Builders Mutual

NEWS FROM
B U I L D E R S M U T U A L I N S U R A N C E C O M PA N Y
» FALL 2012
mutual
interests
Builders Mutual Announces New
Customer Contact Center
Builders Mutual is proud to announce that our
Customer Contact Center (CCC) is now available!
The CCC was created with you, our customers, in mind
to provide a streamlined, single point of contact for your
general policy and billing inquiries.
Builders Mutual has never had a traditional customer
service department. Previously, calls were answered by
our receptionist who would either transfer your call to
the department requested or ask follow up questions to
determine what area should receive your call. This method
worked in the past, but sometimes led to multiple call
transfers and longer resolution times. As we develop
new self-service tools and as your service expectations
continue to grow, we believe it is important to have a
support area focused on your specific customer needs.
We expect the CCC to provide the best possible customer
service experience.
With the implementation of the Customer Contact Center,
you will speak to a live person on the phone who is a crosstrained industry expert. Our experts will be able to handle
the majority of your calls with one transaction, leading to
fewer transferred calls. Inquiries including billing, payments,
audit information, HBA membership requirements and
dividend questions will be resolved quickly.
Joseph Scott, Customer Contact Center Manager states,
“As organizations look to set themselves apart from
competitors via product offerings and solutions, the most
common denominator that differentiates them is the
level of service provided. Our newly integrated Customer
Contact Center service model keeps BMIC on the fast track
as a differentiated first class operation within the industry.
The Customer Contact Center will focus on bringing our
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» T op to bottom, left to right: Corey Martin, Diego
Rivera, Adrian Woods, Angela King, Darius Bennett,
Melanie Sullivan, Joseph Scott, Cass Henry, Vanessa
Ortiz, Shelley Millon.
customers’ experiences to new heights of satisfaction and
I am truly excited to be a part of this initiative.”
The CCC staff is focused on efficiency, quality and
continuous learning. They have more than 41 years of
combined industry experience and recently completed a
rigorous nine-week training program.
The Customer Contact Center is available MondayFriday, 8am to 6pm EST and is ready to assist you with
any service inquiries. For faster service in English or
Spanish, contact BMIC’s Customer Contact Center at
1.800.809.4859.
NEWS FROM
B U I L D E R S M U T U A L I N S U R A N C E C O M PA N Y
» FALL 2012
BMIC Supports Operation: Coming Home During
21st Century Building Expo and Conference
As a partner of the North Carolina Home Builders
Association, Builders Mutual participates in the 21st
Century Building Expo and Conference. This year, on
September 26-28, we were in Charlotte, NC as the
Expo celebrated its 10th Anniversary at the Charlotte
Convention Center.
Numerous vendors from the building industry were
on hand to discuss their products and services. Many
attendees visited the BMIC booth to chat with staff and
register for our giveaways – two $300 American Airlines
gift cards. Some built and flew their own airplane and
helped contribute to a donation of $1,000 for Operation:
Coming Home.
Lucky attendees Amy England and Tom McDuffie were
the winners of the American Airlines gift cards and will
get to fly free courtesy of BMIC!
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During 21st Century, the NCHBA also hosted the
STARS awards. As a sponsor, Builders Mutual presented
the awards received by the local North Carolina HBA
chapters. Each year, entries are received from across the
state. Many deserving HBAs were recognized, including:
Best HBA Website
• Yadkin Valley HBA (small to mid-size)
• HBA of Charlotte (large)
Best HBA Communication (single piece or campaign)
• Alamance-Caswell HBA (small to mid-size)
• HBA of Winston-Salem (large)
Best HBA Membership Directory
• HBA of Raleigh-Wake County
Best HBA Parade of Homes Publication
• Outer Banks HBA (small to mid-size)
• HBA of Raleigh-Wake County (large)
Best HBA Community Project
• HBA of Raleigh-Wake County
Best HBA Event
• Lake Norman HBA (small to mid-size)
• HBA of Raleigh-Wake County (large)
Best HBA Special Project
• Asheboro-Randolph County HBA (small to mid-size)
• Wilmington-Cape Fear HBA (large)
Best Government Affairs Initiative
• Ashe County HBA (small to mid-size)
• HBA of Durham, Orange and Chatham Counties (large)
Builders Mutual is proud to partner with the NCHBA as a
sponsor of these events.
NEWS FROM
B U I L D E R S M U T U A L I N S U R A N C E C O M PA N Y
» FALL 2012
Partnerships Provide Value-Added Services
Builders Mutual continuously looks for ways to provide you, our policyholders, with value-added risk
management services that will enhance your business. Currently, we maintain partnerships with three
companies that provide employee screening products, theft deterrent options and fleet management
tools respectively.
