June Cover Story 
| Go Fish | In a tough economy, smart prospecting makes all the difference. |
How well is your agency prospecting? Do weekly activity reports for each producer appear each Monday, or are you unsure who last hooked a big fish? Few agencies can afford to feed solely on renewals as the soft market and recession wear on. Smart agency owners are not only demanding that their people sell through this difficult period; they’re also choosing the bait to be used and monitoring the results.
Also in this issue:
Ace Insura
The Case of the Problematic Pipes Insurance Views
Impossible to Ignore
Chairman’s Voice
Recruiting the Next Generation On the Hill
Agents Make Annual Pilgrimage to Capitol Hill On Branding
A Brand Ambassadorship | Online Features Agency Management: Increasing Policy Limits Without Permission
The Big “I” Virtual University recently received the following question: “We are going to update our auto clients’ policy limits in a new program to $500,000. We will then let them know that we have increased their limits. They can call us if they don’t want the increase. We will also give them other options to add. Can we increase their limits or do we have to have their permission first?”
Sales: One Size Does Not Fit All
In order to compete against the direct writers, agents must steer their advertising and marketing toward the most important aspects of their clients’ insurance protection. That is, of course, integrated coverage at a fair price and a variety of products and coverage options.
Customer Service: Retention Accounts
Sales articles are usually focused on sales and practical techniques for producing new business. However, a critical component of the process is actually keeping what has been produced. In a changing market, existing accounts are always vulnerable.
Technology: Fixing Security Mistakes
Budgets are tight this year, making it tempting to put off investing in security to save money. That’s a risky strategy at any time, but worse, it’s largely unnecessary. There are many things you can do to improve your security posture that don’t cost anything.
Coverages: Weather Restrictions
Imagine your agency contract is amended as follows: “The agency shall have no authority on behalf of the company to provide new coverage or increase existing coverage when the National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning, tropical storm watch or warning or hurricane watch or warning for an area within a 200 mile radius of the risk location.” Does this create problems for your agency?
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