Successful Agencies Build on Management Systems
Ask adults what they like most about McDonald’s fast food restaurants, and it probably won’t be the food, especially in our increasingly health-conscious society. It’s the fact that wherever we are—whether heading home after a kid’s soccer game or 2,000 miles away at a convention—we can be assured of a consistent meal. This doesn’t happen by chance. It’s the result of a passion for process, built around production of burgers, fries or whatever’s on the menu.
Similar passion can help independent agents and brokers deliver consistent service to customers. Our process is built around the production of insurance policies, endorsements and claim service. And the key to delivering this consistent service is the agency’s key production tool: the agency management system.
Good workflow always should begin and end at the agency management system. And it must be consistent. When this happens, an agency operates as efficiently as it possibly can. Good workflows mean more time to sell, more new business, happier clients and employees, and an improved bottom line. Good technology choices that support a management system, coupled with training and communication, help us achieve this objective.
Hardware as foundation
We use a comprehensive collection of hardware to drive process consistency and efficiency. This means fax and imaging servers and a Citrix Server for remote database access, plus high-speed DSL with a wireless router and a virtual private network connection. We also use synchronizable PDAs, a rack-mounted backup power supply, and an automated phone system with voice mail. Yes, we include the phone system in our technology cache, incorporating it into workflows.
Some tools help the agency management system perform faster. Our business DSL connection helps data move much faster between our office and those outside it—including carriers and remote employees. A gigabyte Ethernet network and cards work similarly inside the agency.
Other key hardware-based products that improve workflows also incorporate software in their functionality. The fax server lets staff fax or e-mail any electronic document from their workstation. Consider the alternative: print the document, create a cover sheet, walk to the fax machine, dial, press start, chat with a coworker, get confirmation, then return to your desk and learn you’ve missed two calls and gotten more backlogged on processing you could have been doing all along if you’d clicked “send” to fax instead. Needless to say, this is a tremendous add-on to our system.
Imaging is another power-boost. We scan documents once, then attach them to the customer record for immediate access. Multiple staff can view and use the documents simultaneously, and they’re always where they are supposed to be, not on someone’s desk—or, worse yet, in a briefcase. We can automatically attach any electronic document or e-mail to a customer record. Plus, we save floor space, since file cabinets aren’t needed.
Software brings added value
On the software side, besides hardware-based tools, we use e-mail, “pest” control, and anti-virus protection to complement our management system. The anti-virus software catches, on average, one to three viruses daily just on my computer. The shareware and pop-up control software eliminates annoying, counterproductive ads that distract staff, and slow workflow and system performance. If our system is infected by a virus, service reps stop working. I, in turn, must stop working to fix it. Spam and pests create workflow detours, because time must be spent closing pop-ups and removing spam.
A key software-based enhancement we use is IVANS’ Transformation Station, which adds substantial value to our management system. We work with nine different carriers that offer some form of this functionality. Bridging or communicating in real-time with these carriers—both ways—speeds processing and eliminates the need to re-key data. It also boosts accuracy, which reduces re-work and enhances client satisfaction.
Though some of these technology complements have less impact than others, the entire package creates an environment for enhanced performance. We’ve found that the more effective technology we implement, the better our software, hardware—and people—work. Creating the right mix of hardware and software can help agencies using any management system to better manage their agency. More important, it helps agencies capitalize on improved workflows that lower costs, boost quality and, like the makers of the Big Mac, delivery products and services consistently.
Stu Durland (sdurland@seely-durland.com) is vice president and co-owner of the Warwick, N.Y.-based Seely & Durland Inc. agency and president of Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based Applied Systems Client Network (ASCnet).