Client Focus has a unique vantage point.

As an appointment-setting company, we see first-hand how customers feel about their agents. Our sample size is literally in the millions, so we’ve seen everything.

Here’s what happened when two very different agents asked us to contact their customers.

Agent 1: “Bill.”

Bill had won his company’s Ethics award and was admired by his peers. Even in casual conversation, Bill left you better than he found you.

And his agency was wildly successful.

Bill kept his calendar full of customer-facing meetings, month-in and month-out. It was core to his business philosophy. When I asked him why, his gave this inspiring response:

“I can’t bear the thought that something bad will happen to one of my people and they won’t be protected because I didn’t do my job.”

That deep sense of care defined his business, and his customers felt it.

You can probably guess what happened when we called his customers to schedule review appointments:

1. They all knew his name.
2. They responded positively and even fondly.
3. Most of them agreed to meet.

Bill used those meetings to listen, learn, and support, not to pitch. But he sold a ton.

Agent 2: “Frank.”

Frank came to us for appointment-setting after lots of prodding by peers and sales leadership.

During our onboarding call with him, he said something I’ll never forget:

“Look, my customers are adults. Figuring out how insurance works is their job. My job is to sell them something when they ask for it.”

You can guess what happened when we started calling his customers to set appointments:

1. Many clients didn’t know they had an agent and that his name was Frank.
2. Those who knew who he was had no interest in meeting with him.
3. Some were actively hostile toward him.

Frank quit our service after a couple of months because “It doesn’t work.”

So, were Bill’s customers just better?

Of course not. The difference was in Bill’s and Frank’s approaches. If Frank’s customers moved to Bill, they would have turned into “great customers.”

That’s because Bill’s agency had a purpose: serving and caring for people. Frank’s was about getting what he could without having to “spend all that time” talking to customers.

And customers rewarded each of them accordingly.

Upside Matters.

If Bill’s agency wasn’t making money, you’d have to question the approach. However, you already probably know what Bill got for his effort, don’t you?

Bill’s customers gave him phenomenal Customer Lifetime Value. That means a few things:

1. They gave him more of their business, which meant higher household premiums.
2. They gave him those premiums for more years, meaning tons of recurring revenue.
3. They gave him word of mouth and referral business.
4. They didn’t have all the complaints and problems that bad customers have.

If you can put a ton of recurring revenue in motion at low acquisition cost, you’re winning.

If you can derive genuine happiness from what you do, you’re winning.

Bill loved the people he served, and they loved him back. That’s a great business.

Be like Bill.