With the holidays right around the corner, you might be wondering if and how you should continue to hold customer insurance reviews.
We asked a sample of our customers what they’ve done in past holiday seasons, what they plan to do this year, and what the pros and cons are of what they choose to do.
We’ve compiled the data for you so you can look at the options you have and make a more informed decision about your customer insurance review process during the holidays.
The Numbers
Of the agents we surveyed, 57.14% have been licensed agents for 10+ years, and have been doing regular insurance reviews with their customers for 10+ years as well.
We asked those who have been holding regular customer insurance reviews for more than 1 year what they’ve done in past years during the holidays.
Almost half of them (48.57%) said they have continued appointment setting and strive for the same amount of appointments during the holidays as they do any other time of the year.
28.57% said they still hold the reviews, but they strive for less appointments then they usually do.
The next most popular thing was pausing appointment setting entirely at 11.43%.
When asked about this year’s plans for their insurance reviews during the holidays, 62.5% said they will continue to work for the same amount of appointments as any other time of the year.
12.5% said they will strive for less appointments during this time of year, and 10% are planning to continue customer outreach, but schedule the appointments for the new year.
Agent Experiences
Continuing to Hold Customer Insurance Reviews
Those who continue their appointment setting told us some pros and cons of their approach.
They said that customers are generally in a good mood at this time of year which makes them more likely to take the time to come in and have a policy review.
Many people also have time off work and are more available to come in.
It’s also a good time for planning - the end of the year is a time of reflection and many people like to go into the new year with things in order.
The main reasons most agents continue to hold their regular customer insurance reviews are to maintain production, maintain momentum, and they believe it’s still just as important to make sure their customers are protected during the holidays as it is any other time of the year.
Newer agents also want to get more familiar with their book of business and set the stage for the upcoming year.
It’s not always easy to continue these reviews during the holidays though - there are some obstacles that agents face.
In some cases, customers don’t want to make changes until after the holidays, and while people have more time off, they’re also typically more busy with family events or vacations.
Follow-up can also be a bit trickier during the holidays as some people are hard to get a hold of.
Some agents have seen an increase of no-shows or reschedules as well.
Pausing Customer Insurance Reviews
Only 7.5% of agents said they will pause their appointment setting entirely during the holidays this year.
Their reasoning is that it’s difficult to schedule with customers as they have other things going on, and that customers aren’t always in a mindset to talk insurance with them.
They also feel that their staff needs a break during this time.
The main downside of not holding these reviews during the holidays though, is that sometimes production takes a hit.
Pause Appointments, but Continue Outreach
The 10% who said they will pause appointments, but will continue outreach and scheduling for the new year explained their thought process.
“It’s important to keep things moving year round, but still have respect for customer’s busy schedules.”
They also want to give their staff a break for vacations and other family commitments.
It’s a great way to let your customers know that you’re there if they have a pressing issue, but not invade too much on their already busy schedules.
What should YOU do?
Because every agency is different, and every customer base is unique, there isn’t one right answer.
It is important, however, that you don’t disrupt the flow of incoming business.
As outlined above, most agents continue business as usual during the holidays and find success in that - consistent production levels are maintained, they’re writing more business, continuing to build relationships with their clients, and they’re maintaining momentum to go into the new year.
It’s also a reality that some customer bases might not be as receptive to meeting at this time of year.
Continuing appointment setting efforts with a goal of less appointments can be a great adjustment to make without disrupting the flow of your incoming business as much as if you totally paused your agency’s appointment setting efforts.
If for whatever reason, you’re not able to hold appointments during the holidays, make sure to continue your outreach/appointment scheduling for the coming new year.
Come January, having appointments already on your calendar will help get things up and running again for 2022.
Do you have other insights regarding customer insurance reviews and the holidays? Let us know in the comments below!