skates to fill with Mo’s departure.
In our careers, we’ve all know a few Mike Modano’s. People that embody the spirit of our company, contributing at the highest level, team players, always encouraging those around them and bringing out the best performance of others through their example in action. You just can’t imagine how you’d survive without that person! Unfortunately, most organizations don’t plan ahead in anticipation of key personnel eventually leaving. Do you as a business owner have key personnel that you depend on to carry the load? We all do, but do you have a plan on how to move forward if/when they leave? Succession planning is usually way down the list of strategic planning activities, but it is vital to the sustained growth of an organization that you have a plan for replacing key employees. To keep your company vibrant, forward thinking and prepared, having a potential talent pool of internal or external resources is not only smart, it will save you and your organization a lot of heart ache when the day comes for a key employee to be replaced. As a owner/manager, it’s important to recognize the Modano’s in your organization and look ahead on how to deal with the void after their last “game”.
TUMBLING DOWN
Ever hear the John Mellencamp song “Tumbling Down”? That’s what I thought of when the old Texas Stadium in Irving, TX was demolished recently. Being a native of the area and a huge Cowboys fan as long as I can remember, I could not convince myself to join all those who watched in person or on TV the destruction of a place that held so many memories. Landry, Staubach, Lilly, Aikman, Irvin, Smith, the Ring of Honor, NFC Championship games…. The list goes on and on. And yes, I do believe the hole in the roof was there so God could watch His team play! What was once a state of the art facility featured in numerous movies and mesmerized Sunday football viewers on TV, had, over the years, suffered from age, neglect and a public that demanded new heights of technology to keep their intrest. No lingering, slow demise for this former showcase, Jerry Jones, the eternal promoter, made Texas Stadium’s last hurrah another money making deal. It was even sponsored by Kraft Foods (I don’t get it… but they ponied up the cash, the single largest requirement). Faster than you can say “Kraft macaroni and cheese”, Texas Stadium disappeared in a cloud of dust, soon to be a distant memory of those who will remember her in her glory days!
Yes friends, even those monuments that seem indestructible on their christening day, have their eventual fall from favor and are replaced. So it is with the tools we use to run our business. Technology changes constantly, computers and communication systems require constant review and the software we use to manage our data is always undergoing tweaks and updates. Over the next few weeks and months, you will be receiving notices of important enhancements to the AgencyIQ operating system. Future blogs and newsletters will detail these enhancements that will make your lead management efforts more effective, efficient and increase your book of business. AgencyIQ is committed to delivering to our clients the tools you need to grow your business. Please look for these announcements and let us know what you think!!
Massachusetts Revolt
Stand Out
Last week, a major upheaval in the world of politics occurred, a Republican was elected Senator of Massachusetts after Ted Kennedy had held the Democratic Senator’s seat for 43 Years! How did this happen? I’m sure there will be a lot of blogs, articles and maybe books written about this improbable event. Let’s set the stage first. This particular Senate seat has been held by Ted Kennedy for 43 years and prior to that, his brother John Kennedy held the seat. Massachusetts’ registered Republican voters only account for 12% of registered voters statewide. The Democratic candidate was handpicked by the party leadership and held a substantial lead going into the final stretch of campaigning. So, how did the newly elected Senator Brown make this comeback?
Simply put, the incumbent party and leadership got lazy, became complacent, and did not have the pulse of the electorate (their customers). How could they lose? The Democrats controlled Massachusetts for years and could not imagine NOT WINNING! Then, a sequence of events in the economy, concerns over health reform, and a general discontentment with the established leadership…… the impossible happened, a Republican was elected. Now, the point to be made is not political affiliations or where we stand on the economy or healthcare reform. The lesson to be learned is the absolute importance and necessity of knowing what your customer base is thinking, where are they going and how do they perceive your role in assisting them! If you are somewhat skeptical, think back to 1994 when the Republican Party rode a wave of populist support in winning the majority in the House of Representatives; remember Newt Gingrich? Those Republicans had the voice of the voters and knew the changes expected under their leadership. They did well for a while, then, the Republicans lost the pulse of the voters and within 8 years, lost their majority position in the House and eventually the Senate. This loss of direction and power ripped the Republican Party apart! Now fast forward to last week…. History is repeating itself! Now it’s the Democrats turn.
This same scenario has played itself out in business repeatedly over the years. Remember Montgomery Wards, TWA, Eastern Airlines, Braniff, Circuit City, AMC General, or any of the “latest, hottest” new night spots or restaurants that have opened and closed in short order? As a business owner, don’t allow yourself to lose contact with your customers, stay in touch, keep in front of them and let them know how valued they are to you personally. Doing what is best for the client will help establish a bond and trust that will build a lifetime relationship and lead to new opportunities for growth in the future. AgencyIQ is here to assist you with those efforts to build your business and keep in touch with your most valued resource… your clients!
