Speak Up

Many carriers have cut down on their force of sales representatives who provide vital training to agents and brokers in the field. And even companies that haven’t reduced their field personnel find it difficult to visit far-flung independent agencies as often as they’d like.

More than ever, producers and CSRs need training. If they don’t know how to use the carrier’s website, they can’t sell or service its products. That means independent agents are representing fewer companies than they think are—and offering fewer options to their clients as a result.

Enter: the webinar. If done correctly, webinars can be just as effective as in-person training—not to mention a whole lot more convenient and less time-consuming for producers and staff, since it eliminates wait time for carrier representatives to show up at the agency. Plus, people are generally more prone to ask questions over the phone. In person, some employees—especially new producers and CSRs—will be shy out of fear that they might ask a “dumb” question.

Webinars help mitigate those inhibitions by facilitating interaction through instant messaging or live calls, during which attendees have the ability to get immediate answers in whatever way they prefer. Whether they’re listening through a headset or a speaker phone, webinar attendees can ask their questions in an interactive, natural platform, often diving even deeper with follow-up questions and explanations. And there’s really no limit on scope or size of staff—webinars can support an individual producer or a large group, maximizing reach and efficiency.

Technology only improves the process of sharing product and sales knowledge. Webinar training often enables the agency to begin selling the carrier’s products more quickly with confidence.

Jeff Jacob is assistant vice president of sales at Pacific Specialty Insurance Company in Menlo Park, Calif., which offers property and powersports insurance through independent agents and brokers.

SIDEBAR: New Staff Training Made Easy

Carrier webinars can show agency staff exactly how to use the carrier’s site to obtain quotes, bind policies and tackle policy changes.

The sales representative has the opportunity to demonstrate daily interactions between the agency and the carrier, such as accessing the replacement-cost estimator for property risks, how to download policies to the agency management system and where to locate the underwriting guidelines for a particular product.

Since it’s interactive, the sales representative can answer questions at any time. Make it a part of your new employee training. —J.J.