Pat's Outlook on the Future of Insurance Agencies

HIGH-TECC 2008 Reflections

A week and a few days after HIGH-TECC 2008 I have checked out a number of the technologies discussed and presented.  Adopted some, tried some and decided they didn't fit my needs but they have been added to my resources as my client's might need them, and been led down different paths in other research.  I have ordered a Flip Mino, however, it has not arrived yet.  That is so frustrating to want to try something out and it not arrive as soon as you had hoped.  So there will be more on this item in later posts.

I have checked out EVERNOTE.com.  I really do like this site and it can be a very useful tool.  However, I have decided not to adopt as I have Western Digital My Book® World Edition™ II.  This drive is available to me via the internet.  I use SnagIt to capture internet information and organize along with other documents on the My Book.  This meets my needs in a similar fashion to the EVERNOTE.  As I tell my clients, it is great to check out new technology, however, if you have tools in place that addresses the same functionalities as the new technology, there is probably not a reason to change.  As a confirmed software junkie I can assure you I have a number of programs which I have purchased, used some and abandon to go back to a software I already had.

We discussed the potential of using Second Life as a tool for teaching roll playing to millennials.  I have visited Second Life and I have an account.  I have also sought out other avatar and cartoon softwares that might be used in lieu of or in addition to Second Life.  I'll be back to you on this in future posts as I move forward with my research.

As usual when I leave HIGH-TECC, there is much to digest, research and try.  I am almost through my initial list.  However, as you can see sometimes and idea discussed at this event may lead to searching out other ideas and solutions.  But, I really did enjoy this year's meetings.  I brought back the most ideas ever and I believe that this may have been the best HIGH-TECC I have attended.  Hope to see everyone back next year and meet some new friends as well.

HIGH-TECC 2008 - Day 3

Day 3 of HIGH-TECCis a morning session that is the true software junkie - techie overload session.  What's Great in 2008 is presented by Steve Anderson and others that he has asked to participated.  Steve had Duke Williams talk about the importance of Google, AdWords positioning and pricing, etc. 

Steve and the group discussed how to put live chat at your agency website and how to manage that with the agency staff.  Some agencies are using this technology and shared with the group their tools and experience.

Steve showed his YouTube video that he did for HIGH-TECC.  He discussed why an agency might use YouTube, how to video and add text, etc. Steve demoed his new Flip Video device and showed how simple this is to use.  Think about using this device to ask a client during your next visit for a testimonial.  Click on your Flip Video and capture their comments on-the-spot.  Suggestions from the audience:  Use the Flip Video device to create video of a producer discussing the merits and particulars of an account and send to underwriters with the marketing submission; interviews with claimants and other claims related applications; use to video a customer's location and document with your comments; an agency could offer to clients to checkout to do a home inventory.  These were all awesome ideas.

Steve & Duke discussed Walk on Video.  This is us a WOW technology.  You really need to click on the hyperlink for this and check it out.  A great way to engage anyone visiting your website.  A new way to communicate.  This has so many possibilities.  Check it out and get moving so you are one of the few to be first.

Steve discussed some options for using on-line vendors to handle snail mail.  These could work well for an agency when they need to do large mailings.  Two sites he reviewed were  - postful.com and flydoc.com.  On-line postage for smaller offices, remote offices for multiple location agencies and staff members working remotely should be a consideration for agencies.  Look at dymo.com for various options which include Steve's personal favorite which is the Desktop Mailing Solution.  You may find this more cost effective than traditional postage options. 

Next item was the iPhone and the challenges for business applications.  The new 3G version of the iPhone which was recently released has Microsoft Exchange capabilities.  Thus, individuals in the corporation that would prefer this phone to others will make this an issue that businesses must begin to address.  The individuals in the corporation that want to use this device may just be the CEO, so saying no may not be an option IT people.

I wrote Reading Goes Digital: The Kindle for The Anderson Agency Report in the March 2008 edition.  I have found practical business applications as well as many personal uses for The Kindle.  Chris Kinman uses the The Reader Digital Book. From Sony.  We are each passionate about our particular device.  We compared such things as access to the ebooks from Sony and Amazon, how business articles in .pdf format can be downloaded to our devices and other possible business applications.  I think for Chris and I both it is the ease of having access to multiple books when we travel without having to lug them all with us.  Chris tells the story that on a trip he left his Sony book in the seat pocket on the plane.  He was so lost without it that he went to the closest mall and purchased a new one.  I feel that if this should happen to me, the same would be true.  I did like the size of the Sony and the navigation keys better than the Kindle, but I like the book, magazine, newspaper, blog availability of The Kindle along with the ability to shop The Kindle Store and download books over the Amazon WhiperNet Network without a computer.  My Kindle goes almost everywhere with me.  I have something to read whenever there is a waiting time that I must endure.  Of course, my Blackberry is also close at hand so I can communicate.  What a geek.

