Here’s a good way to create goodwill…and referrals 

Everybody likes recognition. Your customers and employees are no exception.  I often repeat in seminars and meetings at agencies: “Remember, they don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”  This axiom is true in any business but especially true in the insurance business, an intensively people-service business.  You sell promises. 

What assurances does the customer have about whether you and the companies you represent will keep those promises?  The answer lies in two words.  Confidence. Trust.  You build both by demonstrating competence and caring. 

Sending out We Care letters and notes should be an on-going process in your agency.  I have a few ideas that may trigger a formal program if you don’t have one now. 

Creating goodwill  

Of course you want to generate as much customer goodwill as you can with as many customers as you can.  Some of the ways you can do this are: 

. Deliver what you promised when you promised it. 

. Be responsive to concerns, interests, wants and needs.

. Contribute in any way you can to your customer’s well-being. . Remember that your relationship is not only a buyer-seller relationship but a relationship between two individuals. 

Personal communications 

Send informal notes and letters to customers on special occasions that have personal meaning to them. 

Here is a short list of these types of occasions.  Your notes or letters will show customers that you think of them more often than just renewal time, and that you really care about them and their families or business.  

. Congratulations on a birth 

. Congratulations on business expansion 

. Congratulations on a promotion 

. Congratulations on opening a new office  

. Congratulations on industry recognition 

. Congratulations on earning a prize or honor 

. Congratulations on retirement

. Sympathy notes 

. Get-well note 

. Apology letter or note 

. Congratulations on new home  

. Congratulations on business purchase  

. Congratulations on graduation 

. Birthday greetings 

. Anniversary congratulations 

You can probably think of a dozen more reasons!  

In all cases, it takes a bit of research to initiate your We Care notes and a good database entry process to make sure that birthdays, anniversaries, retirement, et cetera are maintained in customer records. 

But the effort is a win-win all the way.  Your customers know you care.  You know you care.  They give you loyalty and referrals.  You give them recognition and thanks---and excellent service.