Rather, we prefer a partnership approach with our agents so that both sides can benefit. It is our goal to relieve the agent of much of the paper work now associated with the business, thus enabling him or her to get out and make contact with existing or potential clients. The question of mandated participation is a sore point with many agents. Maryland Insurance notes that, naturally we encourage our agents to use the service center, but we have never mandated its use. Maryland Insurance calls its service center cost effective.
Agents get the traditional marketplace basic commission for a new sale.
That s where their expense is. On renewal, with the service work being transferred to our service center, the commission is stepped down. The system encourages new sales, and provides outstanding service to retain customers. The company goes on, The dollars we are able to wring out of the system are returned to customers in the form of lower rates which, in turn, facilitates sales. At the end of 1995, said John Anderson, a spokesperson for Maryland, we expect to have some 1,300 CSC agents, which represents new agents as well as traditional agent conversions.