We wanted to answer this in more detail than our postcard space allowed. Those little cards are really little, so we really weren’t able to say a whole lot!
Many of you have asked when you called our office. But some of you may not have had a chance to talk to us, so we felt it important to let you know in this blog.
As you recall, our first ten years were spent on Route 100 in the Fogelsville area. We weren’t really looking to move, but we were approached with an opportunity that required serious consideration.
We decided to take a chance and merge with the larger agency. It was an incredible learning experience in regard to the size and scope of operations. It involved six underlying agencies in three physical locations throughout the Lehigh Valley.
And while there were some advantages over running one smaller agency, the biggest personal hurdle for me was trying to maintain the “small town” relationships I’d made with my own original clients. As a partner and manager of all these locations, I was on the road a lot. I spent time training staff, developing systems and procedures, and troubleshooting. All of these are interesting and rewarding tasks, but they consumed 150% of my time. They left little or no time for me to actually talk to the people who built Hosfeld Insurance. You.
When I started the agency, I believed in relationships. I still do. I like being able to grab the phone and catch up with you and your life. I like running into you at Walmart. I like getting an email from you to get a rate on the new car that rocks your world. I like seeing your baby take her first steps on a Facebook video.
By “de-merging” from the larger group, we took a huge risk. We thought you might scratch your head and ask “HUH?” We knew you would ask why we were moving. But overwhelmingly, those of you with whom I’ve talked have been unbelievably understanding and supportive.
Essentially, we were blessed. We had the opportunity to experience something completely different, to learn a few new things, and still come back to “home base”. Our new space on Main Street in Macungie is fabulous. We can open the windows and hear the birds sing and the church bells ring! The flowers are gorgeous. And now, you can bet we stop and smell them, EVERY day!