Bad reputation: Changing the perception of insurance
The perception of the insurance industry isn't pretty. How does the industry change consumers' view of it as a necessary evil?
An insurance agent or broker is often the first (and sometimes only) direct contact a customer has with a financial institution. Agents need to be equipped to do their job well to offer the best experience for their customers – and this includes understanding the questions insurance agents are asking.
When you’re putting together a team of independent agents to push your insurance plans, you can be sure there a few questions on top of your agent’s mind.
Questions insurance agents are asking
1. Can I sell?
Insurance agencies know they need to be able to perform the appropriate background checks on an agent before they’re hired. In most cases, these processes are manual and timely, and are not continued for the duration an agent is with a carrier. However, it’s not just about ensuring your agents are okay to sell at the moment. t must be a continual investment on keeping them compliant, up to date, and able to sell.
The last thing an agent wants is to be pulled out of the field or out of a deal because they are suddenly found to be noncompliant. Carriers need to be able to easily communicate to agents if they are staying compliant, need to renew a license, or are due to complete a mandatory training.
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2. Who am I selling to?
Agents need easy access to their book of business, or client list. They need to be able to check the status of their customers and who, if anyone else, has also had conversations with that customer, in order to manage the customer relationship and to create a better customer experience.
Relationships within the insurance industry can be very complex and client relationships are evolving every day. The longer a customer’s relationship with your business, the more complex the book of business becomes. Carriers need to give agent’s the ability to manage all of these complex relationships and customer contracts with ease.
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3. How much do I get paid?
When dealing with many independent agents who are solely paid through commissions, late payments, disputes, and overpayments are common. Compensation plans need to be easy to understand. Agents need to know when they are getting paid and how much. They need to know the formulas and the calculations that went into the payment they are receiving for their work.
If an agent’s compensation plan is too complex, and they’re not understanding the benefit on why they’re doing something, there’s a good chance they’re not going to do it at all.
