Behind the headlines about chaos in the property market are the Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) in thousands of offices in Florida. These front-line stalwarts spend their days fielding the onslaught of angry, frightened customers and are struggling to offer solutions. Florida Underwriter spoke with Helen Wright, PIAM, AAI, CIC, CPIW, who handles Large Commercial Lines at Huckleberry, Sibley & Harvey in Deltona. Sharing her experience in Personal Lines is Sharon L. Barger, CISR, CPIW, DAE, manager of Private Client Services at M.E. Wilson & Co. in Tampa.
Q. In today's volatile insurance environment, what is the most challenging aspect of your job and how is it different from past challenges?
A. Wright: The most challenging part, to me, is trying to keep abreast of the constant new restrictions that companies impose on us. There is no way to keep track of it all. A company that would write lessors' risks one week will not even entertain the idea the next. And, the ones that will offer a premium so outrageous that you are embarrassed to offer it to a client.
Barger: In my 38 years in the insurance industry, this year has certainly been the most challenging and stressful. Previously, if you lost a company you had another company to move the policies to. It was time-consuming, but generally only a few policies with claims were a problem. Today, long-time clients with excellent claim histories have nowhere to go but Citizens.
Q. What are callers/customers most angry/frustrated/fearful about? What is your method of letting them vent, while trying to solve their problems?
A. Wright: They are angry and fearful about the same things we, as fellow consumers, feel: Is my insurance going to skyrocket or will I even get a renewal offer? I let the client talk it out and just listen and empathize. They are not angry at you – even though it seems so at the time. I remind them that I pay for insurance too and am also unhappy with the industry right now.
Barger: Clients are most angry that they have not had any claims but they are being non-renewed or their premiums are going way up. Of course we let them vent, let them know they are not the only ones, and let them know we will do our very best to get them placed with another company. Sometimes we even recommend them to another agent who might have a better option then we do.
Q. What are managers doing to support the staff in this endeavor? Any extra training? If there are longer hours, is there extra compensation? Have they brought in any extra hands? Any other gestures on the part of management in gratitude for the dedication?
A. Wright: The market for qualified CSRs right now is slim to none. So, if we lose one, we all have to band together to assist accounts that have lost their CSR. We get all the training that is available from the companies, and if we are asked to work extra hours, we are definitely compensated. We do, in the summer and over the holidays, get an influx of students (mostly children of employees) who come in and do whatever we need them to do. Management provides lunch on occasion to boost morale, and we get quarterly bonuses.
Barger: My staff is excellent in handling clients but they know they can come to me with a very difficult client and I'll handle the situation. Our office does offer an excellent benefit plan with paid sick days and two personal days that staff members use when needed.
Q. If you could educate your customers and the public about your personal role (and your agency's attempts to provide solutions and service) in this difficult arena, what would you want them understand?
A. Wright: I would want my clients to understand that the issues in the insurance industry have to be addressed, and they can help by keeping abreast of insurance legislation and who they elect into office. And, my role is to be active in our industry as well, by being as educated and knowledgeable as I can be.
Barger: We are in the middle. We understand the companies' side of rating, cost of reinsurance, cost of claims, and the need to make a profit, and we also understand the clients' side of affordable pricing, coverage options, and availability of coverage. We work very hard for the commission we get on a policy and it is not to our advantage to have to rewrite that policy. Hopefully we will find a common ground for business stability and consumer affordability.
Q. Is this the strongest test of customer service you have experienced?
A. Wright: I think the strongest test was after the three hurricanes in 2003. It broke my heart to tell our long-time clients that the wind policy they paid for excluded wind-driven rain – and not only that, but they could not buy the coverage. It is very tough right now to propose renewal premiums that are three times what they were last year, just because the insurance company is afraid of what the next hurricane season will bring. Or to tell a client that we received a decent renewal proposal but they are excluding wind, and I have no one who wants to offer coverage for it.
Barger: Yes. Sometimes is it hard to smile over that phone for that small little request when there is so much on your desk to do.
Q. When individuals in your office – maybe you – are personally affected (non-renewed, etc.), what is the effect in the office?
A. Wright: Right now I am terrified that my homeowners' insurance will be non-renewed next year. The company that I am with is decreasing its exposure in the county where I live, and I may get picked at random. I will lose my home/auto discount, which is a good amount of money. I know that the personal lines department would do the very best they could to replace it, but it is not a pleasant thought. I know that some other employees already went through that this year and it was tough on them as well.
Barger: I have not been non-renewed yet, but I could be.
Q. Have you been especially helped by any aspects of your office technology during this trying time? How did it make things easier or faster?
A. Wright: It is so amazing what we can do with the Internet these days. We now have access to do applications to a company in real time. We just click on a button and it pre-fills all the information from our database to theirs. It's great! I look forward to having that access with all our companies. We can e-mail documents directly from our agency system and attach e-mails to files. That saves so much time. Our agency is always looking for ways to help us be more efficient and technical.
Barger: Technology is certainly a plus – communication between underwriters, being able to send applications by fax or e-mail and, most importantly, being able to communicate with clients. When we get a Notice of Non-Renewal and I have an e-mail address for the client, I immediately send them an e-mail letting them know a general plan for replacing coverage. This not only gives them some peace, it also saves a phone call.
Q. In both commercial and personal lines, the escalating prices are all over the news. You have long-time relationships with your customers and see them suffering. How is this affecting you and how are you dealing with it?
A. Wright: One of my accounts is suffering, but I am not sure if it is the rising prices or bad management. Either way, they are super nice people and I hope they can come back into the game. I will do everything I can do to help them. They have resorted to removing or lowering insurance on items on their policies. I guess they are doing what they have to do to survive.
Barger: I am happy to say most of our long-time clients say, "I know you will do the best you can," and go with what I suggest. On some I have even said, "Here is what I can do, but you might want to shop around, and they say, "No, I'll stay with you." That's a great compliment. I do feel for some of my clients who just can't afford the big jump in the premium. Some say, "I can't pay it," and just go without property coverage if they don't have a mortgage.
Q. In your office, are people encouraged to take "stress breaks?" What would be an example of steps people take during the day to handle the challenges?
A. Wright: We have a full-time loss-control person in our office and he is proficient with ways to physically help relieve stress. He will give us ideas on ways to move or sit while at our desks. We are entitled to two 15 minute breaks per day, and everyone is encouraged to leave their desks to free their minds for a few minutes. That works wonders sometimes. Laughing is always a good stress reliever too. We do vent a lot with each other because we have all been in that really stressful situation that makes you shake. We somehow endure.
Barger: While we do have scheduled breaks in the morning and afternoon, the staff generally takes a break "when needed." We have a small kitchen area they can use or they can step outside for some fresh air.
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