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Chances are good that you've been taught that risk management initiatives are appropriate for commercial accounts only, and larger ones at that. Not so. If we expand the definition of risk management to include any proactive client education initiative that's designed to eliminate or minimize the frequency and severity of claims, we quickly see how easily and efficiently we can engage and educate our personal lines clients. Ideas for how to accomplish this are discussed in the following sections.
Compare the time required to meet with 40 individual clients to the time involved with organizing and facilitating a client event that allows you to meet with all 40 clients at the same time--for instance during a personal lines risk management seminar. In addition to accomplishing the primary objective of proactively informing and educating your clients, the personal lines risk management seminar is an absolute windfall for saving time and creating new opportunities.
Seminars and workshops are ideal presentation formats to use when "hot topics" with universal interest or impact need to be addressed. For example, hosting a homeowner's workshop on "Mold--ramifications, prevention, and remediation" would certainly draw an interested crowd. Other valid topics of concern could be: "The Impact of 9/11 on Insurance Rates" or "Credit Scoring--Improve Your Credit Rating and Reduce Your Premiums."
Though interactive, the intent of the seminar or workshop is to disseminate new information, so the session must be formally facilitated. The idea is to educate participants by leading them down an information path that identifies an issue and leads to a solution. The key is to keep it useful. As simple as it may sound, the greatest danger in hosting a seminar or workshop is not having anything worthwhile to present.
Stick to new and evolving risk management/loss control issues and solutions. Your goal is to provide value for the time spent, not just to entertain or socialize. Your credibility and value to your clients will correlate with the caliber of the presentation. You may wish to invite a guest speaker or professional workshop facilitator to present the information. Loss control specialists, underwriters, claims attorneys, and other industry experts will line up to assist you, usually at little or no cost.
Some of our colleagues fear that "Web-enabling" the client/producer relationship will depersonalize the sales and service environment by reducing, or even eliminating, the need for face-to-face contact. While this scenario could play out with those who are more comfortable behind a desk than they are in front of a client, smart producers and account executives will use the enhanced efficiency of technology to provide an even greater focus on personalized client relationships. By reducing the time spent on processing, administration, communication, and information gathering, these folks will have more time available to spend with their clients than ever before.
Where to begin? Establish a group e-mail for your clients. By doing so you'll be able to consistently and effortlessly disseminate interesting and important bits of information to everyone, at the same time. This is especially critical for those of you who maintain such a large client base that you couldn't possibly meet with everyone on a consistent basis.
Forwarding timely risk management advice, industry information, community news, or timely articles via the Internet tells your clients and potential clients that you're informed, observant, and responsive.
In addition to your group e-mails, personal e-mail can and should be used to reach out and connect with clients individually. A sister strategy to the check-in phone call, personal e-mails are sometimes more efficient than phone calls or face-to-face meetings with your clients. This is not to suggest that e-mail communication should be used to the exclusion of the kitchen table meeting or the proactive call. It's used for those clients who prefer a less intimate contact and to augment your other client communication initiatives.
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