The recent thaw and freeze that has left Ontario roads and sidewalks more like skating rinks does provide brokers with an opportunity to connect with clients through social media by offering some sound advice.
“People aren’t really excited about talking about insurance, so it is when things like this happen, they start to pay more attention,” says Cory Young, the Chief Operating Officer with Rhodes & Williams Insurance Brokers in Ottawa, Ont. “It is our job to get the information out to them when we can. We do our best to keep the lines of communication open.”
Environment Canada issued a flash freeze warning and Toronto has put out an extreme cold weather alert as temperatures dropped to minus 40 Celsius with the wind chill.
After a weekend of mild temperatures, wet snow and rain, sidewalks and roads became extremely icy when the thermometer nosedived on Monday.
Alerting clients to the hazards that are out there is crucial, says Young, adding that his brokerage – which also has a smaller location in Toronto – is constantly reaching out through emails and quarterly newsletters, offering links to the company’s Facebook page and Twitter account.
“We want to be communicating where they are; that is the social media strategy we have,” Young told Insurance Business. “Our clients are there; we need to be there as well.” (continued.)
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Inclement weather usually means a day working from home or taking a vacation day for most people – but for insurance brokers and agents, it is a time when they need to be available to clients.
“Our office looks at situations like this ahead of time as much as possible to make sure we’re prepared so that we are able to serve our clients,” says Young. “Our clients are dealing with the same thing. We try to be here as much as we can, as there is a chance they will need us more than any other time.”
GO Transit advised customers to give themselves extra time for their commute, while Toronto’s Pearson airport encountered a number of delays and cancellations.
About 15 per cent of arrivals and 11 per cent of departures were cancelled early Monday morning.
“The flooding, what does that mean, what should you do, risk mitigation, all that stuff. We have the opportunity in getting the information out when people are paying a little more attention,” says Young. “It is a difficult battle; we are always putting the information out there, and people aren’t thinking about it – slip and fall risk, for example. That is why we are here, to think about it for them.”
