The Tennessee Agent

the

Tennessee agent J U N E / J U LY 2 0 1 1

VOL. 53, NO. 3

IN THIS ISSUE Unlock the Treasures!

2011 Annual Convention and Trade Show Convention Guide

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OFFICERS Glen Page, CIC, CPIA President Page, Chaffin & Riggins Insurance 8122 Walnut Run Cordova, TN 38018 Ph: 901-755-5526 email: glen@pcrins.com Elaine Morton, CPIA President-elect Morton Insurance Agency, Inc., Bartlett email: elaine@mortonagency.com Steve Peay Vice President Boyle Insurance, Memphis email: stevep@boyle.com Lorrie Palmer, CIC Secretary Holman and Holman, Springfield email: lpalmer@holmanandholmanins.com Donnie Hogan, CIC Treasurer Fred M. Smith & Son, Inc., Springfield email: donnie@fredmsmith.com Leighton Bush, CPIA Immediate Past President Bush Insurance & Financial Services, Nashville email: leighton@bushins.com

N AT I O N A L D I R E C T O R June W. Taylor, CIC, CPIA, CPIW, DAE Wilkinson Insurance Agency, White House email: june.taylor@wilkinsonins.com

Tennessee agent TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S June/July 2011 Vol. 53, No. 3

Articles 2011 Convention Program Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Schedule-at-a-Glance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Convention Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Thursday Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Friday Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Saturday Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Trade Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Convention Contributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 PIA Past Presidents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 PIA Award Recipients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 CPIA Designees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

DIRECTORS Carl Butcher, CIC, CPA C. L. Butcher Agency, Knoxville email: carl@clbutcher.com Tina M. Hutsenpiller, CPIA Hutsenpiller Insurance Service, LLC, Mt. Juliet email: tina@hutsenpillerinsurance.com Joseph P. (Joe) Kerr, CIC, CPIA Kerr Insurance Services, LLC, Brentwood email: joe@kerrinsurance.net Britt Linder, CIC Peterson Insurance Services, Inc., Bartlett email: britt@peterson-insurance.com Herbert Montgomery Clay and Land Insurance Agency, Memphis email: hmontgomery@clayandland.com Bill Oglesby, II, CIC, CPIA Brown Insurance Group, Crossville email: bill@brown-insurance.com Barry Wilson, CIC Mid-South Insurance Office, Inc., Memphis email: bwilson@mid-southinsurance.com

Measure Your Website In this “Tech Bit” article, Gregg Marshall writes about a Google application that allows you to measure the effectiveness of your agency’s website. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Use the mirror test for this E&O hotspot Moving an account? Utica National Agents E&O consultant Curt Pearsall writes about the mirror test to help avoid an E&O claim. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Cash…Kudos…Pizza?

How do you motivate the CSRs in your agency?

Omnia Group senior consultant Carletta Neal explains why it’s important to reward your CSRs, and how to do so effectively. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Columns

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President’s Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Brennan Paris, CIC, bparis@piatn.com Executive Vice President

PIA Calendar & Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Pamela D. Cass, CPIA, pcass@piatn.com Director of Education & Convention Sandy Clive, CPIA, sclive@piatn.com Director of Member Services Lochiel Gaines, lgaines@piatn.com Director of Communications, Trade Show Coordinator Liz Maden, lmaden@piatn.com Director of Accounting Services

The Tennessee Agent (ISSN 1081-566X) is published bimonthly by the Professional Insurance Agents of Tennessee, Inc. Statement of fact or opinions expressed in any article are solely that of the author and does not imply opinions of the officers, directors or staff of PIA of Tennessee, Inc. The publishing of any article or advertisement does not imply endorsement by PIA of Tennessee, Inc. No material within this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the Editor.

Editor: Lochiel Gaines, lgaines@piatn.com Advertising inquiries should be made to the Editor, The Tennessee Agent, 504 Autumn Springs Court, A-2, Franklin, TN 37067.

Telephone 615/771-1177 Fax 615/771-3456 Email – lgaines@piatn.com Website – www.piatn.com

President’s Perspective B Y G L E N PA G E , C I C , C P I A

s my term as your president nears the end and being that this is my last article, I would like to at this time express my sincere appreciation to all the many people who have assisted me this year. There are too many to name, but I especially want to thank the staff in the Franklin office. There is no way to describe “these girls” and all they do. The board of directors has stepped up and done all that has been asked of them and the officers have gone that extra step. I do want to single out Brit Linder for all his work on the association’s hiring a new executive vice president. I feel that a lot has been accomplished this year and it required a joint effort by

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everyone involved. All I can say is thanks from the bottom of my heart.

As I alluded to earlier, PIA of Tennessee has hired a new executive vice president. His name is Brennan Paris, and he will have been introduced by the time this article goes to print. Brennan comes to us from Johnson and Johnson, Inc. with a very impressive resume. I know everyone will join me in welcoming Brennan and his wife Courtney into our PIA family.

There is a lot to do as we head into a new administrative year and a new slate of officers. I want to encourage everyone to get involved in the PIA by volunteering to serve on a committee or serve on the board of directors when asked. Remember this is your association and its sole purpose is to aid and assist our member agents and the perpetuation of he insurance industry as we know it today.

I hope to see you at convention. God bless and have a safe trip. •

Board members welcomed Brennan Paris to PIA on his first day in the office, Tuesday, May 17. From left to right, front row: Steve Peay, Glen Page, Brennan Paris, Tina Hutsenpiller, and Elaine Morton. Left to right, back row: Leighton Bush, Britt Linder, June Taylor, Lorrie Palmer, Donnie Hogan and Herbert Montgomery.

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THE TENNESSEE AGENT June/July 2011

Welcome to the Convention

Welcome to PIA’s 76th annual convention and trade show, and thank you for attending. I am confident you will enjoy your time here at the Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa in Florence, Alabama.

We have several firsts at this convention, of which the most significant is the first PIA of Tennessee convention for our new executive vice president, Brennan Paris. We welcome him, and his wife, Courtney, to our PIA family. You will have the opportunity to meet and greet Brennan and Courtney at the Welcoming Reception which will be held in his honor Thursday evening.

