Pat's Outlook on the Future of Insurance Agencies

Apple School

Last week I attended my first Apple school session. My One-On-One session was great. Rachel, my instructor, was knowledgeable, had great teaching skills and was fully engaged in our session. However, it was a challenge to keep my people watching habit under control and pay attention to why I was there.

Integrity

I was taught long ago that without integrity my knowledge means little. Of late, roads that I have taken have caused a number of people to question my integrity. So I think it is time to address these issues.

Moving to MacBook Pro

I have been thinking about a new laptop for awhile. My current one is 4 years old and giving me a good deal of grief. When we visited with our granddaughter in September she had acquired a MacBook Pro. She is studying graphic arts and the classes require that she use Mac software. I enjoyed using her MacBook and added this to my list of considerations. I have spent a great deal of time researching what I want. I am tied to a windows computer in order to work with certain programs used by my clients. So who says I can't have two laptops? Here she is all dressed up and ready for the party(ies).

Producer Intelligence - Not Captured in Agency Management System

One of the big issues I find that every agency I work with has is how to capture conversations the producer has with clients, underwriters, etc.  In some agencies producers aren't allowed to log into the agency management system to enter their documentation into an activity.  Other agencies that do have producers logging into their system don't get better results.  Unless a producer has a laptop configured for access to the agency management system, the chances of them to entering this information is nil to none.  Even for those producers with laptops and access to the agency management system, only a minority of them will update the system.

Getting Results for Change to Agency Management System

I have previously outlined what I think are a number of issues relating to agency management system vendors not taking proper care of the software and not being future thinking.  I also covered what I think are the issues agencies have in resolving issues with their agency management system.

Agency Managements System Agency Blind Spots

For the past few days I have been talking about the blind spots of the agency management system vendors.  While I feel that they haven't moved far enough fast enough.

Agency's spend thousands of hard dollars on agency management systems.  They waste thousands of dollars in using them inefficiently or not using them to their maximum potential.  What leads to this waste?

Agency Management System Vendors Blind Spot - Part 3

For the past two days I have beaten up on you pretty badly.  I know that some of you are making progress, but it seems so very slow and it seems like no innovation is happening.  What I do find is that when a vendor does have something new is that vendors struggle to get the information to their client base in a meaningful way.

I know that usually the information is sent to them prior to release and again at the time of the release.  I know that in some cases the user group also communicates as well.  However, often there are many items in the release notes and the agency is usually just looking to see what has been fixed or an item they are interested in.

Agency Management System Vendors Blind Spot - Part 2

As promised in yesterday's post today I am going to talk about Real Time and future enhancements.  I recently read a blog that said if you are just keeping up with technology you are behind.  You must be looking to the future and anticipating what your clients will need and want.

At a recent industry event they asked each of us to tell them what we wanted to hear about and get out of the event.  I said that I wanted to hear their thoughts and planning on the use of touch screen technology. 

Agency Management System Vendors Blind Spot

In the past few weeks I have been asked by two different sources for information and opinions on issues with agency management systems.  One of these inquires was about Real Time, client portals and new functionalities.  The other was about systems being current with ACORD forms.  My response to each spurred me on to write about this issue.

This will take more than one post.  Your clients have a lot they want me to discuss with you.

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