Jennifer McCord called her husband Phil at work. "Phil," she said, "you are never going to believe the call I just got. The real-estate agent called. She has three more offers on the house, and . . ."

"What do you mean they have three more offers" Phil asked? "They've already accepted ours."

"Phil, I know. I'm trying to tell you that these offers are higher than ours, and the real-estate agent says that we need to have everything ready to close in the next seven days or the seller will be free to take the higher offers," explained Jennifer.

"Well that's not going to be a problem. The appraisal is done and our loan is approved. What are you so worried about?"

Jennifer scowled at the phone. "I know all of that. I'm the one who's been doing it all!" She said frostily, "Our offer was accepted on Monday. It is now Thursday. I have left two messages a day for Tim every day this week. I get nothing but his answering machine, and he never calls me back!" If we don't have insurance by Monday, we can lose the house!"

Now, Phil scowled into the phone. "Jen, things are going to work out. Okay? I know how much work you've done to get this house. We aren't going to lose it. I'll make a few calls and see what I can do. I'll call you back."

He called his insurance agent, Tim. Just as Jennifer said, the answering machine picked up. He didn't leave a message. Instead, he picked up the phone book. Phil called several branches of the same insurance company and got the same sterile greetings. Answering machines. "Where are they at, a convention?" Phil asked no one in particular.

Then Phil tried a branch office in a nearby community. To his surprise, his call was answered brightly.  "I need to talk to someone about home owners insurance," Phil explained, "and I need to have it by the end of the week."

The friendly receptionist asked Phil about his situation and the new house. Then, she said, "Mr. McCord, our agents are receiving disaster property and casualty training this week, so I don't have anyone available for you right now."  Phil's spirits dropped; he thought he had finally made some progress. He looked at his watch. It was 4 P.M. "However," she continued "I understand how important this is for you and will personally contact Norleen; she will call you back as soon as possible."

Phil hung up the phone and waited. He tried to concentrate on his work, but failed. Within an hour, the phone rang. It was Norleen Hall, the insurance agent. Using the information that Phil had provided to the receptionist, Norleen had a quote prepared for the McCords. Phil was both relieved and pleasantly surprised. By 10 o'clock the following morning, the insurance would be in place, and the house would be theirs.

As they were wrapping up their conversation, Phil told Norleen how difficult it had been to find an agent that would return his calls. "If your secretary hadn't been there, I don't know what we'd have done!" Phil said.

Norleen looked around her small office. One desk, one chair, two file cabinets, and no secretary. She knew that hers was the smallest and newest branch office in the area, but she had managed to outperform Phil's regular agent because she had an answering service to back her up. "We do what we can," she said, smiling.

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