Another first is the invitation we extended to PIA members in Alabama and Mississippi to join us at the convention. We welcome those members who are here. I also want to extend a special welcome to all of our first time attendees.

An outstanding lineup of education has been planned. The NFIP Flood Training seminar will satisfy the new rule in Tennessee that requires anyone 1) who is licensed in property and casualty and 2) is subject to continuing education for license renewal to complete a NFIP flood training seminar. Later, PIA member Chester Butler will show you how to turn your technical knowledge into dollars. Then, on Friday Ted Janusz will demystify the uses and assets of social media in the agency. And, everyone will have the opportunity to share success stories at the agent-to-agent roundtable discussions.

We have packed in plenty of fun, too—golf at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at The Shoals…a visit to Helen Keller’s birthplace or the Children’s Museum of the Shoals…a cruise on the Tennessee River on the Pickwick Belle. Or stay on property and enjoy the spa!

I want to extend a special thank you to the companies that are sponsors of the convention and those that are exhibiting. Your support is important, and we appreciate your contributions.

Again…welcome, enjoy, and thank you!

Donnie Hogan, CIC Fred M. Smith & Son, Springfield Chairman, 2011 Convention and Trade Show

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Schedule -at-a-Glance THURSDAY, JUNE 9

9:00 a.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Registration 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. . . . . . .Education—NFIP Flood Insurance Essentials 1:00 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Golf Tournament—optional event 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . .Education—Turn Your Technical Knowledge into $$$$ 2:00 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Helen Keller Birthplace—optional event 2:00 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Children’s Museum of the Shoals—optional event 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. . . . . . . . . . .PIA EVP Welcoming Reception 7:30 – 9:00 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . .Pickwick Belle Riverboat—optional event

FRIDAY, JUNE 10

7:30 a.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Registration 7:45 – 8:30 a.m. . . . . . . . . . . .Continental Breakfast 8:15 – 9:00 a.m. . . . . . . . . . . .PIA Business Meeting 9:00 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. . . . . . .Trade Show 11:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. . . . . . .Lunch in the Trade Show 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . .Education—Social Media Demystified 2:40 – 4:00 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . .Education—Agent-to-Agent Roundtable Discussions 6:30 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Children’s Pizza Party 6:45 – 7:30 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . .President’s Reception 7:30 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Banquet

SATURDAY, JUNE 11

7:30 a.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Registration 7:45 – 8:30 a.m. . . . . . . . . . . .Continental Breakfast 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. . . . . . . . . . . .Closing Session 9:30 – 11:00 a.m. . . . . . . . . . . .Trade Show 11:00 a.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2011 Convention and Trade Show Concludes

CONVENTION COMMITTEE Donnie Hogan, CIC, Chairman Fred M. Smith & Son, Inc. Springfield Louise Barnes, LUTCF Valley Insurance Service, Inc. Sweetwater Janet Cornett, LUTCF, CPIA The Argos Group Knoxville Bob Harris, CPIA Harris Insurance Knoxville

Jamie Hobgood, CIC Consumers Insurance Murfreesboro

Tina Hutsenpiller, CPIA Hutsenpiller Insurance Service, LLC Mt. Juliet Elaine Morton, CPIA Morton Insurance Agency, Inc. Bartlett

Glen Page, CIC, CPIA Page, Chaffin & Riggins Insurance Cordova David Redditt Main Street America Group Hendersonville Jamie Reed, ARM, AIS GMAC Insurance Murfreesboro

Bob Reeder, CPIA Penn National Insurance Co. Nashville Marsha Reeder, CPIA Allied Underwriting, Inc. Smyrna

Tommy Thomas, Jr., CIC, ARM, CRM Mid-South Insurance Office, Inc. Pickwick Dam Karen Tidwell, CPIA Parthenon Insurance Services, LLC Nashville Scott Watson United Fire Group LaVergne

Barry Wilson, CIC Mid-South Insurance Office, Inc. Memphis

Tricia Zeff-Lewis, CIC, CPIW, CISR NAI Excess & Surplus Lines Florence, Alabama THE TENNESSEE AGENT June/July 2011

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THE TENNESSEE AGENT June/July 2011

Thank You to Our Sponsors Diamond Sponsors

Sponsors of the Welcoming Reception, President’s Reception, Banquet and Agent Grand Door Prize

Emerald Sponsors

Sponsors of the Education Sessions, Golf Tournament and Trade Show Lunch

Sapphire Sponsors Argos Group, Inc. Burns & Wilcox, Ltd. Crump Insurance Services, Inc. Farmers Mutual of Tennessee GMAC Insurance Hanover Insurance Group Johnson & Johnson Kentucky National Insurance Co.

Main Street America Group NAI Excess & Surplus Lines Penn National Insurance Co. Southern Pioneer P&C Insurance Co. Summit Consulting, Inc. Travelers U.S. Risk Insurance Group, Inc.

Sponsors of the Continental Breakfasts and the Trade Show Beverage Breaks

THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2011 Registration Opens Conference Center

9:00 a.m.

The registration desk is open all day. You will pick up your registration packet here and complete the banquet ticket

exchange if you are attending the banquet on Friday night. When you exchange your ticket, you will have the opportunity to select the table where you want to be seated.

9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Education —Flood Insurance Essentials Singing River Room, Conference Center

This workshop is an introduction to the National Flood Insurance Program basics. It covers the mission of the National Flood Insurance Program, the role of NFIP communities, WYO companies and lenders. Upon completion, participants will have a basic understanding of the NFIP and the important role of agents. The session covers fundamental topics, including a Standard Flood Insurance Policy’s major coverage areas, FEMA’s elevation certificate, increased cost of compliance coverage, and the Preferred Risk Policy. Approved for 3 hours C.E. credit. Presented by Dorothy Martinez, NFIP. Sponsored by Emerald Sponsors

1:00 p.m.

Golf Tournament —optional activity Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at The Shoals

Golfers meet in the hotel lobby at 12 noon. Boxed lunches will be available at the golf course. Get directions to the course and carpool, if desired. Boxed lunches will be

available at the golf course. The scramble starts at 1:00 and will be played on the Schoolmaster course. Trophies will be presented to the winning team at the Welcoming Reception that will be held Thursday evening. Sponsored

by Emerald Sponsors

1:30 - 4:30 p.m.

