GAMA International Journal January-February 2014 - 20

There is no better way to advance
any branch than through relationship
building.

Picture this. A small starter company, FuturitY
First insurance Group, launches in 2008 with zero
agents. i join in early 2009 and take over a branch
(agency) that has five agents and hardly any production.
that is exactly what our branch at FuturitY First
insurance Group looked like in the beginning. Four
years later, we are closing in on $1 million in first-year
commission.
every new financial services company and agency or
branch struggles at first to gain a foothold in the
marketplace while trying to generate a draw for its
products. And despite some rugged beginnings, our
branch has managed to create a rhythm of companionship and dedication that begins at our very desks and
emanates out through our sales networks straight to our
clients.
the powerful relationships we have formed, starting
among the managers and agents, have allowed our
agency to expand from five agents doing minimal
business to nearly 30 agents earning some $1 million in
sales. how did we go from practically nothing to
become one of the top-producing branches at FuturitY in four years? i believe that our success revolves
around three things: the consistency in management's
close relationship with the agents, our focus when
selecting agents, and our alacrity and willingness to
serve one another, as well as our clients, regardless of
what it might require us to take on.

A Philosophy of Friendship First
My sales manager, ray shimizu, and i, the branch
manager, have made it a branch policy to develop not
only a business relationship but also a strong friendship

Key Strategies
»have a specific, well-defined goal -
and stick to it.
»be a leader, but be a friend as

well. Have a clearly delineated
line between your business and
friendships.

g a m a i n t e r n at i o n a l j o u r n a l

with each agent we hire; it's something we take very
seriously. We believe that if you can't trust, respect, and
care about agents as friends, and vice versa, you simply
won't have people as committed to making a business
work as they should be. As managers, our door is
always open to our agents.
Of course, many financial services experts would
advise against this approach for such reasons as the need
to ensure clear lines of authority and maintain a
respectable managerial distance, as well as concerns
about time management. But some management rules
work better for large operations than smaller ones and
can hinder a floundering little agency in undertaking a
dramatic re-start! Anyway, we have carefully considered
such issues to make our philosophy of "friendship first"
work for us.
Getting Down to Business
ultimately we know it's about business and how to
succeed. it's really a no-brainer: if agents with real
potential feel good about being a part of something,
they will be able to successfully sell policies; then their
commission increases and, there's no way around it, that
boosts management's income as well! Our livelihoods
are inextricably linked.
in the office, our branch management maintains a
sense of authority as we oversee the work of our agents.
But we do not distance ourselves from their everyday
activities. We want our agents to feel comfortable
approaching us and asking for help, and we are always
willing to roll up our sleeves and work side by side with
them to handle any problem or help tackle anything else
they may need assistance with.

The Agent Relationship: Keeping It Personal
»

ensure your agents know that you
are there to help them in any area of
business. It's a collaborative effort.
focus on your strengths - whether
knowledge, relationship building,
multicultural markets, or community

involvement - and keep honing them.
be an "all-arounder." Your job is
to establish a vision for your agency,
then hire the best people and help your
agents and your company rise to the
top.

GAMA International Journal January-February 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of GAMA International Journal January-February 2014