Blog Post

There are stories we all keep silent. Small frustrations we accumulate year after year, convincing ourselves that “that’s just how things are” or that “it’s not worth looking for something better.” My experience with car insurance in Canada over nearly two decades was exactly that: a commercial relationship where I was the only one committed.

Imagine this: twenty years paying your insurance religiously. Twenty years without a single incident. Twenty years being the perfect client every company would wish to have. And yet, feeling like a number lost in an infinite database, where your loyalty is worth no more than the next automatic payment.

My first insurance agent was a master in the art of disappearing. He took my information, processed my payment, and evaporated like smoke. For six years, our relationship was so one-sided that I don’t even remember his face. I only remember the monthly charges in my bank account.

When I finally decided to look for more economical options, I arrived at an Allstate agency. The second agent achieved something that seemed heroic at the time: reducing my policy by twenty dollars monthly. I celebrated that “saving” as if I had won the lottery, without realizing I had probably been overpaying for years.

The third experience began with hope. A friend recommended someone who seemed different: efficient, proactive, and with a less known but more economical company. For the first time, I felt someone was working for me and not just with me. The change was refreshing.

But good things sometimes don’t last. After two years out of the country, I returned to find myself with a reality that defied all logic: my policy had increased to stratospheric levels. The price they offered seemed designed for someone with a reckless driver history, not for someone with two decades of impeccable record.

For seven months I tried to resolve the situation. I sent emails, made calls, begged them to review my case. Sometimes I got polite but empty responses. Other times, the silence was deafening. The message was clear: my problem was not their priority.

It was then that frustration transformed into something deeper: disappointment. Not because of the money, but because of the absolute indifference toward my situation. I realized that for this agent, I was simply another commission, not a commercial relationship worth caring for.

The same friend who had made the previous recommendation told me about Carlos Montoya. I confess my skepticism was at its highest point. “It’ll be more of the same,” I thought. But I decided to give him a chance, more out of desperation than conviction.

What happened next genuinely surprised me.

In less than an hour, Carlos had not only found a new policy that reduced my cost by $175 monthly, but had transformed my entire perception of what professional customer service means. The next day, the policy was already active.

But it wasn’t just the speed or the savings that impacted me. It was his complete approach. Carlos sent me a personalized video via WhatsApp explaining the options with crystal clarity. His language was direct, without unnecessary jargon or confusing fine print. His communication conveyed something I had lost with previous agents: genuine empathy.

When I sent the cancellation email to my previous provider, I didn’t do it with anger. I did it with a mix of relief and sadness: relief for having finally found someone competent, and sadness because I had normalized mediocrity for so long.

What made Carlos different? It wasn’t magic or luck. It was the consistent application of basic principles that every professional should master but very few practice:

He listened before speaking. He understood my situation without interrupting or minimizing my frustration. He didn’t make me feel like I was bothering him with my questions.

He simplified the complex. The insurance world is designed to confuse, but Carlos translated it into language anyone could understand. He made me feel informed, not intimidated.

He acted with urgency. He didn’t tell me “I’ll call you next week” or “let me review and I’ll let you know.” He solved my problem immediately because he understood my time was valuable.

He communicated visually. In an era where we’re all saturated with information, a brief and direct video is worth more than ten generic emails.

My story with car insurance is just one example of a much broader phenomenon. In industry after industry, we’ve normalized mediocre experiences. We’ve become accustomed to agents, representatives, and providers who do the bare minimum to keep our account active, but who never go beyond.

The problem isn’t just that this generates frustration. The real cost is the slow but constant erosion of trust between companies and consumers. Each disappointing interaction makes us more cynical, more distrustful, less willing to believe that someone really cares about our wellbeing.

And when we finally find someone who does care, the contrast is so marked that we wonder: “Why can’t this be the standard?”

For nearly two decades, I was the ideal customer: punctual payer, responsible driver, without claims or complications. But that loyalty was never recognized or valued by most of my providers. They treated me as guaranteed income, not as a valuable asset.

