Denker Insurance Agency Offers Family-Friendly Atmosphere
BY KAREN BERGER — MIRROR REPORTER
The young door-openers, crayon drawings and SpongeBob episodes on the playroom TV weren’t written into the business plan, but Denker Insurance clients have come to expect and enjoy the family-friendly atmosphere.
“Sometimes our policy holders will joke, ‘Are you running a day care?’ But I think people like the family atmosphere,” said Rollie Denker Sr., one of several family members who work for his son Brett Denker’s independent insurance agency.
Brett’s sister Brooke Chappetta calls out an answer from across the hall, while nearby her four children are playing and watching movies in a nearly soundproof room.
“People like coming here. They can bring their kids to the playroom, and sometimes they don’t want to leave,” Rollie said.
While Rollie had been an insurance agent for 38 years before joining his son’s agency, Brett wasn’t always so sure that he’d follow in his father’s footsteps.
While still at Springfield High School, Brett worked at the Original Pancake House, trained in the restaurant business and earned a degree in culinary arts and restaurant management. But after one year managing three Original Pancake Houses in Chicago, he was homesick and began thinking of switching careers.
The insurance business offers more flexibility than the long hours of the restaurant business, and Brett recalled fondly that his parents Rollie and Diane were always at every school function or sporting event for him and his siblings – the late Rollie Jr., Shannon Gwozdz, Brooke and Scott.
So Brett got to work training in the industry and setting out on his own. Gradually, his family joined him.
While working with family sometimes sounds like a bad idea, Brett says it means everyone has a vested interest in the business – rather than focusing on their own personal standing in the company.
As an independent agency, the Denkers can write policies for clients from several companies, shopping around to find the most competitive price.
“I run every company for every customer,” Brett said. “I want to see what’s best for them. It’s the fair thing to do.”
People drop off information to him and ask him to check it out.
“We can save some or a lot of money with an array of companies,” Rollie said, noting that rates fluctuate regularly.
But while price drives a lot of decisions for insurance, it shouldn’t be the only factor, the father and son agree.
“There’s a lot of emphasis on 800 numbers and buying insurance on the Internet. You may not need to use insurance at all or often, but when you do, the personal contact is important. You want to know and trust the person. With an 800 number, it’s whoever answers the phone.”
That’s tough for Rollie because he came up through the personal end of the industry – where it’s all about providing good customer service.
“It’s nice to deal with the person you bought your insurance from,” Rollie said.
Brett received a Senior Partner with Authority certificate from Grange Insurance, which recognizes his time with the company as well as that he’s in good standing.
“We always go to bat for our clients,” Rollie said.
While Brett advertises locally, he gets a lot of referrals from happy customers. And while the Denkers are involved in several area organizations and events, it’s because they’re vested in the community.
“Our goal isn’t to go in and write their insurance,” Brett said. “It’s to coach a ball team or help out. And if people ask us about insurance, we’ll write it. But if I can’t do something for them, it’s not going to strain our relationship.”
All of the Denkers hail from Springfield Township, so it’s natural for them to support the area, including sponsoring the Rick Upchurch football camp, Springfield Little Devils football and Springfield Warriors baseball team. During the “What’s your Bag?” fund-raiser for Springfield Schools Foundation, Brett not only supported the event with donations, he also won a one-year lease of a Mercedes – which he heavily insured.
The Rollie Run 5K, which is held in memory of Rollie Jr., who died of a heart attack in 2004, has raised funds for 17 scholarships to Springfield seniors.
Rollie Sr. was assistant girls tennis coach for seven years at Springfield High School, and coached his sons’ baseball teams.
Like his father, Brett also coaches ball. In his case, it’s T-ball for his daughters, 5-year-old Daisy and 6-year-old Paris, and he has help from his wife Dana.