Are you a Tech-Savvy Kind of Person’

Whenever we do stories related to technology and the independent agency system, I’m struck by the two divisions that reside in the business.

There is the “old guard” if you will, many who began their careers when rotary phones were still in style, fax machines were decades in the offing, and you did business the old-fashioned way. There is also the “new guard” who in some cases couldn’t function in daily life without a cell phone strapped to their hip or hidden under the makeup case in their purse, know most of the major search engines on the Internet by heart, and could put your local mail carrier out of business.

When these two worlds clash, the outcome can sometimes leave policyholders scratching their heads.

Some ask, “Why can’t all my transactions be done over the Internet?” Others wonder what ever happened to the good old-fashioned paper trail.

In this issue, we look at several aspects of technology’s impact on the industry. Whether it is ratings software, the latest tech products available to agents or facilitating an even smoother delivery of business from agent to policyholder, technology is having a major impact on the industry.

In our Parting Shots column (Page 70), Charles Boodro, president of AscendantOne®, a unit of Insurance Services Office Inc. (ISO), looks at the demands facing both agents and insurers in an effort to deliver products in a more efficient and cost-effective manner.

While that need to deliver on the spot impacts that segment of the industry, it also plays a big role here at Insurance Journal.

One of our goals is to get you the news as quickly as it happens. Whether it is an analysis of the market, a big company announcement, or a fraud case, we want you to read it here first. As you will see on Page 23, Insurance Journal is taking its show on the road by offering audio broadcasts from various conferences that take place during the year.

In today’s world beating the competition to the punch is more important than ever. Having said that, accuracy is also a key component in that scenario. If you deliver a product, be it a policy or a news story chock full of errors, will you be spending extra time making corrections while your competition delivers the product five minutes later than your original, but ready to go?

Take the necessary time to embrace today’s technology, and don’t worry, it won’t bite you. Speaking of bytes, however, know that much of your competition is investing more time and money in technology.

Are you up to the challenge?

Share your thoughts with us by e-mailing me at: dthomas@insurancejournal.com.