A CALL TO ARMS - National Association of Professional Allstate ...

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usiness/marketing tipsCrisis Management:Preparing Your Customers for the WorstBY PETER KUSTERERWhen it comes to recovering froma life event, or a catastrophicinterruption in lifestyle, where you turnfirst can make a difference. In the caseof a major casualty loss, the most urgentneed besides finding safety and shelteris to begin the process of itemizing yourpossessions and determining their value.Allstate agents have done a good jobof educating the public to the need toprotect their possessions from loss ortheft. In years past, Allstate agents wouldstress the importance for their customersto complete a “household inventorychecklist.” Oftentimes, Allstate agentswould help their customers complete thistedious, but necessary task. Other agentsadvocated taking photos to keep with theinventory lists, and some even offered tostore the lists and photos in their customers’files to make sure they would notbe destroyed. In the late 80’s and early90’s, a new inventory technique becamepopular – the video inventory.Today things are much different,thanks to the Internet. But the age-oldproblem of customers not keeping upwith cataloging their assets in a timelyfashion still persists. As we know, whencustomers maintain adequate policies andcoverage, peace of mind is assured. However,they should never be allowed to becomecomplacent because an unexpectedevent can disrupt an otherwise peacefulstate of mind. Here is where preparationand planning should take hold, but it isoften overlooked, or left to be addressedlater. To be sure, no one plans to procrastinateover such issues, but busy lifestylescan make an otherwise simple task morecomplex.A change in lifestyle can be equally disruptive.A move to a new area or locationbrings with it an unsettling condition. Socan the addition of family members, orrelatives. As we have seen recently, manyfamilies are now experiencing multiplegenerations under one roof.This change not only brings a lifestyleadjustment, but the need to combinehouseholds or add new furnishings tomake living easier for aging parents orfamily members with limited mobility.In those cases where elder care is introducedto the household, Caring.com isan excellent resource for information tohelp make such transitions easier.Keeping insurance coverage and protectionup to date, along with adequatevaluations, takes on a completely newmeaning with these lifestyle changes.Other policies in the form of personalliability, life insurance, annuities, as wellas other long-term planning vehicles forprotection and peace of mind may be required.The Allstate agent is often consideredthe primary resource of informationas well as a trusted advisor in timeof need.Many businesses and other corporateentities practice crisis management,which is the planning of actions to betaken in a crisis situation. This samekind of planning can be beneficial to theaverage homeowner. Working closelywith their Allstate agent, the insured canbring together those areas of their workand life balance that would be most adverselyaffected by a loss, or theft.Items within the home and surroundingarea may become the first tier of planning.Next are the more significant assetsfor coverage such as the home itself, oneor more autos, or other recreational vehicles.The same process should be usedfor seasonal or vacation homes. It is important,however, that your customersunderstand that crisis management planningshouldn’t end here because there arestill things they may have overlooked,such as immunization records, prescriptions,other healthcare documents, birth44 — Exclusivefocus Fall 2009
and marriage certificates, passports, etc.Think in terms of the softer side of lifethat is more likely to be managed dayto-dayin digital form, either online oron a computer, but which needs to bereproduced in printed (paper) form fromtime to time. Just as the State Departmentrecommends a copy of your passportwhile traveling, it is wise to havedigital images stored in a secure mannerthat can be printed later.As you can see, pulling together a crisismanagement plan for your home requirestime and attention to detail. Forsome people, taking a video with runningcommentary is one way of documentingyour possessions. However, this methodlacks the necessary detail if you cannotproduce the original receipts, many ofwhich are often discarded shortly afterpurchase. Others may be more detailedwith individual photos, or scanned imagesof documents stored on their laptop ordesktop computer. Better, but the storageon a computer can get unwieldy if youdo not adopt a naming convention or description,and proper folder storage.The use of simple word-processingsoftware or spreadsheets can help builda better digital record. There are a numberof templates to follow, that are freeor available at a nominal cost. With theproper discipline of keeping this up-todate,and a uniform method of storage,you can develop a repository of informationand copies for backup purposes. Thisis one step closer to a plan that will holdup under a variety of circumstances.Personal finance software applicationshave also caught on to the need to catalogthe possessions of individuals andfamilies. Many now offer a home inventoryas part of the software application.This serves a two-fold purpose. Addingthis information to the balance of yourfinances can offer a more complete pictureof net worth. The other benefit isa useful inventory for replacement at atime of loss.More complete and better designedsoftware applications are beginning toemerge. Not only do they incorporate thetraditional home inventory component,but add the equally important functionalityto capture images and information.A select few run on a variety of platformsand offer both online and offline (desktop)use. There are even some that incorporateseamless backups to online storagein case of loss of the original data.As these various software applicationsemerge, they present an opportunity forthe Allstate agent to help their customerprepare a more complete crisis managementplan. With software in hand,Allstate agents can assist customers incataloging their possessions, establishvaluations, and point out deficiencies inpolicy coverage. From an ongoing perspective,software that can be providedto customers by their Allstate agentsbecomes a permanent reminder of whoto call when changes or additions occur.Each time the customer uses the software,the agent’s name and contact informationpresents itself along with handylinks to the agent’s Web site, or a requestfor quote.Obviously, software cannot replace thepersonal interaction that has built thetrust and confidence between the Allstateagent and their customers. But softwarethat extends the reach of the agentin a positive and productive way for theWhen it comes to the forcesof nature, and you need tograb your belongings andmake a run for it, are youready to “Grab-N-Go”?The My Grab-N-Go software offersconsumers tabbed sections for storage ofpersonal information in an intelligentdatabase. The stored information includesSafetyNet Services, LLCinformation@mygrabngo.comwww.mygrabngo.comcustomer can bring untold benefits toboth parties. With regular use of agentsuppliedsoftware, it becomes easier forthe customer to spot coverage deficienciesand areas of vulnerability. This newawareness can lead to more savvy customersand more policy upgrades.Allstate agents who are seeking newand better ways to improve their AgencyLoyalty Index (ALI), retention ratios andnew customer growth, now have a vehicleto ensure lasting relationships and increasedbusiness. Rather than a reflectivethought from direct response marketingor traditional advertising, software runningon customer desktops will serve as aconstant reminder of who to call wheneverinsurance related needs arise.Peter Kusterer is vice president of sales &marketing for SafetyNet Services, LLC,home of My Grab-N-Go software. MyGrab-N-Go was designed with Allstateagents and customers in mind. Formore information about how My Grab-N-Go can help your agency, please visitwww.mygrabngo.com, or send an email toinformation@mygrabngo.comcategories for personal details, property and assets, medical andhealthcare records, as well as any pertinent information to file insuranceclaims, or keep an eye on their personal possessions.The My Grab-N-Go interactive platform delivers vendor messages,promotional product offers, or other information from the Allstate agent,for higher customer retention and new business opportunities.Fall 2009 Exclusivefocus — 45
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