Going the extra mile

Customer challenge

A civil engineering firm in northern Quebec, together with its local broker, expressed a desire to use an independent adjusting firm that was not on Zurich’s list of approved vendors. The customer performs a variety of work, including snow removal, rock and drilling operations and industrial waste collection.

“The adjusting firm they requested was native to (their region) and had a strong understanding of the area and the types of claims that may occur,” explained Jason Blandino, a Claims Service Account Executive based in Toronto.

How Zurich responded

Because Jason had never met the customer or broker in person, he decided to arrange a visit while he was in the Quebec area. The company is located about 2 1/2 hours north of Quebec City, necessitating a lengthy road trip. That long drive, however, not only enabled him to meet the customer and broker face to face, but also validated the reasons behind their request.

“I was really able to put myself in the customer’s shoes,” Jason said. “I was able to understand why they were looking for a local independent adjustor to handle their claims needs.” In the event of an emergency or claims crisis, he added, it was clear that severe weather or other transportation challenges might prevent someone from reaching the customer in a timely manner.

Results and benefits

The independent adjustor was promptly approved. “The client and broker were extremely pleased that I had made the effort to visit them in person,” Jason said. “No previous insurer had traveled to the region to meet them at their base of operations.”

Although Jason doesn’t view his efforts as exceptional, he does acknowledge the positive effects of going the extra mile. “We try to do this as much as possible on a daily basis,” he said. “The broker relationship remains strong (because) we do very well in demonstrating our commitment.”