December 16, 2008 by Steve.

Clients who have been confused or intimidated by the complexity of health insurance now have an easy way to take the first step towards getting the individual medical coverage they need. A new Web site, SimpleCoverage.org, provides information and guidance to help consumers quickly understand the basics of health insurance and how to find and select a health plan that’s right for them.

The site was developed by Consumers for Competitive Choice (C4CC) Education Fund Inc., a non-profit organization whose purpose is to provide consumers with information and tools to make informed choices in the marketplace. More than 44 million Americans do not have health insurance and another 25 million have less health insurance than they need.

SimpleCoverage.org explains in easy to understand language, the different types of coverage available and how to find insurance, evaluate plans, and what to expect during the application process. For example, the Web site gives consumers suggested questions to ask when choosing individual medical coverage. In addition to the online information, SimpleCoverage.org offers consumers a downloadable brochure: Health Coverage Made Simple. The site was developed and is maintained with a grant from Assurant Health Foundation.

Check the site out. You may want to include a link on your agency Web site to direct clients and prospects to this information resource.

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November 13, 2008 by Steve.

AMS Services has released a new version of BenefitPoint, a Web-based, benefit management and procurement solution for brokers and benefit consultants. The new version of BenefitPoint features deeper integration, enhanced commissions tracking and customization, and new event-driven workflow capabilities.

A new component of the commission tracking system, eStatements, is an electronic statement conversion tool designed for BenefitPoint brokerage clients to upload electronic carrier statement data. BenefitPoint’s eStatements substantially decreases the time spent manually entering statement data and helps prevent typing errors.

BenefitPoint is also nearing completion of its real-time integration with Applied Systems’ Vision product. The state-of-the-art integration synchronizes client, policy, and commission data between the two applications, eliminating double entry. With the new version of BenefitPoint, staff members will enjoy deep functionality and reporting, and automatic flow and merging of information into Vision and the overall production reports.

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September 18, 2008 by Steve.

As increasing numbers of people use the Internet to find information, savvy producers or staff members should begin creating an online presence. You may need a personal Web site or blog (which can function like a Web site), especially if you will be job hunting anytime soon.

Many recent articles say that, increasingly, job recruiters are placing a heavy emphasis on applicants’ online presence. “Online presence” means how active one is on the Web, including personal Web sites, blogs, published articles, etc. A personal Web site can also be a great way to introduce yourself to potential clients. Writing about risk management issues and the solutions you have created will help you stand out in the crowd of other agents.

If searching for your full name online comes up with nothing, consider buying a FirstNameLastName.com domain. You can create a simple Web site on the domain by publishing copy that explains who you are and what you do—basically a résumé site. Start a blog on that domain or establish a free hosted one on services like WordPress.com and link to it. There’s literally nothing to lose except a few dollars for the domain and hosting. Having a Web site gives you the added benefit of being able to link to your site when commenting on other blogs. This is another great way to gain exposure.

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September 2, 2008 by Steve.

Approximately 80 people gathered in Vail, Colo. in July to spend 2½ days exploring how the insurance industry can bridge the many gaps that stand in the way of continued success. I always return home from HIGH-TECC amazed and humbled.

I am amazed by the creativity, passion, and willingness to explore new ideas that is demonstrated by the people who attend. I’m also humbled by the knowledge and breadth of experience that is represented in such a unique group of people. I received the following from one attendee. It’s just one example of the creativity and open-mindedness I saw.

HIGH-TECC to-do list

I am looking forward to setting up my iGoogle and Facebook pages, using GoToMeetings, and uploading a Flip video to YouTube. Or, maybe I’ll use Silverlight for the HD and agree to work on my “Pillow Talk” blog. Hmmm, I wonder what actress to “walk onto” that page, as I contact Greenleaf with a Jott. I’m sure that name will get plenty of hits, but will West Bend approve?

I better actually accomplish some business before the week goes by! So, I will definitely iDictate, order DYMO Stamps, and follow up with Postful and FlyDoc to get certificates automatically rolling out. Now, if I could just stop Twirling and Twittering with my wiki…

To get all of this done before Friday, I may need to hit Provide Support to Get Satisfaction. Ahhh, maybe in a Second Life. Where did I put that Amazon Kindle?

— Jim Tuisl, “Satisfied HIGH-TECC customer”

That letter may seem a little weird—but every bolded word is a product, Web site, or service that we discussed during HIGH-TECC.

This year, I opened HIGH-TECC with a general session titled Communicate, Collaborate, Connect. It is my belief that the insurance industry as a whole needs to embrace new communication technologies that are already being used by younger generations. During the session, I highlighted several reasons for my belief and delved into specific technology and ways it is being used by others to create relationships in an electronic world.

I explored social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. I talked about how wikis can be used to facilitate conversation and collaboration. I ended the session by showing AVIVA insurance company’s Second Life Island. (Second Life is a 3-D virtual world created by its Residents.)

Agencies and companies need to explore and experiment with these types of communication options to determine how these technologies can and should be used to further customer interaction and enhance business.

The conversations ranged from “this seems really stupid” to “if college graduates are using these tools, we should learn how to use them—especially if we want to hire the younger generations.”

That’s what HIGH-TECC is all about: helping the industry explore what tools are on the horizon and how to use them to make your organization more effective. Make sure you don’t miss out next year. Mark your calendar now for HIGH-TECC 2009, July 19 to 22 in Vail, Colo.

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July 3, 2008 by Steve.

