Productive Agency Visits For Insurance Carriers

Productive Agency VisitsFor Insurance Carriers

A Guide to Effective CommunicationsOn Technology-Based Workflow

Second Edition(March 2008)

This is the second edition of this guidebook. AUGIE Leaders are pleased at the overwhelmingresponse to the first edition—nearly 20,000 copies were downloaded—and the role it has playedin furthering AUGIE’s mission to foster more efficient Independent Agency System workflows.

For most products in this distribution channel, relationships are keys to success. Thus, field mar-keting reps spend considerable “face time” with independent agency owner/managers. These roadwarriors work to appoint agencies, improve policy retentions, underwrite accounts, and increasethe quantity and quality of business.

From the agency owner/manager’s perspective, many visits go the same way. The field rep arriveson a monthly or quarterly basis, reviews the agency’s numbers, and addresses a key account or newopportunity. The visit may continue on a more social aspect with a lunch or a game of golf.

As valuable as these relationship-building meetings have been for decades, AUGIE saw an oppor-tunity to create more value for both carrier and agency, which led to creation of the first guide.

This updated edition summarizes issues and opportunities and provides easy checklists agenciescan use as they encourage more successful visits by carrier reps from all departments—marketing,underwriting, education, automation and more. It also helps company staff better understand whatAUGIE encourages agents to do to make visits more productive.

About the Guide

Productive Agency Visits for Insurance Carriers© 2007-2008 ACORD Corporation – All Rights Reserved

AUGIE – ACORD User Group Information Exchange Updated March 2008

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Checklist for Agency Principals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Agency Questionnaire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Checklist for Carriers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Automated Agency Round Trip of Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Participate in AUGIE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Additional Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Assistance in Workflow Improvement: POWER of Change® Seminar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Table of Contents

1 AUGIE (the ACORD-User Group Information Exchange) is a forum for ACORD, agents, brokers, insurers, solution providers, and associations to gather information,share ideas and actively shape the future of the insurance industry. It allows collaboration on common concerns that affect the day-to-day and long-term operationsof agents and provides agents with a voice in the ACORD standards process with the goal of improving agency efficiency and productivity. For more information:http://www.acord.org/augie/augie.aspx

When carrier representatives make their periodic calls, they meet with agency principals and pos-sibly marketing or service staff. The field reps typically discuss goals and the types of businessthey’d like to generate during the next quarter or year. AUGIE is not suggesting those discussionsaren’t valuable. But how that business ultimately gets placed by the agency’s staff is criticallyimportant. And increasingly agencies are leveraging existing real-time communications and down-load tools in improving workflows. The carrier rep needs to understand his/her company’s tech-nology offerings and be able to explain to the agency staff how to use it efficiently for the benefitof all parties involved—including the customer! In today’s insurance marketplace, this is not justsomething nice for company reps to know; rather, it’s an increasingly large part of their job.

DefinitionsIt is important to define two key terms used in this guidebook: Real Time and Download:

• Real Time is the ability to click on a button from a client file in an agency management systemor comparative rater for immediate access to carrier information on that client. The transac-tion may be a quote, billing inquiry, claim inquiry/loss run, policy view, endorsement or arequest for information. This approach provides a single workflow for servicing or quoting.

• Download is the movement of customer policy data from an insurer to its partnering agent orbroker management system. This download directly to the agency management system nor-mally occurs as a batch process after a transaction is performed by an agent, such as adding avehicle or changing a deductible; or by the insurer, such as the creation of an automatic renew-al notice.

Overview

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Productive Agency Visits for Insurance Carriers© 2007-2008 ACORD Corporation – All Rights ReservedAUGIE – ACORD User Group Information Exchange Updated March 2008

‘I know as a young agency, new to our agency management system and some of the newer technology, we would welcome visits such as this. I have to think that the more a carrier puts themselves in front of the agents, especially to help them withtechnology, that this would be an advantage to everyone.’

