Service Centers Increase Value
I liked Chris Burand's article on service centers, "Service Centers: Are They Worth It?" in the December issue of American Agent & Broker. One thing I would add is the impact they may have on the agency's value. Any agency owner that truly understands his or her business knows that the real value of the agency is the relationship between the agency and the client. Without this relationship, there is no sustainable cash flow.
What a service center does (whether positive or negative) is place another entity between the agency and its true asset, the relationship. We, as principals, should be very careful about giving clients to them for service. The same goes for agency clusters, co-ops, etc.
David A. Rocchio
DAR The Rocchio Agency
Carmel, Ind. It's A Wonderful Bailout
Your December editorial is the best explanation I've seen to explain this damned mess. Happy New Year!
Stephen R. Kinkade CPCU, AAI
Kinkade-Cornell Insurance Agency Inc.
Leitchfield, Ky. Correction
On page 24 of the AA&B 2008-2009 Review & Outlook issue, Mike Foley's title was incorrectly listed. It should read "Chief Executive Officer."