Search Engine Optimization—getting your agency to show up on a Google search result—is more of an art than a science. While there are many complicated and time-consuming steps an agency can take to improve their search result placement, using Google’s Local Business Center (www.google.com/local/add) is a simple step anyone can take. Doing so will help customers find you using Google Maps.

If you already have a Google account, sign in with your e-mail and password. If you don’t have a Google account, sign up for one and follow the instructions to create a free listing for your agency.

The street address you enter will be shown in the Google and Google Maps search results. Once you’ve submitted your business information, you’ll need to verify the listing before it goes live. A post office box can be used to register. You can verify using a touch-tone phone, SMS, or a PIN that will be sent via regular mail to your business address. Once the listing is verified, your information will normally appear in the Google results. There’s no charge for Local Business Center listings. Google doesn’t accept payment to include listings or sites in their search results.

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June 5, 2008 by Steve.

Are your clients able to communicate with you any way they want—whether by phone, e-mail, Web, call center, or live access? Instant Messaging (IM) is an option that is becoming easier to implement. Understandably, agencies are often concerned about the practical aspects of IM. How will the conversation be documented? Is it worth the time?

One service worth considering is Provide Support (www.providesupport.com), a software and Web process that provides a “Live Chat” option on your site. You are given code that enables you to add a button on your site that a client can click to start a live chat with someone in your office. You select individuals who become part of a chat rotation. When someone clicks on the Web button, a box pops up on the computer of the next person in the rotation. That person is responsible for the instant message conversation.

The price depends on how many users you add. One user costs $99 annually, three users is $200 annually, and 10 operators is $400 annually. The software provides a transcript of each conversation after the call is finished, along with a management recap at night.

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May 12, 2008 by Steve.

Although the delivery of electronic documents is growing rapidly, agencies continue to send many standard letters. Flydoc.com is a Web-based service that allows you to streamline the process of sending printed letters.

To use the service, you simply install a new printer driver that you’ll use to “print” documents. You can print in black and white or color, on a single side or on both sides of the paper. You can choose from three standard double-window envelope sizes, but there’s only one paper option for your sheets: letter-size, 24 pound white.

When you select Print, the document is submitted through the Internet to FlyDoc’s service center. FlyDoc promises to print, stamp, address, and send your documents via first-class mail within 24 hours. The first page costs as little as $.36 per copy for black-and-white printing and $.48 for color; subsequent pages cost $.18 for black and white or $.30 for color. The largest envelope available can hold up to 70 pages.

One nice aspect of the service is that it does not require a minimum number of letters. Being able to pay for individual pieces means you can use the service to send customer invoices or the personalized letters you’ve created using the mail merge feature in your word processor.

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April 16, 2008 by Steve.

I’ve been around this industry a long time. Over the years, I have had the privilege of participating in many projects that attempted to work on improving how agents, agencies, insurance companies, and vendors work. While I believe that progress has been made, there are many gaps in our industry. The industry as a whole needs to work on closing these gaps in order to make a profound difference in the profitability and viability of independent insurance agents.

Every problem we encounter in the industry also presents an opportunity for those willing to take bold steps to fill in the gaps. Here are a few examples:

The communication gap and opportunity—how do we build trust and develop deeper relationships with our prospects and clients in a fast-paced, even frenetic, world?

The generation gap and opportunity—how do we understand the coming generations and provide products and services that they embrace?

The expectation gap and opportunity—how do we begin to understand and respond to the changing expectations of our clients?

The workflow gap and opportunity—how do we streamline workflows so that we spend less time simply processing transactions and more time meeting client needs?

The training gap and opportunity—how do we help our staff learn new software and keep up with the constant changes we need to make to stay current?

The systems gap and opportunity—how do we get all of the hardware and software systems we need to use to communicate with each other so that data and information can be shared with whomever needs it?

This year’s HIGH-TECC conference in Vail, Colo. is specifically designed to help you explore these gaps and maximize the opportunities that are available to agents, insurance companies, and vendors that are willing to look forward. As we begin to fill in the gaps, our organizations are better positioned to meet the needs of clients, staff, and business partners.

At HIGH-TECC, you’ll also discover ways to:

• Develop new strategies to attract and keep customers.
• Sell successfully against low-priced competition.
• Build a strategic long-term plan.
• Reduce your chances of failure.
• Boost your profits and your bottom line.

If you’ve ever thought about attending HIGH-TECC and wondered if it is really worth the time, effort, and money, I would suggest you talk with some of the agents who come year after year. These agents attend repeatedly because they understand the value of working “on” their agency, not just “in” it. They take the time to focus on the big picture, including where they want their agency to be in the future. HIGH-TECC enables you to get answers and solutions from both experts and other agents. It’s a platform where you can get “tried and true” answers to your real- world problems.

Some people have asked, “Why Vail?” The answer is simple: 1) It’s a great place to get away and focus on your business, and 2) Vail in the summertime is a wonderful place to vacation with your family, if you choose.

Again this year, we have a stellar group of presenters—a “dream team” if you will, that you’ll find informative, stimulating, and instructive. And since we value one-on-one interaction, we intentionally keep HIGH-TECC small in size. (Because of that, I encourage you to register early. We’ve even included incentives for you to do so—including a discount—just so it gets to the top of your “to do” list.)

It’s not too early to plan for your summer now. As we all know, July will be here before we know it so go to www.HighTecc2008.com and register now.

I look forward to seeing you at HIGH-TECC 2008!

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