Having a Car Accident Is Never Fun. Getting Positive Feedback From My Client About How Her Situation Was Handled Made My Day.

I deal with insurance, and many of the situations that bring people to my agency are happy ones. Someone has purchased a new car, bought a beautiful piece of jewelry, moved into a new home, or made some other change in their life that requires an update to their insurance.

And then, of course, there are the less happy circumstances. One of those happens to be auto accidents, both minor and major. We all know how stressful and unsettling an accident can be, regardless of its severity.

There’s the inconvenience of being without your car, arranging for a rental or loaner, or figuring out how you’re going to get where you need to go if a replacement vehicle isn’t available.

There may be injuries, minor or serious, and then there are all the bits and pieces involved in getting your car repaired, dealing with the claim, and getting your life back to normal.

It’s never fun.

Several weeks ago, one of my longtime clients, who also happens to be a friend, had an unfortunate accident. No other individuals were involved. It was simply a momentary lapse in attention as she pulled out of her driveway.

Unfortunately, that moment turned into a rather substantial insurance claim because the damage to her car required extensive repairs. Her car was in the shop for several weeks, and there was quite a bit of back and forth as everything was sorted out. Certainly not the way anyone wants to spend their time.

But here’s the part of the story that made my day.

My client made a point of emailing, calling, and even sending me a card to tell me that the easiest part of the entire experience was dealing with my agency. She shared how responsive and understanding everyone had been, how calls and emails were returned, and how her questions were answered, even the ones she thought might have been obvious. She felt that we had taken some of the discomfort and stress off her shoulders and made a difficult situation as manageable as possible.

I’d be exaggerating if I said we turned a negative experience into a positive one. After all, she still had an accident, her car was damaged, and she had to deal with the inconvenience of being without it for weeks. We did what we could to make the process as uncomplicated and stress-free as possible, and that matters.

It made my day to hear from her.

It always means a great deal when someone takes the time to tell us that we’ve done a good job, especially when they’ve been through something difficult, and perhaps it means even more when that person has been a client for many years and is also a friend.

I take the responsibility of being someone’s insurance agent seriously. It’s not simply about writing policies, collecting premiums, or making sure the paperwork is in order.

It’s about being there when someone needs help, answering their questions, returning their calls, and doing everything we can to make an uncomfortable situation a little easier. Sometimes that’s when the value of having an insurance agent you know and trust becomes most apparent.

I’m grateful that my client took the time to share her experience, and I’m especially grateful that my team gave her the kind of service I want every client to receive. I’m hoping that’s how you look at the work you provide your clients too, because whether you’re in insurance or any other business, the way you treat people when things aren’t going well can make all the difference.

And sometimes, a simple thank-you is the best reminder of why we do what we do.

Christina Shaw = Insurance Agent + Wantagh + Long Island + New York.