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HealthMarkets Agency Marketing Group

Company: HealthMarkets Agency Marketing Group, Hurst, TX
Entry Submitted By: Burson-Marsteller
Company Description: Agency Marketing Group is the sales and marketing arm of HealthMarkets, Inc., a leading provider of affordable life and health insurance for the self-employed, individuals and small businesses. Agency Marketing Group is comprised of UGA and Cornerstone America with more than 4,600 contracted agents committed to providing the best value in insurance and a solution to the rising cost of health care.
Nomination Category: Best Run Sales Organizations
Nomination Sub Category: Insurance Sales Organization of the Year

Nomination Title: HealthMarkets Agency Marketing Group

  • How many people are in your organization's entire sales department?

    Agency Marketing Group has 160 employees and more than 4,600 contracted sales 
    agents.

  • What were your organization's sales during the eligibility period? If this figure is confidential, simply enter "Confidential" in this space:

    Agency Marketing Group, comprised of two dedicated sales forces, UGA and 
    Cornerstone America, had sales of $1.07 Billion for the eligibility period.

  • Describe the nominated sales organization's top 3 accomplishments during the eligibility period (up to 100 words):

    1. AMG launched a new Web-based system that delivers company-generated leads 
    directly to agents in real time allowing them to follow up with potential
    customers when interest level is still high. System distributes in excess of
    1.2 million leads within seconds of lead development.

    2. AMG increased the number of leads provided to agents while saving an
    average of $2 per lead. This strategy provided an additional 220,000 leads to
    the field, at a savings of $2.6 million.

    3. AMG introduced a Fortune 1000 company’s niche health insurance product.
    Within six months of introduction, AMG became the carrier’s top-selling
    General Agency with sales volume in excess of $12 million.

  • List the nominated sales organization's top 3 lessons learned during the eligibility period (up to 100 words):

    1. AMG evaluated career patterns of its most productive representatives and 
    developed a series of key milestones that predict new agent success. The most
    critical milestone showed a 49% improvement.

    2. Analysis of lead channels helped us re-direct funds from non-performing
    channels to create a higher-performing and cost effective lead generation
    program. Results include increase of 21% in lead volume and decrease in cost
    per lead by 11.3%.

    3. Through an independent study AMG identified the best recruiting practices
    of its highest performing Division offices and created a best practices model
    and recruiting school. Results include a performance improvement rate of 40%
    by Division Leaders.

  • Briefly describe the qualities that distinguish the nominated sales organization from other sales organizations in your industry (up to 100 words):

    HealthMarkets AMG seeks to live its mission of HOPE every day.  HOPE 
    represents our commitment to Helping Other People Everyday. To this end, AMG
    seeks to help its sales people become less focused on “selling” and more
    focused on “helping”. We believe this unique sales culture has led AMG to not
    only, consecutive record setting sales years but, the dominant sales position
    in our market niche.

  • Provide a brief biography of the leader(s) of the nominated sales organization (up to 100 words):

    Troy McQuagge is President of Agency Marketing Group and Board Chairman of 
    UGA - Association Field Services and Cornerstone America. McQuagge has served
    in this position since September 2005.

    McQuagge currently serves as Executive Vice President of The MEGA Life and
    Health Insurance Company and Mid-West National Life Insurance Company of
    Tennessee based in Texas. In May 2004, Troy McQuagge was named President of
    the Self Employed Agency Division and assumed the role of President of the
    Agency Marketing Group, which consists of the Self Employed Agency Division
    and the HealthMarkets Lead Marketing Group.

  • Briefly describe your organization's customers, including the industry or demographics you sell to, the job titles you sell to (if applicable), and the products and/or services you sell (up to 100 words):

    HealthMarkets, through its underwriting companies, is filling a growing need 
    for affordable insurance by providing its target customers – the self-
    employed, individuals and small businesses – with affordable health care
    plans. Traditionally, these particular market niches have been underserved by
    the health insurance industry.

  • Briefly describe how your sales department is aligned with your marketing department (up to 100 words):

    To ensure that sales and marketing remain closely aligned, AMG utilizes a 
    Leaders Congress comprised of over 70 field sales representatives to help
    shape sales and marketing strategy. AMG meets with this group six times per
    year to discuss challenges and opportunities in the marketplace. This type of
    collaboration between AMG and its field sales leaders has lead to many
    innovative initiatives, including the company’s Web-based lead delivery
    system, strategic partnerships and proprietary agent recruiting tools.