[Blog] getting all your Ducks in a Row

By Troy Korsgaden, Michelle Hubert and Debra Grommons

In the fast-paced, customer-centric world of multiline insurance, operational excellence is not just a goal—it is a necessity. As the industry evolves, the pressure to provide a seamless and consistent client experience across multiple channels has become paramount.

Operational optimization is a critical lever for sustaining growth and ensuring customer loyalty. It occurs when people, processes and strategies are properly aligned to achieve the organization’s purpose. It can only be achieved through meticulous planning, continuous improvement and an unwavering focus on efficiency and effectiveness.

The first step toward operational excellence involves assessing where you are and what needs to be changed or strengthened to get you closer to your goal. You might want to start by asking these questions:

• Is our purpose clearly defined and frequently communicated?
• Do team members have the skills and resources needed to achieve our purpose?
• Are team members committed to achieving our purpose?
• Do our current strategies, processes and systems support achieving our purpose?


Many agencies—even the best of the best—are operating in chaos because they have not done the foundational work that would allow them to answer yes to these questions. That’s because it is hard work!

Strengthening and standardizing systems and processes is an important part of improved alignment. Standardized, documented systems and processes provide team members with focus and direction in achieving organizational goals. Standardization also ensures that tasks are completed accurately and consistently while following established performance standards. Streamlining increases productivity, resource utilization and cost efficiency.

This can be achieved by:


• Scripting every client interaction
• Documenting systems and processes
• Establishing performance standards
• Eliminating inconsistencies


Of course, standardized systems and processes are only as good as the people who use them. So, training team members, providing regular feedback and holding them accountable for procedures and meeting performance standards are essential for optimizing and aligning operations.

An important step in streamlining systems and processes is evaluating their return on investment. Be sure to eliminate or revise processes that take more time, effort or resources than they contribute.

Clarity and continuity

The significance of documentation cannot be overstated. A systematic approach to detailing roles, responsibilities and procedures ensures clarity and consistency, ensuring team members can execute required tasks with minimal supervision.

The best way to standardize and streamline is by creating and adopting a business continuity book. This is a detailed description of the business, including team members’ roles and responsibilities and step-by-step instructions for performing essential business processes. A well-written continuity book answers the question “Who does what when, where, how, and why?”

Although explaining why a process is performed is not strictly required, including this information puts tasks and processes into context for team members. Understanding the why helps build commitment to following the how.

A comprehensive continuity book acts as a knowledge repository, enabling swift onboarding for new hires and serving as a reference for existing staff. This ensures alignment across the organization and minimizes the risk of processes becoming followed more loosely over time. Furthermore, by documenting the “why” behind each process, leaders can foster a deeper understanding and commitment among team members, ensuring that everyone is not simply following procedures but is genuinely invested in achieving optimal outcomes​​.

Manage the Minutes

Time management is a vital skill for agency owners who are often pulled in multiple directions, dealing with the immediate needs of their teams, the expectations of their clients and the strategic vision of their organizations. The challenge lies not just in identifying priorities but in executing strategies that align with these priorities to achieve desired outcomes.

Effective time management begins with setting clear, actionable priorities. These often revolve around client meetings, strategic planning, team development and personal growth. However, merely identifying priorities is insufficient. Real success lies in execution, utilizing these proven strategies:

The Law of 72. This posits that if an idea or task isn’t acted upon within 72 hours, it’s likely never to be accomplished. This principle urges you to swiftly move from ideation to action, ensuring that strategic initiatives and growth plans are not just envisioned but actively pursued.

Time Blocking. Focusing in on a specific task or idea, especially in 15-minute increments, is another powerful tool. This allows teams to give dedicated attention to small tasks, making large projects more manageable and enhancing productivity.

In the Queue. For ongoing client work and long-term projects, the in-the-queue system provides a structured way to maintain continuous progress. By scheduling specific times for client communications and follow-ups, agency team members can stay on top of their commitments, ensuring that every client feels valued and supported. This helps build and deepen client relationships, which is a cornerstone of success.

Tune in to tech

Agencies that embrace technology can gain a significant edge in today’s competitive marketplace. Leveraging technology to offer better services, faster processes and more tailored solutions than your competitors will lead to increased market share and customer loyalty.

These benefits can be realized in different areas:

Client Interactions. In today’s digital age, clients expect convenient and efficient interactions. Implementing chatbots for immediate responses to basic inquiries and using video calls for more personal interactions can enhance the client experience. Online portals and mobile apps enable customers to access policy information, file claims, and communicate with agency teams.

Maximizing Leads. Advanced technology plays a crucial role here. CRM systems can automate lead tracking, ensure timely follow-up and provide insights into lead behavior. This allows for more personalized interaction with potential clients, increasing conversion rates significantly. Digital tools also offer new avenues for lead generation, such as through social media platforms where engaging content can attract potential clients.

Data Analytics. By analyzing client behavior, preferences and feedback, agencies can tailor their services and communications to meet individual needs. This not only improves client satisfaction but also opens opportunities for personalized marketing and targeted cross-selling. Data analytics can also assist agencies in setting realistic appointment goals based on historical performance, market conditions, and agency capabilities and support. This data-driven approach allows for more accurate forecasting and resource allocation.

Monitoring Metrics. Business acumen is an essential skill for agency owners, yet it is one that many ignore to their peril. Understanding the fundamentals of running a successful business enables agency owners to make strategic decisions and adapt to changes in the business environment.

A nuanced approach to business monitoring involves the use of both leading and lagging key performance indicators (KPIs). While lagging indicators provide insight into the outcomes of past actions, leading indicators offer a glimpse into the future, enabling agency owners to anticipate and mitigate risks or capitalize on emerging opportunities. This balanced approach facilitates a more proactive and informed decision-making process​​.

Many agency owners pay close attention to lagging KPIs while overlooking the power of leading KPIs to drive stronger results. If agency owners are not seeing the growth they expect in their results (lagging KPIs), they must evaluate the activities (leading KPIs) that drive those results.

Adopting a structured process for the ongoing review of business metrics is critical. While most agency owners are familiar with sales-related business metrics such as renewal and retention rates, average policy value, and average commissions per sale, many are less familiar with the financial metrics that convey the health and profitability of the agency.

While you do not have to have the same level of knowledge as an accountant, you must understand enough about accounting and business finance to be able to monitor the financial performance of your business, plan and allocate resources, detect financial discrepancies and make informed strategic decisions.

Agency owners should regularly monitor key financial metrics such as revenue and expenses, cash flow, profit and loss statements, and profit margins and expense ratios.

Together, these elements create a structured, efficient and data-driven environment where all aspects of the organization are synchronized, driving toward common objectives. This alignment is crucial for achieving strategic goals, improving efficiency and maintaining a competitive edge.

Adapted from Practice Management: A Guide for Leaders by Troy Korsgaden, Michelle Hubert, Debra Grommons (Four Rivers Media).

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