Education — Turn Your Technical Knowledge into $$$$ Singing River Room, Conference Center

This workshop offers participants valuable information on consumer expectations, account development and retention, and interpersonal communication skills. Approved for 3 hours C.E. credit.

Presented by Chester Butler, III, CIC, CPIA, president of The Butler Co., Inc., Nashville, and board member of The AIMS Society. Sponsored by Emerald Sponsors

2:00 p.m.

Ivy Green, Birthplace of Helen Keller — optional activity Meet in the hotel lobby at 2:00 to go to the birthplace of Helen Keller.

Welcoming Reception Conference Center Atrium

Children’s Museum of the Shoals — optional activity Meet in the hotel lobby at 2:00 to go to the museum.

6:00 - 7:00 p.m.

PIA officially welcomes Brennan Paris as the new execu-

tive vice president of PIA of Tennessee. Meet and greet colleagues and friends and enjoy the evening. Sponsored

by Diamond Sponsors

7:45 - 9:15 p.m.

Pickwick Belle Riverboat Cruise — optional activity

Enjoy a leisurely cruise with live music on the beautiful

Pickwick Lake and the majestic Tennessee River. Snacks provided. Cash bar. Transportation to the Riverboat is on your own. Maps will be available.

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FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011 7:30 a.m.

Registration Opens Conference Center

The registration desk is open all day. Please complete your banquet ticket exchange by 1:00 p.m.

7:45 - 8:30 a.m.

8:15 - 9:00 a.m.

Continental Breakfast Conference Center Atrium Sponsored by Sapphire Sponsors

PIA Business Meeting Singing River Room, Conference Center

9:00 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.

Trade Show Shoals Ballroom, Conference Center

Visit the exhibit booths of companies in the Trade Show to learn about their products, meet company reps, see

Lunch in the Trade Show

demos and find ways to enhance your agency’s operations. To qualify for the agent’s grand door prize full registrants must visit each booth and get the signature or initials of the vendor. Beverage Breaks sponsored by Sapphire Sponsors

11:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Sponsored by Emerald Sponsors

1:00 - 2:30 p.m.

Education — Social Media Demystified Singing River Room, Conference Center

Can your agency benefit from the social media—Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, MySpace?

Yes it can! You will learn why and how in this session presented by Ted Janusz, professional speaker, author and marketing consultant. Sponsored by Emerald Sponsors

2:40 - 4:00 p.m.

Education —Agent-to-Agent Roundtables Shoals D & E, Conference Center

Roundtable discussions, led by a topic facilitator, will allow you to connect with your peers in straightforward, informal discussion on the following topics—client relations, certificates of insurance, blogging, life and health sales, perpetuation planning.

6:30 p.m.

6:45 - 7:30 p.m.

Children’s Pizza Party Roosevelt Room, Marriott Hotel

Child care, dinner and activities for children ages 4-12, during the banquet. Registration required.

Banquet Singing River Room, Conference Center

President’s Reception Conference Center Atrium

The reception honors outgoing president Glen Page and incoming president Elaine Morton. Sponsored by Diamond Sponsors

7:30 p.m.

Enjoy a delicious dinner with friends to be followed by the recognition of new CPIAs, recognition of convention

sponsors, installation of PIA officers and directors for 2011-2012, and the announcement of the 2011 Agent of the Year and Company Representative of the Year recipients.

Sponsored by Diamond Sponsors

SATURDAY, JUNE 11, 2011

7:30 - 9:30 a.m.

7:45 - 8:30 a.m.

Continental Breakfast Conference Center Atrium

Registration Conference Center

Sponsored by Sapphire Sponsors

8:30 - 9:30 a.m.

Closing Session Singing River Room, Conference Center

Ted Janusz leads the closing session which focuses on efficiency and effectiveness. Participants will leave with ideas on how to achieve personal and career advantages that can lead to a more profitable and successful agency. Sponsored

by Emerald Sponsors

Trade Show Shoals Ballroom, Conference Center

9:30 - 11:00 a.m.

Pay a final visit to the exhibit booths of companies in the Trade Show. Stick around while exhibitors award their door prizes and the 76th annual convention and trade show concludes with the awarding of the agent grand door prize and the company representative grand door prize. Agent Grand Door Prize sponsored by Diamond Sponsors

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Access Insurance Company Private passenger auto insurance P.O. Box 105869 Atlanta, GA 30348 www.accessgeneral.com Ph: 770-220-6556 Fax: 770-234-3738 Booth Rep:

TRADE SHOW

Alfa Insurance Companies A+ non-standard auto insurance company. Alfa Vision—a non-scored auto insurance program. Alfa Specialty—a scored auto insurance program.

210 Westwood Place, Suite 200 Brentwood, TN 37027 www.alfapolicy.com Ph: 877-884-7466 Fax: 615-312-2459 Booth Rep: Barry Sanford, territory sales manager and Josh Payne, TN product manager American Commerce Insurance/AMAPFRE Co American Commerce Insurance, a MAPFRE Company, is rated “A+” (Superior) by A.M. Best and is experienced in providing personal lines insurance products and services to independent agencies across the country.

3590 Twin Creeks Dr. Columbus, OH 43204 www.acilink.com Ph: 615-722-1041 Fax: 508-671-4441 Booth Rep: Bob Hendrix

Amerisafe Amerisafe is an A- (Excellent) rated provider of workers’ comp coverage,specializing in the construction, trucking, agribusiness, manufacturing,wood products, oil & gas and USL&H/Marine industries. Contact Marketing at (800) 897-9719; email aiic-mktg@amerisafe.com.

2301 Highway 190 W DeRidder, LA 70634 www.amerisafe.com Ph: 800-897-9719 Fax: 800-450-1091 Booth Rep: Tyson Reed, James Manning

Applied Systems, Inc. Applied Systems uses deep insurance and automation knowledge to design, develop and support intuitive agency management systems - built for the way agencies and brokerages work. Learn more at www.appliedsystems.com.

