Farmers agents given all of the tools

By Dion Clisso PrepsKC Managing Editor
Posted: July 12, 2012 - 11:04 AM



Farmers Insurance has long been known as a blue chip company in the Insurance and financial services industry.
While Farmers has a strong national image the real impact of the work is felt locally with each Farmers agent who lives and works in the community. From the day an agent takes a job with Farmers they are given training and support in industry knowledge and how to become a solid member of the business community.
The support for the agents comes in many forms from the initial training at the Farmers University in California to online training to help with marketing and community involvement.
Agents who come to Farmers are given every tool to be competitive not only in the industry but community service as well.
“We have an abundance of tools for new agents whether they are marketing minded or finance minded, everybody has a different background,” Farmers Insurance Agency Development Manager Leah Smith said. “We have an abundance of tools and resources that help them get out in market and even if they don’t have a current relationship built we have things that we can offer them to help them build relationships in the community if they don’t have them already established.
“Them being engaged in the community allow them to have other connections. If you are sitting in front of them getting a home quote from a Farmers agent because you are new to the area they can also refer you to other people that they have already established a relationship with that can service the customer’s need as well.”
The Farmers television and radio ad campaign has become iconic over the last few years. The funny look at Farmers University has shown the public the high level of training new agents go through in a light-hearted and easy to connect with way.
“We have been recognized nationally with our training with our Farmers University,” Smith said. “When we have a new agent they get hands on training in a district office and then we send them out to the university.
“The University is real. It’s not just made up for our marketing campaign. We truly have a university that we send our agents out to that is a week long, five days. They get extensive training on marketing and how to be the expert in their field and how to truly build relationships with their customers. Not just to bring customers on but to retain current customers and service their needs. After that we have a complete support system. There is a huge support team that is out there for each and every agent in the field.”
That intensive training is available to agents when they begin their career with Farmers and at any time they want to come back to Farmers University. The training is available for agents and their staffs at any time and many come back year after year to hone their skills. For those who don’t travel to the university Farmers has an online knowledge base that offers training continued development for agents.
While keeping agents on the cutting edge of their industry is important, finding ways to help them market themselves and help their community are also in the forefront. Farmers offers many different ways agents can become involved including helping teachers and schools with accredited lessons that are free for teachers to use in their classrooms.
“A lot of people don’t know that Farmers offers 10 different lesson plans that are accredited nationally that are free for teachers,” Smith said. “So those are opportunities that we can provide for an agent that allows them if they have connections or don’t have connections within a school district to get their foot in the door with a superintendent. There are a lot of opportunities for the agents to grow their business and be involved in the community.”
For more information on how to become a Farmers agent go to www.farmers.com.