MANAGE & LEAD
A MATTER OF TRUST
RECLAIM THE PUBLIC ’ S TRUST ONE RELATIONSHIP AT A TIME
By : Cheryl Koch
Do you trust me ? Well , of course , you don ’ t . We don ’ t even know each other . Trust is built in a relationship over time and is earned when others are confident in your abilities , authenticity , and character . Insurance is a business built on a foundation of trust . Company underwriters learn to trust the information provided by agents and brokers to determine acceptability and pricing for their products . Likewise , the insurance-buying public must trust in those who purport to meet their financial objectives by properly matching their goals and needs to the various products and services offered by insurers and their representatives .
Once earned , trust can continue to build over time , or it can be quickly extinguished by one ’ s actions or inactions when those serve to undermine the foundation . You need only reflect on recent situations with high-profile companies to see how a reputation , built literally over hundreds of years , can be irreparably harmed by losing trust .
Trust is arguably the most critical factor when selling insurance . A person or organization must have confidence in the seller ’ s ability to protect their most important assets . Imagine walking into a business person ’ s office and saying , “ I realize I am a total stranger , and you don ’ t know anything
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