Are you an insurance agent, accountant, financial advisor, counselor or other professional services provider? If the answer is yes, you need to be conducting regular check-ins with your clients.
For years, I purchased my insurance policy through an agent that represented a large carrier. I never heard from my agent—he just sent me an annual renewal statement by mail.
Then I switched to an independent insurance agent. After just a few months, he called to check in. He wanted to discuss recent changes in my life and my business to make sure that I had the best coverage for what I needed at the time. I ended up saving money on a policy that provided even better coverage than the one I had before!
More important, I was assured that my agent was looking out for my best interests.
Customer Assurance Builds Trust
According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, only 28% of people understand their insurance coverage. A full 83% of people say they want to have an annual review with their agent in order to understand their coverage better. Another 86% of people who are thinking about switching agents will stay with their current agent if he or she provides them with an annual review.
In the following video for Grange Insurance Association and its network of independent agents, I discuss the importance of conducting annual reviews to build customer loyalty and grow your business.
Obviously, every situation is unique. There are no concrete rules about how and how often you should check in with your clients. But there is no doubt that regular check-ins help build client loyalty and drive business referrals.