When you signed on for your career, you may not have realizedthat you accepted the enormous role of spokesperson for theinsurance industry. Think about it for a second: When theinsurance-buying public thinks of our industry, the experiencesthey have interacting with their insurance agents or brokers oftencome to mind. This highlights the need for agents and brokers tohave training that focuses on technical insurance knowledge.

Creating value for clients through technical knowledge ofcoverages is a key responsibility for agents and brokers. You alsoneed a strong focus on consultative approaches with clients toprovide exceptional customer service and differentiate yourservices from the competition. This partnership with clients islike that of a business consultant (think enterprise riskmanagement), in which the focus is on 365-days-a-year support—notjust when it's time to renew.

Thinking about a client's enterprise risk and approachingsolutions from that perspective differentiates you from otheragents. This approach creates trust and brings value to the clientrelationship—crucial in today's highly connected digital worldwhere potential clients use the Internet to compare pricepoints.

Agents and brokers who understand that clients want to feel thattheir best interests are being served—in addition to having a goodprice point—have the competitive advantage. To instill thisconfidence you must have the technical insurance knowledge torecommend the proper coverages and help clients understand whatthey are buying. This helps avoid costly misunderstandings (andcostly errors and omissions) when disaster strikes.

The underlying implication is that insurance agents and brokers,through high-quality education that focuses on developing technicalknowledge and emphasizes the importance of consultativerelationships, have the unique ability to enhance the image of ourindustry as whole.

Your role as the spokesperson of our industry is not easy.However, yours are truly rewarding roles—both professionally andfinancially. I encourage you to actively develop your technicalknowledge. You have a unique opportunity to enhance your customerrelationships and help move the perception of our industry backtoward what it should be—an altruistic industry dedicated toprotecting people and helping them in their times of need.