Best practices for better service

All agency owners should have their teams embrace a common business mantra — KYC, or Know Your Customer — to effectively build a culture of customer service. To this end, agency management should consider the following best practices:

Segment your client base. Dig into your data and identify your highest-value clients. Prioritize those who drive the most revenue to your agency and those with whom you interact most often. Then, develop and execute a strategic plan that will govern the steps your producers and support staff will take to satisfy those clients. Once your plan starts to deliver results, that same level of service will trickle down to all of your clients.
Establish and communicate standard operating procedures. This may sound obvious, but many agency owners sometimes miss this step. Set specific rules for phone etiquette, such as picking up all calls before the third ring, making same-day or next-day callbacks, and answering every call with a smile (this really does make a difference). If your agency handles both personal and commercial lines, establish processes for warm handoffs and service consistency.
Seek to understand. Each client views customer service from their own, unique viewpoint. To meet those unique needs, agency owners should embrace frameworks that help them enhance their staff's level of emotional intelligence. The DISC® Workplace Profile is one such learning instrument that's proven to raise awareness of interpersonal communication and improve workers' skills.
Incentivize Google reviews. Ask your clients to rate your agency on Google. Then, consider incentivizing staff for securing positive client Google reviews with a nominal reward, such as $10 per review.
Consider a committee approach. Larger agencies may benefit by establishing a Client Experience Committee. The most successful committees set achievable goals each quarter. For example, you might choose to implement a birthday card strategy, so each client gets a handwritten message on their special day. It's one simple way to surprise and delight your clients.
Choose technology and outsourcing vendors wisely. Employees and clients both want a sense of control. But while some technologies and outsourcing vendors can give them that control, others can take it away. For example, an agency that chooses to use a service center will lose some control over the customer service process. That may be OK, provided that they find a way to ensure the center delivers the type of service their clients expect. In addition, technology that records service reps' calls and captures their keystrokes may help with professional development but may be a turnoff to some employees. Each agency owner must decide which technology will fit with their culture. Resources are available to assist independent agents in finding the technology that fits their agency's unique needs. For example, SIAA's TechFinder portal allows member agencies to search, compare and select solutions that make the most sense for their agency.
Brush up on your customer service knowledge. Books like Jon Picoult's "From Impressed to Obsessed" are filled with real-life case studies showing how organizations can turn their customers into lifelong fans. In addition, resources such as SIAA's Training and Learning Center offer online learning to help member agencies meet consumers' expectations.

Reach for the (five) stars

Independent agents shouldn't let the noise of the hard market drown out the voice of the customer. By building a winning internal culture and giving your staff the time to focus on customer service, agencies can turn their clients into repeat — and happy — customers.

Special Reports /

5 Stars: How agents can level-up their customer service

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