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Do you 'throw away' too many referrals? A producer I was working with was ecstatic one hot summer day because he had just obtained 10 referrals from a client. I was excited too and the producer was going to begin working those new referrals right away. Well, in tracking the success of those 10 referrals, only one got written. Is that good or just normal? Let's just say, both of us felt it should have been better. So, analyzing what took place led to the following results: * 2 were not reachable; the producer never connected with the decision-maker. * 2 were messy businesses that the producer realized would be declined if submitted * 3 had strong to severe loss issues * 1 failed to provide all the needed information * 1 was presented, but not sold * 1 was sold Could this one out of 10 scenario have been prevented? That is what we took it upon ourselves to evaluate. The first evaluation made was really there were only three the producer was either able to, or wanted to, quote. So, of that group, he was really one for three. But, what about the rest of the referrals - the ones not quoted? Preventable? In our analysis, many of those were preventable so that you wouldn't end up with 70 percent being "thrown away." The two that the producer was unable to reach were determined to be a problem based on the "introduction" he got from his client to those two prospects. (Note: You do ask to be introduced, don't you, when you obtain a referral?) The person calling their customer (our prospect) from the business was not someone known to them and thus, the call carried little weight. It was not a powerful introduction; it wasn't even a lukewarm introduction, so it was not surprising the producer couldn't get an appointment following that call. The five that were either messy businesses or had heavy losses weren't quality businesses. Was that the luck of the draw and he just accepted that when he asked for referrals, or could

Have you been using a low or high risk merchant account? Are you aware of the various fees involved? Let's find out.

AMSLV is a high-risk merchant processing service provider, who have been working in this filed for many years and holds in-depth knowledge about the intricacies of the business.

Recently Japan has been facing the worst tsunami ever in its history. I think this is the most natural disaster in japan after handmade Hiroshima A-bomb. Where media is showing that how houses, roads and all infrastructure is collapsed due to this earth quake and tsunami mis-happening.

World is changing day by day as we are making progress in technology and other fields of daily life. Many things have been changed along with our style of living standards. As the world is advancing, people are abandoning the traditional way of house living and adopting the urban way of living.

The changing lifestyle of people is bringing new challenges to face and their health issues top among them. In recent years, people have been diagnosed with more critical illnesses and their longevity has also been affected.

Iroquois is committed to helping its Member Agencies grow, which has been a challenge for many agencies in recent years. We have therefore developed a new program to help our Members write more new business with our Carrier-Partners in 2012. Under the Commercial Leads Program, Iroquois will provide commercial leads to qualified Member Agencies in one of two ways:

Merger and acquisition activity for the past 2 years has been hot. Published deals are up and, for every published deal there are countless smaller ones that don't get published.

Dennis Winfree has been an Iroquois member with two different insurance agencies for almost 20 years.

Neilson Marketing Services, for more than 25 years, has been providing insurance agencies with a wide range of marketing products, including custom programs that combine telemarketing, Internet Marketing, SEO, and Social Media Marketing. As an Iroquois member agent, you're eligible to receive discounts on Neilson's business insurance lists and telemarketing services for qualified leads.

Your E&O policy is one of the most important coverages that an agency should have. Here are some key tips to help determine which coverage is the best fit. Do some homework on the various E&O carriers. Things to look at include: - How long have they been writing this coverage - What is their AM Best rating - What resources do they have to help you manage your E&O exposure

Too often, insuranceagencies tend to renew their Errors & Omissions coverage with the same limit they had during the previous policy period. If this has been the practice in your insurance agency for a number of years, there is a good chance the E&O limit is significantly outdated. While there is no magic formula for calculating the proper E&O limit, small agencies can still cause big E&O claims, so there are a few things to keep in mind.

