Local insurance business strives to understand, satisfy their customers’ needs

Seneca Journal | November 28, 2023

SENECA — No one size fits all in the insurance industry, and that’s something Vic Holley, owner of Foothills Insurance, keeps in mind in a large crowd of insurance businesses — all vying for the same customers. 

Truly understanding a customer’s needs, educating them and figuring out what’s best for them is how Foothills Insurance sets themselves apart. 

“We look at it, our job is to educate the consumer on what we do, what insurance is, inform, present options and let them make the decision as to what’s best for them because it’s not a one size fits all,” Holley said. “It’s not a ‘what’s cheapest is best,’ it’s just trying to match the right company with the right policy with the situation at hand.”

Opening from scratch 16 years ago, Holley wanted to focus on representing multiple national companies, rather than marketing for one. That certainly went to plan, with Holley saying Foothills Insurance offers “a little bit of everything.” 

“We have the personal lines, automobile, homeowners, recreational vehicles, motorcycles, boats, umbrella policies for those needing higher limits of liability,” he said. “We’ve got commercial lines for small business, medium sized business. 

“We’ve got an affiliate that works out of this office with life insurance, health insurance, Medicare supplements,” Holley added. “We can cover the spectrum, with just about everything that’s available.”

Even with all the different policies Foothills Insurance carries, Holley keeps his mind on what’s important to him when it’s time to head into work. 

“Down in the weeds, policy language, figures, limits, it gets complicated sometimes; that’s not the fun part,” he said. “Working with the people (is the fun part). I look at it, I come to work every day so I can visit with a bunch of my friends.”

As stated before, educating their customers is a big part of what Foothills Insurance prides itself on — which is fitting for the addition of a former mathematics teacher and athletic director at Seneca High School, Duke Lee, who started working for Holley in May. 

That background has helped Lee thrive in his new position as an agent producer at Foothills Insurance. 

“Every day is a new day. Just like every child, every kid is different, a lot of our customers are different,” Lee said. “On the shell, there can be a lot of things that are similar but as you begin to dig, you begin to get to know the customer. Their needs are a little bit different. They may be in a different part of their life, a different season and that helps us present options so we can best help them.”

And for those in different parts of their life, Lee gave an example of his day-to-day handling of two different types of customers. 

“There are a lot of customers that have insurance because they have to have it and don’t really understand the insurance part of it. … I had a lady in here the other day, recently widowed, she just didn’t understand what state minimums are and we think you should have higher than state minimums in our office,” he said. “And just educating her and those like her, so they have a better understanding.

“Young people also, just know when you get a car, you gotta have insurance,” Lee added.  “What does that really, really mean? What are you paying for? Help educate them and bring them up to speed so they can make good decisions.”

Like Holley, the fun part of Lee’s job isn’t selling policies, it’s building relationships with his customers. 

“I think that’s what’s been fun for me, kind of carrying on the education part of it, the teaching part, not just selling policies. That’s not the fun part; the fun part is getting to know (people),” said Lee.