Posts Tagged ‘Insurance 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!!
“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!!
CYBER MONDAY RULES!!
The Missing Piece
If you have any doubts about the impact of the Internet on business, check out the sales racked up on Cyber Monday this year! It is estimated that sales could increase over 6% from 2008 levels to over $900 billion in 2009 according to online tracking company comScore Inc. according to an article in Monday’s Wall Street Journal Online November 30th,2009 (http://online.wsj.com/ ). This would represent a single day sales record for Internet sales…… in what most of us would consider a very challenging economic environment. I bet there are a number of managerial types walking around trying to figure out how much time their employees spent on the Internet today shopping instead of work related activities!!!
I think my point is obvious, more and more consumers are using the Internet to make purchases. This year over 96 million people shopped on the Internet on Cyber Monday up from 85 million last year. Cyber Monday only entered our lexicon in 2005!!!! Typically 5% of holiday shopping is done online, but this year could see up to 10% of all holiday shopping. Much of this frenzy is generated by online and email promotions by retail companies. Does that get you excited? Is does me!!!! If you aren’t using online, email and social marketing, you may be missing a huge potential client base that represents a tremendous opportunity to grow your business.
Internet marketing is the missing piece of the puzzle for 2010. Making the most of any lead means utilizing email marketing and a full CRM system to track all of your prospects. Let AgencyIQ assist you with maximizing your leads and growing your business!
Is Twitter for Your Agency?
I have come to realize that twitter is highly addictive. I came home from work last Wednesday evening and decided to catch up on some tweets. When looked up I found that I had just spent two hours reading blogs and catching up on all the cool stuff going on with my peers. I could not believe that I had just “wasted” that time. Was it really wasted though? Really? No. I formulated three article ideas from this time and fashioned a new marketing idea for AgencyIQ. The time was a valuable stimulating experience that was sheer brain food when my body was craving my couch and my mind was sheer mush. That rejouvination could never be described as a waste of time.
As an insurance agent, I ask myself, can an agent bring value to their client base by Tweeting? We can tweet about things like updating our blog, newsletters, speaking engagements, and just generally retweeting valuable information that can enrich our client’s lives. That is always a good idea. For example, it is spring and just last week I picked up a magazine that caught my eye with an article about “Cleaning Your Windows Like A Professional”. Isn’t that what we can offer to our clients? Twitter allows us to do this in 140 characters or we can at least blog these wonderful pearls of wisdom then tweet them out to our community and increase our exposure and value to our community. What if an insurance agent can embead themselves into a client’s evening by adding value to their lives and thus become a communtiy influence? Twitter is a medium to make sure that we offer these tools in an easy, unobtrusive manner for our clients and I think that the agencies that embrace the technology will reep the benefits in the long run.
Let’s see what happens when I post this question to my Facebook (I have lots of agent friends) and just open the discussion to the public. What do you think? What experiences (positive and negative) have you had as an insurance agent with Twitter? Can’t wait to hear!
Twitter and the Insurance Agency..Common Problems and Solutions
The idea that Twitter is a valuable resource for your insurance agency is a debate that I see going on via facebook, blogs, and even in conferences that I attend. Let’s start from the basic’s and explore the pro’s and con’s of the newest social media explosion on the Internet.
What is Twitter: I like to describe Twitter as a blast text message. People sign up to receive your “tweets” and your message of no more than 140 characters is sent to the recipient. Twitter is also defined in many places as “micro-blogging”. To see a short video about twitter that is also wonderfully short..check out this video http://commoncraft.com/Twitter.
Sign up then proceed on stealth mode: Don’t start this project thinking that Twitter is the saving grace for your business within the first two weeks. We are all looking for that magic bullet, but everything takes work.
-Take a few days to a week and watch what other people are doing on the software.
-Learn the lingo, and acquire some connections that you would like to follow.
-Find people whose tweets inspire you, people who have something valuable to say.
-Locate some people in your networks or industry that have a following and see how they are working this marvel of social networking.
How to add followers: Define your audience you want to follow you. Is it local business owners, homeowners, auto owners, what zip codes, what clubs or organizations? This will be your beginning list of who to search out. Ask each person on their follow lists to follow you.
-Add your twitter address to any social media that you participate in, your emails, website, and look up your clients on twitter.
-Look up your local politicians, local businesses, your chamber of commerce and ask follow all their followers. Most people will follow you.
-Look up your clients and send out your twitter in your newsletter announcements
-Look up any local clubs, charity’s or networks for your target audience.
Add value to your tweets: No one wants spam in their email, twitter, or facebook, so we ask you not to contribute to it.
-Find interesting articles and post them on your twitter as resources. Shorten the URL by using http://bit.ly/?url=
-Find interesting blog’s and post them to your twitter.
-ReTweet information but acknowledge the source by putting RT:@sourcename before the tweet. For example, to retweet from AgencyIQ’s tweet..simply post “RT: @agencyiq” then your content.
-Make sure to tweet about updates to your blog postings or events going on in your office.
-reference your website in your posts occasionally.
-Thank people for following you and post a thank you for the ReTweets you are honored to have passed on.
-Remember your audience and tweet about things that they would want to check out.
Most importantly…this is a process. It isn’t something that you can make work for you in a month. You have to establish your audience, your credibility, and your voice. Have fun with it, post funny things but keep it clean, remember you are here to attract customers. Let your personality shine through, it will help to cut through the mundane on the internet and your business will succeed!