Associated Risk Managers of Illinois (ARM) and The Iroquois Group Inc® of Allegany, N.Y., announced on March 28 a joint marketing agreement that allows ARM members in Illinois access to Iroquois insurance group carriers, benefits and services. "ARM has always been about finding unique ways to help our members increase their access to the insurance marketplace and boost their revenue. We looked at a number of possible partners and selected Iroquois to move forward with" says Gary Semmer, a principal at the Esser Hayes Group and President of ARM of Illinois. The Iroquois effort in Illinois will be headed by regional manager Christian Rebello. "Adding 28 new ARM members in one transaction will significantly grow and add quality to our book of business in Illinois. We have met with the ARM membership throughout the past year and we are very excited about this new relationship," said Rebello. ARM of Illinois joins ARM groups in New Jersey, North Carolina, Maryland and Virginia in working with The Iroquois Group.

In most agencies, holding customers accountable seems to be one of the bigger frustrations. Have you ever thought or said "why is it always our fault when a customer has a loss that is not covered? They knew that they didn't have that coverage." For agents serious about minimizing the potential of their agency facing an E&O claim, achieving a high level of customer accountability is a great goal to strive for. To achieve this goal may require some hard work and some new initiatives. Documentation is a key but documentation is more than just words in the system. Any agency will be hard pressed to hold their customers accountable without a file that is well documented. However, documentation by itself will not get it done. Agents need to fully understand that when an E&O claim happens, the E&O carrier will look to secure the actual file in question (paper or electronic) to see what it looks like and what it contains. Solid documentation that is handled promptly, is accurate and professional will make the E&O carrier's job much easier. Conversely, a file with sketchy documentation could prove to be a problem in an E&O matter. Effective handling of client interactions is very important. Every day, customers are asking questions, modifying coverages, etc. The questions (and the answers provided) should be fully documented in the agency management system. In addition, requests to delete or decline coverage or to modify coverage in some manner should be documented as well. But documentation only in the system may not be enough. The agency should have a procedure for confirming / memorializing the discussion. Without this, mistakes can occur. Possibly, what the agency heard is not what the customer requested or possibly what the customer advised is not what they really meant. Let's take the scenario that the agency has provided a personal lines umbrella proposal and the customer calls to advise your agency that they are not going to purchase this coverage. W

Inc. magazine recently ranked The Iroquois Group® among the nation's fastest-growing private companies. The Inc. 5000 list represents a comprehensive look at an important segment of the economy-America's independent entrepreneurs. This is the second year in a row that Iroquois has made the list. The insurance agency network that began with a handful of agencies in Western New York is now operating in 41 states, serving more than 2,250 member agencies. "Our growth has been driven by our business model which relies on strong relationships with our Member Agencies and core Carrier Partners," said Laurie A. Branch, president of The Iroquois Group. Inc. unveiled its 2017 list online at Inc.com on Wednesday. Agencies of all sizes and shapes join The Iroquois Group to increase revenue, profits and agency value. For more information, go online to www.iroquoisgroup.com.

Iroquois Midwest earns Grange Senior Partner honor For the third consecutive year, Iroquois Midwest, Inc., has earned Senior Partner designation from Grange Insurance group network, placing Iroquois Midwest in an elite group. The honor recognizes Grange's independent agent partners for their excellent performance. Iroquois Midwest, headed by Managing Partner Philip Dawson, is part of The Iroquois Group®, one of the oldest and largest networks of independent agencies, with more than 2,200 members in 40 states. Iroquois Midwest has been a Grange partner since 2009. Fewer than 300 of Grange's 3,600 agencies attained Senior Partner status in 2013, putting Iroquois in the top 12 percent of all Grange agencies. Grange Insurance group network, with $2 billion in assets and more than $1 billion in annual revenue, is an insurance cluster provider based in Columbus, Ohio. Through its network of independent agents, Grange offers auto, home, life and business insurance cluster protection. Established in 1935, the company and its affiliates serve policyholders in Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin. For more information, visit www.grangeinsurance.com. Agencies of all sizes and shapes join The Iroquois Group to increase revenue, profits and agency value. For more information, go online to www.iroquoisgroup.com.