So how do you document the client visit when you are out of the office or don't use the agency managements system?  Or how do you keep yourself and others up-to-date on reminders that you think of when not at a computer.  Look at jott.com for short messages.  This is a free service that records a message and then emails you or contacts per your instructions.  You can also Jott to your twitter account.  Look at idictate.com for recording conversations or in-depth information that needs to be retained.  Also look at copytalk.com which provides you with a 4 min block and then immediately goes into another 4 minute block.  I think these are great tools for producers, loss control or others visiting with clients or insurance carriers to use to transcribe meetings and things to do after the meeting.  In each of these cases, the transmission can be attached to the agency management system for documentation.  Imagine knowing everything that is going on with an account.

Recently Steve had a need to use InstantEstimator.com.  Use this site to estimate the cost to repair your auto.  Their website says:  "Thanks to Instant Estimator in most cases you can get an immediate answer from the convenience of your computer. The Instant Estimator system assesses and costs your cosmetic auto body and paint damage automatically in an easy-to-use process."

Steve is close to the end of the scheduled time for the session and still has more to share and of course, we want more.  So he agrees to go on.  He discussed email management.  As we all know we are more and more overwhelmed by today's email.  Some of Steve's suggestions are:  turn off alerts, use outlook rules, get off distribution lists, process email as it comes in and don't let it build up.  Some questions to consider, How immediate is email?  How often should you check email?  How often do you need to respond to email?  You should consider the number of times a day you check your email.  Some resources for email management are:   David Allen's Getting Things Done & Michael Linenberger's Total Workday Control.  When requesting action from someone consider one request per email in lieu of a list of items. The request should appear in the subject line.  When someone receives multiple requests in an email, either the email is put aside for later action and they may forget to respond or they may overlook one or more items in the list of requests.

Quick comments on google apps & google docs: upload word doc and invite multiple people to work on that document.  Consider google wiki(s). 

And the final tidbit is about evernote.com. Do you have trouble organizing that information you find on the web and you want to be able to access it later?  Then when later comes you can't find it?  This website lets you capture information from the web and retains the links back to where you found it(Of course, the link might change so getting back is not always possible).  You can categorize the captured information and it is searchable.  There is a paid version which lets you OCR pictures and other additional features.  But for those of us that capture a lot of resource information for later use, the free version sounds like a good deal.  I often have a difficult time finding exactly what I am looking for in this area.

My reflection on the day:  I had to miss this session last year.  I do not like to miss this session.  I learn so much from Steve and the other participants.  I have expressed in my blog each day the amount of overload of information and today just adds to that, but WOW, what great tools and information.  But I am ready to kick back, have lunch with my husband and do some therapy shopping in Vail Village.

HIGH-TECC 2008 - Day 2

The first session of HIGH-TECC day 2 is Bridging the Industry Communication Gap Panel.  The panel is a diversified group.  There are members from rating services, insurance carriers, Agents Council for Technology, ACORD, and insurance agents.  The issues considered in this discussion are those around the ability of insurance agencies to be able to do effective on-line rating using the data from their agency management systems and having the quote make the round-trip back to the agency management system.  The audience was very active in asking questions of the panel as well as expressing their needs and concerns on this subject.  I really like the terminology that Keith Savino used about comparative rating.  In their agency they refer to the software they use for comparative rating as "a data aggregation tool".

The second sessions for today are three breakout sessions that are available for the attendees to choose from.  The sessions are The Anatomy of a Successful Web Site presented by Matt Dandurand; The Power of Positive Audits presented by Pat Alexander, and Automating the Sales & Marketing Process by Dave Schuppler.  The downside to being a presenter is missing other sessions you might want to attend.  However, the upside to presenting at HIGH-TECC is the interaction with the great people that attend and I always learn from those in my session.  The attendees have been asked to post comments on the break out sessions.

My breakout session The Power of Positive Audits went very well.  Great interaction with the attendees, thoughtful questions and input.  I received this Twitter from one of the participants in my session before she left for lunch.  An example of a business application of this technology. 

afeldt I just finished a wonderful and informative class on The Power of Positive Audits by Pat Alexander about 1 hour ago from mobile web

Lunch was outside by the pool.  An absolutely beautiful day in Vail.  Good food, good friends.

The third session of the day is Your Questions Answered moderated by Steve Anderson.  Steve introduced this session last year for the first time and it was very successful.  The session is an opportunity to review the ideas that have been presented so far at HIGH-TECC.  We are 10 minutes into the sessions and the discussion and ideas are flying and flowing.  This is the true beauty of HIGH-TECC and the attendees.  Blogs and wikis differences and the reasons to use each were discussed and demonstrated.  Other big subjects were workflows - most irritating workflow - how to manage continuous changes to workflows - how agency management systems changes impact workflows and training.  The final part of the session discussed using on-line sessions and some of the products available for sales, training, etc.