200 Applied Parkway University Park, IL 60484 www.appliedsystems.com Ph: 800-999-5368 Fax: 708-534-8016 Booth Rep: Bill Posey, Terry Williamson

Argos Group, Inc. Work comp specialists 2200 Resource Drive, Suite 101 Birmingham, AL 35242 www.argosins.com Ph: 205-980-7806 Fax: 205-980-7807 Booth Rep: Karl Peterson, Maxine Long

Associated Insurance Administrators (AIA) AIA is a managing general underwriter (MGU) representing an A++ rated carrier and specializing in workers’ compensation insurance.

4135 Carmichael Road Montgomery, AL 36123 www.aiaworkcomp.com Ph: 800-981-4242 Fax: 334-279-9966 Booth Rep: Tim Gannon, Barbara Evans

Burns & Wilcox, Ltd. Burns & Wilcox is proud to access a trusted and expansive network ofdomestic and international insurance carriers to provide creative specialty insurance solutions to thousands of professional select agents and brokers.

2325 Lakeview Parkway, Suite 375 Alpharetta, GA 30004-7942 www.burnsandwilcox.com Ph: 800-341-4844 Fax: 770-751-3633 Booth Rep: Becky Cox, Carrie Sheen-Robertson Consumers Insurance Personal and commercial insurance.

P.O. Box 12269 Murfreesboro, TN 37129 www.ciusa.com Ph: 615-896-6133Fax: 615-896-0766 Booth Rep: Dennis Putthoff, Jamie Hobgood

Evolution Agency Management, LLC Full featured agency management systems at prices anybody can afford. Multi-agency, full accounting, policy details, online hosting available.

4555 Mansell Rd., Ste. 300 Alpharetta, GA 30022 www.my-evo.com Ph: 770-521-4380 Fax: 770-521-4200 Booth Rep: Ken Butler

FirstComp FirstComp, a long-term workers’ compensation solution, is dedicated to creating an ease of doing business.

Direct access to underwriters, a broad appetite, and accurate online quotes in minutes are a few of the benefits weprovide our agency partners.

5426 Bay Center Drive, Ste 500 Tampa, FL 33609 www.firstcomp.com Ph: 888-500-3344 Fax: 402-505-4800 Booth Rep: Spencer Dillon, Tennessee; Dori Vaughan, Mississippi Genesee General Genesee General is a wholesaler/MGA in business for over 25 years. We target all commercial lines business including general liability, property,transportation, garage, umbrella/excess, liquor liability, professional liability and pollution policies.

1220 Old Alpharetta Road, Suite 380 Alpharetta, GA 30005-3986 www.geneseeins.com Ph: 770-396-1600 Fax: 770-396-7699 Booth Rep: Sarah Garman

GMAC Insurance GMAC Insurance Personal Lines offers a variety of property and casualty products, including personal auto and RV insurance. With a nationwide network of claims professionals, GMAC Insurance provides superior claims service for its customers.

500 W. 5th Street Winston Salem, NC 27101 www.GMACAgency.com Ph: 615-278-0847 Fax: 336-435-0080 Booth Rep: Jeff Gleason, Jamie Reed Johnson & Johnson MGA serving the Eastern seaboard from the deep South to the Northeast: personal lines, commercial lines, premium financing P.O. Box 899 Charleston, SC 29402 www.jjins.com Ph: 800-487-7565 Fax: 843-577-1511 Booth Rep: Andrew Wood NAI Excess & Surplus Lines Your one stop shop for: commercial auto, trucking, used auto dealers, auto repair, dealers open lot, garagekeepers, property, inland marine, general liability, liquor liability, umbrella/excess liability, professional liability, EPLI P.O. Box 2020 Florence, AL 35630 www.nai1982.com Ph: 800-824-1740 Fax: 888-624-1982 Booth Rep: Chris Herrin, Tricia Zeff-Lewis, Donnie Haynes

National Security Fire & Casualty Co. Dwelling and Mobile Home, Limited Homeowners, Comprehensive Mobile Homeowners, Medalist Automobile Programs.

P.O. Box 703 Elba, AL 36323 www.nationalsecuritygroup.com Ph: 334-897-2273 Fax: 800-239-2403 Booth Rep: Tim Wilson, Jerry Dubose PaymentPartner.com Payment services 260 Wekiva Springs Rd., Suite 2090 Longwood, FL 32779 www.paymentpartner.com Ph: 865-386-5436 Booth Rep:

Prime Insurance Company Prime Insurance Company is an excess and surplus lines carrier that provides solutions for hard-to-place risks.

Prime provides solutions that traditional markets don’t offer and specializes in specialty liability,professional, property/casualty insurance.

8722 South Harrison Street Sandy, UT 84070 www.primeis.com Ph: 800-257-5590 Fax: 877-452-6910 Booth Rep: Jack McDonnell, Mike Fennell Progressive Insurance Personal auto, commercial auto, boat, motorcycle, RV. 555 Marriott Dr., Suite 500 Nashville, TN 37214 www.progressive.com Ph: 615-391-7400 Fax: 615-391-7490 Booth Reps: David Benchabbat, Rob Cannon

Servpro SERVPRO is the leading fire and water-cleanup & restoration company inthe nation. We provide a variety of services to make any emergency situation, “Like it never even happened.”

813 Madison Industrial Road Madison, TN 37115-3027 www.servpro.com Ph: 615-868-5324 Fax: 615-865-7902 Booth Rep: Javonda Critchelow SGA TN—The Southern General Agency of Tennessee, Inc P. O. Box 11344 Knoxville, TN 37939-1344 www.sgatn.com Ph: 865-909-0181 Fax: 865-909-0312 Booth Rep:

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South & Western South & Western provides specialty, standard, and E&S personal, farm and commercial insurance products to independent agents.

P.O. Box 9015 Addison, TX 75001 www.southandwestern.com Ph: 972-855-2905 Fax: 972-855-2990 Booth Rep: Albert Ostermann

Southern Cross Underwriters Southern Cross Underwriters is the MGA division of CRC Insurance Services, Inc., the largest wholesale broker in the nation. Our Southern Cross offices each have a territory to serve you.