Iroquois Midwest honored by Grange Iroquois Midwest, Inc., has earned Senior Partner designation from Grange Insurance agency network, placing Iroquois Midwest in an elite insurance group. The honor, which Iroquois has won for the fourth consecutive year, recognizes Grange's independent agent partners for their excellent performance. Iroquois Midwest has been a Grange partner since 2009. Fewer than 180 of Grange's 4,000 independent insurance agencies attained Senior Partner status in 2014, putting Iroquois in the top 14 percent of all Grange agencies. Iroquois Midwest, headed by Managing Partner Philip Dawson, is part of The Iroquois insurance Group®, one of the oldest and largest networks of independent insurance agencies, with more than 2,200 members in 40 states. The company has recently expanded to include Kentucky into its agency network. Grange Insurance agency network is a regional insurance network provider based in Columbus, Ohio. With $2 billion in assets, the company offers auto, home, life and business insurance protection. Grange, and its affiliate Integrity, operates through a network of independent agents in 13 states in the Midwest and South. Grange is in the business of protecting people's lives when and how they need it. Established in 1935, Grange has grown from rural beginnings to a financially stable enterprise that offers independent agents and policyholders the highest level of service and support. For more information, visit grangeinsurance.com. Insurance agencies of all sizes and shapes join The Iroquois Group to increase revenue, profits and agency value.

Iroquois makes Inc. magazine list Inc. magazine recently ranked The Iroquois Group® 4,884th on its 34th annual Inc. 5000, an exclusive ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a comprehensive look at an important segment of the economy-America's independent entrepreneurs. It is Iroquois' first time on the list. The insurance agency network that began with a handful of agencies in Western New York, is now operating in 41 states, serving more than 2,250 member agencies. "Our growth has been driven by our business model which relies on strong relationships with our Member Agencies and core Carrier Partners," said Laurie A. Branch, president of The Iroquois Group. The 2015 Inc. 5000, unveiled online at Inc.com and with the top 500 companies featured in the September issue of Inc. is the most competitive crop in the list's history. The average company on the list achieved a three-year growth of 490 percent. The Inc. 5000's aggregate revenue is $205 billion, generating 647,000 jobs over the past three years. Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000. Agencies of all sizes and shapes join The Iroquois Group to increase revenue, profits and agency value.

Iroquois adds Agency Revolution as preferred vendor partner The Iroquois Group® has added Agency Revolution as a preferred vendor for marketing automation for their member agencies. "We're committed to support the growth and profitability of our member agencies," said David Ward, Managing Partner of The Iroquois Group. "We all know the insurance consumer has changed, and we think Agency Revolution's latest marketing automation software can help our agencies bridge the gap with today's consumer." Michael Jans, Founder and CEO of Agency Revolution said, "The Iroquois Group is one of the great insurance organizations in the United States today. We're honored to be selected by them and thrilled to be working with their member agencies." Agency Revolution's latest platform, AR Connect™, is designed to automate communications with clients/prospects and streamline internal workflows, while helping the agency engage with their customers. It integrates with most industry management systems, such as AMS360, Applied TAM, QQ Catalyst, Hawksoft and more. Their software has been awarded the esteemed 5 Star Best of the Best Award by Insurance Business America. About The Iroquois Group: The Iroquois Group® is one of the oldest and largest networks of independent agencies, with more than 2,200 members in 41 states. Members of all sizes join Iroquois for assistance in increasing their revenue, profits and agency value. About Agency Revolution: Agency Revolution is the leading provider of marketing automation and communications technology for independent agents and brokers in the US and Canada. For 20 years, AR has leveraged its expertise in marketing, insurance, and technology to help today's Independent Agent AUTOMATE, ENGAGE, and GROW their agencies. Agency Revolution 888.208.9239 grow@agencyrevolution.com www.agencyrevolution.com David Ward The Iroquois Group 843-568-5543 dward@iroquoisgroup.com

These were some of the common mistakes people make while taking a insurance policy. We hope this blog has been helpful and will aid you in making an informed decision