Before insurance, I spent more than five years in wireless retail with Metro by T-Mobile, first as a store manager and then as a district manager. People are sometimes surprised how much of it carried over. Prepaid wireless and non-standard auto serve many of the same customers, with many of the same needs.
1. Value-focused customers are loyal when you respect them
Prepaid wireless customers watch every dollar, and so do many non-standard auto customers. Both groups stay with businesses that are clear about price, never surprise them, and treat them well.
2. Execution beats strategy on paper
In wireless, a promotion was only as good as how each store executed it. Insurance is the same. A great new product or process means nothing if the front desk doesn't explain it well.
3. Training has to fit the store
I learned to customize training for each location, because a busy flagship and a quiet neighborhood store have different problems. Insurance offices are no different.
4. Read the reports, then go see for yourself
Analyzing store reports for trends and sharing what I found with each team was a big part of my job. The numbers start the conversation. Being there finishes it.
5. Be the bridge between the field and headquarters
As a district manager, I was the link between stores and the company. Carrying problems up and solutions down is still one of the most valuable things a field leader does.
These lessons shaped how I lead today. More in Leading multi-location teams and Grit over shortcuts.