Group Division Launches Trustmark New Web Site Names ... › group › brokers › outlook ›...
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April 2000 T he Group Division is set to debut a website devoted to Trustmark brokers, group plan administrators and their employees. The website is designed to provide a more in-depth look at the Division’s products and services, improve service and enhance Trustmark’s existing corporate website.The website is tentatively scheduled to debut in the second quarter. In making detailed information available via the Internet, the Division’s new website will boost the Company’s competitive presence on the Internet and improve overall marketing communication channels.The website also will strengthen customer service by providing accurate, up-to-date information quickly and fulfilling basic employer and member needs online. Trustmark first launched its website two years ago and has maintained a website that includes Group’s Automated Customer Enrollment program (ACE), and a physician and hospital look-up feature.These features will also be available through the Group’s website. Other user-friendly features include: • Answers to frequently asked questions • Group administration manual • Group administration forms • Medical and dental claim forms • Current and back issues of Group Producer Outlook and For Your Benefit newsletters. Throughout the year, additional features will be added to the site, including product availability maps and product brochures. In addition, the Group Division website will offer the latest information on new group insurance products and services, as well as funding options such as Administrative Services Only (ASO), Minimum Premium Plans and Stop Loss. If you have a computer with Internet access, you’ll be able to access the Group Division’s website at www.trustmarkinsurance.com/group. Group Division Launches New Web Site Trustmark Names Former Fortis Executive as New CEO J. Grover Thomas Jr. will assume the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of Trustmark Mutual Holding Company on June 1, succeeding Edwin R. Fattes, who last year announced his intention to retire after 35 years with the Company. Thomas, 55, joins Trustmark after nearly 20 years with Belgium- based Fortis Inc., a multinational insurance and banking firm, where most recently he served as Chairman of Fortis Family Life Insurance Company in Atlanta and Fortis Health, which consists of Fortis Insurance Company in Milwaukee and John Alden Insurance Company in Miami. Prior to that, he was Executive Vice President of Fortis Holding Company where he was responsible for several of the company’s sales and financial services operations. A native of Kingman,Arizona, Thomas has served on the boards of the Georgia Guaranty Association and the Health Insurance Association of America.
Transcript of Group Division Launches Trustmark New Web Site Names ... › group › brokers › outlook ›...
A p r i l 2 0 0 0
The Group Divisionis set to debut
a website devoted to Trustmarkbrokers, group planadministrators andtheir employees.The website isdesigned to providea more in-depth lookat the Division’sproducts and services, improve service and enhance Trustmark’sexisting corporate website.The websiteis tentatively scheduled to debut inthe second quarter.
In making detailed informationavailable via the Internet, the Division’snew website will boost the Company’scompetitive presence on the Internetand improve overall marketingcommunication channels.The websitealso will strengthen customer serviceby providing accurate, up-to-dateinformation quickly and fulfilling basicemployer and member needs online.
Trustmark first launched its websitetwo years ago and has maintained a website that includes Group’sAutomated Customer Enrollmentprogram (ACE), and a physician andhospital look-up feature.These featureswill also be available through the
Group’s website.Other user-friendlyfeatures include:
• Answers to frequently asked questions
• Group administration manual
• Group administration forms
• Medical and dental claim forms
• Current and back issues of Group Producer Outlook and For Your Benefit newsletters.
Throughout the year, additional featureswill be added to the site, includingproduct availability maps and productbrochures. In addition, the GroupDivision website will offer the latestinformation on new group insuranceproducts and services, as well asfunding options such as AdministrativeServices Only (ASO), MinimumPremium Plans and Stop Loss.
If you have a computer with Internetaccess, you’ll be able to access the Group Division’s website atwww.trustmarkinsurance.com/group.
Group Division LaunchesNew Web Site
TrustmarkNames FormerFortis Executiveas New CEOJ. Grover Thomas Jr. will assumethe position of President andChief Executive Officer ofTrustmark Mutual HoldingCompany on June 1, succeedingEdwin R. Fattes, who last yearannounced his intention toretire after 35 years with theCompany.
Thomas, 55, joins Trustmark afternearly 20 years with Belgium-based Fortis Inc., a multinationalinsurance and banking firm,where most recently he servedas Chairman of Fortis Family LifeInsurance Company in Atlantaand Fortis Health, which consistsof Fortis Insurance Company inMilwaukee and John AldenInsurance Company in Miami.Prior to that, he was ExecutiveVice President of Fortis HoldingCompany where he wasresponsible for several of thecompany’s sales and financialservices operations.