Carlos, on the other hand, understood something fundamental: a satisfied customer doesn’t just stay, but becomes the best ambassador for your brand. I wasn’t writing about insurance agents before meeting him. Now I’m sharing his name and recommending his services because he transformed my experience so positively that I feel obligated to tell it.

That’s the difference between transactions and relationships. Between selling a policy and building trust. Between doing your job and doing it exceptionally.

Making the decision to change providers was surprisingly simple with Carlos. There was no pressure, no aggressive sales tactics, no deliberate confusion. Just clear information, transparent options, and a professional who evidently knew what he was doing.

I realized that for years I had tolerated the intolerable simply because I didn’t know something better was possible. I had resigned myself to the idea that “all insurance agents are like this” or that “customer service no longer exists.”

Carlos proved me wrong. Good service still exists, but it’s in the hands of professionals who understand that their job doesn’t end when you close the sale, but rather just begins.

If my story resonated with you, whether because you’ve been in my position as a customer or because you work serving customers, these ten practices can make the difference between being forgettable or memorable:

1. Respond with speed and sense of urgency In a world where we’re all busy, your ability to respond quickly transmits a powerful message: “Your problem is important to me.” Don’t let your customers wait days or weeks for a response you could give in hours. Speed generates trust.

2. Communicate with clarity and simplicity Avoid technical jargon and unnecessarily complicated explanations. Your goal isn’t to impress with your knowledge, but to ensure your customer perfectly understands what you’re offering. If a twelve-year-old couldn’t understand your explanation, it’s probably too complex.

3. Listen actively before proposing solutions The most common mistake in customer service is starting to talk before finishing listening. Let your customer fully express their situation, concerns, and expectations. Only then can you offer a truly personalized solution.

4. Use modern communication tools A short video, an annotated screenshot, or a voice message can communicate in seconds what would take paragraphs to write. Adapt your communication method to your customer’s preferences and leverage technology to make interactions more human, not less.

5. Be proactive, not reactive Don’t wait for your customer to come to you with a problem. Anticipate their needs, notify them about relevant changes, and maintain regular communication that shows you think about them even when they’re not paying for something new. Proactivity builds loyalty.

6. Simplify complex processes If your industry is naturally complicated (insurance, finance, technology), your added value is in making your customer navigate that complexity without stress. Turn the confusing into obvious, the intimidating into accessible. That’s your true expertise.

7. Demonstrate genuine empathy It’s not enough to say “I understand your frustration.” Your tone, body language, and actions must reflect that you truly understand your customer’s situation. Empathy isn’t a sales technique; it’s the foundation of any authentic human relationship.

8. Deliver what you promise (and do it on time) Trust is built promise by promise fulfilled. If you say you’ll call on Tuesday, call on Tuesday. If you offer a follow-up in two days, do it in two days. Nothing destroys credibility faster than unfulfilled promises, no matter how small they seem.

9. Personalize each interaction Generic emails and automated responses have their place, but they can’t be your only form of communication. Use your customer’s name, remember details from previous conversations, and adapt your service to their specific circumstances. People want to feel unique, not interchangeable.

10. Stay in touch even after closing the sale The best time to strengthen a relationship with your customer is after they’ve already hired you. A simple message asking how things are going, a useful reminder, or an unsolicited recommendation can turn a one-time transaction into a lifelong relationship.

My two-decade journey through the world of car insurance taught me something that goes far beyond policies and coverage: exceptional customer service isn’t a luxury or an optional extra. It’s the difference between building a sustainable business based on genuine loyalty or living in the constant uncertainty of replacing customers who will inevitably leave.

Carlos Montoya showed me that even in an industry as transactional as insurance, it’s possible to stand out simply by doing things right. Not with revolutionary tactics or complex strategies, but with the fundamentals we all know but few consistently practice: respect, empathy, professionalism, and genuine interest in the customer’s wellbeing.

If you work with customers, ask yourself: Would they be writing a story like this about you? Or would you be one more of the forgettable ones, those professionals who do their job without leaving any mark?

The answer to that question can determine not only your professional success, but the legacy you’ll leave on every person who trusts you.