Relocating

[nyc2phi]

Relocating my office from NYC are to the Philadelphia area and had some concern with keeping my current customer base pleased.

Do you think getting a 1-800 # would be a good idea and help sell the move to my current customers.

What is the realistic percentage of customers would leave because of me relocating 80 miles away? My book is currently 65% personal lines. 95% never come to my office.

Thanks for the future input!

 

[WCMason]

Relocating my office from NYC are to the Philadelphia area and had some concern with keeping my current customer base pleased. Do you think getting a 1-800 # would be a good idea and help sell the move to my current customers. What is the realistic percentage of customers would leave because of me relocating 80 miles away? My book is currently 65% personal lines. 95% never come to my office. Thanks for the future input!

When I moved I ported the office number to a cell phone and have it always on call forward to my new office number. Nothing changes for the clients. The cell phone--which I keep unused in a desk--was free and the minutes get added to my existing account. I use ATT.

 

[VolAgent]

I bet if you port over the existing number, and you'd be a fool to let it go, most of them would never know you moved.

I bet 5 years from now, unless you explicitly told them you have moved, most will still think you are somewhere in the city.

 

[WCMason]

I bet if you port over the existing number, and you'd be a fool to let it go, most of them would never know you moved. I bet 5 years from now, unless you explicitly told them you have moved, most will still think you are somewhere in the city.

I found it impossible to port a landline to another land line outside the same very specific local area. Battled with ATT trying to do that for days all the while worried I was going to lose my very important business line when I moved. The only solution they offered me was porting it to a cell phone and then forwarding it to another landline as I described above. This worked.

 

[VolAgent]

I found it impossible to port a landline to another land line outside the same very specific local area. Battled with ATT trying to do that for days all the while worried I was going to lose my very important business line when I moved. The only solution they offered me was porting it to a cell phone and then forwarding it to another landline as I described above. This worked.

Hey now, I didn't say how to port it. Just to port it.

I'd probably port it to a Google Voice number if possible.

 

[WCMason]

Hey now, I didn't say how to port it. Just to port it. I'd probably port it to a Google Voice number if possible.

Google Voice would be the last place I'd put something as important as my business line. But that's just me.

 

[nyc2phi]

Haha so no 1800 #? Are they expensive?

 

[WCMason]

Haha so no 1800 #? Are they expensive?

800 would work and per minute cost probably low. Just seems easier to let them call same local number they've always used, unless you want to add the toll free line for other business reasons.

 

[WinoBlues]

Life insurance, so different market. I moved about 3 hours away about 6 years after starting. Sent letters and cards with new number. Moved to different prefix area again with mail. Area code got changed, again with mail. Got an 800 about 10-15 years ago. That has remained constant. If I could only keep one number it would be that toll free.

My toll free and email address are my main contact points.

 

[Sales71]

Relocating my office from NYC are to the Philadelphia area and had some concern with keeping my current customer base pleased.

Do you think getting a 1-800 # would be a good idea and help sell the move to my current customers.

What is the realistic percentage of customers would leave because of me relocating 80 miles away? My book is currently 65% personal lines. 95% never come to my office.

Thanks for the future input!

No reason to hide it since your insurance company will change the address on the Dec page or insurance cards once renewal comes in. If you can keep your old number is good to do that and if not have it forward to your new number for about a year or so by that time they will get used to the new number or something.