IntelliCorp
IntelliCorp has been in business for more than 14 years and their goal
is to help you make the best possible hiring and volunteer recruiting
decisions. BMIC’s alliance with IntelliCorp provides discounted rates
on background checks and employment screening products and
allows you to mitigate risk to meet your business requirements. As a
Builders Mutual policyholder, you will receive the benefit of industryleading data, providing you with the most comprehensive information
on your applicants.
National Equipment Register (NER)
Equipment theft continues to be a costly problem in the construction
industry. The NER program, Helptech®, provides theft deterrent
warning decals and the opportunity to list your heavy equipment
information in a national database used by law enforcement officials
to track down stolen equipment. As a Builders Mutual policyholder,
you have the opportunity to subscribe to NER and receive a 20%
discount on their registration fees.
Fleetwatch
Fleet Safety Risk Management Programs, like the one offered by
Fleetwatch Systems Inc. (1-800 Hows My Driving), are used to
decrease the frequency and severity of collisions, related bodily
injuries and save lives. Additionally, they may aid in lowering
liability costs and add money to your bottom line.
Fleetwatch provides vehicle decals and monitoring 24 hours a
day, 365 days a year for Builders Mutual policyholders enrolled
in their program. This type of monitoring encourages employee
awareness and compliance with safe driving practices. As a BMIC
policyholder, you are eligible to take advantage of their services at
discounted rates.
IntelliCorp, NER and Fleetwatch are three valuable risk management tools that Builders Mutual provides for you, our
policyholders. All are available at discounted rates and can help improve your business practices. For more detailed
information on each of these services, or to obtain contact information, go to www.buildersmutual.com/rm and click
the Safety Links tab.
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PO Box 150005 | Raleigh, NC 27624-0005
8 0 0 . 8 0 9 . 4 8 5 9 | w w w. b u i l d e r s m u t u a l . c o m
BMIC’s New
Customer
Contact
Center
is now available.
Open 8am-6pm EST MondayFriday, our industry experts are
ready and waiting to take your calls!
800.809.4859
If you would like to receive this newsletter electronically, please send an e-mail to [email protected]
and include your name, company name and policy number. This newsletter is responsibly printed
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Risky
Business
TOOLBOX TALK
Defensive Driving
The formula for defensive driving is see the hazard,
understand the defense and act in time. All drivers must
apply this formula to prevent accidents in spite of the
actions of other drivers or the presence of adverse driving
conditions. A defensive driver must be able to accurately
predict the outcome of traffic situations in order to apply
the appropriate defense in time to prevent an accident.
Let’s take a closer look at the standard accident
prevention formula and ways that it can be applied to
everyday driving situations.
1. See the Hazard
Think about what may happen
as far ahead of reaching a
situation as possible. Never assume that a condition will
have passed before you approach it.
What are some of the hazardous conditions that you
should look for?
• You see an approaching vehicle starting a pass. It looks
like he will complete the pass in plenty of time, but you
are not really sure. Think about your defense.
• You see a vehicle on the shoulder of the road, but you
can’t see the driver anywhere outside the vehicle. Will
he open his door as soon as you approach his vehicle?
What should you do?
• You are traveling along a residential street. The vehicle
approaching is a convertible with its top down. On the
same side of the street you see a lawn sprinkler that is
spraying water onto the roadway. What do you think the
approaching vehicle will do?
These are three simple examples that could result in an
accident. There are many more, so look beyond the vehicles
ahead, and look for situations that may develop into an
accident. See the hazard.
2. Understand the defense
There are specific
ways to handle most
situations. Review these
situations in your mind
so you can act quickly
to prevent an accident.
You probably thought
about a defense for the situations above. Let’s look at a
few more situations and briefly review the defense.
• You’re approaching an intersection on a wet slippery
highway. The traffic light has been green for some
time. You see vehicles waiting for the light to change at
the intersection.
You can’t expect to come to a smooth even stop when
traveling on a slippery highway. Since the traffic light has
been green for some time, anticipate a change. Slow
down gradually, well ahead of the intersection and apply
your brakes carefully. Give yourself plenty of time.
• You’re descending a hill and you start to pump your
brakes and nothing happens—the pedal slaps the floor.
Don’t panic—try to downshift into a lower gear. Look
for something to sideswipe—a snow bank, roadside
brush or a guardrail. Use your horn and flash your lights
to warn others that your vehicle is out of control. Do
whatever you can to prevent bodily injury. Vehicles can
be replaced.
In an emergency situation, you should not panic. Stay
calm and apply the best defensive action. Understand
the defense.
3. Act in time
Once you see the hazard
and decide upon a defense,
you must act immediately.
Never assume that the
condition will clear up. The sooner you act the more time
you will have to avoid an accident.
Defensive driving does not come easy. You must
constantly improve your skills of observation and
coordination. Go over situations in your mind and plan
your defenses. Seeing the hazard, knowing the defense
and acting in time will help keep you safe.