February 25, 2008 by Steve.

Paperless boarding schemes aren’t exactly revolutionary, but they’re still far from common at US airports. Now, however, Continental Airlines has announced that it will be experimenting with a cell phone-based boarding pass setup at Houston’s Intercontinental Airport. This will enable single passengers (as in one bar code per person, per device) to show security personnel a jumbled mixture of blocks alongside their ID in order to board the plane. The three-month trial program will allow people to receive a paper pass should their mobile/PDA run out of juice before boarding time approaches. While hard plans for future use aren’t yet laid out, the process could spread to other airlines and airports if things go smoothly.

Here’s how the system works. The two-dimensional bar code, a jumble of squares and rectangles, stores the passenger’s name and flight information. A TSA screener confirms the bar code’s authenticity with a handheld scanner. Passengers still need to show photo identification. The electronic boarding pass also works at airport gates.

The system has some limits. For instance, only passengers traveling alone can use the electronic pass. Continental is trying to upgrade the technology so that it can accommodate multiple passengers traveling together. Continental will be the first airline in the United States to try this system, but Air Canada has been offering paperless boarding since September.

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February 20, 2008 by Steve.

As a buzzword, nothing comes close to Web 2.0. Nobody really seems to know exactly what it means, but we hear and read about it everywhere. Is Web 2.0 something you should pay attention to? What will the Web 2.0 experience mean for your agency?

At the consumer level, Web 2.0 refers to blogs, Wikis, social networks, mashups, and similar Web applications that allow people to publish information and content on the Web and to connect and collaborate with others.

Several insurance companies are beginning to experiment with Web 2.0 technologies by updating Web sites to be friendlier for policyholders who want to “connect” with the company. Nationwide Insurance recently launched the “Have the Talk” campaign, a viral marketing effort centered on the difficult conversation friends and family must have regarding personal finances and insurance issues. HaveTheTalkAmerica.com is a site hosted by the company that offers advice and educational opportunities for consumers looking to discuss serious issues with their loved ones, such as teen driving and life insurance options.

Progressive’s new Web site features easier navigation, more personalization and customization, additional and easier-to-use video content, and more visuals throughout. New information on the site’s AutoTech channel includes exclusive content from Ziff Davis Enterprise, which covers vehicle technology such as portable GPS, in-car DVDs, hybrids, and more. Lonely Planet Publications provides weekly Driving Destinations articles that describe great places in the United States to visit, explore, and experience. In addition, Progressive experts provide weekly content to help readers better understand how car insurance works.

This new type of collaboration and information sharing will have an effect on organizations. The CEO of a large publishing firm in Nashville recently agreed to replace his existing corporate intranet with a wiki open source program that will allow each employee to add and edit information contained on the corporate site. If you have never used a wiki, go to www.wikipedia.org, one of the most popular wikis on the Web.

Another place where Web 2.0 technologies and organizations intersect is when companies tap into the “wisdom of crowds.” A well publicized example is Procter & Gamble, which is using collaborative Web sites such as InnoCentive to solicit new product ideas from consumers, rather than relying completely on internal production development teams.

Web 2.0 technologies are not just for kids. Organizations that start looking for ways to leverage Web 2.0 technologies will help advance business and stay ahead of the game. Start small. Use low-cost, lightweight applications. Give employees the opportunity to pick up the ball and run with it.

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February 11, 2008 by Steve.

In today’s world, electronic commerce is no longer a “nice-to-have” capability. Many consumers have become less tolerant of paper-based transactions and expect all financial transactions to be supported in an electronic environment. The insurance industry (both agents and carriers) needs to respond to consumers’ experiences with other financial vendors—or risk losing business to financial services organizations that have adopted leading-edge technology. One example is electronic signatures.

The Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (ESIGN) was signed into law by President Clinton in October 2000. The insurance industry (especially property & casualty insurance companies) has been slow to adopt the use of electronic or digital signatures.

A new form of electronic signatures is now being adopted by some companies. Voice Signature (v-Sig) allows an individual to use his/her voice to electronically sign a document. Carriers could use v-Sig as authorization to change payment plans, EFT, etc. Google “Voice Signature” to find several companies that are currently providing this service and begin to think about how you can use it to enhance your service to clients.

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February 4, 2008 by Steve.

One of the biggest barriers to effectively handling a claim for your client is helping them ensure they have a full inventory of the contents they lost. There has been various software solutions created to help with this problem. AnywhereVault is a personal inventory Web site that helps people document their personal property and important paperwork so they can more easily recover from theft, fire, or other disaster. As a byproduct of completing a full inventory, the site enables users to determine if they have adequate insurance coverage and generates reports of their personal possessions that ease the process of filing and collecting on insurance claims.

AnywhereVault guides users through the process of documenting possessions, storing proof-of-ownership data including serial numbers and receipts, and uploading important documents, such as insurance policies and wills. Users also can upload photographs. The data can be sorted and organized in numerous reports that enable users to calculate value to ensure adequate insurance coverage and provide claims adjustors with proof of ownership documentation.

Users can choose from four plans that range from $15 to $80 per year depending on the volume of information they need to store. Anyone can sign up for a free 30-day trial. You can use this as a value-added service for your existing clients.

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