Running a business largely depends on maintaining and gaining customers each month. For an insurance agency in particular, retaining customers and making sure they are satisfied with their insurance agent will play a major role in deciphering your insurance company from many others. Here are a few ways you can make sure that your customer service is above and beyond so that you can retain customers and grow your business:

First, know your customer. At many insurance agencies, people become numbers and there are very little personal interactions and connections between employees and customers. A good company, regardless of what type of business it caters to, knows the people they are serving – without them, business would plummet. Communication is key when it comes to building relationships with your customers, so be sure your employees are great at effectively communicating. Nobody wants to get help from a computer, so make sure your employees don’t sound like one. Having compassion for customers is the initial step towards great customer service.

Next, your employees should be knowledgeable and know how to answer questions about insurance policies in general and specific to your company. In the event that a question cannot be answered, there should be a protocol for your employee to tell the client that he or she will speak to a manager and will give them know as soon as possible. Make sure a follow-up email or phone call is setup so that the client is not left hanging. Your employees should speak with confidence and be well-educated for their position. If your company does not have a basic annual training program for both new and old employees, that is something that should be implemented right away.

Another aspect of customer service that your company should be up to par with is answering emails and responding to phone call in a timely fashion. No customer should be left in the dark if he or she has a question or is expecting an update of some sort. Be sure that your employees have a 24-48 hour rule when it comes to responding to voicemails and emails – even text messages if everyone has a company cell phone. Being attentive and responding to customers is extremely important for your business, because if you don’t respond the customer is not likely to a) refer you to prospective clients and b) have a good experience with the company, which could lead to negative feedback and may eventually not be a customer anymore. Even if the question seems vague or unimportant, your employees should hop on the phone with the customer and listen to what they have to say.

In conclusion, if customers are not satisfied with the service you are providing, they will not continue to use your product. Communicating effectively and responding quickly to voicemails, emails, and text messages are great ways to stay in touch and actively engage with your customers so that they will want to stay with your company as long as possible.