In the letter she wrote to Farmers, the insured said that you provided a “rapid and respectful response to questions, calls, and paper processing.” What else makes for good customer service?

I believe the biggest facet and the greatest benefit of good customer service will come if you put yourself in the shoes of the customer, which can be difficult at times. But I truly felt for their misfortunes and approached it that way. I tell all of my insureds, “I am going to treat you and your loss the same way that I would want to be treated if this was my situation.” While this is an old adage, it seems what our parents taught us is still the best working model for life.

What advice concerning customer service would you give to an adjuster just beginning his career? The seasoned professional?

For the adjuster just beginning, I would advise to first, really listen to your customer, not in a superficial way. They need to show concern. There is hardly a person out there that you cannot find something in common with to at least converse about something. The manner in which you behave, your attitude, and your ability to communicate is the secret to success in this field or any other field you enter.

For the seasoned professional, they most likely have perfected their abilities to relate to people and each could likely provide added value to this article with their techniques. I would just advise them not to get jaded or apathetic after seeing all they have likely seen. I still believe that the majority of people are good and just want to be treated fairly.

What's the best thing about your job?

The company I work for, Farmers Insurance, is very supportive. They encourage advancement in the organization and make it possible to achieve that advancement through education, training, and experience. The independence Farmers gives its experienced claim personnel to make their own decisions, negotiate with various entities, and work on their own from a home office is invaluable.