A New PIA Award Agency of the Year: Washington’s First — Totem Agencies in Kirkland

The agency of the year award is a new category for PIA Washington and, since agencies and agents make up most of the membership of the PIA, it one that has been too long in coming.

Our inaugural agency of the year is the Totem Agencies in Kirkland. The company’s motto is, “REAL PEOPLE DOING BUSINESS WITH REAL PEOPLE SINCE 1975.”

That says it all. Craig Parthamer is the son of founder, Russell Parthamer who founded the agency in 1975, spoke with PIA Weekly Industry News Editor Gary Wolcott about his agency. We bring that up because Wolcott was so impressed with Craig, and the Totem Agencies that he is ready to hop on board and give them his business.

Why?

Wolcott said it’s because he detests phone trees and Totem Agencies answer their phones. No phone tree. No press one for this section of the company, or for this person or that. A very friendly receptionist answers the phone and transfers you to one of the agency’s 11 people.

“The big deal for us is answering the phone. I get a lot of business because they’ve had to deal with the 1-800 thing and agencies and agents that don't answer the phone,” he told Wolcott. “Job one is being responsive to our customers needs. It's IMPORTANT.”

There are other important reasons to answer the phone instead of using a phone tree.

“Here’s what it comes down to: 20 agencies have Safeco,” Craig Parthamer said. “How do we differentiate ourselves? It’s customer service, answering the phone, replying as quickly as possible to a voicemail, and it’s the ease of doing business.”

Another difference is Totem Agencies being a local agency with small town values. Small but doing big things. Craig said his company has clients all over the country and is licensed in 46 of the 50 states. And they do business in most of those states with their mobile home park program. But no matter what state they’re working in, Totem Agencies is successful, and the reason goes back to basic, reliable customer service.

“Clients have told me they will never leave me no matter what the price is,” he told Wolcott in their interview. “The reason they say is, ‘I can always get ahold of you.’ It means a lot to me when I hear that. It’s important. We are a customer service agency. Our clients are looking to us for expertise. Most don't understand insurance. We tell them there are places to save money but insurance is not that place. After that conversation, people almost always take our advice.”

Insurance is about people and connecting with people. Technology has made that a huge challenge. Like many of you, when Craig started in insurance rates were calculated on a calculator and a note pad. Today, it’s texting and emails, and machines that whip out rates in an instant.

So technology is a challenge. Yet, Craig said, “We still answer our phones, and we haven’t changed at all in how we relate to our customers. I'm an old time pick up the phone kinda guy.”

Great advice, and Totem Agencies is a great agency. That’s why it’s PIA Washington’s inaugural agency of the year.