Second Quarter 2020 – Who Would Have Guessed?

The changes we have all made in the last 90 days are mind-boggling. We are accustomed to changes in work product and production, so change is a part of our DNA. However, in my last 48 years of being in the insurance industry, I cannot come up with any time with the degree of change as we have had in the last 90 days. When I think back to the February MTM Board and Committee meetings, we were reviewing 2019 results. The discussions were great – how much could the member dividend be? What will the payment disbursement plan look like? A week later, the first week of March, MTM staff produced 923 member dividend checks with the delivery process to start a few days later. After the first week or so of check deliveries shops closed, signs were up, and the news media scared us all. These were not little changes, everything we did changed, business and personal. As time went by, for some one of the most desired personal items was to get a haircut. I can’t remember an anniversary dinner where I treated my lovely bride to a drive through dinner at Taco Bell. For those that are curious, I did not get any brownie points for that fantastic 45th anniversary dinner.

Last week, I read the 128th executive order from the Governor, which is the 128th order in less than 90 days. One interesting statistic is that Michigan has had by far more Executive Orders than Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Indiana combined. The sheer number of 128 clearly demonstrates the confusing and often contradictory nature of the orders, which we were all trying to follow. To categorize what we have been through I gave general titles for each month: April was the month of what just happened and what do we do next? May, we started opening the doors and we circulated compliance guidelines and talked on the phone with over 90% of our members being supported. June we settled into a routine of drafting/reviewing safety plans and helping with compliance on the massive number of government directions and orders.

What I don’t think I have mentioned in any prior newsletters is that for the last seven years I have been sending a weekly report to our Board of Directors. As you know the MTM Board is made up of members consisting of shop owners, CFOs, and other senior managers of our member companies. Their positions give us firsthand knowledge of what’s going on in Michigan manufacturing.

In my most recent Board update, there was one paragraph that was interesting in terms of the changes we are seeing:

“With the insurance industry still in a lockdown, or at least snail pace on customer contacts, this is the time for MTM to show we are different and be in front of our members. If the insurance industry is walking slow, we need to be running. Many insurance companies are planning to resume “normal” activities in January 2021. So this week for MTM, Loss Control conducted 21 on site COVID compliance assists at member companies. Marketing conducted two in person renewal presentations, and I delivered checks to members. The MTM Finance Department found a dozen dividend checks from early March that had not been cashed by our members. Staff called each member and found that four members had the checks and would get them deposited; eight members could not remember seeing the dividend check. The MTM CFO reissued the checks, and in two afternoons I was the deliveryman. I am pleased to report that each customer welcomed and thanked me for the check. I was able to pass on that the MTM Board wanted to make sure members’ received this important member benefit.”

We are continuing our 44 year history of member focus even with the current situation which makes it more difficult for us to do so. MTM is here to serve our customers whether things are difficult or easy and have continued normal activities from the beginning.

Please let me or any staff member know what we can do to help you. The reason MTM exists, is to support our members. Be safe, and we look forward to hearing from you.