95 White Bridge Road, Suite 101 Nashville, TN 37205 www.scui.com Ph: 615-356-2900 Fax: 800-701-1790 Booth Rep: Connie Wright

Staff One, Inc. Since 1988, Staff One has delivered a comprehensive range of HR solutions to clients in more than 41 states.

With an ESAC accredited PEO service offering, we operate as a full-service HR department for small to medium-size companies.

6 Cadillac Drive, Suite 140 Brentwood, TN 37027 www.staffone.com Ph: 615-377-8923 Fax: 615-377-8987 Booth Rep: Charlie Payne, Dan Telford Star Casualty Insurance Company Star Casualty has been providing automobile insurance since 1988. Dedicated to the independent agency channel, Star Casualty is seeking to expand our agent base in Tennessee. Stop by our booth to learn more about partnering with Star Casualty!

5539 S.W. 8th Street Coral Gables, FL 33134 www.starcasualty.com Ph: 786-363-2829 Fax: 786-363-2036 Booth Rep: Michelle Anderson

THOMCO Insurance Thomco is a program administrator for more than 20 national target market programs. Thomco’s programs typically involve a customized package of coverages.

3380 Chastain Meadows Parkway, Suite 100 Kennesaw, GA 30144 www.thomcoins.com Ph: 678-290-2815 Fax: 678-290-2205 Booth Rep: Kendra Bostick

U.S. Risk Insurance Group, Inc. U.S. Risk Insurance Group, Inc. is a specialty lines underwriting manager and wholesale broker, offering a broad range of products and services.

555 Marriott Drive, Suite 325 Nashville, TN 37214 www.usrisk.com Ph: 615-872-7400 Fax: 615-872-0201 Booth Rep: Chris Christian

Universal Insurance Company Commercial property and casualty insurance P.O. Box 1 Columbia, SC 29202 www.seibels-uic.com Ph: 803-748-2685 Fax: 866-863-8938 Booth Rep: Alan Blackwell Utica National Insurance Group E&O coverage for agencies 180 Genesee Street New Hartford, NY 13413 www.uticanational.com Ph: 313-235-6923 Fax: 315-235-6769 Booth Rep: Jim Almy

CONTRIBUTORS

PIA thanks these companies for their contribution to the success of the convention.

Accident Fund Insurance Co. of America Bailey Special Risks, Inc. Bituminous Insurance Cos. Central Insurance Cos.

Mid-South Insurance Specialists, Inc. PIA Group Trust State Auto Insurance

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THE TENNESSEE AGENT June/July 2011

2009-10 2008-09 2007-08 2006-07 2005-06 2004-05 2003-04 2002-03 2001-02 2000-01 1999-00 1998-99 1997-98 1996-97 1995-96 1994-95 1993-94 1992-93 1991-92

PIA PAST PRESIDENTS

Leighton Bush Frederick B. Butler Art Gernt, II William B. Oldham, III George Hilliard Britt Linder Lee Smith, Jr. Doron Claiborne Glen R. Page Derek Wirz Kevin S. Hale Jerry B. Martin William H. Oglesby, II Carl L. Butcher, Jr. Chester A. Butler, III Michael S. Petty Milton Lagasse William F. Ketron, Jr. Frank Bilbrey

1990-91 1989-90 1988-89 1987-88 1986-87 1985-86 1984-85 1983-84 1982-83 1981-82 1980-81 1979-80 1978-79 1977-78 1976-77 1975-76 1974-75 1973-74 1972-73

June Wilkinson Taylor Dean Morton Harrison Gilley Johnny M. Cox Ralph W. Thomas, Jr. Charles Gardner William Lightfoot, III Hugh Peterson, Jr. Joe Hagerty Al Evans Al Hollingsworth R.S. Thaxton Jim Hill Sam Arnold Pat McGlothin Jack Dugger, Sr. William L. Bettison W.L. Simpkins, Jr. Mat Lipscomb

1971-72 1970-71 1969-70 1968-69 1967-68 1966-67 1965-66 1964-65 1963-64 1962-63 1961-62 1960-61 1959-60 1958-59 1957-58 1956-57 1955-56 1954-55 1953-54

Roger L. Smith, Sr. W.A. Broome K.G. Coker Jerry Agee Isaac Robinette Joel Haley John Pitts Oliver Dale W.B. Oldham, Jr. Carl J. Gates John A. Spann Bob Millard Joe F. Hall W.R. Van Camp Fred Irwin Clifton R. Lewis Paul R. Shirey Ralph McCool Charles Sherrod

1952-53 1951-52 1950-51 1949-50 1948-49 1947-48 1946-47 1945-46 1944-45 1943-44 1942-43 1941-42 1940-41 1939-40 1938-39 1937-38

W.H. Austin J.E. Cotten Fred Smith J.S. Kirkpatrick, Jr. W.J. Ingle J. J. Underwood Tom Pace Guy E. Greeson Clifton R. Lewis R. Emyl Hill* A.N. Miller J. Wayne Barker Will S. Hall Lee Ihle Harry Faw Fred Reuning

* Mr. Hill served as president of the National Association of Mutual Insurance Agents in 1950.

THE TENNESSEE AGENT June/July 2011

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THE TENNESSEE AGENT June/July 2011

PIA AWARD RECIPIENTS

Agent of the Year

Lorrie Palmer Leighton Bush George Hilliard Ken Bowles* Art Gernt, II Britt Linder Kevin Hale Derek Wirz Glen Page Doron Claiborne Roger Lee Smith, Jr. William H. Oglesby, II Carl L. Butcher, Jr. Milton Lagasse Michael S. Petty Johnny Cox June W. Taylor Chester A. Butler, III Betty Hart Bruce Robins* Bill Freeman Charles E. Gardner Ralph W. (Tommy) Thomas W.A. Broome William Ketron, Sr. Hugh Peterson, Jr.