The fourth sessions were again breakout sessions.  They were The Power of Change presented by Keith Savino; Where Do We Go From Here? presented by Jack Burke and Targeting Agency Time Wasters presented by Pat Alexander.  We will see what others post about these sessions.

My breakout group for this session was even more awesome than earlier in the day.  I am amazed that at the last session of the day my room is full and everyone is fully engaged.  Wonderful questions and discussions.  Again, the true HIGH-TECC camper experience.

Day 2 always closes with a great party hosted by Steve's team.  Our theme this year was western night.  After dinner Steve kicked off the party by being the first person to do calf roping.  I hope I am still his friend after posting this picture.  As usual the party was great fun.

 

My reflection on the day:  I am at that truly overwhelmed stage at HIGH-TECC.  More information than I will be able to retain.  Thank goodness I have good notes.  I have continued to meet individuals I have not been able to spend time with before today and the networking continues to be the best.

HIGH-TECC 2008 - Day 1

HIGH-TECC is an annual gathering of agents, brokers, vendors, associations and executives interested in the technology which drives the insurance industry.  The atmosphere is charged with a high level of knowledge on the subjects at hand and the sharing of information.  I have attended this conference for the past several years and find that there is always more to learn than I ever imagined.  I have never heard an attendee that didn't find the meetings and information exchange valuable. 

Steve Anderson is presenting the opening session of HIGH-TECC 2008, Communicate, Collaborate, Connect.  This session is all about technology agencies and companies should be looking at and determining how to use in their business model.  Technologies from social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to things such as internal company wikies.  This is just the first session and as a group we are already overwhelmed by the great information and new ideas discussed.  In addition to showing us how to apply some technologies to our businesses Steve discussed Second Life, a technology to envision how it might work for your company.

The second session of the day is the Agency Systems Vendors Panel.  In the past this has been agency management system vendors only.  This year document management vendors have been added.  This is a great addition to this panel as agencies use multiple types of systems to manage their business.  All of the panel members are talking about their visions and plans for moving forward with the agency users and their abilities to integrate with other systems in the agency.

The third session of the day is Blue Ribbon Recipe for Great IT presented by Dave Robinson.  Dave is the CIO of Lockton.  He is doing a great job of showing us how technology can be a great benefit to your firm or how it can totally work against you.  He has also discussed how technology should enhance the business of doing insurance.  Dave's best quote "The best technology doesn't necessarily get you there, it is the people behind it."  Dave's friends at the front table had score cards and applause signs.  At different times during his presentation they scored what he was saying and provided the appluase sign a the end of the presentation.  This is the type of great audience interaction you come to expect at HIGH-TECC.  Dave's One Grand Prediction is:  "Nothing is immune to change.  A paradigm shift will reshape, redefine, and shake up the insurance industry.  When and how will it happen?"

The final session today is the Technology Showcase.  This is the first time for this type of event at HIGH-TECC.  Twelve companies are participating in this event.  Each has chosen a specific area of their products to showcase.  This seems to be a great success.  All vendors are busy talking to attendees and answering questions.  There are networking sessions occurring while attendees are waiting to visit with the vendor of their choice.  It is 5:30pm and people are still visiting with vendors.  As with most insurance events there was beer and wine available so conversations are lively.

My reflection on the day:  The subjects today were varied, very interesting, timely and lots of food-for-thought.  There was great participation by the attendees.  I think this is one of the most successful days I have attended at HIGH-TECC.  Great job HIGH-TECC team.

Millennial Survey

    I am embarking on a study of what attract and keeps Gen-Xers and Millennials engaged in the insurance agency business.  As I look around insurance agencies that I visit I don't see enough of the individuals in these groups.  When I do see them they are rarely engaged in the true business of insurance.  Those that are employed in agencies are usually in assistant roles.  This is a great starting place, but no clear career path seems to be defined in most agencies to ensure that these individuals continue to grow and move forward in the agency.

I get the impression in casual conversations with these groups that they are just biding their time until they search out something better in another profession.  I don't believe that the independent agency system understands how to recruit or manage these groups of people.  However, the very existence of agencies depends on doing so.  Look for my full length article in the July 2008 edition of "The Anderson Agency Report".  You may access the survey at Millennial Survey, my website or via the link in the article.  My request is that everyone in your agency 30 years of age and younger complete this survey.  There will be on-going information at this blog and in "The Anderson Agency Report" on the findings of the study.  I will also be looking at and discussing solutions to the issues that result from the study.