—Agent

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The business reasons for these efficient best practices workflows include increased sales and reten-tion, elimination of manual dual entry (saving valuable time and potential costly entry errors), andimproved quality and quantity of the agency’s business. It’s a “win-win-win” for the distributionchannel, as agents close the deal quicker and can move on to other sales or service; carriers writequality business at a reduced servicing cost; and customers see value in reduced turnaround time.The use of Real Time can lead to real results for agents and carriers alike. Independent agents canspend less time pushing paper and manually entering data—and more time on critical risk man-

agement and account reviews, maintaining a relevant role inthe buying and servicing process. And Real Time is a mod-ern workflow consumers have come to expect as they inter-act with other services and products.

Assertive RoleOwners and managers of agencies must take a proactive,assertive role in their relationships with carrier marketingreps. For example, some agencies set aside a specific time forreps from each company to come in and address questionsdeveloped by agency staff on a range of issues. Questions aredelivered in advance to offer a chance to research answers, ifnecessary. After the meetings, agency leadership reviewsfindings and sets priorities for agency-company relationshipsthe next year. Agencies must develop expectations and gaugehow carriers meet them.

‘We are really pushing our marketing reps to learn our agency-interface technologies and capabilities and to

communicate and educate during agency visits. More agents, too,are asking about Real Time. This AUGIE guide has supported

technology education for our distribution channel.’— Carrier executive

To ensure brand messages are being disseminated clearly, each party should align communicationswith the respective firm’s philosophy. Field marketing managers should be in tune with their company’s underwriting appetite and mix of business, as well as with their technology and workflow for agents. By the same token, agencies should form a philosophy for their business andtheir choice of carriers, then promote it throughout their firm. For example, agency owners/managers who decide their overriding goal is to conduct the most efficient business in real timeshould communicate that to companies and vendors, ultimately rewarding them by fully implementing vendor- and carrier-technology offerings.

In the spirit of more productive communications and agent-carrier visits, AUGIE has provided thefollowing lists and information to foster effective visits.

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‘Most field reps have had a laundry list of business thingsthey’re responsible for and things they’re being graded on

—sales up, loss ratios down, perpetuation plan in place. Now we’re also seeing more companies asking questions about

workflow, like our level of real-time interface use.’ — Agent



Checklist for Agency Principals

Understand Your Technology Opportunities

Check Your System

q Do you have an agency management system?

q If you represent more than three carriers, you will realize benefits throughincreased efficiencies if you use an agency management system.

q For links to various agency management systems, visitwww.getrealtime.org and click on “Vendor Real Time Links.”

q Various consultants can assist agencies with finding the right technologysystem. (Example: Steve Anderson, [email protected].)

q Are you using the most current version of your agency management system? Ifso—or if you're one version off--you meet recommended industry practices. Checkwith your system administrator or your management system rep to be sure.

q Do you belong to your local or national user group? Is at least one personfrom your firm active? These organizations are an excellent resource to learnabout what you might be missing about new functionality. A link to “AgencySystem User Groups” participating in AUGIE is found atwww.acord.org/augie/augie_resources.aspx.

Implement Real Time

q Are you leveraging all the real-time customer service and quoting capabilityavailable? Go to www.getrealtime.org to see what real-time functionality isoffered by your management system.

q Are you using Real Time with all your carriers that offer it? (See the definitionof Real Time in the “Overview” on page 3.) Do you obtain updates on whichcarriers offer Real Time for various products? Ask your local managementsystem users group or vendor or visit www.acttech.org for more information.

q Have you reviewed “The Independent Agent’s Real Time ImplementationGuide” at www.getrealtime.org?

Implement Download

q Here are some benefits to your agency for implementing download:

q It eliminates your staff’s processing backlog. Your staff will not need torekey data, eliminating the chance for manual input errors.

q The information in your system is current and matches the policy detail inthe carrier system.

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q Download enables you to realize the workflow objective of relying on theagency management system as the primary source of the agency’s informa-tion when communicating with your customer.

q Your agency can focus on service and sales, not data entry.

q When implemented with all your carriers it will eliminate paper processing. Speak up! Ask your vendors and carriers for the functionality.

q A paper-free working environment is growing in popularity with agents.Information may be shared by all employees regardless of where they arelocated as they respond to customer needs for claims processing, quoting andnew business processing, as well as in general customer support for inquiries.Also the cost of the paper storage space is reduced.

q Go to www.getrealtime.org to see the download functionality offered by youragency management system.

q Successful implementation of both personal lines and commercial lines down-load is essential to the ability of independent agencies and brokers to take fulladvantage of the efficiencies available in the paperless environment that bothagencies and carrier seek:

q The ACT Commercial Lines Download Work Group Review ofAccomplishments & Next Steps; Recommended Agency Testing Processcan be viewed at na.iiaa.org/ACTDownloads/CL_Rpt_5-22-05.doc.

q The Commercial Lines Download Agency Start-Up Guide can be viewed atwww.acord.org/augie/augie.aspx.

Have Your Carriers Stopped Sending Paper?

q Note that widespread use of carrier downloads by agencies also enables thecarriers to gain efficiencies by “turning off the paper” to agents, replacing itwith electronic information and reducing the need for company staff torespond to agent calls for information.

q Important: Review the technology agreement with carriers that are turning offthe paper! See Turning off the Paper to Agents: The Key Responsibility forEach of the Parties at www.acord.org/augie/augie.aspx.

q To learn about “paper and electronic information that relate to transactionsinvolving specific customers,” refer to Turning off the Paper to Agents PhaseTwo Report: Recommended Agent and Carrier Workflows available atwww.acord.org/augie/augie.aspx.



q To learn if your carriers have implemented Download, go to www.acttech.org.

q To learn more about what you should look for in today’s technology agree-ments, review Guidelines for Effective Agent-Carrier Technology Agreementsat www.acord.org/augie/augie.aspx.

q Have you recently reviewed your state requirements for document retention?

Is Your Staff on Board?

q It’s all about process improvement and efficient workflow. Everyone needsmore time; use of the systems you have invested in will improve your abilityto service your customers.

q As the agency owner/manager, take responsibility for getting your staff edu-cated about technology you have invested in. Otherwise, you’re leaving it allto chance. Designate at least one person in the agency (perhaps you, theowner) to take the lead in monitoring what is new and schedule time for theperson to sit down and educate staff on particular technology opportunities.

q Ask questions about ideas to improve workflows. Then empower your servicestaff to get answers to questions and solutions to problems.

q To learn from another agent’s success in utilizing technology, visit www.getrealtime.org/CampaignMaterials/Articles/RTCCaseStudyParryBecker.pdf.

Check Your Carriers

q Once your agency management system is set up for Download and Real Time,and you are staying current with updates, you’ll have help in understandingwhich carriers are set up. Contact your agency management system supportdesk if you have questions.

q To see a list of the carriers that make Download and Real Time available, goto www.ACTtech.org.

q If your carrier is not listed, ask them why! Communication is critical and it’simportant to keep the list of new technology current on ACTtech.org.

q Ask them to send critical technology updates via e-mail—not fax.

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Preparing for a Visit

Be Proactive—It’s Your Business!

q You should establish what you want from carrier meetings. Instead of waitingfor the field representative to call the agency, contact the rep and set the agen-da from the agency’s perspective. The goal: Help you rank each carrier anddetermine where to place business.

q Be sure the marketing rep is aware that your employees will be asking questions on the carrier’s technology and real-time quoting and servicing. Ifyou believe the marketing rep isn’t prepared to answer technology-relatedquestions, ask him or her to connect you with someone who can help. (Somecompanies provide a field automation person to travel with the marketing repas required.)

