It’s not often our interactions with others stand out to us throughout the day. But, if they do, it’s because they were one of two things: impressively positive or shockingly negative. As an independent insurance agency, you’ve had your share of insurance customer service feedback on both ends.
Working with our partner agencies, I’ve seen how each handle negative customer service experiences and the preventative measure put in place to avoid them. Below are some of their tried and true steps.
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6 Steps to Positive Insurance Customer Service
1. Timely responses: Top priority is to get back to your customers quickly. When you have a question, you want to hear back soon. Especially when it’s urgent. No one likes feeling they’re on someone else’s time during a service interaction.
2. Communication/clarity: Pick up the phone. Stop hiding behind emails. Give a real answer to questions.
3. Follow through: Your word is good, but your deeds are better. When responding to a customer request, stay on schedule and follow up regularly. Even if you don’t yet have a solution, stay in contact to show each customer his or her request is important.
4. Knowledge: Admit that you don’t know everything. When you’re not the expert, go to a team member who is. Not only will you better meet the customer’s need, you’ll gain some knowledge for future use.
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5. Personality: Service quality is only as good as the quality of the person delivering it. Bring out the best version of yourself for your customers. There’s nothing more helpful than a friendly voice guiding you through your questions.
6. Consistency: Take everything above and continue to make it happen. How you respond, how you communicate, the knowledge you have and the personality your team brings to the table should be the same high caliber from customer to customer. This consistency helps perpetuate your excellent service reputation.
I know these steps work because I’ve seen them in action – and not just with our partner agents. At SIS, we employ these measures to make sure our clients are helped and heard. Each Partner XE agency receives multiple ways to ask and answer questions through dedicated service, access to online Quick Guides, and regular in person and online trainings to keep operations sharp.
Want to find out more about the service and support SIS offers? Contact us or check out our website at sispartnerplatform.com. We’ll give you the timely response, clarity, and consistency you deserve.
Jake Thaxton, Director of Client Services joined SIS in 2012 and has helped transform Client Services into a cohesive, effective team that supports our clients daily use of Partner Platform. Known for his professionalism and software knowledge Jake has been instrumental in driving client experience success, leading a team that delivers world class customer support for ongoing issue resolution in the most efficient and effective ways.
Jake graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a major in Business Economics. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, traveling and golfing.