Worcester Business Journal

www.wbjournal.com April 25, 2016 • Worcester Business Journal 17 A t Insurance Marketing Agencies, we take pride in our strong, client-centric culture. The agency was founded in 1924 in Worcester. We understand that we are here to provide the highest quality customer service throughout all aspects of the relationship with a client. This philosophy is woven into our DNA. As all great client-centric companies know, this focus doesn't happen overnight, and it takes constant nurturing. When looking to create a customer- centric philosophy, keep it simple. A strong and concise mission statement composed with the help of the leadership team, no more than a few sentences, can readily permeate and grow within the corporate structure. Once this tenet is developed, it is vital to communicate it throughout your organization on an ongoing basis. This statement should be reflective of your core values, which will bolster the mission statement. Every member of the organization, from the CEO down to the newest hire, should know it and conduct themselves accordingly. As we all know, actions speak louder than words. It is important that leadership sets the examples for the others to follow. A client-centric culture is not something you can set and forget. It is vital that this culture is implemented at orientation and reinforced frequently throughout the organization. How do we give life to this? In order to get true, organic buy-in from your people and ensure that these aren't just merely words on a memo, you must engage everyone at the gut level. Demonstrate the examples of what great service has achieved. Share stories of delighted clients who were positively impacted by the great customer service they experienced by someone in your company. Many companies speak of empowering their employees, but what does that really mean, and how is that truly accomplished? The first step is hiring the best people and then continuously providing high- quality training to ensure they are providing the most accurate and up-to- date solutions to clients. Giving your people a higher level of autonomy is the last step in this equation. In this environment, the No. 1 rule is to hear what the client is saying or asking for. It is vital that everyone on the team is employing active listening when servicing clients. When this happens, customers walk away feeling that they know they have been heard and understood. The insurance product is a bit of a difficult sale to begin with; it's basically a contract between the insured and insurance carrier, so you need to understand the client's tolerance for risk and then fill those gaps with products that work. Nobody particularly likes it, but they have to have it. A strong client-centric culture is what separates a good company from a great company. Just as you provide the best service to your customers, it is vital to apply the same philosophy to the teams and people that make things happen inside the organization. This message should permeate every aspect of what you do. From executive decisions regarding the direction of the company to how the phone is answered, the first question should always be: How does this best serve the client? When you let this happen, this culture becomes second nature. n Laura Herman-Strohecker is the CEO of Insurance Marketing Agencies in Worcester. By Andy and Emiy Proos The Proos co-founded Northborough tech startup Bluewire Audio LLC. They can be reached at aproos@ bluewireaudio.com and emproos@bluewireaudio.com. 10 Things I Know About... Creating a client-centric culture KNOW HOW 10) Start with a great idea. You're more likely to be successful if you start your business on an idea that you're passionate about, an idea that fills a need and an idea you believe in. 9) Get out and meet people. Build your network to meet people and possibly learn from them. Great opportunities exist with networking groups, community organizations and chambers of commerce. 8) Be flexible. How you initially envision your new business may not be how it develops. Be open to changes and even different directions, as it might be more practical. 7) Get noticed. Develop a marketing plan and determine what makes the most sense in terms of advertising, public relations, website and social media. You want people to know who you are and what your business is all about, and you want to keep people informed. 6) Don't let setbacks destroy you. Even though your business plan looked great on paper, it may not fall out the same way in real life. Stay optimistic, and work through challenges by shifting your thinking when you can and accepting the situation when that is all that's left to do. 5) Recognize your limitations. We have a great idea for a product that's an alternative to headphones, but our background is in business and medicine. We don't have to be experts in speaker technology or prototype design to come up with a great product. 4) Make good partnerships. We do need to identify good business partners who have the expertise to make our vision a reality. 3) Use like-minded people. Whether partners, employees or board members, surround yourself with people you trust, people you work well with and people who can make your business be the best it can be. This is not to say that you need people who agree with your every thought, but having people who see the whole picture will make everyone vested. 2) Expect the unexpected. Contingency plans are not just smart business sense – they can sometimes save the day. Everything doesn't always go to plan, and it's easier to accept that when you're expecting it. 1) Be open to chances. Sometimes an opportunity comes when least expected. If it's something you really believe in, it's worth the risk. W ith four generations now in the workplace, the 2016 work environment may seem ripe for conflict. For departmental or company leaders, collaborations and co-working may need a bit more of their focus; communication takes on a whole new importance. Here are three things to keep in mind when managing an office with complaints, eye rolls and ineffectiveness among teams. It begins by emphasizing the good. Catch people doing things right, and acknowledge them, advises human resources expert Casey Swartz in an article at SHRM.org, to foster an atmosphere where people then feel comfortable bringing up problems. Perhaps departments report to another what they've accomplished, to foster understanding. A way to build trust and catch problems before they become sources of conflict is to encourage healthy dissent. "Managers should encourage dissent that's focused on tasks, strategies and mission," she writes. Mix it up. This means cross-team collaborations and intergenerational group projects. "By providing opportunities for cross-generational collaboration, such as official mentor pairings, HR teams can prepare workers of all ages for productive relationships," and reduce conflict, writes Jasmine Gordon of Forbes.com. Now more than ever, with a global workforce, employees need to broaden their scope and work with others across a wide variety of communication and working styles. Know that conflict can hide other problems. Once communication is opened up, other issues may come to light. When solutions are found, says an article at MindTools.com, managers can look forward to increased understanding, better cohesion and self-knowledge of each member of the team. "Conflict pushes individuals to examine their goals and expectations closely," the site states, "helping them to understand the things that are most important to them, sharpening their focus and enhancing their effectiveness." n 101: QUELLING CONFLICT >> BY SUSAN SHALHOUB Special to the Worcester Business Journal Starting a business BY LAURA HERMAN-STROHECKER Special to the Worcester Business Journal

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