Change has come to The Bradshaw Agency. For over 40 years, the name Bradshaw has been synonymous with Nationwide but today we are entering a brave new world. Today, we have officially completed the transition to become an Independent Insurance Agency. You may have noticed some changes already. We have our own logo. It’s been popping up on jerseys and t-shirts for the last 2 years. You may have noticed that the familiar sound of “Thank you for calling Nationwide, how may I help you?” has changed. You may also have heard the unfamiliar question of “Who was your policy written with?” This change has probably been unnerving to many of our faithful customers. This is a valid concern. Trust me, we were worried as well. What you may not know is that we didn’t choose this change. It was presented to us as a “great opportunity” to grow our businesses and cultivate stronger relationships with our customers. And I took that line with a grain of salt. Ask anyone in our agency who’s our resident cynic and my name will be the one they say. I constantly look for the ulterior motive, and this change was no different. My biggest concern was what will this mean for you, our Bradshaw Agency Clients.
So, how will this change impact you? We’ll start with your local agent. With a major transition like the one we’re experiencing you expect to see some changes when trying to reach you local agent, but that’s not the case. Your agent will stay the same, even if the company who writes your insurance changes. So, if there is not going to be a change in your agent, surely you will have to deal with new faces in the office you’ve always worked with. We are glad to let you know that will not happen either. You will be able to reach the same customer service representative or account manager you’ve grown accustomed having address your policy concerns. Another concern is that our agency will not be offering the same quality products available in the past, and that is also untrue. This is not a quantity over quality situation. We are partnered with other companies that share the same values you’ve grown to expect all these years with The Bradshaw Agency.
So, if all this is staying the same, what changes can our customers expect? Choices. The biggest change is the number of choices you now have available. Choices that will allow us to find the right protection for your family at the best value. We no longer have to try to fit you in a “one size fits all” insurance policy. We can take the time to fully understand your needs and give you up to 5 options from which to choose. You may also hear a change in what our agents talk about. Our focus always has been protection, but this transition has put even more of an emphasis on it. We will be able to look for value but keep the primary focus on protection. In short, we won’t have to gut your coverage to save a few dollars.
We are excited about what is to come, but we know there will be some growing pains. We know that some of you will choose to leave. That is understandable, but we want to make sure no one leaves the agency because of name recognition alone. All of you know where to find a “good neighbor” or where to “double-check your discounts,” but its important to know that just because you see their name on TV doesn’t’ mean they are more reliable. Name recognition only means they spend more on advertising. Some carriers simply do not place importance on advertising. They would rather pass savings onto you and rely on their us, their agent partners, to get the word out. High ad budgets mean higher prices for you unless they reduce your coverage to find some savings. It’s a vicious cycle. I’m not going to go any further into this topic, but you need to understand that we aren’t going to partner with any company who is not going to stand by you in your time of need. That being said, don’t take my word for it, do your own research.
All in all, this was a change that surprised us as much as you. We would have never asked for this, but now that we understand the opportunity for our agency and our customers, we wouldn’t go back. We can get back to the business at hand. Your protection is what is most important to our agency. Now we can just provide a little more value to you in the process. Choices provide the value and we can give you at least 5. Finally, we want you to understand that our loyalty lies with you. If we think a carrier is not going to be the right fit, we can make the move that is best for you. We don’t have to push the product and toe the company line. We are excited about the days to come. Now that you know a little more about what to expect, we hope you are too.