Posts Tagged ‘Insurance Lead Management’
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!!
Hidden Dangers
I noticed on the Internet yesterday that President Obama’s results from his first health check up as Commander –in-Chief were released. Good news! President Obama was declared in “excellent health” by the examining doctors. The 48 year old Obama reportedly works out 6 mornings a week, plays basketball regularly and appears to be the picture of good health. Read further into the report and you discover he has tendinitis of the knee, borderline high cholesterol (total cholesterol at 209, with the “bad” LDL cholesterol very high) and has yet to stop that persistent, lingering cigarette habit! I wish President Obama well in his efforts to reduce his cholesterol levels and kick the cigarette habit.
But this does bring to mind two thoughts regarding how we determine how “healthy” things are in our lives. The first thought relates to the health of your clients. Not just their physical health, but their insurance coverage health. Do you let them come to you if they feel like they need a coverage review every 5-10 years or are you proactive, providing them an annual review of their coverage’s? Do you bring them current information on policy updates or coverage changes that could impact them negatively if an accident occurs? I would encourage you to build a lasting bond with your clients by providing those services and help them understand you are truly interested in their welfare.
The second thought relates to the relative “health” of your business. When was the last time you gave your business a check up? Do you just figure everything is “good to go” as long as nothing breaks down? Do you schedule a periodic review of your business practices, new trends in the market, changes in the economy or society that could impact the health of your business? Being aware of changes and trends early on will provide an opportunity to address those issues and make any necessary adjustments or changes to ensure the continued good health of your business.
The bottom line is this: we all have small, hidden areas of our “health” that can be addressed. If you ignore those areas, then potentially BAD KARMA will ensue. On the other hand, if you investigate, discover and address those areas for improvement…. Odds are the GOOD KARMA will continue to follow you! AgencyIQ wants to help you with those GOOD KARMA opportunities. Give us a call or look us up on the Internet at www.agencyiq.com and see how our robust, proactive lead management and email marketing programs will bring the GOOD KARMA to your agency!
Leveraging Technology to Work Less and Earn More
As an insurance agent, keep in mind that one of the most crucial factors to the success of your business is lead generation. This is the lifeblood for long term growth and profitability. The question for many agents is how do you find leads and develop a reliable source for potential new clients?
According to a comScore 2009 online survey, 63% of respondents went online for an auto insurance quote. In one month alone, there were 31 million searches connected to insurance quotes (Google keywords-July 2009). Given the impact of Internet online shopping and information compilation by consumers, it only makes sense that this percentage will keep expanding in coming years.
Using the Internet to acquire leads is a powerful tool for an agent. By harnessing the power of the Internet via an Online Lead Provider, you dramatically better the number of meaningful contacts with qualified prospects for your agency.
Here are a few tips to ensure developing a successful partnership with an online lead source:
- Real Time Leads – prospects that are actively requesting a quote.
- 24/7 Control of Leads – you should have the ability to manage your leads online. The ability to add and remove holds on leads and access to lead profiles for adjusting your filters and volumes maximizes your results. Receiving leads when you are not able to work them will only result in frustration for you and the clients.
- Lead Quality & Volume – critical issue; you want to use a lead provider like InsuranceLeads.com that has an excellent reputation for filtering the highest quality, volume leads.
- Oversold Leads – make sure your provider caps the number of times they sell a lead at 8 times; this is the industry standard. Most leads are not sold this many times, so you should ask your account representative for more precise information. Remember leads are also sold to your competition, so the fewer sells of each lead, the better you conversion will be.
- Liberal Credit Policy – bad leads will slip thorough no matter how vigilant the provider. Make sure your provider has a liberal, quick response, easy to use credit policy.
- Dedicated Account Reps – at critical times, it’s important to have a single point of contact that knows you and will provide excellent customer service.
- Utilize a Lead Management System- lead management systems help to automate the process of immediate response, follow up and keep you on track with your work flow. Combining AgencyIQ with your Insuranceleads.com leads will increase your close ratios over 20%! Quality leads and a quality follow up system make online leads work!
When you as an agent make the choice to use an Online Lead Provider, you are opening the door to taking your agency to the next level of performance. Teaming with a quality lead provider like InsuranceLeads.com and a lead management system like AgencyIQ, will provide you with powerful tools to automate client contacts.
AgencyIQ and InsuranceLeads.com have partnered together to create an informational webinar regarding the importance of technology in the insurance industry.
View the video: Learn the Benefits of Leveraging Technology to Work Less and Earn More.
QUALITY ONLINE LEADS + LEAD MANAGEMENT SYSTEM = HIGHER CLOSE RATIOS
WHO DAT?
