Staff Guide

1. The employee's main task
2. The first 15 seconds of the conversation
3. Historical collection of materials
4. Five steps of a consultation
5. How to talk about complex terms
6. Handling objections

The employee's main task

A client comes not for complicated terminology but for a solution: to arrange protection, understand the terms of a contract, report an insured event or get an answer about documents. It is important for the employee to quickly identify the purpose of the enquiry, check the facts and explain the next step in simple words. If the answer needs clarification, it is better to name a realistic time for feedback and keep the promise.

The first 15 seconds of the conversation

The original material rightly stresses the importance of the first seconds of contact. During this time the client judges whether the specialist is ready to help. The universal formula is: greeting → introduction → clarifying the purpose → confirming readiness to sort things out. The tone should be calm, without pressure or hasty conclusions.

• greet the client and give your name;
• let the person finish the first sentence;
• clarify one main question rather than asking a long list at once;
• briefly restate the task in your own words to rule out misunderstanding;
• say what you will do next.

Historical collection of materials

The original text and embedded training videos on service and sales are preserved below. Some of the videos and examples date from the period of the original publication, so they should be used as a supplement and not as a replacement for current internal regulations, legislation and the rules of insurance companies.

1. The 15-second rule. Multimillion spending on marketing, advertising and PR will be wasted if company employees who deal directly with clients, for example sales staff, technicians, telephone operators and security guards, cannot pay careful attention to the client's needs, quickly solve their problems and help in a non-standard situation.

Company employees have only 15 seconds for this. That is how long, on average, a conversation between a client and a company specialist lasts. Those 15 seconds decide everything: whether the client will be satisfied or go to another company. After all, how strongly a company manages to "bind" a client to itself depends not only on the brilliant ideas of top managers but also on how well each individual employee serves the client.

To be continued .....

Five steps of a consultation

1. Establish the context. Find out who the policyholder is, what object or liability needs to be protected and by when the contract is needed.
2. Identify the risk. Ask about the factors that affect cover and cost, without offering a product until you have the basic information.
3. Explain the options. Compare cover, exclusions, limits, deductible, term and payment procedure. Do not promise a payment before the insured event has been considered.
4. Check understanding. Ask the client to confirm the key terms in their own words and answer their questions.
5. Record the next step. List the documents, the time for feedback and the official channel of communication.

How to talk about complex terms

Insurance documents contain legal terms, but the employee must translate them into plain language without distorting the meaning. For example, a deductible is the part of a loss that remains the client's responsibility; a limit is the maximum payment amount in a given case; an exclusion is a circumstance in which the cover does not apply.

After the explanation, always show the relevant clause of the contract or rules. An oral promise must not contradict the documents. If the question concerns a legal assessment or the settlement of a loss, pass it to a competent specialist and record the enquiry.

Handling objections

An objection does not mean a refusal. Most often the client lacks information, trust or time to compare. First find out the reason: price, scope of cover, the insurer's reputation, documents or a past negative experience. Then answer exactly that question and give verifiable facts.

• do not interrupt or argue;
• acknowledge the importance of the client's question;
• do not criticise competitors;
• do not conceal limitations and exclusions;
• offer a comparison on identical parameters;
• leave the client time to make an informed decision.

Service when an insured event occurs

At the moment of a loss a person is often under stress. The employee should give a short procedure: ensure safety, contact the emergency services if necessary, record the circumstances, notify the insurer and keep the documents. One must not recognise the event as insured in advance or guarantee an amount: the decision is made after the circumstances and the contract have been checked.

Protection of personal data

Request only the information needed for the specific operation. Do not ask for passwords, confirmation codes or an electronic digital signature to be sent. Documents should be accepted through approved channels, and the client's data should not be discussed with persons whose authority has not been confirmed.

Quality control

After a conversation it is useful to check five points: the client's task has been identified, the information is accurate, the limitations have been stated, the next step is clear and the promised time has been recorded. A manager should analyse not only sales but also repeat enquiries, complaints, response speed and the correctness of consultations.

A short employee checklist

Listen → clarify → check → explain → show the term in the document → agree the next step → keep the promise. This approach builds trust more than pressure, complicated wording or unconfirmed promises.

This material should be applied together with the organisation's current regulations and the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan.