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
Agency Marketing Group has 160 employees and more than 4,600 contracted sales
agents.
Agency Marketing Group, comprised of two dedicated sales forces, UGA and
Cornerstone America, had sales of $1.07 Billion for the eligibility period.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.