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Customer Service Focus
The CSR's role in virtual business marketing
Online networking makes for quick client contact
By Lori Loomis, CISR, ACSR
Although a customer service representative (CSR) is responsible for a variety of tasks in an insurance office, the two primary roles are helping customers and processing transactions. When the phone rings, the CSR is usually the first to answer the call. He or she is the front line to the client.
What if your CSR could reach these clients/potential clients before they called?
Technology is evolving both in the office and online. Agency Web sites have become more than electronic billboards. Growing numbers of CSRs are tech savvy, are active in virtual networking and use Facebook, blogs, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Agency Web site
I am a multi-tasker in personal lines at Troy Insurance in Lewiston, Idaho. I am an agent, CSR and a hodge-podge of other things. Troy Insurance is a small agency in a small town, but that does not mean our capabilities are small—starting with our most basic virtual medium function, the Troy Insurance Web site. Our agency is continually growing. Each of our employees possesses a wealth of knowledge in all different forms of communication.
Our Web site has a live streaming feed of daily insurance news. This feed allows people searching the Internet to get the most up-to-date information, and helps Troy Insurance to slowly move up the “Google” listing hierarchy. The objective is for Troy Insurance to appear in the top five insurance searches when potential clients are looking for insurance in the area around Lewiston, Idaho.
Creating or updating your agency Web site may seem to be an insurmountable task at first. Simplicity is the key. Make sure that the site is easy to navigate and that people will “identify” with it. Make sure that your Web site contains correct contact information and content that is tailored to the kind of client you want to attract.
The agency’s Web site can attract new clients as well as reconnect with existing ones. A CSR needs to spend only a small amount of time each day to increase the number of customers coming through the agency’s virtual front door and finding new clients beyond the agency’s geographic area. In addition to updating the Web site with current “happenings” and new links, the CSR can also add the agency to “Google Local,” which shows the agency’s location and how to find it.
In addition, a positive online review of your agency can attract potential clients. A CSR can ask clients for testimonials which will be posted at the Web site. An agency can move up the Google list in no time with great client feedback for all traffic to see on the Internet.
The next steps
At Troy Insurance, the next step will be to become active on Facebook and LinkedIn. For now I am taking on one virtual medium task at a time. There are many different types of Internet media that may suit your agency better.
An agency producer(s) generates leads, but what about virtual leads? Because virtual networking can appeal to the potential online customer, it has become critical to every part of the ever-changing insurance industry. It is easy for the consumer to interact with an agency Web site or other sites, such as Facebook, without feeling the pressure of “cold call” marketing.
A study conducted by Social Marketing Expert found that Facebook (72.8%), Twitter (42.4%) and LinkedIn (40.2%) are the most popular social networking sites that marketers use, followed by YouTube (28.3%), Flickr (14.1%), MySpace (10.9%), Bebo (3.3%) and Plaxo (1.1%) (http://socialmarketingexpert.org/category/social-media/).
Facebook. Chances are that some of your CSRs are already on Facebook. Having a business Facebook site will allow the CSR to send an invitation to friends, family and even existing clients. Requesting an e-mail address can go a long way as far as other marketing efforts are concerned. Requesting a person to become a fan of your agency will still give them the option to “ignore” or “add” and let your client or potential client choose to add you to his or her Facebook.
Twitter. Twitter is a “micro blog” of 140 characters or less. Creating a Twitter profile will enable others to find you, and any of those could be a potential client. Twitter allows you to follow other users. Once you are connected with a target network, you can announce your service or give advice. You do not need to be at your computer to use Twitter. You can use your cell phone for tweeting, which is as easy as texting. Twitter is an opportunity to engage and interact with your followers to find out what they want as a person and as a potential client.
LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a networking site where business professionals exchange information, ideas and opportunities among more than 200 countries. Potential clients can be introduced, as can service providers and subject experts in the insurance/business industry. The goal of LinkedIn is to build your network, and the people are your connections.
LinkedIn allows people who work in similar professions to chat and allows individuals and organizations to connect. Do not go into LinkedIn with a sales approach; make an impression on other users by helping them and answering questions in your professional realm of expertise. This can be effective in “Questions and Answers” groups. Word of mouth by participation is the key to new clients. Engage in conversations about products, opportunities and service referrals.
LinkedIn also can include company news and employment opportunities. Creating a well-developed profile with easy navigation is the key to making your profile stand out from other business professionals. Give a potential client a glimpse into your business. Including “recommendations” on your profile page is a must. Create a toolbar for the potential client to link to other social networking sites. Creating this quick search tool bar will make your profile interactive and will keep bringing potential clients and other professionals back to your profile. Your profile will also allow you to have a link to your Web site or blog as well. (Remember that most of these networking sites are free.)
Blog. Anyone can create a “blog.” It can be off the agency Web site or on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. Creating a blog that links to the agency Web site may move it up in “search” rankings. Many blogs provide information on a particular topic that may be of interest to the person creating the blog as well as a potential reader, who could be a potential client.
A 2008 study by Technorati indicated that 12% of Internet users are bloggers and 50% of U.S. readers are blog readers (http://technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere.com). Create short articles about subjects that you are interested in. Don’t use your blog to sell insurance products. Instead, mention Steelhead fishing in the Northwest if that’s something that interests you and include a link to other sites in the fishing industry.
Commenting on something of a general interest to your target audience will help them get to know you on a personal level and create a following where they may want to check out your business. If the topic interests them, they will have that connection to you personally first, then as a potential client second.
Word Press and Blog Spot are easy to navigate and show you how to create a catchy blog including RSS Feed links.
Conclusion
Social media can help agencies reach clients and potential clients. The tech-savvy CSR can be an agency’s greatest marketing asset. With a little help, direction and mentoring, an insurance agency and its CSRs can reach new media heights. There was a time when cold calling and face-to-face meetings were the mainstay of marketing strategy. Many business relationships are now started virtually. Social networking is the first step to expanding your business via the Internet.
Insurance has evolved. Technology makes it possible for you to be instantly visible to potential clients. There are many social media online; pick just a few and let your CSRs build new working relationships. Make your next marketing plan fun, interactive, and get your CSRs involved. Welcome to the future of insurance!
The author
Lori Loomis, CISR, ACSR, is a personal lines agent with Troy Insurance in Lewiston, Idaho. Lori has been presented with awards for 2009 Young Agent of the Year by the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of Idaho and Idaho Outstanding Insurance Service Representative for 2009. For information on the CISR designation and program, go to www.TheNationalAlliance.com.
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