Exclusivefocus Spring 2013 - National Association of Professional ...

a compelling speech about staying positive
and provided copious notes about the
best ways to recruit support staff – copies
of which were sent to agents throughout
the Region.
Our Region disclosed that there were
over 700 attendees at the meeting, including
about 200 from management
and meeting vendors. There were lots
of new agency owners to meet, as well
as some older, experienced agents who
have managed to survive the challenges
of the past few years. Florida lost 400
agents in the past two years, but at least
at this year’s kickoff, management didn’t
refer to them as a pack of losers, as they
have in the past. Instead, they said that
those who remain have an opportunity to
achieve great success.
From my vantage point, both in the
front and rear of the meeting room, I
noted there were three types of agency
owners in attendance:
• Older agents like me, who were
perhaps just too stupid to sell and were
willing to make some changes to continue
in this tough environment.
• Newer agents in competitive markets
who are doing well, writing big
numbers and getting large bonuses.
• Agents in the middle who got stuck
because they could not find a buyer or
get a fair price for their books.
After all the meetings, it was during
the networking event where I was able
to interact with all of these agent types.
Overall, most were very unhappy with
the new variable compensation plan and
told management directly. Management
politely listened and nodded their heads
when appropriate, but the new comp
plan is here to stay. Of course, there is
still the nagging fear that the company
will lower the base rate to 8% in 2015.
The company’s latest mantra – Foundations
for Success – was often referenced
throughout the meeting. And even
though the decision to abandon Woople
had probably already made, management
did not mention that it would be eliminated
for 2013. That struck me as somewhat
strange because most agents told
management it was a waste of their time.
Management could have scored some
points had they made the announcement
at the meeting. But then that would be
admitting that one of the company’s key
initiatives was in fact a dismal failure.
It appears that the Foundation for
Success will replace Woople. It is a comprehensive
plan to help agency owners
with acquisition, retention, cross-selling
and the customer experience. I think
it best to keep an open mind and learn
what you can from it – maybe it will help
grow your agency.
Even though it has been a rough couple
of years in Florida, I think we are finally
positioned for some growth in auto
and other lines. It is clear that the company
lost more agents than it wanted in
the past few years. Why else would they
be on such an aggressive hiring binge
and paying referral fees up to $10,000
in some regions Hopefully, management
has seen that they need us and the
value we bring to the table. Obviously,
the Internet cannot capture the amount
of business necessary to grow the company,
so we remain an essential part of
the company’s success.
Some say talk is cheap and that we
should “watch what they do, not what
they say,” but to me, Matt Winter seems
more genuine those who preceded him
in recent years. But then again, maybe
such a soothing and persuasive corporate
salesman is just what the company needs
to mitigate the huge plunge in agent
morale that has taken place over the past
several years. Based on the results of the
latest agent opinion survey, Mr. Winter
has a long way to go to recapture the
trust of the agency force. My hope is that
he is sincere and will back up his words
with action. If he is unwilling or unable
to do so, then we’ve gained nothing except
another ineffectual talking head.
Anyone who knows me understands
that I am an eternal optimist, sometimes
to a fault. I want to believe that Matt
Winter is a man of his word. I want to
believe that things will get better and
that Matt Winter wants agency ownership
to become a legacy proposition so
agencies can be passed on to future generations.
I want to believe that we will be
more competitive and finally grow again.
And I want to believe that agencies will
see an upward trend in valuations.
Only time will tell if the promises made
at the 2013 Agents’ Forum will come to
pass. My plan is to stay positive and adopt
success strategies so I can grow in 2013
and beyond. The agency force is counting
on you Mr. Winter. For the sake of this
great company, don’t let us down. Ef
Dale Revels proudly serves as the immediate
past president on the NAPAA Board of
Director. He is an active Allstate agent in
Kissimmee, Florida. He has been an Allstate
agent for 25 years and a NAPAA board
member for more than 10 years.
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Spring 2013 Exclusivefocus — 13