Who dat….. if you are even faintly familiar with the NFL playoffs this year, you know that is the refrain of New Orleans Saints fans and their 2010 Super Bowl bound team. I’m writing this blog in advance of the game because for me, the real story is not who wins the game, the Saints or the Colts. The real story follows two different, but related story lines. The first story is the saga of the Manning family; Peyton- the older brother QB of the Colts and Super Bowl winner, Eli- little brother QB of the Giant and Super Bowl winner, and Archie- father and long time fan favorite of the Saints from 1971-82. Archie still resides in New Orleans and is actively involved in the community. What a dilemma for Archie….. does he cheer for his son Peyton or his long suffering Saints and the community who still reveres his sacrifices and spirit from his years leading the Saints.
The second story line is this amazing Saints team, lead by Drew Brees, their prolific passing QB. Drew is the identity of the Saints. He has provided the leadership, confidence and “anything is possible” attitude that’s been infectious not only with his teammates, but the entire New Orleans community. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Drew, along with a number of his teammates, returned to his ravaged city and actively participated in rebuilding. Drew’s leadership on the field and off serves as an inspiration to all who know him.
We have the examples of a father who was a city’s favorite son, the children that grew up in the community and still have ties, and a new QB who has caught the spirit of a city and is an inspiration of hope and achievement, much like a predecessor 35 years ago! So…… who wins here? EVERYONE!
Now stop and think about your leadership role…. your family, your business and in your community. What are you doing to inspire, help, motivate or improve the lives of those around you? Leadership does not mean always being in front or in the limelight, it can be as simple as providing a good example by your actions. Building these positive leadership qualities will lead to raised expectations and improved results in your personal life, business environment and community activities. So, when the question arises “Who dat?” will you be one of the first mentioned? I hope so….. the rewards are immense!
Writing Content for Your Auto Responders
You’ve heard it before: It’s all about the content!
Well, someone has to write that content, and that someone is you. Your mission is clear: For your auto responders to be successful, the content must be easy understand, impossible to ignore. How can you make it happen?
Create a relevant subject of your email: Create a subject line that practically guarantees your email will be opened. When writing your subject, keep in mind that people are scanning their inbox and you have to stand out. Very few readers actually sit down and work their way methodically through their emails. No, they are far more likely to reduce email time by simply running their eyes down the page. So, standing out is essential. Using words that catch people’s attention is vital, but you also need to project an honest idea of what is inside the email. The trick to doing this is to make an action statement or to ask a question. People want you to solve their problems, so by identifying the most common issues faced by your readers and asking them about it will help to draw them in. For example, you might ask your readers “Tired of paying high prices for minimum coverage and horrible service?” This implies that you have a better option and they will be more likely to click on your email.
User action verbs such as “protect”, “maximize”.
Tell your prospects what to do “get a quote”, “contact us”, “reply to this email”
Use adjectives like “low cost”, “easy”
Some great examples of subject lines are:
Protect your assets in this economy
Maximize your protection for your lifestyle
Be proactive about your financial security
Easy and painless insurance information without pushy sales
Next, establish rapport: Make the next section of your email personal. Use your prospect’s name and it will help you to make that connection. Keep in mind your business model and the image that you want your consumer’s to think of when they work with you. Keep your emails upbeat, active, and discuss the strengths of your agency.
What Is An Insurance Lead Management System Anyway?
When searching for a Lead Management System for your insurance agency, most agents don’t know what to look for. There are a lot of systems out there that cater to lead management, but what do they do and what features do they offer specifically for the insurance industry?
1. Look to save time with the leads that you purchase. Look for a system with automatic import of leads and one that works with most lead sources. Typing in leads is the last way that you or your staff needs to manage their prospects.
2. Make sure you have Auto Responders for your leads. Getting there first is the key. Auto responders will represent your agency even when you are at home sleeping. Make your system work for you.
3. Look for Drip Emails. A drip email system will keep you actively in front of your prospects by emailing to your leads at a time period that is condusive to your business model.
4. If you have a large staff, make sure leads automatically assign to your producers. This will save time and get the leads to your producers faster.
5. Go out of your way to set appointments inside the system so follow up does not fall through the cracks.
6. Find a system that supports your business model. Support your agency philosophy with your prospects as well as your clients. If you don’t want to type out your leads into a system, you should not hold extra paperwork in your office for people that you are not obtaining premium from. Find a system that supports your paperless way of doing business.
7. Make sure to run the reports that help your office run more efficiently. Make sure you can see what your production rates are, conversion ratios, and pull out your leads based on various criteria with little effort.
The more you get to know the lead management industry and the system’s available, the more you will increase your close ratios.