|
When you speak with Denise Sliger and Urszula Kobiesa of Senior Benefit Solutions, it doesn’t take long to realize that there is rarely a dull moment in the lives of this dynamic duo. For over a decade, these two ladies have brought life to the desert lands surrounding their office in Kennewick, Washington. And they have created an oasis for all seniors thirsty for answers and solutions to their Medicare questions.
When I interviewed Denise and Urszula, they were on a three-plus hour road trip to complete a day of training with their newest broker (they now manage twenty). Their respect for each other, energy, and enthusiasm are unmistakable. You can imagine the tandem actually making a day of Medicare sales training interesting.
Building an A-Team
While they’ve decided to spend this day as trainers, both confess to being “type-A producer people,” as Denise puts it, and spend as much as 75% of their time selling. That is part of the reason for their selectivity when choosing brokers to bring onboard.
“Training is very time consuming,” Urszula said.
They not only look for candidates with some industry experience; the partners also look for character and standards. These ladies have lots of energy, but they are not trying to waste it on compliance and client issues.
When bringing on brokers, “We always have our customers in mind,” said Urszula. “We want the right people. We want someone that will have the same ethics.”
Setting the Foundation of Success
The partnership was established in 2009, about a year after Denise and Urszula both left their positions at Sterling Health Plans two weeks apart. It was the Open Enrollment Period, and the friends found themselves calling each other multiple times per day. It didn’t take long for the pair to decide to join forces.
“We had people trying to recruit us, and we said we’re just going to open our own agency,” said Denise.
When asked how long before they knew this would be a fruitful, long-term commitment, Urszula responded, “about fifteen minutes!”
“We came into it for the long haul. We know what it takes to build a business. We haven’t looked back. It’s been awesome,” said Denise.
Both have made it clear what the business is built on: customer service, local marketing, and hard work. Physician offices, senior centers, and clients recognize Senior Benefit Solutions as being the trusted source for getting questions answered and problems resolved, even if there’s no sale involved. They call it “Mother Theresa work.”
“We just put our nose to the grindstone, take care of people, do the right thing, and it’s come back to us in spades, no doubt,” said Denise.
This stellar reputation has driven both prospects and brokers to the agency. Former colleagues came knocking when Sterling Health Plans went out of business. Their office has grown from a single suite to seven. There are four brokers making use of the agency’s office space, conference room, and receptionist.
Adapting to COVID and Beyond
Despite being forced to close from March to June, the ladies see value in keeping the office open and are willing to take the extra precautions to make sure it is accessible. They’ve committed to extra cleaning before each meeting, they’ve installed plexiglass shields for the desks, and ensured proper distancing in the large conference room.
“We’re still trying to do a lot online and over the phone. But there are people that would like to see us face-to-face,” said Urszula. The good news is this should have them better prepared for the two Walmart locations they will staff for AEP, which will surely be a different experience than in year’s past. And with Humana re-entering their market for 2021, these locations should well be worth the extra safety protocols.
“It’s going to be nuts this year. It’s going to be crazy,” said Denise.
No matter the scenario, there is no better prepared duo to take on whatever is thrown their way. Their enthusiasm for their work and their friendship is enviable. “We always have fun with our job,” said Urszula. “I don’t even consider it a job.”
|
