Know Your Knowledge
Should you reach out to the insured or the agent first? Why?
Always reach out to the insured first. The agent, in most cases, will just have to contact the insured anyway—save time and build a direct relationship.
How many emails can one phone call typically replace?
One phone call can replace 2-3+ emails by addressing all concerns in one conversation instead of back-and-forth exchanges.
Why is using empathy statements important in customer service?
They build trust, reduce tension, and show the customer you understand their frustration—phrases like 'I completely understand how frustrating that must be.'
What phrase should you avoid saying during a call?
Avoid 'I'm not sure' or 'ummmm'—these indicate lack of confidence while answering the callers questions. Better options would be "Give me just a moment to pull your policy up to review it" or "That is a really good question, let me look into that for you" or "I want to make sure I give you the most accurate and up to date information, give me just a moment".
What's the difference between 'Is there anything else?' and 'Have I completely resolved everything?
Is there anything else?' opens the door to random follow-ups. 'Have I completely resolved everything?' confirms full resolution before closing and ends on a positive note.
What should you do before closing an endorsement?
Verify completeness of information, identify possible UW questions early, and review existing policy documents, prior service requests, and @work documentation.
What should you do if an insured is emailing 20+ times about the same issue?
Pick up the phone and call them directly. Most email back-and-forth can be solved in a single conversation.
What's the difference between listening to respond and listening to understand?
Listening to understand means resisting the urge to jump to solutions before the customer finishes explaining their full issue.
What does 'Be Present' mean and why does it matter?
Give the customer your full attention. Distractions lead to missed details and follow-up calls—you need to be here, now, and fully focused.
Why should you recap what was done, time expectations and next steps, if applicable, before ending the call?
It ensures the customer leaves feeling informed and confident about the resolution, reducing confusion and follow-up calls.
Which Consumer Portal features should you teach every insured about?
How to log in/create an account and all available services on the portal including the ones specific to the type of request your are working. Example: Certificate creation
When a COI is rejected, but it is unclear what additional updates are needed or can be waived. What's the best first step?
Obtain insured's permission and call the holder directly. Often they don't understand how to interpret coverage and expect the COI to match their sample exactly—you can educate them.
What should you do after the insured explains their request?
Reiterate or paraphrase their request back to them to confirm accuracy and ensure full understanding before diving into resolution.
What is the 'One and Done Mentality'?
Every rep should approach each call with the goal of fully resolving the issue before hanging up—no follow-ups, no call backs, just complete resolution.
When something can't be resolved immediately, what should you do?
Set clear expectations: tell the customer exactly what will happen next, who will handle it, and when to expect resolution.
Why is educating insureds/agents about the Portal beneficial for the whole team?
It improves your FCR and your peers' FCR by creating self-sufficient customers/agents who can help themselves—reducing future contacts across the entire team.
How should you handle rejected COIs with common Third Party Vendors (i.e. RealPage)?
Contact the insured by phone and provide guidance to request a waiver from a vendor, if applicable. With vendors, they can instruct the insured how to request a waiver on their vendor profile or a waiver can be requested for them.
How can active listening while navigating their account improve outcomes?
You can pick up on cues that guide the conversation, ask better follow-up questions, reduce callbacks, and prevent UW from needing more information later.
What's the difference between fixing a symptom and identifying a root cause?
Fixing a symptom solves the immediate problem but may lead to callbacks. Identifying the root cause through probing questions prevents the issue from recurring.
How should you frame the 'leave the door open' when closing a call?
Let them know how to reach back if something changes, but frame it in a way that reinforces the resolution—not inviting future calls about the same issue. Also, educate them on the benefits and information available on their portal.
What verification should you complete and where should you update it?
Verify the caller/senders relationship to the policy then update it in Salesforce immediately to keep records current, if applicable. Reminder: We do not add Third party contact information to Account 360.
Why is 'Don't be afraid to CALL OUT' labeled as probably the most important FCR tip?
Because one phone call resolves what would otherwise be multiple touches, email chains, and potential follow-ups—it's the ultimate FCR tool.
What should you do during a call when processing an endorsement?
Actively engage with the customer, ask necessary questions and confirm if there's additional information needed so you can capture everything during the call. It can lead to the discovery of unspoken needs.
How should you treat every call in terms of ownership and accountability?
Treat every call as YOUR problem to solve from start to finish. Take accountability, avoid excuses, and don't pass the buck—own it completely.
What personal accountability steps should you take if a customer calls back?
Own it. Ask 'What could have done differently on the first call?' and learn from it.