2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985

Company Representative of the Year Katherine Ethridge Chris Christian Karen Tidwell Donna Boyd** Tricia Zeff** Dyson Massengill** Robert Reeder award not presented Milton Collins Richard L. Pinckley Marsha Reeder Ken Boutwell R. David Swanson** Pam Sadler** Diana Lehman Anita McCumber Steve Wheeler Ernie Selby Pam Evans Denise Rose DeVault** Tom McConnico Joey D. Perkins Dan Enzor Betty Howell Richard Wilson Tom McConnico

W.R. Van Camp R.S. Thaxton Al Hollingsworth Jack Dugger Sam Arnold* Sam Arnold Roger L. Smith, Sr. John Spann W.A. Broome Mat Lipscomb Isaac H. Robinette, Jr. Carl Gates Charles Sherrod Bob Millard Jim Swink Roger L. Smith, Sr. John Pitts William B. Oldham, Jr. John Pitts Joel Haley R.E. Hill, Sr. John Spann Joe Hall W.R. Van Camp*

PIA National’s *Agent of the Year **Company Representative of the Year

1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961

Nancy Patterson Lynn Monday John W. Simpson, Jr. Sid Johnson Chip Smith Steve McCulley Sam Nelson Charles Link Truitt Abney Bill Steele Ron Henderson Joe M. Clinard Newt Cook Jim Hill W.L. Stubel James B. Nugent Clarence Miller Ben Hill Bill Bingham Lee Ihle B.E. Andrews Clarence Miller Jerry Gulley Joe M. Clinard

THE TENNESSEE AGENT June/July 2011

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THE TENNESSEE AGENT June/July 2011

2010 CPIA DESIGNEES

As the exclusive sponsor of the Certified Professional Insurance Agent designation program in Tennessee, PIA recognizes at the convention those who have completed their CPIA designation since the last convention.

Congratulations to these individuals who have earned the Certified Professional Insurance Agent designation.

Adam C. Abbott, CPIA Abbott Insurance Agency Sevierville

Shelia S. Adkins, CPIA S & R Insurance Services, Inc. Oak Ridge

Donald J. Ross, CPIA, LUTCF First State Insurance, LLC Jackson

Samuel V. Bledsoe, CPIA Collins & Miller Insurance Lewisburg

James F. Maden, CPIA Kentucky National Insurance Co. Franklin

Christopher J. Hutsenpiller, CPIA Hutsenpiller Insurance Service, LLC Mt. Juliet

Janet S. Cornett, CPIA, LUTCF Argos Group, Inc. Knoxville

Tech Bit Measure Your Website

BY GREGG MARSHALL

I

’ve recently been asked to look at a couple of company’s websites. The first thing I check, by looking at the home page sources, is whether they are doing any kind of analytics.

Analytics involves adding a little bit of code to each page of your website that lets you track how many people visit each page, how they get to your website, and if they come from a search engine, what keywords they searched on to find you.

Measuring what is happening on your website is vital if you want to improve it.

The good news is website analytics is free. Yes I said it’s free. Google offers a free website analytics service. All you need to do is go to google.com/analytics. That page will tell you more about the serv-

Google’s idea of a small test is several million data points.

You won’t be getting several million data points.

Many of the websites I have looked at (my own included) only get a few dozen visitors a day. But if you look at the data for a month, or even a year if you have a low traffic website, you can be looking at several hundred data points.

I recommend you set up your own Google Analytics account rather than let your web host or developer add your site to their account. My reasoning is the same as I’ve mentioned before. You don’t want to have your ability to access your data controlled by someone else. Fortunately it’s easy.

Once you have signed up for Google Analytics

ice and on the right side let you sign up using your Gmail email address (you can get one of those free too).

Google offers this extremely useful free service because they can collect additional information about web surfers’ habits which lets them improve their service. Google is a very data driven company, often testing things as small as 1 pixel changes in the vertical spacing of search results. And

(which involves logging in with your Gmail account and accepting the terms), you establish a new profile for your website, which really only asks for the website URL and what time zone you are in.

After you click on “create” you are given the tracking code you need to paste into each page of your website. Here’s where using a content management system like Drupal or Wordpress makes it easy. With Drupal, you download the Google THE TENNESSEE AGENT 21 June/July 2011

Analytics module, enable it and fill in the account number (it starts with a UA).

Most of you didn’t create your own website, so clicking on the “Email these instructions” link on the page opens a box with the text of an email you can copy and paste into an email to your web developer to ask them to add the tracking code for you.

Then sit back and wait. Google Analytics works with a 24 hour delay so any data collected today won’t appear in your reports until tomorrow. In reality, most sites don’t get enough visitors that you’ll see any useful reports for a week or two.

When you do have enough data to be useful, there are lots of interesting things to be learned from the basic report. For most people, the plot of how many visitors you get a day is most exciting. But wait, there’s more! Take a look at the Bounce Rate. It is a percentage of people who visited your site, took one look and clicked the back button. If it’s high, you are getting people visiting who

22 THE TENNESSEE AGENT June/July 2011

aren’t interested in your products/services (I have that problem). Another interesting statistic is the average time someone spends on your site. If it’s 30 seconds, there’s not much interest in your company. But if it’s 10 minutes, that’s great!

The other two reports on the dashboard page I find interesting are the Content Overview (lower right corner) and the Traffic Sources Overview (lower left corner). The Content Overview shows you the pages most visited on your site. Knowing what parts of your site are being visited the most tells you what your visitors are most interested in, and where you should be spending more time developing additional content, or that you might have a navigation issue that is keeping people from finding the content you think is important.

The Traffic Sources Overview is mildly interesting in itself, but clicking on the view report link takes you to another page that shows you which search terms people are using to find your website. If you are like me, you may not know what

terms people are using to find you (part of my problem is my business is really in several markets). The search terms report is a key when you start looking at Search Engine Optimization. Without a good list of search terms it is hard to optimize your site for the search engines.

I’ve just brushed on a small part of what you can do with Google Analytics.

There are books written just about this useful free tool. By far the most important thing you can do today is get your account set up and collecting data.

