HR and Staffing

Agents need both sales and technical training to be successful. You can’t have one without the other. But what’s the right mix?

A chief relationship officer is not a single position one must apply for, but a position for everyone. And in order to be a great CEO, CFO, COO or C-anything, you need to be a great CRO first.

Don’t ask octogenarian Douglas Soderberg to retire. Not only does his schedule include tennis and golf; he is still actively engaged in the insurance agency he and his wife Frances co-founded in 1968.

Soon, Gen Y will control 50% of the workforce. Given that one of the most time-consuming and often expensive things we do is recruit good people, the last thing we want is to lose them.

J. Alan Johnson has earned big rewards from his commitment to education: The Johnson Agency has been the smallest agency to earn the Best Practices designation for the last eight years running.

Like any business or organization, independent agencies have unique organizational cultures that can foster desired behaviors and decisions by employees.

David Hale used an economic lull to grow his agency to $28 million in premium in a community with a 25-mile radius and 100,000 people. Six of 10 employees are under age 30—four of whom have celebrated seven years with the agency.

Your company’s productivity and ability to retain committed employees depend largely upon the skill of its leadership. But for first-time managers, supervising others is a new responsibility—and a major challenge that may be overwhelming.

Years ago, people retired from their first job after 30–40 years of service. In stark contrast, the newest generation has a reputation for job hopping—often with good reason.

What’s the key to effective sales feedback and better producer performance? Follow these four steps to ensure a new kind of evaluation conversation with your sales staff.