20 Aug Protecting relationships: An inside perspective on what this means to Byars|Wright
By Judy Hopkins, CISR, Account Manager
In 1999, I worked with a large insurance agency. It was then I was approached by Byars|Wright. I met some of their team at a meeting. There, we had to pass down our business cards to go into a drawing for a prize. The next week, I got a call from someone at Byars|Wright. They told me there was no chance I was going to win that door prize… because he’d taken out my business card to keep my contact information!
He wanted to talk about working at Byars|Wright. At the time, I told him I wasn’t interested, as I worked with my current company for 10 years. A year later, he called again. This time, I agreed to meet him.
I left that interview extremely impressed with the company. Right then, I knew that I was going to go work for them. I also knew that this is a company that puts a real stake in its relationships and delivers on its promises.
Placing importance on relationships
I was impressed that a lot of people in the community knew the team members at Byars|Wright. They were recognized as a family-oriented company and one that loved building relationships in their community. (which was obvious through so many people that knew them and spoke highly of them.) To this day, Byars|Wright continues to do a lot in their community, such as giving back to local organizations and encouraging its team members to get involved in their community.
I believe the founders got it right from the very beginning. When they started the agency more than 75 years ago, they focused on nurturing relationships with their employees. In doing so, they enabled those employees to have better relationships with their clients. This is something still carried out today by the third generation.
It all starts with employees
Steve Byars was my first boss, and I was very blessed to work with him. He is a brilliant man. Steve shared his knowledge with his employees, created lasting relationships with each of us, and always treated us like family. He always quoted scripture and used to say to me, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” And I believe that this is a perfect way to describe how Byars|Wright treats their clients and their employees.
The owners and managers at Byars|Wright have always treated employees like family. They attend your wedding or your child’s wedding. If someone is sick in the hospital, they go see them. Whatever is happening in your life, they show up. That’s tremendous.
Extending those relationships to our clients
As employees of Byars|Wright, we build similar relationships with our managers and owners as with our clients. That makes us want to do our best. Our clients feel they’re immediately a part of the family and know we will take care of them.
I’ve had some of the same clients for several years. Therefore, I know when their children get married or when they’re going to have a grandbaby. We enjoy celebrating life’s special moments with them. It’s special. I know these things only because we’ve intentionally built and nurtured that relationship – because we care.
Our promise
We hear it all the time as employees at Byars|Wright, “Every promise we make – and we mean every single one – is made on the belief that understanding is essential, trust is earned, and execution is everything. Above all else, Relationships Matter.” At Byars|Wright, we truly care about protecting client relationships. Because of this, the importance of relationships is instilled in everyone at the agency.
That’s been a part of the legacy for many years. It still continues as the company grows. Even now that I work with the third generation of Byars|Wright, relationships remain, and will always be, the heart of the company.
Byars|Wright, Inc. is a locally owned and operated independent insurance agency in Alabama and a major provider of commercial, personal, and employee benefits insurance, serving various industries and customers across the Southeast. Since 1946, the agency has expanded its scope of business and delivers a wide range of insurance products with quality coverage at competitive prices. Relationship-driven and customer-focused, ByarsWright is celebrating 75 years of protecting relationships in 2021. Byars|Wright is designated a Best Practices Agency by the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America and was also named “Best Companies to Work For in Alabama” by Business Alabama in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. In 2020 and 2021, Byars|Wright won first place in their category as the number one Best Company To Work For in Alabama. Byars|Wright is Where Relationships Matter.
