AgriSompo continues to challenge our team members to provide the highest possible levels of service to our customers. We also ask employees and agent customers to provide feedback about who in the company is doing great customer service work. Out of a multitude of nominations this quarter came three clear winners.
Please read below for interviews with the Silver Circle Award winners for the third quarter of 2024.
Erica Bowen, Underwriter for the Upper Midwest Region
You received multiple nominations this quarter -- your nominators mentioned your professionalism and first-class service. What does first-class service mean to you?
I like to think about the end result for the customer and to treat each policy how I would want my own to be handled. First-class service to me involves the behind-the-scenes work to keep things running smoothly without impact to the agent or the customer. At the end of the day, it's all about helping each other with kindness and respect to reach a combined goal of servicing policies.
What do you enjoy the most about your role?
It makes me feel good to know that at the end of the day, I hopefully managed to make someone else's day a little easier. I'm so blessed to work with wonderful people, and I hope that by helping I can express my gratitude towards them.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in their career?
We're all here to help each other and even the smallest act can make a difference in someone's day. Don't be afraid to dig into a challenge and use it as an opportunity to teach yourself and to help someone else.
Erin Cucchi, Area Claims Supervisor for the West Region
You received multiple nominations this quarter, and your nominators mentioned your work ethic, your knowledge, and your understanding of the community you serve. What do those things mean to you?
Growing up as a true 4-H’er, my slogan has always been “Learning by Doing.”
Whether you’ve been involved in crop insurance for 26 years (like me) or 26 days, you should never stop learning from various sources in your community and working to build connections. As an Area Claims Supervisor, I work to create up-to-date, meaningful information and engagement opportunities for my team. I attend grower meetings, take cooperative extension courses, visit trade shows, ask questions, and I encourage my team members to do the same. If we don’t understand what our growers and agents are experiencing in the field, we can’t effectively service our customers.
How would you define elite customer service?
Knowing and understanding who our customers are and what their needs are is paramount to good customer service. As a team, we work to exceed expectations while anticipating and overcoming any potential obstacles. In claims, we not only work closely with internal departments, but we also are the only department that works directly with the end customer – the American farmer and their insurance agents. We are the bridge between the other departments and often the face of AgriSompo. Because of that fact, we must have quick response times, effective communication, and accurate claims service.
What do you enjoy the most about your role?
Building and collaborating with an awesome team of adjusters on a daily basis has been incredibly rewarding. I thoroughly enjoy interacting with every member of my team, and they all bring different strengths to the table. It’s been gratifying to see the growth of each of my team members, and to know that I had some part in that progression gives me a profound sense of pride. I also really enjoy hearing about my teams’ families, cows, and softball leagues, and I especially love it when they text me funny memes.
What wisdom would you impart to someone beginning their crop insurance career?
My favorite question to ask anyone in crop insurance is, “Who was (or is) your crop insurance mentor?” Everyone always has a story about their experiences and although some are remarkably similar, most are pretty unique.
I suggest to everyone, if you haven’t already, FIND YOUR MENTOR! It’s never too late. And, if you are a seasoned employee, BE A MENTOR to someone else. We all need a “best friend at work” – someone we can call to bounce a question off of, someone we won’t feel silly asking something we probably should know the answer to, and someone that will give us the reassurance we are on the right track.
Megan Ferrel, Underwriter for the Southeast Region
You received multiple nominations this quarter, and your nominators mentioned your knowledge, your dependability, and your general helpfulness. How does it feel to be recognized for those qualities? What does that mean to you?
I feel very appreciative! I owe a lot of what I’ve learned at AgriSompo to supervisors, senior underwriters and processors and would not be where I’m at in my role now without those individuals.
How would you define elite customer service?
It’s important to be available as much as you can to take questions or to just listen to someone’s concerns. I try my best to fully understand issues that come up and provide a solution promptly. And even though it may be easier to deliver a message through an email, sometimes it’s better to pick up the phone and call instead.
What do you enjoy the most about your role?
I truly enjoy the people I get to work alongside every day, not just internally but on the agency side as well. I’m lucky to have the advantage of going through the day to day with coworkers I consider friends.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in their career? What wisdom would you impart to them?
Getting your foot in the door in crop insurance may be intimidating at first, but everybody has to start somewhere. I think no matter long you’ve been in the industry, everyone still asks questions from time to time, so it’s okay to double check or take the time to look into something you’re unsure of.