A native of Kingman,Arizona,Thomas has served on theboards of the Georgia GuarantyAssociation and the HealthInsurance Association ofAmerica.
The plaque was presented to Michael Brotz, Plastics Engineering’s President,by Trustmark’s President and ChiefExecutive Officer,Ed Fattes.The plaque will be displayed in PlasticsEngineering’s corporate headquarters.
John Brotz,Plastics Engineering’s Vice President,Human Resources,said the relationship with Trustmark hasbeen a “natural association”because ofTrustmark’s honesty and integrity.“TheBrotz family values loyalty and long termrelationships and so does Trustmark,”hesaid.
The Plastics Engineering account ismanaged by the Division’s Milwaukeeoffice, led by Regional Sales ManagerDean Hoffman.
May marks the 50th anniversary ofTrustmark’s partnership with PlasticsEngineering Company, a family-owned manufacturer of thermoset-ting liquid resins and moldingcompounds based in Sheboygan,Wisconsin.The long term associationbetween the two companies began in May 1950 with the signing of the original contract for insurancewith Benefit Association of RailwayEmployees,Trustmark’s predecessor.
The longevity of such an alliance is rare in an industry marked bychange. But at Trustmark’s annualmeeting in March,Trustmarkacknowledged the relationship andhonored the owners—the Brotzfamily—with a plaque commemor-ating the continuing relationship.
Trustmark Expands Benefit OptionsTrustmark has expanded the coinsurancedifferential levels for its OpenAccessproduct.With Private HealthcareSystems,Inc.’s (PHCS) approval, 20 percent benefitdiffer- ential plans are now available. Priorto this change, OpenAccess plans requireda 30 percent coinsurance differential.
Trustmark expects the additional optionswill increase sales of Open Access planssince the changes will make the Open-Access plan similar to the PPO plan.
The change in the differential has addedthe following coinsurance options: 90/80,85/75 and 80/70. Plans with a 20 percentcoinsurance differential will no longerhave deductible restrictions; only new plans with a 10 percent coinsurancedifferential will have the minimum $300deductible requirement.
Separately, OpenAccess can now be soldas a Multiple Option Product (MOP) with the PPO plan. When selling a MOP, the employee can select any twocombinations 0f the three plans: PPO,OA, or POS. Plans are chosen on an annual election or during open
enrollment.The effective date for the OpenAccess/PPO product is July 1for renewals.
New Options for Prescription Drugs Available
In response to consumer needs, severalnew prescription drug options recentlywere added to give your clients morechoices with their prescription drugcoverage.The following options are now available to all groups upon stateapproval.
Option #1Choice of a separate deductible (inaddition to the medical deductible) with the Managed Indemnity Program(MIP), when the drug card is notselected.The deductible choices are:
• $50 • $150• $75 • $200• $100 • $250
Option #2Choice of a three-tiered copayment plan.The Generic/Preferred/Non-Preferredchoices are:
• $5/10/20 • $5/30/40• $5/10/25 • $10/20/30• $5/10/30 • $10/25/35• $5/15/25 • $10/30/40• $5/15/30 • $10/35/45• $5/20/30 • $15/25/35• $5/25/35 • $15/30/40
Option #3Choice of coinsurance level after the copay-ment is met. (This option only applies to retail).The two-tiered coinsurance levels(Generic/Brand) include the following options:
• 100/100 • 100/80• 100/90 • 100/70
The three-tiered coinsurance levels(Generic/Preferred/Non-Preferred) include the following options:
• 100/100/100 • 100/90/80• 100/100/90 • 100/90/70• 100/100/80 • 100/80/80• 100/100/70 • 100/80/70• 100/90/90 • 100/70/70
For state availability and more information onthese changes, please contact your Trustmarksales representative.
Trustmark Celebrates 50-Year Relationship with Wisconsin Group
From left: Ed Fattes, Trustmark’s President and Chief Executive Officer; Dean Hoffman, Regional Sales Manager, Milwaukee; Rod Farmer, Executive Vice President, Employee Benefits; John Brotz, Plastics Engineering’s Vice President, Human Resources; Mardi Burns, Senior Account Representative at Don F. Jabas Associates, and Michael Brotz, Plastics Engineering’s President.
