CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - While the movie props decorating the Farmers Insurance office in downtown Chambersburg are intriguing, Marcos Gonzalez really wants customers to be reeled in by the products he offers.
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January 28, 2021
CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - While the movie props decorating the Farmers Insurance office in downtown Chambersburg are intriguing, Marcos Gonzalez really wants customers to be reeled in by the products he offers.
Recently opened at 42 S. Main St., the agency sells auto, home, life, renters, business and motorcycle policies. Also available are coverage for all-terrain, off-road and recreational vehicles, plus boats. The umbrella policies that Farmers Insurance offers add extra liability coverage.
Gonzalez worked at Sunset Auto Sales in Chambersburg for 22 years, starting as a college student detailing cars and working his way up the ranks to sales and helping in management. The owners of the car dealership retired and closed the business in late June, so Gonzalez started looking for new opportunities.
A negative event turned him toward the insurance field.
“I had a rough experience with insurance over the summer,” said Gonzalez, 43.
That inspired him to want to be a positive force in people’s lives.
He also wanted more time with his family, including wife, Krista, 46; son Conner, 15; and daughter Ella, 12. And after two decades of working for others, he was ready to run his own business.
“I kind of wanted to be out on my own, calling the shots,” said Gonzalez, of Chambersburg.
In late July, he started the more than two-month process of getting his insurance license in the Keystone State. He chose Farmers Insurance because it doesn’t have a strong presence in the region. There’s an agency in Waynesboro, but until he opened, there wasn’t one between Chambersburg and Mechanicsburg, Pa.
The agency benefits the entire community because it increases the number of insurance options available, said Downtown Chambersburg Inc. President Sam Thrush.
“The customers get to look at all the packages and choose what works best for them,” Thrush said.
Gonzalez’s 1,400-square-foot office used to house Toy Box Gifts & Wonder, but now it is home to all kinds of television and movie paraphernalia. From the “Iron Man” gaming chair in which he sits, he meets with clients in need of insurance, a red Swingline stapler like the one made famous in the movie “Office Space” perched on his desk.
Visitors to the downtown agency might also see props from Marvel and “Star Wars” movies, including a Lego helmet from the “Star Wars” series. Metal Earth models of characters and items from both franchises are the products of a hobby requiring patience; and a sign on the restroom door shows his affinity for the TV sitcom “The Office.”
“I’m a collector of many things,” Gonzalez said, most of which is entertainment-related, including old cameras.
He wants his workspace to make people feel comfortable.
“We have a very laid-back office,” Gonzalez said.
But there is one thing about which he is very serious.
“My No. 1 priority is customer service,” Gonzalez said. “I’m more of a get-to-know-you kind of person. The personal attention is a game-changer.”
To ensure that his clients get the best service possible, he hired two staff members. Julie Juarez of Chambersburg, who speaks English and Spanish, works for him full time. Danielle Ballard of Orrtanna, Pa., works part time.
The office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Gonzalez will stay open after hours if needed, and is available for Saturday morning appointments.
For more information, go to gonzalezagencyllc.com; call 717-446-0245 or 717-496-8347; email mgonzalez6@farmersagent.com; or find Gonzalez Agency, LLC With Farmers Insurance on Facebook.