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Bringing on a new client? Make sure you don't miss a beat!

It's always exciting when your agency earns a new customer. But to make sure that customer stays happy, you must have all your ducks in a row from the get-go. And that means having a system.

To make the process as smooth as possible, you should consider creating a checklist. Why? Because a checklist relieves you from having to keep everything in your head. 

As Atul Gawande puts it in his best-selling book The Checklist Manifesto, "Good checklists...are precise. They are efficient, to the point, and easy to use even in the most difficult situations. They do not try to spell out everything -- a checklist cannot fly a plane. Instead, they provide reminders of only the most critical and important steps -- the ones that even the highly skilled professional using them could miss. Good checklists are, above all, practical."​

We all miss things, no matter how much experience we have. A checklist helps us hit the mark everytime and deliver consistent service to all our clients. 

What Should My Checklist Include?

Every insurance agency will require its own customized on-boarding checklist that fits into its current process. But there are some basics you should consider adding to yours.

These may include:

• Add client info to customer database
• Send "Thank You" card
• Send "Welcome" letter
• Send a followup email or call
• Add client to newsletter
• Schedule birthday and holiday cards

First things first -- add the client's information into your customer database (CRM). Gather lots of data about the client, not just their contact info. Get their birthday, their spouse's name, personal interests, anything that may come in handy later. 

After you meet with the client for the first time, send a "Thank You" card regardless of whether or not they bought a policy. It shows you would value their business, and they may hold onto it for later reference. 

If the client does buy a policy, now is the time to send a "Welcome" letter. In general, this should include a "Thank You" for becoming a client and any information you think they should know about your services.

A week or two after sending the "Welcome" letter, followup with an email or call just to make sure they're happy and to answer any questions they may have. 

And, finally, add them to your newsletter mailing list (if you have one) and sign them up for a birthday/holiday card service. These are both excellent tools for keeping in contact with your clients, and many clients appreciate the personal touch of a card.

If you don't already, we urge you to take this outline and use it as inspiration for your own new client checklist. Make it your own and stick to it. Your clients will thank you!