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Establishing Service Standards

Customer standards tell your employees and your customers what you expect of your staff, how your staff is expected to perform, and what your customers should expect from their interaction with your agency. The focus and clarification of standards can be a strong, positive statement that differentiates you from the 'normal' insurance agency. All agencies say that they provide excellent service - few are committed enough to actually write it down and give their standards to their clients.

Should you establish and publish customer standards for your agency? The simple answer is, OF COURSE, but it's really not as simple as that. There are dangers involved in establishing customer standards and even more in publishing them.

The obvious problem is the agency's legal liability in the event that your standards are not met. Could your customers sue you if you didn't meet your own standards?

The second problem involves establishing the expectations that your customers will adopt and that your employees must achieve. Many agents adopt excellent standards of conduct for sales and service functions. However, the standards are often closer to those the agent would like his agency to reach than to those that are being achieved currently. Setting standards before developing the systems and procedures to accomplish those standards lowers employee morale and results in dissatisfied customers who, until the standards were published, did not expect greater service than they received from the agency.

So, with these issues in mind, should you establish and publish customer standards for your agency?

The answer is still - OF COURSE!

CUSTOMER STANDARDS = MEETING CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS

1. Every prospect is treated as a valued client when they call or visit the agency or when an agency representative visits them.
a. Prospects are promptly and warmly welcomed.
b. Every prospect is taken seriously and given our full measure of sales time.
c. Every prospect is given the level of attention that (s)he desires.

2. The producer or sales representative will establish a relationship with the prospect that is built on respect and attention to his (her) individual needs.
a. Agency representatives will be professional and courteous.
b. Producers and sales representatives will be knowledgeable about the products that fit my needs.
c. Agency representatives will offer a quote based on the prospect's needs, rather than a simple comparison against his existing coverage.
d. Agency representatives will educate me about my needs and offer commensurate coverage, but never with any pressure to buy.
e. All agency representatives will be honest and sincere with prospects.

3. Representatives will make it easy for the client to finalize the policy and payment terms.
a. Agency representatives will show concern for every new client's individual circumstances and needs.
b. Agency representatives will provide me with a clear and thorough explanation of a client's policy and payment terms and the process for making changes, submitting claims, and inquiring about the policy or other questions.
c. Agency representatives will invite me to purchase other products and services based on my needs, but without making me feel pressured.

4. Deliver new policies, when promised, as promised, without errors.
a. If a binder or policy is promised at a specific time, either deliver the policy or contact the insured and tell them why a delay has occurred and the new projected delivery date.
b. Make sure the policy is correct in every detail. Nothing makes a worse impression on a new client than a misspelled name.
c. Thoroughly explain the policy when it is delivered, either in person or by mail with detailed descriptions IN ENGLISH.
d. Explain the procedures for inquiries, changes, claims, and future contacts to the client when the policy is delivered.

5. An agency representative will call every client after the sale to confirm that the client is completely satisfied.
a. Clients will be called within a reasonable time.
b. Clients will be asked if they understand their policy and the agency's procedures for further contacts.
c. Clients will be asked questions about their experience with the producer or agency representative.

6. The agency will be responsive to questions and concerns identified by the client.
a. Client questions or concerns will be answered or resolved the first time they are brought to the agency's attention by the person to whom the question or problem was discussed.
b. The client will be told when the agency representative will re-contact them regarding the problem or concern - and the agency will respond within the time promised, even if the problem is not yet resolved.
c. The agency will follow through on promised responses.