Want to determine the quality of the service you provide?  Rate yourself in the following five customer-service categories and see how you stack up.

Rate on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the ultimate:

• Reliability:
  Are you consistent and dependable as evidenced by keeping records correctly, accuracy in billing, and getting back to clients with answers when promised?  Can your clients count on your work to be correct and completed on a timely basis?

  Rate Reliability on a scale of 1 - 10: _______

• Tangibles:
  Do you display physical evidence of commitment to service such as a professional appearance, good housekeeping of your work area, and neatness of your work product (correspondence, for example)?  Do your tangibles demonstrate a respect for others and a commitment to put your best foot forward?

  Rate Tangibles on a scale of 1 - 10: _______

• Responsiveness:
  Are you willing and ready to provide service?  Do you view customer requests as an interruption to your work?  Are you eager to help others?  Are you considered a problem-solver?

  Rate Responsiveness on a scale of 1 - 10: _______

• Assurance:
  Do you convey trust and confidence?  Do you have strong product knowledge and an ability to explain insurance concepts?  Do you know how your companies operate?  How is your knowledge and ability to deal with the issues of concern to the client?

  Rate Assurance on a scale of 1 - 10: _______

• Empathy:
  Do you display caring and individual attention to customers? Do you learn your customers' specific requirements?  Do you try to put yourself in the client's shoes?

  Rate Empathy on a scale of 1 - 10: _______

After you have rated yourself, add all five scores and double it.  This will give you a numeric rating on a scale of 100%.

If you want to improve, find someone else in the agency that is honest and trustworthy.  Have them rate you.  Then discuss specific areas where you could improve.  Here is a simple scoring chart: