Proper organization is critical for every business. But insurance agencies face more regulations than many other businesses, making organization a significant priority. Our insurance agency organizational tips are just in time for National Clean Off Your Desk Day on January 10th.
This is the perfect time to get your desk and office organization in shape for the New Year. If you’ve never celebrated National Clean Off Your Desk Day, this is your year! Try our top ten tips and share your favorite organizational ideas in the comments!
Ten Insurance Agency Organizational Tips for National Clean Off Your Desk Day
A cluttered desk and workspace are stressful and make it challenging to work efficiently. But with our simple insurance agency organizational tips, you can clean off your desk and enjoy the benefits of a clear workspace and clear mind! This January 10th, try some of our top ten tips to organize your agency and your desk.
1. Start with a clean surface.
Remove everything from the top of your desk, table, and shelf and wipe down the surface. You might be amazed by how much dust collects in the corners of the hard spaces of your office. A fresh smelling cleaner can make this job more fun. Take care with your electronic cords, though, and use cleaners safe for electronics on these surfaces.
2. Make piles to manage documents.
Start a pile for shredding and one for filing. Consider retention guidelines when managing your documentation. Your state’s insurance department can help you determine how long you need to keep client documentation, like policies or payment receipts. Make sure you shred the documents you can discard. Throwing away paperwork that may contain private information is not a safe way to dispose of it — shred it or toss it in your secure shredding bin for your vendor to manage the safe disposal of private customer data.
3. Take inventory of your office supplies.
During the year, it’s easy to accumulate extra stuff at your desk. Maybe you grabbed more post-it notes or staples than you needed or have extra envelopes hanging around your filing cabinet. As you clean out your desk and workspace, gather your supplies together. This lets you see what you have and what you may need to order. And you can limit your at-desk inventory once you see what supplies you have on hand. Organizing your supplies in the supply closet rather than at your desk can save you valuable working space where you need it.
4. File necessary paperwork away.
Paperwork with important client details should be filed securely away. You are responsible for securing your customer’s private health information and financial data. Use your desk cleaning time to file any paperwork you need to keep properly.
5. Improve your organizational system.
You may find your current filing or organizational system isn’t working any longer for you. Take the time to try a new system during your desk cleaning day. When something stops working for you, it may be time for a new method.
6. Consider the client-facing side of your office.
As part of your cleaning and re-organizing efforts, make sure to take time to look at your desk and office from your client’s perspective. You only see your workspace from your point of view on a typical day, but your customer sits on the other side of your desk and has a different vantage point. Try sitting in the customer’s seat and taking a look around. What stands out from this perspective? You might find other opportunity areas in your workspace to improve by trying this simple change of perspective.
7. Toss outdated materials.
Check your inventory of policy and marketing documents and discard the old ones. As you clean, toss out any outdated brochures, presentations, and calendars you find. Taking stock also helps you know what to reprint.
8. Refresh supplies in your workspace.
Replenish the supplies you have in your office and on your desk. Add more business cards to your holder and check the pens in your cup holder for ink. Stock the fridge with water and sodas and add to your snack selection. Check the magazines in the waiting area. If they are several years old, it may be time to refresh. Outdated magazines can make your office seem stale.
9. Consider investing in new tools.
As you organize and clean off your desk, you might find you need to invest in new tools. Are you finding lots of paper, post-it notes, and haphazard ways to track clients when you clean up? You may need to take another look at your agency’s CRM system. New technology may help you improve your agency’s organization, leading to greater efficiency.
10. Plan time for mini organizational breaks throughout the year.
You don’t need to wait for Clean Off Your Desk Day next January to keep up with your organization. Schedule time every month to re-organize and clean up again. If you keep up with it often, your deep cleaning every year will be much easier — and you can enjoy the benefits of a clean workspace all year long!
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Members of the American Agents Alliance enjoy discounts on various small business services and products. Check out our exclusive member discounts and learn how our vendor partners can help you organize your agency.
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