Interview Tomorrow!! Tips from Managers / Agency Owners?

[Rory]

SO after coming on this forum and reading the valuable info, I became motivated to update my resume and see what options I have (I'm 22, have been a P&C CSR for 6 years and am currently in the process of obtaining my 2-20) I sent out a few resumes and got a call back the next day with an agency offering a 25% higher salary that what I'm currently making! I'm really excited and want to land this job!

Current agency managers or owners, can you give me some tips on what you're looking for when interviewing new agents? Thanks in advance

 

[DHK]

Rory,

I'm not an "agency manager or owner", but I've been a bank operations manager. I focused primarily on two areas when I hired tellers: problem solving skills and sales skills. I could imagine that agency owners would look for the same things.

Handling Problems:
I would be prepared for a question regarding customer dissatisfaction/complaints. If a policyholder comes in and there's a problem, how would you handle it? The hint here, is to do as much as you can yourself, before passing the customer on to anyone, if necessary. Make sure the policyholder is fully heard out before offering suggestions or solutions so you can be sure that you understand the full problem. You only escalate the situation if it is necessary, so that the policyholder feels that you are their advocate with the person who needs to make the executive decision.

Helping to cross-sell new products/solutions
Do you have a strategy to show how you would CURRENTLY help current policyholders to deepen their relationship with the agency and give quality service at the same time?

Your understanding of how various insurance coverage helps policyholders to protect their assets and provide other solutions is KEY.

Read this:
http://fsonline.com/Simpler_Way.pdf

By using something like this, you can do a quick asset/liability check as well as probe for other problems your hiring agent/agency may be able to solve. If you feel confident enough, print it out and demonstrate exactly how you would use this with a policyholder or prospect.


In short, if you can put out fires on your own... and help light fires under your clients to do other things for their benefit, you'll be providing excellent service and enhance your agency's profitability.

 

[Rory]

Thanks for the advice! The interview went really well, and he went over salary and benefits at the end which I'm guessing is definitely a good thing. Only thing I'm worried about is maybe my jitters made me a talk a little too much and too fast LOL but lets see

 

[1963]

Rory, you have nothing to be concerned about except being able to transfer your P&C skills to the life arena. As long as you speak with authority, ask proper questions, and provide solutions, you'll be fine. You will have to go to the client much more in L&H; it is imperative that you know your product, ask the right questions, and show why yours is the solution they need to solve their problems. Finally, the most important ingredient in agent success - PROSPECT!!! Keep the pipeline full of people to see, and always have someone to see or something to do; nothing worse in this profession than seeing an agent that is sitting in an office looking while others plan their work. Good luck; make sure you see those potential clients!