Working as a claims professional can be challenging at the best of times; but what happens if the customer is crying, very angry or even violent? New Zealand’s top police crisis negotiator, Lance Burdett, is helping insurance claims professionals learn how to perform under tough and confronting circumstances.

While most insurance claims professionals wouldn’t come across violence or suicide threats very often, they might come across someone who has recently lost their house or is angry about having a claim rejected.

As the head of New Zealand’s police negotiators nationwide, Lance Burdett ran high-risk operations where solid communications became imperative for a successful conclusion in his role.

He developed two nationally accepted programs — one to enable police staff to adequately gather sensitive information from victims without making them feel blamed, and another to predict the likelihood of violence in volatile situations.

Burdett’s current business, WARN International, offers programs that reduce tension and stress in any circumstance.

He’s been working in the insurance industry for over four years, using the same techniques he once applied in emergency call centres where emotions were at the extreme end.

Increasing threats of violence

Burdett says that globally, the financial sector is experiencing a rising incidence of threats of violence and suicide from customers.

Insurance professionals make up his second largest group of clients after the banking sector.

He confirms that many of his clients have been undertaking personal safety programs because of a growing number of assaults in New Zealand.

‘There have been occasions where customers have turned up at branches when dissatisfied with what they have been told by the contact centre,’ Burdett says.

‘Currently, this is in the minority but it is increasing.’

As a result, programs are being delivered for counter or reception staff and, more recently, field staff including assessors, managers and sales teams.

‘We have developed four progressive techniques to deal with angry people, either via the phone or face to face,’ Burdett says.

‘For contact centres, the focus is on controlling your voice; for front counter staff we focus on body-language as well as voice to control emotional situations.’

Burdett is proud of the positive feedback he has received about his insurance industry courses. ‘Motor and building assessors laud the program,’ he says.

Mantra for staying calm

Staying in control during negative interactions is the best way to recover quickly and reduce the need for debriefs.

‘Debriefs are important in some situations, [but] as a general guide only if the conversation has left a negative impact on us such as a threat of violence or self-harm.’

Apart from taking a deep breath, Burdett advises that there is a mantra that will help you remain calm — ‘Slow is smooth, smooth is fast’.

‘If you say these words to yourself when faced with an emotional person or in challenging conversations, it will slow you down, keep you calm, and allow you to promptly manage the inquiry.’

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