A Job Well Done: Rewarding Associates

Agency Operations

In our previous post, we highlighted some important ways to set and achieve goals, including celebrating your successes. Such celebrations help motivate and incentivize success, making it an important part of your agency’s practice. Everyone appreciates a little recognition for their hard work, and your associates an employees are no exception. Through simple recognition and rewards, you can boost individual motivation and overall agency moral. Here are a few ways you can spread the love to those who work hard for you and your agency:

• Treat them – Take associates and staff out to lunch or dinner, showing them you value their work enough to give them your time. Make it extra special by inviting an important connection, like a key client, service provider, or senior associate to join.
• Add a personal touch – Never underestimate the power of a handwritten note. Take the time to write down exactly what it is you appreciate about the individual, and add in a thoughtful gift card to their favorite restaurant or coffee place. Make a bigger impact by having a senior associate write the note on your behalf.
• Make it public – Although personal and individual recognition is impactful, don’t forget about sharing the job well done. Think about starting weekly or monthly “award sessions” in which you highlight the good work of one staff or associate, and present the reward (gift card, cash, etc.) during an agency-wide meeting. Keep a record of winners and have it on display in the office, reminding everyone that good work does not go unnoticed.
• Give extra perks – Little perks can go a long way. Offer extra vacation time, flexible work hours, or work from home options to show you value their commitment to your agency. Such perks also show you trust your associates and staff, giving a little extra note of gratitude.
• Take it to the bank – Bonuses and raises remain one of the best ways to show your staff and associates that their work is appreciated. The difference with bonuses and raises is that you can include increased responsibility as part of the deal – something you can’t expect with other rewards.

We at SIS want to thank all our clients for their commitment to being a great partner. We continue to work hard for our clients, striving to make Partner XE the best tool for all agency needs. We’re always here to answer your questions and take your ideas on how to improve our operations and business. To share your thoughts, contact us today!

New Habits for a New Year

Agency Operations

There is a reason why so many people make resolutions before the start of a new year: a blank slate. The idea that you can start anew is liberating, and holds so much promise for success. You and your independent insurance agency can take advantage of this new beginning by establishing new habits for the New Year. Here are a few new habits to get you started:

1. Be service minded – Think of your clients first! Start off the New Year by reprioritizing your clients, and recommitting to providing the best service. Get a read on how you can improve by asking for feedback from clients via a survey or personal phone calls. Once you have the results, set goals for improvements and start working towards making your clients number one.

2. Get a routine – Work towards structure in your day to ensure you get things done and stay sane. It’s best to start out your day by checking messages and cleaning out your inbox and then jumping in to tasks. Be sure to be realistic about how much time you need for a task, and schedule in breaks – you’re going to need a moment to recharge to stay efficient.

3. Commit to something new – There is always room for improvement, and your agency is no exception. Brainstorm with your staff to set goals to better your agency, and start working towards one or two goals for the year. Start with small pieces to the larger goal and chip away daily to make a big change.

4. Communicate early and often – Communication is the key to good relationships. Whether it be with coworkers or clients, listening to understand and giving immediate feedback create a connection that is mutually beneficial. By committing to communicate early and often, you can insure information is flowing and that everyone is on the same page: a recipe for great results.

5. Get organized – It’s amazing how far a little bit of organization can go! Start small by cleaning off your desk, and moving to cleaning out your desk and office. Keep the organization flowing by keeping a calendar using your smartphone, a planner or any other method that works for you. By committing to organization, you’ll find you’re able to get more done and feel better doing it.

One of the best ways to get organized is through your agency management system. We at SIS know that your agency management system is an excellent organizational tool, and we’ve ensured our Partner XE has what you need to use it as such. To find out more about how Partner XE can get you organized, check out our website or contact us at 800.747.9273 or [email protected].

Goal Setting Done Right – For You and Your Agency

Agency Operations

The end of the year is the perfect time to reevaluate and resolve to make improvements, and your agency should take advantage of this opportunity. In order to make real change and stay motivated throughout the year, it’s important to set goals. To get you started, here are some goal setting tips you and your agency can use to pursue improvement:

1. Get the Goal, Together: Ask for input when creating your goals. As the saying goes, two heads are better than one! Spitball ideas with others by creating lists, mind maps, or even a “brain dump” by writing down any small ideas that come to mind.

• For You: Consult a group of friends, your spouse, or family members
• For Your Agency: Ask employees for individual input and host department or whole agency workshops

2. Start Big, and Break it Down: Where do you see yourself/your agency in 10 years? After you have that vision, think about what you need to do in 5 years to get there. From there, go year-by-year, and eventually week-by-week and day-by-day. When you introduce a daily goal as part of a big picture, you set a good pace for success.

• For You: Think of professional, personal, financial, and health goals
• For Your Agency: Focus on customer service, commercial lines, personal lines, individual agents

3. Make Goals Specific, Measurable, and Attainable: Be reasonable in your goals – don’t set them too high that you are sure to fail. Also, be clear in what you want to achieve, and think about a way to gauge whether or not you have met success.

• For You: Recognize your constraints – be reasonable about your finances and acknowledge commitments to work and family
• For You Agency: Know market changes and other unpredictable elements can affect your goals

4. Remind Yourself: When you keep your goals at the top of your mind, you are more likely to stay motivated to achieve them. Also, showing progress through checkpoints will build momentum.

• For You: Pin goals to your mirror, and add check points to your planner
• For Your Agency: Hang your goals where all staff can see them, andupdate goals as progress is made

5. Celebrate Success: When you celebrate, you build motivation to continue on to other goals. It’s important to acknowledge your improvements to build morale, which leads to a happier, more successful you!

• For You: Take yourself out, go on a trip, grab an extra special latte – anything to reward yourself for your hard work
• For You Agency: Plan an all office outing, or order in a special lunch- anything to make a big deal about success!

As you work to set goals for yourself and your agency, you may find it difficult for yourself or others to accept change. We at SIS know change is hard, and are here to support you in improving your agency as we strive to provide you with the best agency management system experience. To find out more about how SIS can help your agency work towards your goals, contact us at [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you!