Success Stories
In today’s business world, winning new customers is only half the battle. Successful ventures depend on a commitment to enhancing customer relationships through smart, focused customer management processes. As a Brightway Insurance Associate Agency owner, you’re equipped with innovative, flexible customer management tools that will keep your insurance buyers happy and your profit margins healthy.
Jim Pihl, Brightway Insurance Associate Agent and Territory Owner
Jim Pihl,Brightway Insurance Associate Agent and Territory Owner
Jim Pihl knows a thing or two about working as a Brightway Insurance Associate Agent and Territory Owner. The First Coast insurance executive owns not just one, but two successful and growing Brightway Associate Agency offices. He also is the Territory Owner of Northeast Florida.
Pihl’s no stranger to the insurance industry. He has more than a decade of experience and, before joining forces with Brightway, owned his own insurance agency, JCM Insurance, Inc. But when an opportunity arose in September 2004 to join forces with Brightway Insurance, Pihl jumped at the chance.
“The benefits of working through Brightway Insurance are significant,” he says. “For one thing, I’m able to offer my customers products from a wide range of insurance companies. And broader product offerings equals a broader customer base, period.”
“In addition, I have improved my income stream through the simple fact that I don’t have to service my existing customer base—Brightway handles that for me through a Centralized Support Center,” he says. “I can focus on managing a sales team, identifying and acquiring new customers, and growing my agencies.”
What’s more, says Pihl, working through Brightway as an Agency Owner offers a stronger approach to advertising, marketing and brand awareness. “As a stand-alone agent, for example, I might have considered buying a Yellow Page ad, only to discover that the cost might run $60,000 per year. That’s a huge sum for one agency. But through Brightway, I can share the cost of that ad among six or seven other agencies, which makes the cost of advertising much more affordable. The cost-sharing opportunities, not limited to advertising, are significant when working with Brightway.”
As for customer service? Hands-down, Brightway’s Associate Agency program is the winner over a traditional independent agency, says Pihl. “The convenience factor, for my customers, is huge,” he says. “I can offer my customers the convenience of stopping by any Brightway Insurance office in town to sign their paperwork or ask questions,” he says. “Add to that the fact that Brightway helps me offer better, more comprehensive training to my sales and customer service staff, and you can see why it’s really a great deal to work with Brightway as an Associate Agent. The benefits, quite simply, are extensive.”
