The Little Blue Book (backup)

We’re in a tough, competitive business, and after many years, I still love it, and everything that GSA stands for.

It’s a challenge, and it’s not easy at times, but when I come into our incredible office, I feel invigorated. I also know that we’re doing something beneficial for our clients; we’re protecting them from career or livelihood-threatening situations.
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That makes me feel very proud of what we do on a daily basis and how we look out for each other and our clients.

I love nothing more than seeing our clients grow and prosper, knowing that GSA may be part of that success.

That’s what this book is all about.I’ve worked in different companies, and seen the way they do business.

Here’s what I think:

I don’t want to be like every other insurance broker, because without having a clear point of difference, GSA would just be like all the rest, and it’s hard to stand out when you all look the same. We’ve built a culture here that’s different from our competitors, for a reason.

We don’t want this industry to define who we are, we want to define the industry.

To be a successful business we’ve got to think differently about what we do, and how we do it. We could just plod along, and do what everyone else is doing, but that’s a slippery slope - and not a lot of fun.
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Customers have greater expectations of service, which takes greater time and care to deliver. They also have a powerful voice that can be heard far and wide, positive or negative.

You are our point of difference

That’s what this book is all about.I’ve worked in different companies, and seen the way they do business.

Here’s what I think:

Because we’re dealing with humans, people who choose one business over another to provide their insurance. If we were just selling a commodity it wouldn’t matter, but we’re not. And we can’t sell on price alone, because we’ll always be undercut. If we base our approach on valuing the relationship with a client or potential client, we can get more from the experience, and make it last.

We have to be comfortable with who we are, be ourselves, and have a common goal.

We don’t need yes-men or women, and we don’t want GSA to be a collective of grey suits with no personality.
We demand passion, and conviction, and a sense of the value we each bring to the business and our clients.
This is what drives us, and is best for our team and our clients. Let’s make GSA the best it can be.

Paul Hines

The GSA
Brands.

This business is all about relationships, internally and with clients and prospects. We’ll never neglect our process and procedures, but if we don’t have quality client relationships we’ll fail.

It's not Just About The Bottom Line

This business is all about relationships, internally and with clients and prospects. We’ll never neglect our process and procedures, but if we don’t have quality client relationships we’ll fail.

Our business is about managing people, not numbers. This allows the individual to have a place in the system. We want to value the individual, and allow our people to shine.

The most successful business environments are those that are supportive, where there’s no backbiting or politics.

When each of us does well, the business will do well. We want to share our success with those who are willing to put in the effort.

Our Brand + Our People

First of all, a brand is more than a name, or a logo.

It’s actually a feeling people have in their hearts and minds. Our brand says something about who we are, and makes us and our client feel good about what we stand for.

The best brands don’t just look great, they are great, at everything they do, inside and out.

Business and Brand are two sides of the same coin. If people don’t feel good about your brand, they won’t want to do business with you. And if your business hasn’t got its act together, no amount of branding will change that. That’s because brands are all about trust, and nowhere is this more important than with Insurance.

This is why Brand isn’t “set and forget”. It’s eternal vigilance. The moment we think our Brand is as good as it can get, it’s already beginning to slip.

Our Brand Essence

There’s a big idea at the heart of our brand – it’s called our Brand Essence. It’s what our brand stands for, and it’s what we need to strive for in all our actions.So what does GSA stand for?

Challenging the Status Quo
That’s our brand essence

Why?

We are challenging the status quo with proactive, thoughtful and provocative initiatives.

To get in the front door, we have to open the eyes of our clients and prospects to the benefit of engaging with GSA.

Our tone is FUN, SURPRISING, and above-all, VALUABLE.

We need our clients to think, “That’s different, that’s not what I’d expect from an insurance broker”.

Eye-opening Insurance

How we present our products and service helps differentiate our offer, and make it valuable to clients.

This is our BRAND IN ACTION

We go above and beyond by constantly looking for the best way to deliver quality service and products for our clients.

We take the time to clearly understand our clients’ situation, and what they want from us.

Our attention to detail means we can create ‘fit for purpose’ products at an appropriate price. We’re flexible and consistent, and will always look for better ways to do smarter business.

So our clients must see us as invaluable, and irreplaceable.

‘Look No Further’ means we won’t accept second best, or ‘that’ll do”. It means we set high standards for what we do and how we do it.

Our commitment is to tie “Look No Further” to everything we do:

how we interact with each other
how we relate to the industry
how we build our products and services
how we pitch the offer to clients

How We're Going to Do it

Everything we do - from sending internal emails to meeting with clients- has a bearing on how our brand is perceived.

And for clients and prospects, perception is everything.

The way we answer the phone, how we communicate, the manner in which we respond to queries, and how we deal with problems all impact on how we’re perceived.

