Posted On: August 13, 2008, 5:16 pm CDT

Posted By: Az Agent

Does your sarcasm indicate that I might have hit a bit close to home?
I have worked on a few National Account type risks to go along with my BOP-and mid market clients-I do work to service them all, but that was how I was trained.
Now in terms of buying behavior most of my smaller or mid market clients won't shop me after the 1st year or 2nd year. And I do feel pretty good about that. I still will visit with them every year and if they want, go over the policies in full and if not, then any changes over the expiring term. I never did get in the habit of mailing the policy with an invoice.
Suprisingly it tends to be the larger clients who shop me at least every 3 years and often annually. Coverage and relationships tends to take a back seat to price-they love the 1st 2 as long as I've got the best bid but otherwise all they care about is if I've brought the price down over last year as the CFO or controller gets calls from Marsh, AON ro Willis, etc who tells them sight unseen that they can do far better then an agent from a regional shop.
Sorry man but in all honesty the risk managers in the business should be called price managers as that is all they are rewarded on and thus care about. They don't push back against their bosses in telling their tale about how good risk management is worth far more than an insurance premium.