A Brand Ambassadorship
By: Jill Bookman
Recently, I saw one of the people from our claims team at American Collectors Insurance in our reception area. She was listening to a customer, whose manner was somber. I thought, “What has caused this man to drive here to talk face-to-face with a claims person?” Whatever the issue was, I was comfortable that we could handle it—but still curious.
I later asked the claims representative what the discussion was about. She explained that a shelf had fallen in the customer’s garage and damaged his prized 1993 Chevy Corvette. He had driven it to the office to deliver the claims paperwork personally and show us the damage. He wanted to be sure his claim was covered by his collector-vehicle policy. He wanted an answer in person, and right away.
The claims rep took the time to go out to the parking lot and inspect the Corvette. She reassured the customer that his policy would pay to repair the damage and, at no cost to him, since his policy had a $0 deductible.
In a service business, like insurance, people need to be driven to help people with skill and responsiveness. But how do agency leaders motivate their people to serve others?
One way that’s working for us began three years ago, when we introduced our staff to the concept of “brand ambassadorship.” We explained that in a service business, everyone touches the customer in some way—and everyone is responsible for upholding the company’s reputation for excellence. Our message: every employee was to consider him/herself an American Collectors Brand Ambassador.
Each month, our management team reviews nominations for Brand Ambassador of the Month and selects a winner. The entire staff then meets to honor the selected employee and spends a few minutes learning—amid applause, balloons and pictures—about the employee’s position, responsibilities and what he/she does that makes his/her brand ambassadorship truly exemplary.
Whether they are in broker service, underwriting, issuance or at the reception desk, employees’ performance evaluations also include how well they represent the American Collectors brand.
The careful manner in which this claims rep served this customer proved that we were right in re-focusing our staff. When brand ambassadors are giving the right attention to customers, agents and brokers, they help make these people ambassadors for us.
A holistic approach to branding requires an agency to look at everything from the receptionist’s tone of voice to the agency’s mailing envelopes. We know that an independent agent can choose us—or choose any number of other providers. If we’re easier, faster and more pleasant to do business with, we’ll win our share of the competition. To do so, our brand ambassadors need to be at the top of their game—because they are the people our customers, agents and brokers will talk about with their family, neighbors and peers.
Jill Bookman is CEO of American Collectors Insurance.
Carrier Connection: Midwest Family Mutual
When it comes to branding, Midwest Family Mutual Insurance (MFM), in Plymouth, Minn., believes in teamwork. Because the company’s service standards revolve around treating its agents as customers, Midwest Family Mutual uses co-op branding as much as possible to make the agent the face of its advertising.
“There is a subdued Midwest Family Mutual logo on our co-op advertising, but the agency is always featured,” says Aaron Boyd, director of development at Midwest Family Mutual. “Our branding practice is in line with our ‘agents as customers’ philosophy and differentiates us from competitors.”
Another factor that differentiates MFM from other companies is the flexibility it offers its employees. Two years ago, the company adopted the tagline “Insuring Midwest Values since 1981,” and according to Boyd, family constitutes an important part of those values. Nearly all of MFM’s employees work from home, allowing them to work around family schedules. MFM also traded a large office building for its current, much smaller one, earning it distinction as a “green” company.
Midwest Family Mutual’s unique office environment has earned it national recognition, and the company continues to seek opportunities to spread its name in an increasingly competitive marketplace. According to Boyd, becoming the first Minnesota-domiciled company to join Trusted Choice® was an integral part of MFM’s branding strategy.
“It’s hard to get your name out there and compete with direct writers,” says Boyd. “The only way to communicate everything agents do, that they are active in their communities and represent more than just one company, is to pool our resources and support a common brand like Trusted Choice®.
—Veronica DeVore
I later asked the claims representative what the discussion was about. She explained that a shelf had fallen in the customer’s garage and damaged his prized 1993 Chevy Corvette. He had driven it to the office to deliver the claims paperwork personally and show us the damage. He wanted to be sure his claim was covered by his collector-vehicle policy. He wanted an answer in person, and right away.
The claims rep took the time to go out to the parking lot and inspect the Corvette. She reassured the customer that his policy would pay to repair the damage and, at no cost to him, since his policy had a $0 deductible.
In a service business, like insurance, people need to be driven to help people with skill and responsiveness. But how do agency leaders motivate their people to serve others?
One way that’s working for us began three years ago, when we introduced our staff to the concept of “brand ambassadorship.” We explained that in a service business, everyone touches the customer in some way—and everyone is responsible for upholding the company’s reputation for excellence. Our message: every employee was to consider him/herself an American Collectors Brand Ambassador.
Each month, our management team reviews nominations for Brand Ambassador of the Month and selects a winner. The entire staff then meets to honor the selected employee and spends a few minutes learning—amid applause, balloons and pictures—about the employee’s position, responsibilities and what he/she does that makes his/her brand ambassadorship truly exemplary.
Whether they are in broker service, underwriting, issuance or at the reception desk, employees’ performance evaluations also include how well they represent the American Collectors brand.
The careful manner in which this claims rep served this customer proved that we were right in re-focusing our staff. When brand ambassadors are giving the right attention to customers, agents and brokers, they help make these people ambassadors for us.
A holistic approach to branding requires an agency to look at everything from the receptionist’s tone of voice to the agency’s mailing envelopes. We know that an independent agent can choose us—or choose any number of other providers. If we’re easier, faster and more pleasant to do business with, we’ll win our share of the competition. To do so, our brand ambassadors need to be at the top of their game—because they are the people our customers, agents and brokers will talk about with their family, neighbors and peers.
Jill Bookman is CEO of American Collectors Insurance.
Carrier Connection: Midwest Family Mutual
When it comes to branding, Midwest Family Mutual Insurance (MFM), in Plymouth, Minn., believes in teamwork. Because the company’s service standards revolve around treating its agents as customers, Midwest Family Mutual uses co-op branding as much as possible to make the agent the face of its advertising.
“There is a subdued Midwest Family Mutual logo on our co-op advertising, but the agency is always featured,” says Aaron Boyd, director of development at Midwest Family Mutual. “Our branding practice is in line with our ‘agents as customers’ philosophy and differentiates us from competitors.”
Another factor that differentiates MFM from other companies is the flexibility it offers its employees. Two years ago, the company adopted the tagline “Insuring Midwest Values since 1981,” and according to Boyd, family constitutes an important part of those values. Nearly all of MFM’s employees work from home, allowing them to work around family schedules. MFM also traded a large office building for its current, much smaller one, earning it distinction as a “green” company.
Midwest Family Mutual’s unique office environment has earned it national recognition, and the company continues to seek opportunities to spread its name in an increasingly competitive marketplace. According to Boyd, becoming the first Minnesota-domiciled company to join Trusted Choice® was an integral part of MFM’s branding strategy.
“It’s hard to get your name out there and compete with direct writers,” says Boyd. “The only way to communicate everything agents do, that they are active in their communities and represent more than just one company, is to pool our resources and support a common brand like Trusted Choice®.
—Veronica DeVore
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