Flagstaff Featured Business: The James Insurance Group
(as published in the September 4 edition of The Community Press)
The Flagstaff Region Featured Business is a monthly newspaper and web feature presented in partnership by Flagstaff County and The Community Press.
The James Insurance Group
S. James Agencies
Sedgewick Land & Insurance
Battle River Agencies
www.thejamesinsurancegroup.ca
“Opportunity,” echo the father-daughter ownership duo behind The James Insurance Group.
It was Bud’s dad and Marcy’s grandfather who seized opportunity to launch the family business in Killam in 1956.
Following 63 years – spanning three generations – of evolution and expansion, The James Insurance Group now consists of a group of businesses offering a range of much-needed services in three Flagstaff communities along Highway 13.
“We are primarily general insurance brokers,” says Marcy, who joined her dad as a business partner after her Uncle Bob retired three and a half years ago.
Insurance services, including home, auto, farm, and business insurance are available at their main-street Killam, Sedgewick, and Hardisty locations.
They also offer Alberta Registry services at their Killam location, ATB Financial services at their Hardisty and Sedgewick locations, and real estate services throughout Flagstaff and beyond.
After more than six decades, the business’s focus remains steadfast and unwavering from Day 1: customers and the community.
“We want to serve our clients very well and certainly aim for 100% in every interaction we have with them. Plus, we’re always looking for ways to assist in the community,” Bud explains.
Marcy adds: “We understand that much of what we offer can be purchased online.
“But you can also purchase locally and get so much more. Every service we provide is based on a relationship built around trust and mutual respect. You don’t get that from a 1-800 number.
“Another of our goals is to give back to the communities that we’re in. We also want people to be moving back or staying in Flagstaff Region. So, we want to be a good employer in that aspect as well. “
James Insurance features a team of eight insurance brokers with a combined 125 years of experience.
Additionally, there are five other team members who work to provide the ATB Financial and Alberta Registry services.
While continuing to make use of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, The James Insurance Group recently re-launched its website, which contains plenty of helpful information.
“We also go the traditional route. We do newspaper advertising and other advertising, and I think that reflects our customer base. We serve a broad demographic, and we know that people grab the newspaper every week, so we want to make sure that our name is in front of them,” Bud explains.
“The insurance business and the financial services business is all about relationships, quality relationships, and we’ve got many clients who are children and grandchildren of customers that my dad dealt with way back in the day.
“A big part of that is because there’s good word-of-mouth between family members and amongst others as well.”
Technology, of course, is playing more of a role in the industry these days – an important facet that The James Insurance Group has embraced.
Marcy points out: “We’re working very hard to be more technology driven and try to stay ahead of the market so that we are giving people an opportunity to stay in Flagstaff County and not have to go online or other places to get the service they need. We are quite advanced in our digital usage of insurance services, which is something we’re pretty proud of because it’s relatively unheard of in the smaller-town brokerages.”
Bud adds: “What I’m most proud of is our ability to use technology to help us in dealing with our clients, but also the broad range in which we can communicate with people. Obviously, we’re here in the community and you can talk to us face-to-face if you like.
“You can certainly pick up the phone or email us, but you can text us as well. For example, if you’ve just bought a new vehicle and you need insurance on it, take a picture of the bill of sale and send it to us by text, and that gets the wheels in motion for us to get that added to your policy.”
Bud and Marcy offer some straightforward but sage advice for any would-be entrepreneurs looking to leap into business.
“I would say, ‘Do your research.’ Find out the resources that are available here, make sure you know what your customers are looking for, and deliver your services or your products in a way that your customers want them delivered,” advises Marcy.
Bud says: “I think being a small business owner is a great opportunity and really, you’re only limited by your imagination. I think everybody should take a look at what they might be able to do that they’re passionate about.”
Ah yes, opportunity. Central Alberta has been called the “breadbasket of Alberta,” Bud notes.
“Certainly there’s an energy business here that’s done very well. But the opportunity moving forward, or one of them in my opinion, is value-added ag,” he continues. “Our agriculture industry is phenomenal, and it’s a lot of second-, third-generation family farms, and there’s real opportunity to grow that industry in our area.”
As published in the September 7 edition of The Community Press – on newsstands today. Never miss an issue, become a SUBSCRIBER today!
The Flagstaff Region Featured Business is a monthly newspaper and web feature presented in partnership by Flagstaff County and The Community Press. For more information, contact Jenalee Blackhurst, Economic Development Coordinator, at 780-384-4152.