Then you can explore GA’s other features and, most importantly, know where you website traffic is coming from and what they are looking at. • Gregg Marshall, CPMR, CSP, is a speaker, author and consultant. He can be reached by e-mail at gmarshall@repconnection.com, or visit his website at http://www.repconnection.com.

p

Calendar of Events PIA LOCAL CHAPTER MEETINGS

PIA ANNUAL CONVENTION

• East Tennessee Contact Ron Welch, 865/689-6254

• 76th Annual Convention & Trade Show June 9-11, 2011 Marriott Shoals Resort & Spa Florence, Alabama

• Memphis Second Tuesday of every month in Memphis Contact Steve Peay, 901/766-0200 • Chattanooga Fourth Tuesday of every month in Chattanooga Contact Nancy Brannan, 423/892-6427

Classroom Education CPIA INSURANCE SUCCESS SEMINARS • CPIA 2 August 4, 2011 in Nashville 7 hours C.E.

• CPIA 3 November 3, 2011 in Nashville 8 hours C.E.

Online Education P R E - L I C E N S I N G E D U C AT I O N • Online Study and Traditional Self-Study Property & Casualty, Life & Health, Series 6 & 63 TRAINING FOR NEW EMPLOYEES For employees with less than 12 months experience • Agency Orientation for New Staff • Delivering Quality Service to the Customer and the Employer • Personal Lines Coverage Basics 12 hours C.E. credit • Commercial Lines Coverage Basics 12 hours C.E. credit C O N T I N U I N G E D U C AT I O N O N L I N E

C.E. approved courses in all 50 states and D.C., the American College, the CPCU Society, the CFP Bord. Available 24/7. www.piatn.com/education/ceu.com • Learn.net (PIA National) Tennessee-specific courses; 12 hours for most.

Ethics, flood, E&O, healthcare reform, long term care partnership, and more. www.piatn.com/education/learn.net D E S I G N AT I O N P R O G R A M S • Personal Lines Coverage Specialist (PLCS) Online self-study; C.E. approved • Commercial Lines Coverage Specialist (CLCS) Online self-study; C.E. approved www.piatn.com/education/designationprograms

• CEU.com (The American Institute for CPCU) 2 0 1 1 E D U C AT I O N P A R T N E R S Accident Fund of America • Arlington-Roe • Bolton & Co. • Grange Insurance PIA Advantage Services Corp. • ServPro • U.S. Risk Insurance Group • Utica National Insurance Group 24 THE TENNESSEE AGENT June/July 2011

Use the mirror test for this E&O hotspot B Y C U R T I S M . P E A R S A L L , C P C U , A I A F, C P I A

hile the frequency of errors and omissions is generally down compared to a couple of years ago, this is still an area causing E&O claims. In fact, some E&O carriers believe this is so significant it has the ability to generate enough claims to cause claims frequency to rise.

Many commercial and personal lines customers in recent years have been looking for pricing reductions because of the soft market. There has been a tremendous amount of internal remarketing of those accounts to your various carriers to address the situation and to ensure that you retain the account.

For example, if you marketed the account to five other carriers, there is significant potential for there to be differences between the incumbent carrier and the additional markets.

When you look to move the account from Company A to Company B to save the customer money on their premium, it is critical for your agency to identify any coverage differences and bring them to the customer’s attention.

W

Curt Pearsall is president of Pearsall Associates Inc. & special consultant to the Utica National Errors & Omissions Program.

26 THE TENNESSEE AGENT June/July 2011

What could happen?

Say you moved the account to another carrier and the coverage was not as broad in some areas. If the customer subsequently suffered an underlying claim that would have been covered by Company A, but was not covered or not fully covered by Company B, the customer may very well question your agency why the coverage was moved.

There is also a good chance they will say they never would have approved moving the account if they knew they were giving up coverage. This obviously speaks

to the need to document these discussions with your customer.

There are several areas of possible difference: sub-limits, the actual coverage grant, specific endorsements, definitions for areas such as “who is an insured,” what is excluded on one policy compared to another, and the rating of the carrier. In addition, advise the customer of a change in premium payment handling (agency bill to direct bill) as this could cause some confusion and potentially result in cancellation of coverage.

The recommended approach is taking all the carriers you are considering and putting the details on a spreadsheet.

Note all pertinent issues, limits, sub-lim-

its, coverage grants, etc. While this will take time, it is crucial to note all differences. Simply moving the account and not advising the customer of the differences could cause you a problem down the road. Some agencies share this spreadsheet with the customer and bring to their attention the detail the customer needs to be aware of. Most importantly, the customer sees the differences and can make an educated decision. At minimum, the differences between the expiring policy and coverage from the other carriers you are considering should be brought to the customer’s attention.

Get the customer’s written approval, regardless of their final decision. This

will be key if an underlying claim occurs and your customer then finds out they didn’t have the coverage they thought.

It’s fine if your client chose the lower price with the lesser coverage, but get in writing that they realized they were giving up some coverage.

Impor tant for all coverages The above scenario can occur even if you keep the account with the same carrier. This is probably more common with excess and surplus lines business because E&S carriers are not required to give a conditional renewal notice if they want to add an exclusion on the renewal. You should still identify any differences on the renewal policy, bring them to the customer’s attention and get their signoff. Due to the nature of E&S, it is best to do this review with the customer before you bind the coverage in case the customer subsequently decides they don’t want the coverage. This will help your agency avoid the typical minimum earned premium associated with E&S business.

This detailed comparison is important for all coverages. If you write professional liability and/or directors & officers, you are aware that no two policies are the same. Thus, there are probably more things to look at. E&O claims have occurred because an exclusion was in one policy but not the other. It is best to identify the differences and bring them to the customer’s attention for their approval, regardless of how subtle you believe the issues to be.

A detailed comparison is needed with these lines of business. Consider asking the respective carriers how they compare with another carrier. They may have a comparison they can share with you or a checklist that identifies many of the issues you must watch for. In addition, there are firms that will perform these comparisons for you for a fee. They are extremely good at what they do and worth the cost.

For whatever the reason you would switch the coverage from one carrier to another for a customer, make sure it passes the mirror test. Remember, too, to identify the differences, bring them to the customer’s attention and get their written sign off. • THE TENNESSEE AGENT 27 June/July 2011

Cash, Kudos, Pizza…What Motivates your CSRs? B Y C A R L E T TA N E A L

awns, shrugs, blank stares — are these things you see too often when speaking to your CSR staff? If so, whatever you’ve been doing to try to motivate them is probably not working. It might be time to think seriously about changing your tactics.