“Plan? …We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Plan”
Humphrey Bogart
Unfortunately that famous line from Humphrey Bogart’s movie The Treasure of the Sierra Madre”, “Badges? We an’t got not no badges. We don’t need no badges! I don’t have to show you no stinkin’badges!” is often one of the most misquoted lines in movie history, in fact, when I first started writing this, I had to correct myself when using the quote! That being said, let’s get to the point of this blog……. Planning. Our last blog discussed planning on a global, big picture scale. Let’s focus on what it means to you, as an individual running your business! The first step is to realize “WE NEED A PLAN!” How do you go about developing a plan that will be meaningful and effective for your business? There are many templates and programs that will assist you with the fundamentals, a simple Google search will provide a wealth of information. It’s what you put in the plan that counts! Following are some ideas and thoughts that you may want to consider as you develop your plan:
• What is changing in your industry?
• What is changing in technology and how does it impact your ability to connect with customers
• What is changing with your customers?
• What is changing in the economy?
We all know the traditional ways to reach out to customers….. mailings, telemarketing, mass emails and others. But what is going to grab your customer’s attention, how can you convince them to choose you over all the other alternatives in the market? Think about the following:
• Provide value, beyond the product – value in personal attention and customization
• Make yourself unique – find a way to differentiate yourself from the competition
• Build Relationships – showing the customer you really are invested in helping them make the best decisions and choices with your expertise. They will count on you to make sure their best interests are being looked after!
• Network in the community…. Join the Chamber of Commerce, sponsor a youth activity, help with a charity event, get involved in local professional groups
The key is your plan should focus on cultivating a two-way relationship with your customers. Yes, the new technology of Social Media is important, but so is an act so simple most of us have forgotten it…. Pick up the phone or stop by to say a personal “Hello”. AgencyIQ is here to assist you with all of your customer relationship management activities, we wish you the best with your 2010 Plan!
The Art of (Business) War
Have any of you ever heard the old saying “War is hell”? This statement has been attributed to General Sherman during the Civil War. I’d wager many of you feel the same way about this past year of 2009! GOOD NEWS, the calendar has turned and we have a new year with new opportunities in 2010…. YEA!
Starting a new year is a great time to step back and assess where we’ve been, where we are and where we want to go. A more formal way of stating this activity is called GOAL SETTING! Groan……. Many of us would rather endure a root canal without pain meds than go thru a session on Goal Setting. But, it is a valuable tool vital to the success of your business. Instead of using the traditional methods, I have an alternative you may find more enjoyable and effective. I recently found a book “The Art of War in Business” by Mark McNeilly.
Mark has taken the well know book “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu, a successful Chinese general in 400 B.C. and related the principles of Sun Tzu and linked them to business strategies. Following are the six principles discussed in his book:
- Win All Without Fighting – Capturing Your market Without Destroying It
- Avoid Strength, Attack Weakness – Striking Where They Least Expect It
- Deception and Foreknowledge – Maximizing the Power of Market Information
- Speed and Preparation – Moving Swiftly to Overcome Your Competitors
- Shape Your Opponent – Employing Strategy to Master the Competition
- Character-Based Leadership – Providing Effective Leadership in Turbulent Times
Join us January 13, 2010 at 10:00 am CST for an informative webinar about how to overcome these challenges in building your business this year. Register online today to make sure you reserver your spot! This webinar will fill up! Register Here
Whatever challenges you and your business face in 2010, AgencyIQ is here to provide effective, innovative tools to assist you in growing your business! We have many new features and enhancements coming online that we are very excited to add to our lead management platform. Let us know what you think!!
Basic Website Pointers
Here are some basic notes about our upcoming webinar focusing on taking a good look at your website and gauging it’s effectiveness. Join us Tuesday March 24th at 11:00 CST and learn more details! Sign up online to reserve your spot!
Today’s internet agents have a lot of opportunities to reach out to clients. One of my goals as the VP of Operations here at AgencyIQ is to help agents harness the power of the internet to make their sales increase in bulk. Over the next few months AgencyIQ will be hosting various webinar’s to help you make the most out of your web presence and offer some additional ideas to jump start your online marketing. This month we are discussing reaching out with an effective website.
There are some key elements here to pay attention to. The first is understanding the three aspects of building a website:
Remember, utilize the internet to enhance the experience that you are offering to your clients and your marketing efforts will multiply!