What Is The MAIA Five Star Designation? - Paul & Dixon Insurance - City, State

What Is The MAIA Five Star Designation?

The Massachusetts Association of Insurance Agents awards the Five Star Agency Designation to independent agencies that go through a vigorous review based on key criteria that affect an insurance agency and how it operates. Upon earning a qualifying score, an agency becomes a Five Star Agency Designee and must go through an intensive review process every three years to prove that they continue to provide superior service, knowledge and value.

To obtain such designation, agencies must continuously demonstrate excellence in the seventeen elements associated with it: 

1. Customer FocusSatisfying customers through meeting their requirements and value expectations is the primary task of every employee

2. Communicate: Verbal and nonverbal communications throughout all parts of the Agency are two-way, clear, timely, consistent, and intentional.

3. Mission/Vision/Values: Management establishes mission, vision and values for the Agency and leads the initiative to set direction and align everyone in pursuit of them.

4. Planning/Strategy: Planning at all levels of the Agency keeps everyone focused on its vision, goals and strategies and provides a framework for achieving desired results.

5. Business Results: Financial and business improvement results meet objectives, show positive trends, and substantiate Agency success.

6. Selection: Employees are selected using criteria that promotes the needs and expectations of the Agency both in the short term and the long term.

7. Development/Performance Metrics: People are recognized as key strategic resources. Development opportunities are provided to assure that each employee understands, supports, and contributes to achieving agency success.

8. Involvement: All employees are involved in establishing and achieving initiatives for performance and improvement goals.

9. Motivation: Employees are motivated through trust, respect, recognition, and a work environment that is conducive to the well being and growth of all employees.

10. Carriers & Products: Well chosen partnerships with carriers and other markets are key to providing excellent products and services.

11. Information/Process Management: Required information is clear, accurate, timely, useful, accessible, and integrated with products, services, processes, and procedures.

12. Integration/System Efficiency: Processes and the products and services created by them are jointly designed as an integrated system.

13. Business Associates: Contributions of business associates (vendors, partners, alliances, subcontractors, etc.) for business opportunities, products and services meet all requirements and add value to business results and performance improvements.

14. Sales and Marketing: A defined sales and marketing approach is established and is being effectively utilized in creating sales and agency awareness.

15. Accountability: Accountability objectives, measures and indicators for Agency performance are established, reported, analyzed, and effectively used.

16. Community Involvement: Well chosen activities within the community to not only give back but also to establish your name and services as a premier business.

17. Innovation/Continuous Improvement: Innovation is planned and effectively utilized in developing, implementing and improving processes.

It is a very select group that has attained this designation; only 25 out of more than 1,500 agencies in Massachusetts hold it.

Paul & Dixon Insurance Agency Renews Five-Star Agency Designation

June 27, 2022

The Massachusetts Association of Insurance Agents (MAIA), is proud to announce that the Paul & Dixon Insurance Agency of New Bedford, MA earned renewal of their Five Star Agency Designation.

Since first earning the coveted certification in 2004, the firm has continued to demonstrate excellence in the five imperatives associated with the Mass. Association of Insurance Agents (MAIA) designation: Customer Focus, Management/Leadership, Human Resources, Product & Process, and Future Success Initiatives.

“Paul & Dixon has been local and independent in Massachusetts, since 1852. Most notable, is the Agency’s flexibility and adaptability in communicating with customers. They have adopted numerous ways to conduct business, and personally connect, with customers,” said Heather Kramer, COO and Vice President of MAIA.

“Through a blend of technology and unique marketing, customers can have their service needs met in the way they choose, “she continued. “The Agency also provides its employees with tremendous opportunities to guide the future direction of the Agency through its committee structure for decision-making and affecting change.

“A highly effective staff is in place, including a management team that has strengthened the agency’s focus on outstanding customer service. These items, coupled with many of the strengths that were seen in the past, confirm that the Paul & Dixon Insurance Agency has maintained their Five Star Agency Designation. It is a very select group that has attained this designation.”

Words from the agency’s president, Steve Connulty:

“We have a great team in the Agency, and the way we work together each day to provide outstanding client service is critical to our success. The renewal of our Five Star Designation is due to the efforts of every member of our team.

“We value our team members and respect their opinions. Our employees are empowered to drive the changes that they want to see in the Agency through our committee structure.

“Our management team is accessible, knowledgeable, and, most importantly, thankful for the hard work and dedication of our team.

“We look forward to following our mission into the future: Protecting the things our clients love, and making our community a better place.”

Paul & Dixon is a full-service independent insurance agency, providing risk management services and insurance to Southeastern New England businesses and families since 1852.

Located in downtown New Bedford since its founding, it has been headquartered since 1990 in the restored, historic William Rotch Rodman house at 388 County Street, at the foot of Hawthorn Street, with a branch in the Sassaquin section of New Bedford’s Far North End on Acushnet Avenue.

The MAIA Five Star agency is a 20+-year member of the Insurance Services of New England, a network of 60+ independent insurance agencies, writing over $900 million of premiums annually.

The network was created for the clients of each affiliated agency, providing them with a deep menu of customized, progressive insurance products from nearly three dozen high-quality national, international, and regional insurers, while also continuing to afford them the personalized, service-oriented focus of a locally-owned and -operated, independent agency.

Our leadership team is so proud to receive this plaque in recognition of the renewal of our designation!

Fax: 508-990-1784

Hours: Mon-Fri

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

DOWNTOWN OFFICE:

388 County Street
New Bedford, MA 02740

NORTH END OFFICE:

4436 Acushnet Ave
New Bedford, MA 02745