When I started in insurance, I really didn’t have a job description. We as CSRs (customer service representatives) just did everything, the next thing that came up (or next call that we answered). There wasn’t a lot of rhyme and reason. Insurance Customer Service Job Description are vital for everyone. Job descriptions help everyone know what is expected of them. They help staff stay in their own lane. Team members can often have uneven workloads based on training and/or experience. Instead of building responsibility off job descriptions, they build it off of the previously mentioned items.
This causes some staff to be overloaded and overworked. We see it all the time, AND that is why we are here. We can help from WOW Customer Service Training to helping your agency with job descriptions.How do you hire staff? Insurance Customer Service Job Description should be clear and concise. Compelling job descriptions will attract the right people to your agency. Updating them often keeps everyone on the same page.
Understanding the Role of Insurance Customer Service
A customer service staff member should focus on customer relations and dealing with customer concerns. As a customer service oriented role, they need to be patient, understanding, and have empathy. How many jobs in the world are customer-service oriented, yet the staff members never receive customer service training? Is that you or your team? Check out our WOW Customer Service Training.
My first job was at a supermarket in a customer service role as a cashier, and then as a florist in the same store. We had some training, but a lot of it was on-the-job training. You learn what to say and what not to say to customers by trial and error. I think CSRs are similar and that you cannot train for every individual situation, however some training is better than none.
Sometimes, outside training works better because the staff need to hear it from someone else, someone more neutral. Insurance is a different “animal,” per say. Everyone has to have it, but no one wants to pay for it.
Being a CSR isn’t the easiest job either. An excellent insurance customer service representative should possess a combination of skills and qualities to effectively handle customer inquiries and resolve issues. These skills and qualities help ensure that insurance CSR can effectively support and assist customers, fostering positive relationships and contributing to the success of the organization.
Here are some key attributes:
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Communication Skills
Clear, concise, and empathetic communication is essential. They need to explain complex insurance terms and policies in an understandable way and actively listen to customers’ concerns. This involves not using insurance slang or lingo like: comprehensive, umbrella coverage, deductible, endorsements, exclusions, peril, replacement cost, ACV (actual cash value), subrogation, and dec page to name a few.
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Problem-Solving Abilities
The ability to think critically and resolve issues efficiently is crucial. They should be adept at troubleshooting problems and finding solutions that satisfy both the customer and the company.
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Patience and Empathy
Dealing with insurance matters can be stressful for customers. A great rep remains patient and empathetic, offering support and understanding throughout the process.
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Attention to Detail
Accuracy is important in insurance, as small errors can lead to significant issues. Attention to detail ensures that information is processed correctly and that policies are managed properly. This is important for Errors & Omissions for the agency.
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Product Knowledge
A deep understanding of the insurance products and services offered is essential. This allows reps to provide accurate information and help customers make informed decisions.
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Time Management
Managing multiple tasks efficiently, prioritizing customer needs, and handling a high volume of calls or requests are important for maintaining productivity and customer satisfaction. You can find our Agency Efficiency Course here, it has many tried and true tips and tricks to help with time management.
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Technical Proficiency
Familiarity with management systems, insurance software, and other relevant technology is important for managing customer information and processing transactions efficiently.
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Positive Attitude
A positive demeanor can make a big difference in customer interactions, helping to create a pleasant experience even in challenging situations. Are they a Tigger or Eeyore?
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Adaptability
The ability to handle changes in policies, procedures, or technology, and to adjust to different customer personalities and situations, is vital.
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Confidentiality and Integrity
Insurance reps deal with sensitive personal information. They must handle all customer data with the utmost confidentiality and integrity, following all regulatory and company guidelines.
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Teamwork and Collaboration
Working well with colleagues and other departments to resolve issues and share information can improve overall service quality and efficiency.
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Customer-Centric Focus
Putting the customer’s needs and satisfaction at the forefront of their efforts helps build trust and loyalty, enhancing the overall customer experience.
Structuring Insurance Customer Service Job Description
- Title: Crafting a catchy yet informative job title
- Mission and Role: Concisely outlining the purpose and objectives of the role
- Key responsibilities: Listing specific duties and tasks
- Desired Outcome of the Role: Tasks to be completed
- Reporting Structure: Who they report to specifically
- Key Performance Indicators: quantifiable indicators of progress
- Principles: Values needed for the role
- Critical Competencies: Skills needed for the role
Emphasizing Company Values and Culture
Many Insurance agencies do not have Visions & Values, yet these are very important for everyone on staff to understand the leadership’s vision for the agency. These include the moral codes and ethics the leaders want the agency to live by. Knowing them and having them readily available is great to keep everyone on track.
When we work with agencies, we actually help them make their Visions & Values document, and provide different ways for the agency to display them daily.
Review and Revision Process
Make sure you review, revise, and revisit your job descriptions with all of your employees bi-annually, things change and you need to make sure the job description stays up to date. It would be great at the bi-annual review if you were to do a performance review that included reviewing the employees job description.
Some great questions to ask are “what is your favorite thing you do in your role and what is the least favorite thing?” These questions give you a chance to possibly add or remove items from the job description based off of SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats). This performance review and feedback from the staff member and leaders will help mold your job description to the staff member. It will also help to determine growth and future roles the employee may be able to handle.
Having goals and milestones is important in any role to promote continued growth of all of your staff and employees. Some people are willing to stay where they are, but others want to grow and do bigger and better things, and you will be able to determine this through annual reviews of job descriptions.
What does your job description look like? Do you have one? If not, check out our process pack on job descriptions that has all the job descriptions as outlines to help your agency customize them. Everyone, in every role and position should have a job description. These are essential guides to what one is required to do, it helps with expectations, parameters, and guidelines. It helps everyone stay on track and know what is expected of them.
Reach out to us through our website at agencyperformancepartners.com or at Therese Potter. We are happy to answer any questions or help.
