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FYI: Insurance Tips
Inspired by Optimist Prime's bad day @ work thread and MY expereince @ MY place of employment with the follwing, this just an FYI for you all:
When you call up your insurance agency, simply say Hello and state your name and a BRIEF reason for your call. ("Hi, my name is Joe Schmoe and I'm calling in regards to my auto policy.") Chances are the receptionist is NOT authorized to answer your questions OR check to see how much you owe. And guess what- she probably doesn't want to hear about your dramatic auto accident either. She's just there to answer the phone and FORWARD the call to someone AUTHORIZED to help you. ( On a side note, she most likely answered the phone with a "...may I direct your call?" and NOT a "...can I help you?" because the two mean entirely different things.) Even with that in mind, most receptionists intentionally have very little knowledge as to what they are doing beyond answering the phone and taking your payments. It makes things easier on the insured so that they are not hearing contradictory information from the receptionist (who isn't usually kept up to date with new procedures, etc.) and the CSR (who gets daily updates of new procedures and company policy.)
Also- by saying your name AND your reason for calling you end up killing two birds with one stone: most agencies are split up into general departments, which are then further broken up into even smaller sections person by person. Generally you'll find a Commercial (business) Department, and a Personal Lines Department. After that, it can either be split up alphabetically (with one employee getting A-F, another G-P, etc.) OR type (Auto, Home, Liability, Jewelry, Flood, Boat, etc.) If you know which way your agency is set up ahead of time, it can save both you and your agent A LOT of hassle!
All you have to do is ask. A competent receptionist will know what you mean when you say "Excuse me, but how are the policyholders in your agency divided amongst your CSR's?" If she doesn't, ask to speak to management and tell them she should NOT be answering the phone and should be moved to processing if they don't want to fire her.
I'm not trying to be mean/funny with this. I work as a receptionist at an insurance agency and it's REALLY aggravating when people call and say "Hi I have insurance with Commerce." I just want to scream and say "Yeah, so? I have insurance with Safety, YAY for us." Most insurance agencies now-a-days aren't split up by company.
*and PLEASE: if you call ANYWHERE and the person answering the phone says "Good Morning/Afternoon, [Place of Business,] may I direct your call?" DO NOT ask "Where?" she JUST told you!
and don't ask "Can I um, speak to the um, lady in the um, office? You know, the um, lady in the um, office..." ( I SWEAR I had some woman do this to me today!)
<gets off soap box> Thank you.
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