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Here's a bit of a rant...it's happened to me many times...it's just this time I'll share the experience here.

What's with MGA's who will send unsolicited email or advertise in the trade magazines about great service and expanded markets and then when contacted, never respond?

Case in point, I approach an MGA via phone with a pre submission question about BOP CGL and E&O for a management consultant. Sure, they say, we have a market, but we'll need a special suppliment along with the Acord's. OK, can you email or fax it to me? Sure, they say.

I never hear back. A week goes by. I leave a voicemail message, referencing the prior phone conversation. No response. Today, I sent an email...and it will be the last communication they get from me, unless they respond.

One of the great benefits of email is to send off a short response immediately...like "I checked and it turns out that carrier really isn't interested", or "I'm still trying to get those supplimental apps", or "Sorry, I've been busy and just forgot", or "ANYTHING!"....

Is it just that a request from a new agency isn't worth any response? Why send out unsolicited emails if an MGA doesn't have the capacity to respond? Why NO response?

This isn't the first time I've encountered this kind of business behavior. And, I always manage to find a place for the risk, so it's not that I'm losing business. But, when I receive a request, I always answer it, even if I cannot do something with it (well, that's not entirely honest. when I receive weekend phone messages from prospects I don't have any dealings with asking about one week auto insurance or business insurance or home insurance to bridge them over until another carrier steps in, I usually don't return those messages...).

Oh well, just another crazy aspect of this business.

Cheers.

Sorry you have had poor experience with GA's. It really is a crime if someone wants to send you business and you make it hard for them to do that. Give us a try and see how we stack up. Poor service by competitors makes our job much easier since all we simply have ot do is respond and we have already exceeded expectations!

Ken (kkukral@intlxs.com)
Kenneth Kukral, CIC
President & CEO
International Excess Companies
26451 Curtiss Wright Pkwy. #103
Richmond Hts., OH 44143-1437
PH 1-800-937-3497 X 2082
FX 216-797-2032

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http://www.vital-ins.com

You absolutely are correct in your rant. Shoot me your email and I will get you an app in 5 minutes.

When I started wholesaling I knew there was one thing above all else to be avoided (having come from the retail side previously). My #1 motto is: No black holes.

I never talk about how great my "service" is, because no one knows what that means. It's an overused, trite and nebulous phrase. It has become meaningless. What is meaningful is responsiveness. My agents know that if they don't hear from me within 48 hours of sending a submission, something has gone wrong. i.e., the submission went into a spam filter, or they didn't send it, or I've been hit by a turnip truck (in which case my assistant would have gotten back to them). If they shoot me an inquiry and I don't get back to them with an app or other response, usually within an hour, but at most 24 hours, then again, something has gone astray.

I will admit that even I am not attaining my own goals 100% of the time. Sometimes there are just too many things going on in a day to get them all done timely, so I operate at about a 90% success ratio. However, what you experienced is unacceptable and far too common. A simple question. Less than 3 minutes to get the appropriate app and respond to you. Or at least tell you to go pound sand. All you need is a little respect. From my own selfish point of view, I'm happy that other E&S markets are like that, because it makes me and other diligent, responsive wholesalers stand out as exceptional.

Shoot me your contact info, and I will take care of you.

Chris Christian, CIC, RPLU
US Risk Brokers
chrisc@usrisk.com
760-415-4213

Your experience sounds terrible and we hear of this far too often in our industry. Markets and underwriting appetites change weekly and there isn’t any harm in telling a producer immediately that the risk they sent can’t be placed. What shocks me is how an agency that prides themselves on customer service CAN and WOULD delay a response. The new millennium has given businesses many great capabilities but one that can’t be trusted is email. It’s great for relaying facts or connecting with someone after hours or while on the road but email still lacks one major characteristic; the ability to tell tone. Isn’t it amazing how you can read the same sentence 5-6 times in different tones and come up with at least as many messages/feelings. Why risk this when dealing with a producer that you want and need business from now and in the future? An agency should pick up the phone and speak to producers about their risk whether they can place it or not. It may seem “old school” but it allows them to maintain ONE if not THE most important aspect of marketing: Controlling the message.

Times are tough and producers deserve to be treated like #1. Communication with a “personal” touch is the way to succeed.

David Miller
CRES Insurance Services,LLC
Vice President-Marketing Communications
Ph. 800.880.2747
Fax 858.618.1655
http://www.cresinsurance.com

Addressing the issues raised in your rant: compare the service response, pricing and coverage options at Anderson & Murison! We will keep you competitive in Personal and Commercial Lines in California. Our A rated markets offer preferred programs that compete with the direct writers as well as specialty and E&S programs. We can place Professional/E&O LIability, EQ, flood, hard-to-place prop/cas comml biz, all HO and DP forms (preferred and hard-to-place), Personal Umbrella and CPL. Our IIA endorsed Personal Umbrella is filed in all 50 states and sold through producers resident there.

Call our underwriters for pre-qualification to discuss details or eligibility. To maintain their awareness of the marketplace they will check with you after determining eligibility if they do not receive an application.

When you fax our application to 323-255-0957 or complete an EZquote template online at http://www.andersonmurison.com you will hear from us within 24 hrs, sometimes same day. Without login you can download applications and supplemental pages at that website. For many programs you can use an online-rater for immediate calculation.

George Price, Mgr - Producer Services
Anderson & Murison Inc
800-234-6977 ext 209
george.price@andersonmurison.com

d's insurance store wrote:(well, that's not entirely honest. when I receive weekend phone messages from prospects I don't have any dealings with asking about one week auto insurance or business insurance or home insurance to bridge them over until another carrier steps in, I usually don't return those messages...).Cheers.

Good and relevent rant. When I first started in the business I was told "to be successful, simply return phone calls".

It has worked well for me. The only ones I don't return are those weekend messages like you describe.

Phil

Hi D,
My sympathies go out to you. I understand your frustration, especially in this soft market. I would shudder to think that customer service is going by the way-side! Maybe the economy is affecting some markets and they have had to cut back, but I would agree that this is the wrong place to cut back on!

You would think there would be more marketing reps knocking at your door as they do mine! It wasn't that long ago that I couldn't get in touch with ANY MGA's marketing reps. Now I see them more frequently. Perhaps this is the way for you to go. Contact the MGA's rep and explain your concerns to them and how dissatisfied you are with their service. You'd be surprised how fast you'll get a response! Especially now, when markets are crying for more new business.

Good luck to you!