Well, first of all, with each passing year, you think about where you thought you'd be at this period in your life. Then you face the reality of where you actually are. Maybe you thought you'd be retired, secure in the "lap of luxury," with grandkids scampering all around at your wonderful retirement home.
But where are they? A 1,000 miles away. Some at camp, others in daycare, or wherever. (Unless, of course, you have a swimming pool! That improves the chances of seeing them more often, at least during the summer months.) Believe me, I know, when you and I were younger, the big treat was having an inflatable swimming pool placed in the driveway, and the bane of our fathers when they pulled in from work and couldn't get into the garage because the pool was in the middle of the driveway.
Alas, things have changed, and that age of innocence has . . . gone. (And in many cases, so have our fathers.) What a shame. Our kids (or grandkids) don't seem to miss "the good old days" (because they never experienced them?). There's a whole new set of rules and "regulations" they live by, and by which they measure their individual successes and challenges.
They'll never know the thrill of walking alone to the nearby movie theater, rain or shine, meeting up with a few friends, and paying a dime for admission and getting a five-cent box of pop corn (freshly popped and with butter), and then being treated to two cartoons before the serial movie featuring Buster Crabbe. Ah, the good old days!
What about some of the other aspects of "the good old days," when your insurance agent whom your parents had been dealing with for years (Mr. Armstrong, wasn't it?) would stop by, sit at the dining room table, renew that all-important auto policy, and then share a cup of coffee before picking up that renewal check and hitting the road?
Only once, to my recall, did my Dad have a serious accident. We were riding in his brand new 1950 Pontiac (dark blue and the only brand-new car Dad ever bought) and he was rear-ended while waiting to make a left turn. Mr. Armstrong was there within the hour and the adjuster hand delivered the check for repairs within two days.
Not that today's insurance service is not good; it's just not as personal. Still, it's efficient. Dad probably wouldn't like it, and Mr. Armstrong is, I'm sure, long gone from this world. But now we have computers, and iPods, and voice mail, but no more coffee klatches at the dining room table. Heavens, I haven't even seen my insurance agent in more than five years. I know he's still there; I get the annual renewal bills in the mail, but somehow it's not the same. I miss the personal contact, but who has time for that these days?
We've entered a new era of efficiency in the 21st Century. In many cases, people –including agents– don't communicate one-on-one because there's no need to with the various tools available. This can be good and save time, but it also can hinder personal interaction. In 2008, we need to reopen the lines of communication on a more personal level. Of course, this means that agents and adjusters will have to make a renewed effort to establish strong personal contact with their insureds, and there's nothing wrong with that. It could be the best thing for your clients, and for you.
And maybe your insureds will establish a special rapport with their own Mr. Armstrong, and with you, their adjuster, if and when they need to.
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