Four Steps to Defuse Arguments with CustomersIt happens to the best salespeople:A customer takes offense at yourprices, your product, or somethingelse about you or your company,and picks a fight.You can’t merelyignore the hostility. By doing that,you send the message that youdon’t want to fix the problem.When a customer (or potentialcustomer) is dead set on arguingwith you, defuse the situation infour easy steps:
• Thank the person for his or her comments—even if those comments were yelled at you.Remember:The attack is not personal, so don’t treat it that way.Keep your cool,even when being berated.
• Start your half of the conver- sation with the phrase—“Let me see if I understand you completely.”Then restate the person’s argument slowly.This does two things: it gives the persona chance to calm down and it shows that you are truly listening and are taking the concerns seriously.
• Find at least one thing in the argument that you can agree with. Even if you think the argument as a whole is nonsense,pick out one major point you can agree with.Build your rebuttal on that point. For instance:“Well, I cancertainly see your point about the proposal being late. I will make sure it doesn’t happen again.
Now, about your other concerns...”By conceding a point or two right away, you show that you are not defensive aboutthe situation—and that you really want to solve the problem.
• Solve the problem. Remember:When customers pick a fight,what they’re really saying is,“I have a problem.” Solve that problem.By doing so, you turn a negative around and actually gain points. Smart salespeople don’t mind when customers complain.They see it as their chance to shine—to win the customer’s loyalty.
—adapted from the Sales and Marketing
Report
How to RememberNamesBusiness experts note that the ability toremember people’s names is a key tosuccess in many occupations. PaulDickson, author of the book “Names,”offers this mnemonic trick based on theword SALT. To fix a name permanentlyin your memory, practice:
• Saying the name aloud• Asking a question using the
name• Learning the name by
repeating it in conversation• Terminating the conversation
using the name.
—adapted from ideas unlimited
Show You RespectProspects’ TimeSchedule your next meeting with asales prospect by telling the personyou need only 10 minutes. After sevenminutes, offer to leave, and remainonly if invited.The payoff: Chances are good you’ll get to stay, and you’llimpress prospects because you’veshown you value their time.
—adapted from Speaking Up, Nancy Skinner &Associates, as cited in Sales & Marketing Report.
Gauging ProspectsInterestWhen prospects need to “talk it over”with someone, your response shouldbe,“Can I interpret that as a definitesign of interest?” Or try a strongerquestion:“Will you recommend our product when you talk it over?”The answer will let you know if theyare stalling and wasting your time.If interest is expressed, you may beable to contact the decision-makingpeople and sell your product to them.
—adapted from the Telephone Selling Report ascited in Sales and Marketing Report
“There is no security on earth, only opportunity.”
— General Douglas MacArthur
Group Launches New Web Site
Trustmark Names Former Fortis Executive as New CEO
Trustmark Celebrates 50-Year Relationship with Wisconsin Group
Trustmark Expands Open Access Benefit Options
400 Field Drive Lake Forest, Illinois 60045
www.trustmarkinsurance.com
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US PostagePaid
List & Letters
R E G I O N A L O F F I C E S
Lake Forest (Home Office) 1-800-621-4784
John Rowlette,Regional Sales [email protected]
Bruce Tirakian, Regional Manager(Central Illinois)[email protected]
Dennis Walsh, Regional Manager (Northern Illinois)[email protected]
AtlantaRuth Szabo, Regional [email protected]
ColumbusJeff Wintersteller, Regional [email protected]
DallasGary Behrhorst, Sr. Regional [email protected]
Grand RapidsTerry McDonoughRegional [email protected]
HoustonBrent [email protected]
IndianapolisTom Luddy, Regional Manager [email protected]
Kansas CityJim Walter, Regional [email protected]
MilwaukeeDean Hoffman, Regional [email protected]
New OrleansAllen Saba, Sr. Regional [email protected]
PhiladelphiaJim O’Connor, Regional [email protected]
PhoenixDave Houser, Regional [email protected]
St. LouisJon Niblock, Regional [email protected]
South BendMike BalsanRegional [email protected]
Inside this Issue of Group Producer Outlook...
Trustmark’s Vision ofSuccessThe corporate philosophies section of Trustmark’sCorporate Plan outlines ten fundamental principleswhich exemplify the Company’s identity and mission.The sixth philosophy is Management.The nine otherphilosophies include: Financial Stability, Growth, Market,Product, Service, Productivity, Human Resources, EthicalStandards and Public Involvement.
Philosophy #6
Management: “Operate through financially accountable subsidiaries and business units. Maintain a competitive posture, rapidly adapting innovative developments in marketing, product and service where appropriate. Emphasize flexible and responsive participatory management.”
—Trustmark’s 2000 Corporate Plan