This is why our Values and Behaviours are so important to us.Our Values describe how we deliver on our Brand Essence: together they form the basis of the GSA client experience.

The GSA
Values in action.

These are our Values. We live them everyday. Valuable, Energetic, Human, Determined and Surprising

Valuable

As individuals, and as a business, our thoughts, actions, and interactions, are priceless, and give the big win/win for our clients, our business and ourselves.

Energetic

We do everything with vigour and passion, because we know it’s right for the business.

It motivates us, our clients and partners, and it’s different from what every other bastard is doing. “Boring” is a word that will never be associated with GSA.

Human

We will never forget that what we do impacts on the lives and livelihood of others, and that our success is based on what we as individuals bring to, and get from the experience.

And we have fun doing it, because life’s too short to get caught up in dull stuff.

Determined

We’ve made a decision about what we’re doing as a business, and its benefit, and we’re sticking to it.

End of story.

Surprising

We’re always looking for new, lateral and money-making ways to provide the best possible service and products, way beyond the expectations of our customers, and way ahead of the industry.

Your Rights + Responsibilities

Working at GSA provides clear rights, and certain responsibilities.

We’ve created five ‘Rights + Responsibilities’ we believe will allow us to work to our optimum, and retain the strongly human character we’ve built here.

Our Behaviours represent the GSA attitude in action. They’re designed to give each of us the opportunity to act as individuals, with a crystal-clear understanding of the impact of our behaviour, both good and bad.

They’re simple to understand, and easy to put into practice every day.

These behaviours are linked to our KPI’s, because how we go about our jobs is as important as the results we achieve. We’ve provided examples of how to get the most from them.

Nobody is exempt from living these behaviours.

What this means:

Always looking for ways to improve your part of the business.
Supporting other divisions, by taking an interest in their work.
Being open about where you believe the business can do better, or excel.
Creating a considered and compelling rationale for your position.
Including others in your thought process, before you broadcast it to the business.
Thinking about what you say and its impact, before you say it.

What this doesn't mean:

Belittling other points of view.
Using inappropriate forums to voice an opinion.
Using your position to advance counter-productive or unhelpful points-of-view.
Being selective about who you share information with.

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What this means:

Knowing you can put forward a point of view without fear of retribution.
Speaking up if you believe there’s an issue/concern that hasn’t been considered.
Making sure you have all the facts before making a statement.
Feeling comfortable that you can address any person, no matter what their position.
Carefully considering the tone and manner in which you put forward your case.
Structuring your argument so that it has credence and adds value/provokes thought.
Asking for other points of view to verify/counter yours.

What this doesn't mean:

Making decisions based on inaccurate, or inadequate information.
Shooting off at the lip because you’re not getting your way./p>
Using a forum as a means of self-advancement or denigration.
Being negative about overtures that could benefit the business.
Concentrating only on what you disagree with, not what also has merit.

What this means:

Always looking for the next opportunity.
Receiving bonuses for meeting and exceeding your budgets.
Being rewarded for the extra effort you apply to the business.
Being recognised in PR and Press for your contributions.
Having the opportunity for advancement.
Delivering your work on time, and within budget.
Looking for new and novel ways to bring business to the company.

What this doesn't mean:

Expecting extra remuneration without having added value to the business.
Doing the bare minimum to meet targets.
Having a “That’ll do” mentality.
Using the hard work of others to increase your remuneration.
Taking a win-at-all-costs attitude.

What this means:

Taking your personal experiences into account when considering a position.
Sharing your knowledge with others.
Using the knowledge and experience of others to increase your expertise.
Helping others understand what drives your thinking.
Putting yourself in somebody else’s position.
Supporting others that may need your assistance.
Being accountable for your team’s shortcomings.
Being ethical and moral in your dealings.

What this doesn't mean:

Excluding others from your “turf”.
Operating outside of the expected parameters of the business.
Undertaking something without considering the impact or ramifications.
Passing work onto others that is your responsibility.
Blaming the team for your error.
Passing the buck.
Not asking for help until it’s too late.

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What this means:

Leading by example.
Owning the process right through to completion.
Finding cost-effective ways to increase revenue.
Considering all aspects of an initiative before commencing it.
Sticking at it, even if it’s harder than you first thought.
Crossing the “t’s” and dotting the “i’s”.
Shooting holes in an idea to test its worth.
Asking yourself and somebody else, “have I covered everything?”

What this doesn't mean:

Thinking only about the outcome, and not the process to get there.
Not applying due diligence to a potential undertaking.
Not sharing your thinking prior to commencement.
Getting somebody else to finish something you started.
Cutting corners.

We're a new breed of Insurance Broker, who think insurance should do more than just cover you for loss.

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winning awards

The Little
Blue Book.

We’re in a tough, competitive business, and after many years, I still love it, and everything that GSA stands for.