Personal Relationship Advantage
by Hollie McAfee
Recently I ate lunch at McDonald’s in Houlton, and sat next to a retired insurance agent. It’s a small town, so this man knows my name and we struck up a very pleasant conversation. We chatted about other people who were coming and going into the restaurant, and he was truly interested in their lives, without being “gossipy” or betraying confidences. If you live in Houlton, you probably know exactly who this man is. (Hint: He used to work for one of our competitors.) If you live elsewhere, you probably know someone like him.
This interest in and knowledge about other people is a classic trait of an insurance agent. Our agents at F.A. Peabody know you by name and are happy to see you. They want to get to know new customers. They will work to save you money and will sincerely care when you have a claim. Let’s face it – situations that cause insurance claims are personal and stressful. Do you want to call an automated phone line or submit a form into cyber-space when you are in a crisis? Or do you want to sit down with a person who knows you and your needs?
The same principal applies to those times when insurance is confusing. We admit it. It IS confusing. A lot of the time. Often, asking questions on the phone or trying to get an answer online is frustrating. So, we are available in our offices to answer questions and clear things up for you. For instance, we are currently nearing the end of open enrollment for Medicare insurance changes for 2013. Vicki Hagerman in our Houlton office works tirelessly to sort through the ever changing health insurance issues to make transitions smooth for her customers. And she is always cheerful and helpful when they come in to speak to her.
Yesterday I read an article called, “”The Original Social Networker – Your Insurance Agent.” Insurance agents spend a lot of time building personal relationships with their customers, because their customers are important to them. So, we hope that you have a solid, long-term relationship with your insurance agent.