Guardian Recognized by DALBAR for Excellence
Two core businesses of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian) have been recognized by DALBAR, Inc., a leading market research and rating firm that specializes in raising the standard of excellence in customer service, communications and Internet services at financial institutions.
Berkshire Life Insurance Company of America (Berkshire), the Guardian company that underwrites and issues individual disability income insurance coverage, was awarded the 2010 DALBAR Seal of Excellence for Underwriting and 2010 DALBAR Seal of Excellence for New Business for the third consecutive year. Another subsidiary, The Guardian Insurance & Annuity Company, Inc. (GIAC), which issues annuities and variable life insurance policies and funding vehicles for 401(k)s, received the 2010 Seal of Excellence for Transaction Processing as well as the 2010 Annuity Service Award. GIAC was also awarded the 2010 Recognition of Excellence in Call Center Support to Financial Intermediaries for 401(k) products.
Berkshire is the nation’s only disability income insurance company to have earned DALBAR awards for Underwriting and New Business. According to Robin L. MacPherson, 2nd Vice President for Underwriting Operations & New Business Services, this is the result of a concerted effort to improve communications with Guardian General Agents and their agency staffs – the key customer group for the recognized service areas.
“With Guardian’s corporate focus on operational excellence, it is more fitting than ever to be honored by such a prestigious organization as DALBAR for our continuing efforts to enhance the customer experience of our Guardian agency partners, who play such a vital role in the disability income insurance sales process,” MacPherson said.
This marks the seventh consecutive award that GIAC has received specifically for Transaction Processing and it is the latest addition to a long tradition of DALBAR recognition at GIAC, which has received service awards for both annuities and mutual funds for the past decade. The 2010 Seal of Excellence, 2010 Recognition of Excellence in Call Center Support to Financial Intermediaries and 2010 Annuity Service Awards were given to Guardian’s Retirement Solutions division.
“We're very pleased to once again be recognized by DALBAR,” said Michael Cefole, Senior Vice President, Guardian Retirement Solutions. “Guardian’s Retirement Solutions’ focus is on delivering large plan services to small plan clients, and this award is a tribute to that commitment. We are dedicated to delivering on all aspects of the process and providing world-class service beginning to end, something our small business clients demand and we work hard to deliver.”
In addition to being recognized for their service excellence, Berkshire and GIAC have each received five separate DALBAR Communications Seals in previous years for their marketing and sales support tools.
Wendy Webster Coakley, Guardian (Berkshire inquiries), 413.395.4467, wendy_coakley@glic.com
Kristin Meza, Guardian (GIAC inquiries), 212.919.2158, kristin_meza@glic.com
About Guardian
A mutual insurer founded in 1860, The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian) and its subsidiaries are committed to protecting individuals, business owners and their employees with life, long term care insurance, disability income and dental insurance products, and offer 401(k), annuities and other financial products. Guardian operates one of the largest dental networks in the United States, and protects more than six million employees and their families at 120,000 companies. The company has more than 5,400 employees in the United States and a network of over 3,000 financial representatives in more than 80 agencies nationwide. For more information about Guardian, please visit www.GuardianLife.com.
About DALBAR
With offices in the U.S. and Canada, DALBAR, Inc., develops standards for and provides research on intangible factors such as investor behavior, customer satisfaction, service quality, communications, Internet services and financial professional ratings to the mutual fund, broker/dealer, discount brokerage, life insurance and banking industries.
Tags: