The last couple of weeks we have talked about an onboarding process as well as what to put into a welcome kit. Most people agree that having a series of emails and/or text messages makes a lot of sense after a sale. The two that people question the most are the aforementioned welcome kit and making a 30 day follow-up call.
As part of our AppX Sales training program, we are strong advocates of the 30 day follow-up call. This is a tremendous opportunity to identify account rounding opportunities, obtain referrals and fix anything that is not right. At this point some clients can start to question if they made the right decision. This is your opportunity to show additional value!
However, you need to have a strong plan for things to go right. The only thing worse than not making a follow-up call on new business clients is making a bad follow-up call. However, with a plan and specific items to review, this call not only wraps up a great customer experience on the new business opportunity but helps to create a better client and one who is more likely to retain.
So what is the best plan for a 30 day follow-up call? Before making the call, take a moment to re-familiarize yourself with the account. We are going to continue to build the relationship so if there is something unique that came up during your new business rapport building, you can lean on that. Also check to see if there were any issues post issuance. You may be aware of these already or someone else in the office may have dealt with them.
All calls are going to include a thank you and confirmation that things are settled at this point. However, there are additional topics such as account rounding, referrals, and testimonials that you can bring up on the call. Depending on how the call goes you may only be able to bring one of these up or you may end up talking about all three. Before the call it is important to note where the opportunity lies for all three so you are ready to discuss.
When we get the person on the phone, we are going to start with a quick relationship building segment and then move into the “insurance stuff”. The insurance stuff includes making sure they received their auto ID cards and put them in their vehicle, building inspections have been completed, policies have been received and certificates have been issued. A conversation confirming the first payment whether it’s a paper bill or automatic bill pay would be the next step.
We then move into the items that we wish to discuss. I always recommend leading with any account rounding opportunity as if you are successful here you can lead into other items at a later date. The next step would be to invite them to engage with the agency online. This can be items such as downloading the agency application or setting up their portal login. It can also be leaving a testimonial or connecting with them on social media.
If the experience has been positive and you have enjoyed working with them, this would be the time to ask for a referral. Having language in your email signature or even sending out a specific referral request email or note card is not enough. We have to ask verbally! Create a strong script with which you have a high comfort level and use it consistently. For example:
You had mentioned that you are a nurse, I’d love to connect with some of your co-workers to see if they would enjoy the same experience and savings we provided you. Is there anyone at work you mentioned us to? That’s great and thank you, what would be the best way to reach out to them?
It is that simple! Wrap up the call with a sincere thank-you and remind them who they should contact if they have issues or questions. Don’t forget to follow through on any steps on your end from your account rounding or referral requests!
