NEW YORK, April 20, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Guardian Insurance & Annuity Company, Inc. (GIAC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian), which issues annuities and variable life insurance policies and funding vehicles for 401(k)s, has been recognized with the J.D. Power and Associates Call Center Certification. The honor is the latest in a series of accolades for the company's Retirement Solutions Division call center and makes Guardian one of a select group of insurers to be recognized in the Call Center Certification Program.
"Our call center specialists are on the front lines and we rely on them to respond to our clients knowledgeably and effectively," said Kim Flemm, 2nd Vice President, Operations and Client Services, Guardian Retirement Solutions. "Our organization prides itself on embracing and embodying Guardian's overall commitment to customer satisfaction and this certification from J.D. Power and Associates reasserts that commitment."
The J.D. Power and Associates Call Center Certification Program allows companies to identify and focus on critical areas of customer satisfaction by utilizing best practices that are aligned with customer needs. Eligible call centers are measured for effectiveness in the following areas: recruiting, training, employee incentives, quality assurance capabilities, and management roles and responsibilities.
The J.D. Power and Associates award joins a long list of third-party organizations honoring Guardian's call center services. In 2011, Guardian's Retirement Solutions Division was awarded the 2010 Recognition of Excellence in Call Center Support to Financial Intermediaries for 401(k) products by DALBAR, Inc., a leading market research and rating firm that specializes in raising the standard of excellence in customer service, communications and Internet services at financial institutions.
About Guardian
A mutual insurer founded in 1860, The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian) and its subsidiaries are committed to protecting individuals, business owners and their employees with life, long term care insurance, disability income, group medical and dental insurance products, and offer 401(k), annuities and other financial products. Guardian operates one of the largest dental networks in the United States, and protects more than six million employees and their families at 120,000 companies. The company has more than 5,400 employees in the United States and a network of over 3,000 financial representatives in more than 80 agencies nationwide. For more information about Guardian, please visit .
About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company providing forecasting, performance improvement, social media and customer satisfaction insights and solutions. The company's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.
Variable annuities and variable life insurance products are issued by GIAC, a Delaware corporation, and distributed by Guardian Investor Services LLC (GIS). Both GIAC and GIS are wholly owned subsidiaries of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, 7 Hanover Square, New York, NY 10004.
GIS is a member: FINRA, SIPC
Group variable funding agreements are issued by The Guardian Insurance & Annuity Company, Inc.
Variable products and their underlying variable investment options and funds within the variable funding agreements are sold by prospectus only. Prospectuses contain important information, including fees and expenses. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing or sending money. You should consider the investment objectives, risks, fees and charges of the investment company carefully before investing. The prospectus contains this and other important information. To obtain a fund prospectus, please contact your investment professional or call 800.221.3253.
CONTACT: For Media Inquiries, Contact: Kristin Meza The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (212) 919-2158 kristin_meza@glic.com