The minimum service level you must provide is timely, accurate responses to routine service requests like beneficiary or address changes, policy loans, and full or partial surrenders. It is crucial to respond to these requests as quickly and effectively as possible; procrastination or even clerical errors can hurt your reputation, as well as that of your firm and company.

But, remember that routine inquiries may be the only service requests made of you by many policyholders — and that's not always to your advantage. For one thing, the more often your name is in front of clients, the easier it is to get on-profile referrals and make additional sales — and the harder it is for the competition to get in through the back door. For another, one of the best ways to continually overcome the resistance with which some consumers respond to insurance salespeople is to demonstrate your professionalism and integrity, not just talk about it.

Thus, maintain a high profile with your clients by keeping them informed about legal news and product developments that affect them, by continually looking for ways to meet their changing situations and needs and wants, and by keeping their plans current.

To become a profit center, proactive service activities must be carefully managed. This means working from a client building strategy that is coordinated with, or an extension of, your marketing plan.

Typically, producers should plan to contact their "A" clients frequently, and their "B" clients at least twice per year. They should do so once as part of the formal plan review, 30 days before the insured's age change; a second time, informally, a week before or after their birthday (more frequently for business and professional market clients). Your top 20 percent of "A" clients should hear from you once per month (or quarterly, at minimum), to offer any assistance and let them know you care about them and your relationship.

To supplement your client service, you may also provide the corporate headquarters customer service (only) toll-free number, 1-800-366-6654. Thus, if you're not available, your clients' service needs may still be met directly through Ohio National. This takes you out of the loop initially, but assures continuity of the service you promised and your client expects. You will receive a copy of any material sent from the corporate headquarters.

But for many producers, that is just the beginning! A wide range of additional tools and techniques for providing proactive service and managing client relationships are suggested in this section.

Try this! To create a profit-oriented, client-building strategy:

1. Decide how much you are willing to spend for the client services you offer in addition to routine policyholder service. Cost projections should include your time, as well as materials and other expenses incurred.
2. Review the tools and techniques described here. Select those that will work best for you in your marketplace, which fit your budget and which you want to include in your overall client-building plan.
3. Then, complete the "Client-Building Strategy" form at the end of this unit. In addition to your cost projections, you should factor in the new business you expect to generate each year from your clientele. (See "Planning for Profit.")
4. Match specific client building tools and techniques to individual clients and policyholders. Review your client files and indicate the additional services you will provide to your "A" and "B" clients over and above the minimum service provided to all of your other policyholders. Record this information in your client's file and/or coordinate it with the activity management or "tickler" system in your client database. (See "Client Management Systems.")

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Ohio National is not affiliated with, nor does it endorse or sponsor, any particular prospecting, marketing or selling system.

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