In a recent blog entry (www.ryanhaley.com) entitled “Our Future is in the Agent, Not the Agency” Ryan Hanley eloquently expresses the value of doing business with an independent agent or broker. He is one of the new generation of agents that doesn’t sell based on price. Matter of fact, he specifically states he is against insurance being viewed as a commodity. Instead he provides “old fashioned” customer service supported by cutting edge technology. It’s Ryan’s belief that the successful independent agencies will market their agents and not the agency. There are some agency owners out there that would be very uncomfortable with that statement. If it’s true that an agency’s staff is its greatest asset than it makes total sense that an agency would want to promote the professionalism and abilities of its agents. Without the agents and support staff it is just a building filled with office equipment, computers and furniture. The value comes from the people, their abilities and their commitment to making the agency a success. When I first started out as an Aetna PRIME agent I had the privilege of working for an agency owner who understood this. One of the first things he said to me was that he wanted me to grow an agency inside his agency. He also indicated he would do everything he could to help me be successful because the more successful I was the more successful the agency would be. But don’t misunderstand what he meant by help. Help didn’t mean handing me clients to handle, it was my job to visit prospects and turn them into clients. Instead he provided the support necessary for me to grow a book of business. That support encompassed things like sales training and practice, an agency philosophy and annual plan that was communicated and reinforced with the whole staff, automation including a well thought out sales system and the opportunity to provide regular feedback on my success in achieving our mutual goal Ryan doesn’t expect his agency to promote him without his commitment to do what it takes to succeed. He realizes that being an agent takes hard work and serious effort. In his post Ryan admits to working on paperwork on Saturday, making 50 cold calls a week on commercial prospects and hand delivering his renewals. He is also committed to using technology. He takes the time to update LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter regularly. He also spends time writing regular entries in his blog. He worked together with his wife to create a video that personalizes and brands his agency. This is not a job to Ryan, it’s a profession and he exhibits his commitment to his clients and career in everything he does.

If you are lucky enough to have an agent like Ryan working for your agency I hope you give him or her all the support they need to be successful. Allow them to use the latest technology to develop new clients and to communicate with existing clients. Don’t forget that the younger insurance buyers out in the marketplace are comfortable using technology and want to do business with an agency that uses it as well. Center your advertising and promotion on your professional agent(s) and staff. They are the backbone of the agency and in many cases the future of the agency. Provide them with a well managed and run agency that has a value proposition understood and supported by everyone in the agency. Make sure you have a solid agency plan that is fully implemented, regularly reviewed and adjusted if necessary. Provide them with sales training and reinforce it with regular practice and discussion of issues that arise. Allow and support them in their efforts to use automation and technology that allows them to still provide “old fashioned” customer service cost effectively. I truly believe that the majority of consumers, even those that are 40 and under want and will support an agency that provides quality service at a competitive price (not the lowest price). What they don’t want is a promise of quality customer service that turns out to be nothing more than lip service and hollow promises.

If you don’t have an agent like Ryan you need to develop one. They are the heart and soul of a growing agency and offer a real future for the agency to grow and prosper. I would start the search by looking inward at the professional staff you now have and seeing if there isn’t someone already working for the agency that might be a good candidate. If there is no one internally you need to make plans to search for, find and hire the right person to be that positive force in your agency. Once you have found the right person take the time to train and support them in their efforts. No one expects this to be a one-way proposition. The new agent must be accountable as well. They have to work hard to learn everything they can and to improve their skills. They have to do the hard work of uncovering quality prospects and turning them into long time clients. They have to learn to manage their time effectively so they can grow their book of business while at the same time doing the paperwork and meeting their responsibilities as outlined in the agency’s workflow.

Spend time mentoring them but also be open to letting them bring some new ideas, like using technology and social media to uncover potential new business and develop strong relationships with existing clients. As Ryan indicates in his blog post, there are a number of agents already out there who want to drive the independent agency system into the future. We have to recognize them and support them in their efforts. These agents believe that consumers are interested in dealing with a knowledgeable and professional agent that can provide them with true customer service at a competitive cost using all the technology currently available. They not only believe it they are willing to stake their career on it. Those agency owners that recognize their talent and commitment and are willing to nurture and support their efforts realize these agents are a huge part of the agency’s value as well as the future of the independent agency sy