John Ritenour is enjoying retirement from a long career in the insurance industry. His was a highly successful career, and that success largely came from consistently putting customers first. IOA Co-Founder John Ritenour took good care of customers from his first position as an insurance salesman through his retirement from Insurance Office of America.
Product Knowledge as an Insurance Salesman
John Ritenour entered the insurance industry as most people do, as an insurance agent or salesperson. Specifically, he was a door-to-door life insurance salesman during the 1970s.
Ritenour quickly excelled as an insurance salesman, bringing in results that led to a sizeable paycheck and pleased his supervisor. This success stemmed from a foundational principle, though. Ritenour was simply treating customers right.
As an insurance salesman, John Ritenour had a strong command of the life insurance policies offered and was able to effectively communicate. Because he was able to forge professional relationships with customers and could identify which policies would best suit their situations, Ritenour was successful.
As he saw the sales results, Ritenour also came to deeply appreciate how providing customers with the right insurance products gave them peace of mind.
Relationship Building as an Insurance Agent
John Ritenour eventually moved onto another position as an insurance agent, and he once again excelled in this new role. Through strong product knowledge and effective interpersonal skills, Ritenour became one of the more successful agents with this second employer.
Growing Customer Base at Insurance Agency
In light of his success as an insurance agent, John Ritenour and his wife Valli looked for greater opportunity. They together began an insurance business. By prioritizing customers and their needs, the customer base of the agency steadily grew over a period of several years.
After several years, the Ritenours sold their insurance agency and moved to Central Florida.
Prioritizing Clients at IOF and Then IOA
Once in Central Florida, John and Valli Ritenour teamed up with a third insurance professional to start the Insurance Office of Florida in 1988. IOF has seen substantial growth over the last 30-plus years, expanding throughout Florida, several southern states, and then the country. As IOF grew, the Ritenours changed its name to Insurance Office of America to better reflect the company’s nationwide reach.
As was the case with John Ritenour’s previous success in the insurance industry, IOA’s success and growth came largely from a prioritization of customer service.
IOA not only emphasized putting customers first, but the company actively incentivized agent employees to treat customers well. Employees were given equity shares of the business they generated, and those who grew their sales could achieve significant financial success.
The key to generating continued sales is primarily to treat customers well. When agents provide good service and recommend the right policies, customers continue to purchase policies, renew policies and generate referrals.
A Career of Putting Customers First
John Ritenour is now retired from IOA and the insurance industry, but his career in the industry was substantial. The foundation of that career was knowing how to treat customers — with respect and care.