Pat's Outlook on the Future of Insurance Agencies

Find your Strongest Life by Marcus Buckingham - Book Review

Are you in a dead end job that drains the life out of you each day?  When you arrive home at the end of the day you have no energy to be present for your family?  Almost everyone has been in this position at one time or another.  "Find Your Strongest Life" should be read by every woman of every age so that you know what action to take to propel yourself from this situation.

I wish this book had been written when I was 20 instead of 62.  I was hooked by the middle of the Ten Myths About The Lives of Women at the beginning of the book.  Some of these I knew, some applied to me and some didn't, but I see them everyday in the lives of the women I know and meet.  Marcus makes it so clear for you to find your strongest life by using the the online "The Strong Life Test for Women".  Each woman should take the test immediately upon ordering the book.  You will have some idea of what your focus should be as you read the book.

In a phone conversation with a colleague a few weeks ago, I said I was at a time in my life when I was trying to decide what to do when I grow up.  He laughed and thought I should really be thinking about retirement.  The timing of this book is so appropriate.  I like what I do, but I am assessing how I move to doing what I love to do.

I really like the "What to Take Away" at the end of each chapter.  A great way to focus on the points of the chapter.  Marcus has provided the tools for me to reassess where I am, where I am going.  I rarely write in a book or mark important information.  That is not the case here.  There are notes, earmarked pages, and post it notes.  I intend to use this book as a reference for planning my future.

Every young woman in my family will be receiving a copy of this book shortly.

Thank you Marcus.

Technorati Tags: Find Your Strongest Life,Marcus Buckingham,Thomas Nelson Publishers

Producer Intelligence - Not Captured in Agency Management System

One of the big issues I find that every agency I work with has is how to capture conversations the producer has with clients, underwriters, etc.  In some agencies producers aren't allowed to log into the agency management system to enter their documentation into an activity.  Other agencies that do have producers logging into their system don't get better results.  Unless a producer has a laptop configured for access to the agency management system, the chances of them to entering this information is nil to none.  Even for those producers with laptops and access to the agency management system, only a minority of them will update the system.

Getting Results for Change to Agency Management System

I have previously outlined what I think are a number of issues relating to agency management system vendors not taking proper care of the software and not being future thinking.  I also covered what I think are the issues agencies have in resolving issues with their agency management system.

Agency Managements System Agency Blind Spots

For the past few days I have been talking about the blind spots of the agency management system vendors.  While I feel that they haven't moved far enough fast enough.

Agency's spend thousands of hard dollars on agency management systems.  They waste thousands of dollars in using them inefficiently or not using them to their maximum potential.  What leads to this waste?

Agency Management System Vendors Blind Spot - Part 3

For the past two days I have beaten up on you pretty badly.  I know that some of you are making progress, but it seems so very slow and it seems like no innovation is happening.  What I do find is that when a vendor does have something new is that vendors struggle to get the information to their client base in a meaningful way.

I know that usually the information is sent to them prior to release and again at the time of the release.  I know that in some cases the user group also communicates as well.  However, often there are many items in the release notes and the agency is usually just looking to see what has been fixed or an item they are interested in.

Agency Management System Vendors Blind Spot - Part 2

As promised in yesterday's post today I am going to talk about Real Time and future enhancements.  I recently read a blog that said if you are just keeping up with technology you are behind.  You must be looking to the future and anticipating what your clients will need and want.

At a recent industry event they asked each of us to tell them what we wanted to hear about and get out of the event.  I said that I wanted to hear their thoughts and planning on the use of touch screen technology. 

Agency Management System Vendors Blind Spot

In the past few weeks I have been asked by two different sources for information and opinions on issues with agency management systems.  One of these inquires was about Real Time, client portals and new functionalities.  The other was about systems being current with ACORD forms.  My response to each spurred me on to write about this issue.

This will take more than one post.  Your clients have a lot they want me to discuss with you.

Impowersoft Selects Patricia Alexander to Aspire Advisory Board

I am honored to share this press release with you.  Watch for my review of this product in the July 2009 edition of “The Anderson Agency Report”.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 19, 2009

Patricia Alexander: A New Key Member on the impowersoft Team

Today, impowersoft announced the selection of Mrs. Patricia Alexander, CIC, CPIW, as a new member to the Aspire Advisory Board.  As a consultant, coach and mentor to many agencies, her experience spans standard insurance carriers, retail agencies, surplus lines insurance carriers and managing general agencies.  She has been an agency owner in addition to holding several executive level management positions throughout her career. Mrs. Alexander has managed large, national programs both at the insurance carrier level and at the managing general agency level.

Cover it Live Test #2

Cover It Live Test