Wilson Insurance Services of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, became the 10,000th agency to join Smart Choice in January of 2024. To celebrate the milestone, Smart Choice awarded the agency a cash prize of $10,000.
Fletcher Wilson, agency principal and founder, was surprised and delighted to win the cash prize. “Clearly, any agency could have been the 10,000th. We were incredibly lucky to be in that position. We also want to capitalize on the opportunity.” Wilson says he is reinvesting the $10,000 prize into his agency so he and his team can fully leverage all the advantages Smart Choice offers.
The Back Story
Fletcher came to Smart Choice with decades of experience.
His insurance career began in 1993 when Aon Risk Services hired him to work as a marketing executive. “I thought I’d be with Aon forever,” he says.
In 1996, a bank recruited him to run their commercial insurance division. It was an offer he couldn’t refuse. He worked there for nearly four years and developed carrier relationships, hired producers and grew the business from the ground up. Then, the bank was acquired, Fletcher decided to start his own agency in his hometown, Winston-Salem.
“I left and started my own independent insurance agency out of my home,” Fletcher says. “Relationship management was crucial, especially for larger commercial clients.”
Choosing a Network
When Wilson Insurance Services, Inc. began searching for a new network partner in 2023, Fletcher was careful to avoid contracts that would take away his agency’s independence. He was also focused on gaining more direct appointments.
One network was eager to bring him on, but he had concerns. “We didn’t like their contractual terms, and how they would own some portion of business that we produced through them or with the aid of their carriers,” he says.
Another network had a more promising model, but when Fletcher dug into the details, he was less impressed. “There were too many things about that contractual relationship that interfered with our ability to remain fully independent,” he says.
Yet another organization held day-long meetings to motivate agents – also a deal breaker for Fletcher because it wasn’t what his agency needed. “We wanted a partner that would introduce us to new carriers, tools, and technologies and help us write and retain larger, hard-to-place accounts. We never lacked enthusiasm in retaining current clients or cultivating referrals to acquire new policyholders,” he explains.
Eventually, Fletcher found Smart Choice.
“I knew Smart Choice was different, and that they really had a lot of leverage with their carriers. They also gave us the opportunity to secure new direct appointments,” he says.
He made the decision to join.
Unexpected Advantages
Fletcher’s agency was already well established when they joined Smart Choice. Nevertheless, Smart Choice has helped them continue to grow in ways he didn’t foresee. “I have been really pleasantly surprised,” he says.
“My expectations have been exceeded.”
So far, he’s been impressed with “the marketing savvy and the clout that Chris Reisdorf brings to the table,” referring to the North Carolina state director at Smart Choice. He describes Chris as being very accessible.
When he has an exceptionally large or difficult-to-place account, Chris is always there to provide guidance. “We already control a lot of accounts we’re sending to Smart Choice, but we’ve also already landed some new business, including a high-end luxury condo association.”
Wilson also likes the options he has for carrier access. Although he can gain access to commercial carriers through the Smart Start program, he’s more interested in how Smart Choice can help him gain direct appointments. “For example, we’ve gotten directly appointed with Liberty Mutual, and we’re off to a very fast start with them,” he says.
The 10,000th Agency
Fletcher appreciates the $10,000 award, although it came as a surprise.
“I was shocked that Smart Choice had 10,000 agents,” says Wilson. He’d dealt with a smaller aggregator in the past, but the sheer size of the Smart Choice network astounded him. A large network brings certain advantages, including more carrier access and the leverage to negotiate better terms with those carriers.
“The premium volume results in guaranteed profit sharing in certain circumstances,” Fletcher says.
No matter how big a network is, it’s the people behind the brand who matter most – and the Smart Choice team never fails to impress. “All the people we’ve met have been exceptionally professional,” Fletcher says.
“We’re looking forward to lots of good things with Smart Choice.”
