The Producer Who Never Documented Anything

Every agency has known some version of this producer.

• Customers love them.
• They remember birthdays.
• They can quote quickly.
• They know which underwriter to call.
• They solve problems over the phone.
• Their desk looks busy because it is busy.

And their file notes say things like:
“Spoke with insured.”
That is not documentation.
It is evidence that a conversation occurred.

The Problem Appears Six Months Later.
Six months later, the customer remembers being told one thing.

• The producer remembers saying another.
• The CSR wasn't on the call.
• The account has changed hands.
• Nobody can reconstruct what was offered, what was declined, what fact the customer disclosed, or why the agency took the action it took.
• Now everyone is trying to remember a conversation that should have been documented when it happened.

That's when a simple agency habit can become a very expensive problem.

STOP. ASK ANOTHER QUESTION.
When you hear:
“I talked to the customer about it.”
the next question shouldn't be:
“Did you?”
It should be:
“What did you document?”
Documentation isn't about creating paperwork for the sake of paperwork.
It's about creating a reliable record of what actually happened.

What Does Good Documentation Look Like?
A useful file note doesn't have to be a novel.
It should allow another competent person to understand the important parts of the conversation without having to find the producer and ask:
“What happened?”
A good note should generally capture:

• Date and participants
• Material information learned
• Questions asked
• Coverage or options discussed
• What was offered
• What was selected or declined
• Important limitations or unresolved issues
• Referrals made
• Next action

The exact level of detail will depend on the situation and your agency's procedures.
But “Spoke with insured” doesn't tell the story.

Work the Five Disciplines:

HEAR: The producer says the customer was contacted.
That's not enough.
The agency needs to know what was actually discussed.
A conversation can contain important information that disappears if nobody records it.

ASK:

• What did the customer tell us?
• What questions did we ask?
• What problem was the customer trying to solve?
• What options were discussed?
• Was anything offered?
• Was anything declined?
• Was additional information requested?
• What happens next?

These questions turn a vague memory into a usable record.

VERIFY: Before documenting a conclusion, make sure the conclusion is actually supported.

• Did the carrier confirm the issue?
• Did the producer actually discuss that coverage?
• Was an option really offered?
• Did the customer actually decline it?
• Was an underwriting referral made?

Document what happened—not what you wish had happened.

DOCUMENT: This is where the producer earns their keep six months later.
Write the note while the conversation is still fresh.

• Record the material facts.
• Record the customer's response.
• Record what you explained.
• Record what was offered.
• Record what was accepted or declined.
• Record what still needs to happen.

A good file should tell the story.

NEXT SAFE ACTION: Don't let documentation become the end of the process.
If the note says:
“Need carrier approval.”
Someone needs to know who is responsible for obtaining it and what happens next.
If the customer declined an option, make sure the file reflects the actual conversation.
If additional information is needed, identify it.
If a follow-up is required, establish it.
A good note should leave the next person knowing what to do.

Here's Where Agency Management Comes In.
Poor documentation is rarely only a producer problem.
If the agency has never defined what a good file note looks like, never audits files, never coaches weak documentation and rewards speed above completeness, management has helped create the problem.
You can't tell producers:
“Document everything.”
and leave them to guess what that means.

• Give them examples.
• Show them good notes.
• Show them bad notes.
• Review actual files.
• Coach them.

Make documentation part of the agency's normal workflow rather than something people remember to do when they have time.

The Five-Second Test.
Here's a simple agency test.
Pick a recently completed account.
Give the file to another employee who wasn't involved in the transaction.
Ask:
“Can you tell me what happened?”
If the answer is:
“Not really.”
you've discovered an opportunity for improvement.
Now ask:
“Can you tell me what happens next?”
If the answer is:
“I have no idea.”
you've discovered a second problem.
A good file should tell the story and identify the next safe action.

Eddie's Rule: If It Matters, Write It Down.Don't trust your memory.

• Don't assume you'll remember six months from now.
• Don't assume the person taking over the account will know what happened.
• Don't assume the customer remembers the conversation the same way you do.

Write it down while it's fresh.
That's not bureaucracy.
That's professional insurance practice.

TAKE THIS TO YOUR NEXT AGENCY MEETING.
Pull three recently completed files.
Don't tell the producers which ones you've selected.
Then ask someone who wasn't involved with the accounts to answer five questions:
1. What happened?
2. What important facts did the customer provide?
3. What was discussed or offered?
4. What did the customer decide?
5. What happens next?
If the file answers all five, you've got something worth replicating.
If it doesn't, you've got something worth teaching.

Want to Know More?
Good documentation is only one part of developing a producer who can consistently hear the customer, ask the right questions, recognize exposures, communicate professionally and take the next safe action.
For a broader look at producer development, explore the FYI Express+ After the License — Producer Development Academy.
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LEARN MORE →

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