Combo PDAs, Advances Deliver Real-Time Benefits

The growth in office technology over the last 20 years certainly has boosted the efficiency of workers in the U.S. service industry. But at the same time, it’s had the effect of tying people more closely to their physical office. The more we’ve come to rely on personal computers, for instance, the harder it seems for us to be away from them.
Laptop computers have loosed the ties a bit, but are cumbersome in many business situations. Personal digital assistants, or PDAs, are more portable. But their functionality has, until recently, been limited to basic functions or rudimentary forms of some more advanced operations. Their functionality has been limited by memory size.

That’s all changing. PDAs, cell phones, and combinations of the two, as well as other technology-based devices, are set to alter how today’s business professionals—insurance pros included—conduct business. In many instances, the changes already have started.

Encounter with the law
Earlier this year, when I was in Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show, I witnessed something very interesting that was not in any exhibit hall.

As I was walking down the street, I noticed what appeared to be an accident. Traffic was moving even more slowly than normal on the Strip, and bystanders were beginning to congregate. In the street, a few police officers were assessing damage and injury, and talking to witnesses. But none of the officers had pens or notepads. Instead, they all were using PDAs to enter data. Impressed with their practical use of technology, I walked over to one of the policemen, explained I was in town for a technology show, and noted how helpful it must be to not have to enter the data twice.

I learned I was only seeing half of the story. Not only were the officers able to enter police report data into their PDAs, one of them—one with a more advanced model with cell phone technology integrated into the device—actually was transmitting the report to the station, where the report was immediately available. Those without the cell phone capability simply had to transfer the data via a docking device when they returned to the station.

Implications for insurance
Remembering who was paying for my trip to Las Vegas, my thoughts instantly turned to possibilities for insurance applications. The ability to immediately document and transmit claim information from a remote location—either as an agent, adjuster or even policyholder—came to mind quickly.

Since these pocket-sized devices let users organize contact, task and appointment information, they serve as personal day planners and Rolodexes. Building on that, with their cell phone capability, they let users send and retrieve e-mail, and get news, traffic, weather and other information from selected Web sites.

So their functionality actually makes them portable—extremely portable—personal offices and communication centers.

With camera functionality, their use is expanded greatly.

Forms and standards
The ability to record and transmit information is remarkable. But the potential benefits for insurance professionals increase when you understand how this data can be collected and used. Companies are working to allow users to download actual ACORD forms onto these PDAs, then complete and transmit them in real-time either to an agency management system or to another destination.

Technology advances and standards also now allow documents to be signed on PDAs. The unit records the time and date of the signature and where it was signed.

One of the downsides of PDAs, whether cell phone enabled or not, is their size. Thumb pads, which let users type rather than use a stylus, have reduced this hardship, but the screens are still small, and scrolling through forms—a BOP (business owners policy) application—and being able to see the print is considered laborious for some. Tablet PCs, larger and more powerful cousins to the PDA, solve some of the problem. But they aren’t as portable and are more expensive.

A new device—one that holds promise in a variety of insurance applications—was demonstrated earlier this year at the ACORD/LOMA Insurance Systems Forum. It’s a pen that uses an infrared camera to document keystrokes used to fill out traditional paper-based forms. The pen can store as many as 400 filled-out forms. Users simply write what they wish throughout the day, head back to their office, dock the pen, and upload everything they wrote.

Prospects for real-time, anywhere
For at least 20 years, people in our business have been clamoring for real-time transactions and elimination of redundant work effort. The hunger has not subsided.

Today, the technology exists to make this a reality. Devices such as PDAs and digital pens now carry sufficient memory to be more than simply fun gadgets. Integrated telephones allow for immediate transfer of data. And software—driven by ACORD XML standards and work done by our business partners—makes application in the insurance arena possible and productive.

Aziz Hussein (ahussein@acord.org) is chief technology officer of ACORD (Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development), a global, nonprofit insurance association whose mission is to facilitate the development and use of standards for the insurance, reinsurance and related financial services industries. For more information visit: www.acord.org.