Not so long ago, a manager’s job was simply to lead. He or she assumed control of day-to-day operations, made strategic decisions and took responsibility for them. Not much more, not much less. Those days are gone. In addition to overseeing processes, today’s managers also need to master the art of employee motivation.

We know now that being able to relate to your employees goes a long way in maintaining harmony and increasing productivity. When you understand people, you can more successfully motivate them and help improve the overall climate of their work environment. Being able to tap in at will to the specific hot and cold buttons of your staff can be your greatest secret weapon as a manager.

Typical traits in most CSRs are their team mindedness and cooperative spirit.

Another commonality often is the strong desire to be seen by upper management as effective and efficient contributors to their company’s goals. How you choose to motivate them depends on your own time and financial constraints.

Some companies use generic motivators—incentives that appeal to everyone—to encourage their CSRs to meet sales goals. For example, who in the

Y

Carletta Neal is a Senior Sales Consultant for The Omnia Group from Tampa, Florida. She specializes in personnel selection/management and helps clients increase employee productivity.

Ms. Neal is also a popular speaker at industry seminars and tradeshows. Contact her at800-525-7117 x 1226 or via email at cneal@omniagroup.com

28 THE TENNESSEE AGENT June/July 2011

work force doesn’t want extra paid time off? You might consider offering a long weekend or an abbreviated work day to your top performing CSRs. Keep in mind, though, that an incentive like this might soon be seen as an entitlement. A half day off on Friday when they are going above and beyond could change to something that employees come to expect. There are other ways to motivate that are probably less risky, more individualized, and still much appreciated by workers. Typically, CSRs are motivated by any or all of these sources: rewards, fun, acknowledgement/appreciation, challenge.

Rewards Different personalities respond to different rewards*. Most often, a person’s dominant traits take over and steer him/her toward one incentive or another. For example, independently minded workers like leeway to make their own decisions and want to come and go as they please, not be held to stringent rules and restrictions. They see freedom as a desirable reward for a stellar performance.

Then there are the risk takers. These individuals may like the opportunity to earn commissions; they’re competitive, assertive and financially driven. Once identified, these CSRs often transition smoothly into outside sales or upper level management roles. They’re often your future leaders, the people to consider when making succession plans, realigning your organizational charts.

They might seem aggressive to their CSR peers, but they have a sense of determination, drive and purpose that is impossible to ignore.

Conversely, your passive personalities may find performance-based pay more intimidating than motivating. Cash bonuses tied to up selling and/or crossselling are a little less risky and often are offered to CSRs in addition to a base salary; however, even these may not interest some workers. What else is out there that motivates people?

Fun If your staff is comprised mainly of extroverted, bubbly individuals, they’ll probably respond well to fun sources.

Several of my clients employ such workers, and they offer the following list as a reference for how to motivate these gre-

garious, lively CSRs: • Food prizes for a successful group performance • Awards (in the form of gift certificates) distributed at monthly company meetings • An “Employee of the Month” program that’s based on peer recognition • Family rewards (gift certificates/movie passes sent home to the employee’s family) • Company parties Softball, baseball, bowling, and other events backed by the company can also appeal to gregarious individuals. They enjoy working in exciting, upbeat environments and will appreciate a boss who finds ways to instill a sense of team in a social, lighthearted way.

Keep in mind, though, that your more conservative, introspective workers may

wince at the mere thought of being called upon to wear bowling shoes, be selected as Employee of the Month or, even worse, be celebrated or singled out for an achievement. These individuals need other kinds of incentives.

Acknowledgement & Appreciation While most workers want to be acknowledged and appreciated for their efforts and achievements, only those who like being the center of attention will have any desire to be recognized in a public forum. Introverted CSRs feel uncomfortable in large group settings, especially if they might be the focus of attention. These individuals need a more subdued form of acknowledgement in order to stay motivated. Such acknowledgement might include:

THE TENNESSEE AGENT 29 June/July 2011

• Raises based on a supervisor’s observation of calls. Calls are discreetly monitored and key issues ranked on a scale of 1 to 10. CSRs with superior call ratings earn more. They don’t care about fame or recognition—their banner is their heftier paycheck—the one only they (and you) need to know about.

• Direct, immediate and private recognition from a managing supervisor.

• Bonuses based only on a Client Satisfaction Survey. A monthly sur-

vey by a 3rd party asks existing customers for their feedback regarding service; consistently high ratings earn rewards.

Challenge Some individuals are self-motivated and simply like to challenge themselves.

These are people who enjoy learning new skills, looking for new ventures, climbing just one more mountain. They are goal oriented and like to stretch their limits, explore previously untapped

potential. It can be more difficult to motivate them, but here are a couple of suggestions: • Give them special assignments that not just anyone can do. Make them feel uniquely qualified.

• Put them on a fast track to promotions or positions of leadership.

• Let them structure their job as they see fit.

When trying to determine the best ways to motivate your CSRs, it helps to know their personalities and then play into their likes and dislikes. But there’s more to it than just that. Assembling a CSR team that scores wins and brings about the desired results, should be one of your goals. Remember, though, that while there are distinct ways to increase a person’s motivation, someone who is totally wrong for a job, totally wrong for an environment, may never be happy enough to produce at the level you want.

The desire to perform well starts from within!

A client may have best explained the realities of today’s business world when he said, “Eighty-five percent of an employee’s motivation is internal. It doesn’t matter what we do other than make a good hiring decision in the beginning. And if you can get several good people working together, they will motivate each other. So, we try to hire people who have a history of strong work ethic, put them in a competitive environment with like people and constantly place client deadlines in front of them.”

Well said. • PIA Member Benefit: PIA members receive a free Omnia Profile when they start to use The Omnia Group’s services. Contact Carletta or visit The Omnia Group website at www.omniagroup.com and tell them you are a PIA member. *Editor’s Note: In the April-May issue of The Tennessee Agent, the author writes about “Producer Personality Traits” and discusses how understanding the inherent behaviors associated with specific traits can be managed for positive results.

30 THE TENNESSEE AGENT June/July 2011

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Tennessee agent 504 Autumn Springs Court, A-2 Franklin, Tennessee 37067