Moving up

Rough Notes, Aug 2003 by Buffington, Bettye D

Customer service skills provide basis for transition to producer/agency owner

Who remembers the very first day of his or her work at an insurance agency? I remember it as if it were yesterday (well almost). After graduating from college with a double major-Business Management and Accounting-I immediately went to work as a cost accountant. I was not happy with my choice. I like dealing with people and solving problems. As a cost accountant, I became bored with completing the same reports week after week, month after month. So, I quit the job and responded to a newspaper employment ad titled: "Insurance Agency Accountant-need immediately." To my delight I was hired and began my new career. What a fun place! The holiday season was in full swing. It seemed there were luncheons and holiday parties with the other companies in our business complex for the entire first week on of my new job.

After the holidays, my work truly began. I was requested to bring the financials up to speed. This was a difficult job because I had no training in insurance other than a personal finance course that devoted two chapters to insurance coverages. An insurance agency's accounting is quite different from other businesses because most of the assets are not identified on the financial statements.

My first task was to reconcile the insurance company payables. This was a challenge because I didn't understand the terms used on the invoices such as "WC audit," "endorsement," "re-write," etc. I began working with "the girls" to determine the root of the billings and tried to explain to them the effect on the various general ledger accounts created by a single invoice. The phone rang constantly at our busy office, and I was informed by "the girls" that there were more pressing issues for them than verifying the accuracy of a few invoices. I am the type of individual who wants to understand why and how things work. I asked if I could assist them in exchange for their assistance with my requests. I was directed to a stack of papers and told to match the papers with the files. I read the papers and began to learn a little about insurance terms and coverage. In turn, I was then asked to answer the phone. I wanted to be able to help the caller, but due to my lack of knowledge, I could only take messages.

The first move

After several weeks I decided to learn more about becoming a licensed insurance agent. I was encouraged to enroll in the next property and casualty insurance course. I did, then passed the 17-week course-and my license exam. The agency president said that I could sell insurance and receive commission in addition to my salary as long as I continued to perform the functions of my accounting position.

I began to solicit my friends and family for personal lines insurance. After writing a few policies, I found that I truly enjoyed the customer contact and was able to answer customers' questions. The agency was located in a truck dealership and specialized in trucking. I enjoyed speaking with the truckers and helping them solve some of their problems. (Trucking accounts require a great deal of service. If insurance filings are not in place, the trucker is literally shut down.) My brother, who was driving an 18-wheeler at the time, began to refer some trucking accounts to me. I was successful in placing most of them. There were very few other agencies in our area that specialized in trucking.

The next step

One day, about two years into my new career, the agency president asked me if I would be interested in a new position called Agency Operations Manager. The position was really what we now refer to as Customer Service Representative. I would be in charge of all customer service functions and a new accountant would be hired for my old position. I accepted the new responsibilities and began to assist customers on a full-time basis. I also enrolled in additional classes covering commercial and personal insurance. I truly enjoyed my new position. I was helping clients by responding to their requests and counseling them on additional products to meet their needs.

Another step

I try to learn something new each day and always want to know more about my chosen profession than my competitors. After a few years of working in customer service, I decided to attain the Certified Insurance (CIC) Counselor designation. I enjoyed the classes and the networking opportunities. The role of the professional Customer Service Representative has evolved and no longer is "just a job." We provide a valuable service to our customers who appreciate our professionalism and knowledge.

Our agency worked together to increase sales by account rounding and asking for referrals. Our production soared. Our retention was excellent. Referrals were coming in constantly. I had to spend more time on production and hired an additional licensed service professional so that I could devote all my efforts to production. I used my customer service skills to produce additional business for the agency. Production was increased by over 25%.