MassMutual Receives MarketTools CustomerSat ACE Award for Excellence in Customer Satisfaction

SPRINGFIELD, Mass., April 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Shamia Lodge, Patty Sawyer and Tricia Calkins will tell you that they are not exceptional, yet as outstanding members of the award-winning customer service team at Massachusetts Mutual Life insurance Company (MassMutual), they are. The customer service teams that the three women represent -- the annuities, life and disability income insurance and payment service centers -- have been recognized by MarketTools, Inc. with the 2009 MarketTools CustomerSat  Achievement in Customer Excellence (ACE) Award.

The MarketTools CustomerSat ACE Awards celebrate extraordinary achievement in customer satisfaction through the application of customer feedback processes that result in outstanding customer satisfaction and improved business results. "As a mutual life insurer, we are run for the benefit of our policyholders, and our goal is to deliver financial security, high dividends and quality service," said Roger Putnam, senior vice president and chief operating officer of MassMutual's U.S. Insurance Group. "Our service representatives deliver on the promise of quality service to MassMutual's policyholders every day." Extending his congratulations to the service representatives Putnam concluded, "At the end of the day, the real winners are our policyholders."

"Earning a MarketTools CustomerSat ACE Award validates MassMutual's success and effectiveness in building customer satisfaction and loyalty, which are important factors in the company's long-term business growth, critical to both customer retention and customer acquisition," concluded Justin Schuster, vice president of EFM Solutions for MarketTools, Inc.

MassMutual's customer service representatives were rated nine or higher on a scale of 10 in the 2009 MarketTools CustomerSat customer satisfaction survey process.

Lodge is a good representative of those results. When a customer totaled her car while on vacation hundreds of miles from home, Lodge came to her rescue by pushing through a loan on her whole life insurance policy in less than 24 hours, so she could purchase a new car and return home. Watch Lodge tell her story.

Sawyer, a representative in MassMutual's Payment Service Center, recalled working with a policyholder who had discovered her life insurance premium seemed to be double, with a similar amount coming out of her bank account twice each month. After careful research, Sawyer was able to figure out that the policyholder's ex-husband's policy premium payments were still being withdrawn from her bank account.

"She was very relieved to find out what was happening," Sawyer said, "and was able to work through an amicable solution with her ex-husband to keep both of their policies in force." The policyholder's agent, Brian Kastner, also praised Sawyer's resolution of the issue: "She was an absolute delight to work with…sharp, willing to help…just an outstanding lady." Sawyer cautioned that this policyholder's experience illustrates a need for attention to detail when it comes to finances and life changes, such as divorce. Watch Sawyer tell her story.

Annuity service center representative Tricia Calkins recalled working with an annuity owner who had a ton of questions about his contract. "He had a Living Benefit Rider, and I reminded him that this rider's value is the principal protection, growth and withdrawal benefits it provides," Calkins explained. "After a thorough review of all of his annuity's provisions, he not only kept his current annuity contract but was considering purchasing other MassMutual products," said Calkins. Watch Calkins tell her story.  

Sawyer sums up her and her colleagues' success by saying, "We interact with MassMutual policyholders when they are most in need, so for every call, we commit the time, effort and expertise needed to exceed their expectations."

"The fact that MassMutual has been presented the MarketTools CustomerSat ACE Award for the past two years in a row," Putnam added, "really underscores our commitment in this area and further drives us to meet and surpass our customer's service expectations."

For more customer stories, visit massmutual.com/customervoices. For more news about MassMutual, visit massmutual.com/news.

Survey Methodology

Established in 2005, the MarketTools CustomerSat ACE Awards program recognizes outstanding achievement in customer satisfaction. To be eligible for a 2009 MarketTools CustomerSat ACE Award, clients completed an application form and conducted one or more customer satisfaction surveys during the calendar year for which the Award is given. Qualifying performance is determined by a combination of customer satisfaction mean scores and top-box rating percentages maintained during at least a 6-month period in the calendar year. The customer feedback on which awards are based must be representative of the entire business, qualifying business unit or business segment to which the award applies. MarketTools ensures that the survey processes on which metrics are based are rigorous, defensible and repeatable. Surveys may use either a census of customers or representative sampling with specified minimum confidence levels and maximum margins of error.

About MassMutual

Founded in 1851, MassMutual is a leading mutual life insurance company that is run for the benefit of its members and participating policyholders.  The company has a long history of financial strength and strong performance, and although dividends are not guaranteed, MassMutual has paid dividends to eligible participating policyholders every year since the 1860s. With whole life insurance as its foundation, MassMutual provides products to help meet the financial needs of clients, such as life insurance, disability income insurance, long term care insurance, retirement/401(k) plan services, and annuities. In addition, the company's strong and growing network of financial professionals helps clients make good financial decisions for the long-term.

MassMutual Financial Group is a marketing name for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and its affiliated companies and sales representatives.  MassMutual is headquartered in Springfield, Massachusetts and its major affiliates include: Babson Capital Management LLC; Baring Asset Management Limited; Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers LLC; The First Mercantile Trust Company; MassMutual International LLC; MML Investors Services, Inc., member FINRA and SIPC; OppenheimerFunds, Inc.; and The MassMutual Trust Company, FSB.

For more information, visit massmutual.com.

SOURCE MassMutual