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By FBNews.net
"We actually have people working for free. They volunteer to come in as if they were employed so that they can learn the Estrella way of doing business and they continue volunteering until a position opens. They get into the queue and we get to audition people on the job. One woman volunteered for seven months until there was an opening. These positions are sought after because people in the community can see the success of our people."
NE: "We also give our people the tools they need. We give our people good products to sell and we donīt ask them to sell bad policies or unneeded policies. They can meet their customers in the community and never be embarrassed about our business. We want our people to look professional and they wear an Estrella uniform of skirts or slacks and a blazer. We have people work in well-appointed, well-lit offices. They arenīt fancy, but they are never shabby. They are comfortable places to meet and talk. Finally, our back room people work very hard to be efficient. We never want the administrative details to interfere with the service our agents promise."
"Estrella means star in Spanish. Our brand symbol is a star. The star, our green and white colors, and our look are all associated with our name. Our people identify with them. Our customers know that when they see that star they will get all-star service. There is a deliberate consistency across all of our locations. Customers can go into any office and be treated the same. The can drop off a payment anywhere. They can get help anywhere. We make sure that our people are proud to be associated with the Estrella star."
RE: "We treat our employees like family. Many family businesses talk about treating their people like family but itīs mostly talk. Nicolas would never tell this story, but let me give but one of many examples that demonstrates how seriously we take this commitment. We had one producer, a long-term worker with a fatally ill child. Nicolas paid her salary for a year while she stayed with her child. We never made it public, but the word spread. We often work around personal problems because hard things can happen to anyone. It generates strong commitment. It also demonstrates a fundamental level of caring. Other people begin to emulate it in their work. We had one woman; she had been a teacher in Cuba, who offered classes for new agents to prepare them for their licenses. She gave her classes every Tuesday night for many years, for free. She helped so many people to pursue their dreams. Everyone loved her. You canīt demand that kind of service and commitment."
"I tell our people, "Nicolas Estrella owns the name but this is your agency. You participate in the success of the business. You are our business partners. Thatīs how it has been from the beginning. The managers are team members. They know that the best person is given the next opportunity so everyone must always be at their best."
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