When I walked through the doors of PRMS for the first time, little did I know I would still be here 20 years later. PRMS staff tend to have a long tenure at the company. That’s probably because we enjoy not only the familial work environment but also the fantastic and caring client population that we serve. We would rather our clients concentrate on patient care then take time to worry about if their insurance is working for them.
Over the years, while my responsibilities grew, one line item on my job description always remained the same – Other duties as assigned. PRMS fosters an environment where we all pitch and do what needs to be done – all in the name of client satisfaction. From last-minute all-hands-on-deck envelope stuffing sessions to running across town to hand-deliver a new policy, you won’t hear us say, “it’s not in my job description.” It simply falls into “Other duties as assigned.”
In fact, I came on board when technology was changing rapidly. My job description could never have accounted for all the twists and turns of all the new advancements over two decades. I was given the opportunity to immerse myself into learning how to use new customer relationship management software, program websites in html, learn search-engine optimization and Google Analytics, integrate social media into our day-to-day activities, and how to code emails so that they don’t get sent back as spam. There is always an opportunity to learn something new.
Because the insurance industry is keen on risk avoidance and mitigation, we have also been trained to think a million steps ahead when something that could be an issue is lurking. Take for instance, Y2K. Remember when the world thought that after we partied like 1999, the computers were all going to shut-down and leave us in dire straits? Well, the PRMS Marketing Department was going to be prepared for whatever came our way. We printed out all our client names, addresses and contact information. We even had a stack of stamps in case email crashed and we needed to hand-type letters with a manual typewriter. The clock ticked midnight and the world kept turning. While a little chagrined that nothing happened, we were at least applauded by the Risk Management Department for preparing for the worst but hoping for the best. They trained us well. And, on the upside, we were able to use that inventory of stamps for at least another year saving some wear and tear on the postage machine.
From that first day oh so long ago, to present day, I have always considered PRMS to be an important foundation of my life. I have fabulous mentors who have taught me the ins and outs of insurance and I even was granted the flexibility to go up to Philadelphia to obtain my MBA from Wharton. For that, and more, I say “thank you” to PRMS and toast another 30 great years to this great organization.
