This time around, Confessions of an Insurance Goddess has taken a bit of a different approach. Rather than hearing dazzling insurance knowledge, updates and advice from the Insurance Goddess, you’ll be hearing from me, Lani Norden. I am an intern who has been working with the Insurance Goddess at Alan Galvez Insurance for the past five weeks. She has graciously given me reign of her blog for the day so that I can fill you in on my experience at the agency and in the insurance business altogether.
When I was first told that I would be working with an insurance agency in Bellefontaine, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Prior to being here, I worked with Motorists Insurance Group in Columbus and was required to report to a 21-floor office building each day. Knowing that Bellefontaine has a population just shy of 15,000 people and no skyscrapers in sight, this experience was guaranteed to be entirely different. And it has been. The first day I reported for work, I was graciously greeted by one of the two cats that have taken up a permanent residence in the office. While these friendly felines are not standard in every office setting, it is one of the main attractions at Alan Galvez Insurance. The agency presents itself in such a way, it is difficult to not enjoy the environment they provide.
After a few days with the agency, I was introduced to the Insurance Goddess. I accompanied her to the Logan County Fair and saw Alan Galvez Insurance marketing at its finest. Seeing the amount of people who already knew the Insurance Goddess and the amount of people who were anxious to get a photo with her really showed what out-of-the-box marketing can do. This marketing strategy doesn’t just apply to the concept of the Insurance Goddess. Alan Galvez Insurance is also utilizing social media tools more than I ever thought possible in the insurance industry. Being able to work with Carrie to utilize and improve the way these tools are used has truly been an invaluable education on how to use social media to its fullest potential in a small business environment. Not only has the Goddess let me in on her marketing techniques but I’ve also seen what it takes to run an insurance agency from the inside out. I’ve gotten to see the delicate balance that exists for an agency when trying to please both insurance companies and the customers. I’ve also gotten to accompany Carrie on home inspections and see what actually goes into quoting policies of all kinds and try my hand at estimating replacement costs. I’ve gotten to follow policies through issuance and renewal with several different companies. While days like the ones above may not seem like a day in their dream job to some, I’ve found it extremely interesting. Many people seem to think the insurance business is boring from day to day but I would have to disagree. No two days are ever the same. There is always a new insured, new house, new car or new situation to look into on any given day. These situations do not cover half of what happens day to day. Running a small business likes this requires the owners to wear many different hats, or crowns in the Goddess’ case. Relationships have to be built; customers have to be sought after. Carrie does an excellent job at this by having a strong online presence and speaking with businesses all around the county. Seeing the skills this agency possesses has given me great insight into running a business, marketing that business and being successful in the insurance industry. All of these skills are things that I plan on taking with me when I leave the agency.