q Ask your CSRs if the carrier may not be getting enough business because theyfind it easier to work with other companies. To prepare, ask employees:

q How long it takes them to process with the particular carrier.

q If they process it through your agency system, on the carrier’s Web site, ora combination of both.

q Which carriers make it easier for them to process business.

q Use the AUGIE Timer to test with each carrier and secure your agency's report.The free timer is available at augie.artizan.com/Realtime/Index.htm.

q Let employees know that a carrier marketing rep is going to visit. Ask them tocompile a list of issues and questions pertaining to that carrier.

q Since each CSR may have different issues, compile a unified list of them.(Note that technology-related challenges can touch all aspects of the agency.One agency owner/manager has CSRs list their own issues with particular carriers in one or more of these sections: accounting, automation/technology,customer service, management, marketing, and personnel.)

q At least one week prior to the visit, e-mail to the carrier rep the list of ques-tions or issues your staff wants covered. Ask the rep to come prepared to discuss each issue.

q Use IIABA’s Best Practices Joint Agency-Company Planning Tool for ideas ontopic discussion areas. Order online at bp.reaganconsulting.com/uploads/100007_navigation/100024.pdf (see page 6).



Establish Ground Rules

q Create a list of employees with whom the carrier field rep and/or other carrierstaff needs to meet (e.g., the head of personal lines).

q Establish ground rules for meetings. Cover the permissible context of the sub-ject matter with each staffer. For example, it may not be appropriate to talkabout commissions and financial goals. Make sure your staff is aware of this.

q Ask the marketing rep to bring a company toll-free support number to callwhen presented with a question, while on the visit, that he or she can’t answer.

During the Visit

Educate, Compare, Demonstrate

q Educate carrier representatives about technology enhancements you are mak-ing in the agency—such as implementation of Real Time and Download.

q Ask the rep to give you an idea of how your firm compares with agencies of similar size representing that carrier. Ask, too, for best practices of workflowswith that carrier. (In other words, if peer agencies are using a particular work-flow or technology, you can as well.)

q Communicate clearly that the carrier may not be getting enough businessbecause CSRs are finding it easier to work with other companies.Demonstrate with facts from your employee research:

q How long it takes CSRs to process with the particular carrier. (Use the freeAUGIE Timer at augie.artizan.com/Realtime/Index.htm to test.)

q If CSRs process business through your agency system, on the carrier’s Website, or a combination of both.

q How they process with other carriers.

q Don’t end the meeting without getting the name and phone number of a com-pany automation specialist who can answer a question involving the interfaceprocess.

q Discuss the potential of seeking workflow-improvement consulting. For example, askabout the POWER of Change seminar (www.acord.org/Resources/power_change.aspx)to see if they will fund the cost of the facilitator. Many companies have specialdollars to reimburse agencies for these related expenses; hiring a workflowconsultant may be one of them. Find out what’s available from your carriersto help fund facilitator fees.

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Follow Up

Ongoing Training

q If your agency needs more in-depth training on a carrier’s download or real-time interface applications, ask for help. For instance, what sort of Web orface-to-face help may be available from your carriers?

q If a marketing rep is unable to answer a specific CSR’s question, make surethere is a follow-up conversation.

q Invite carrier reps to AUGIE, ACORD and your national and regional usergroup meetings.

q Ask your companies to permit CSRs to attend their agency automation coun-cils along with agency principals, as they are often more familiar with thecompany applications and are more knowledgeable on what interfaceimprovements are needed.

q Add www.acord.org/augie/augie.aspx to your favorites. This is home to manyagency-improvement ideas.

q The Download Stakeholders Commitments document can be viewed at www.getrealtime.org.

Industry Recognition

q Ask your carriers to join the Real Time/Download Campaign. Encouragethem to go to www.getrealtime.org for information about this all-industryeffort.

q Ask them to show you the awards they have received from ACORD.

q Promote the annual AUGIE Marketing Rep Carrier Award given out at theACORD LOMA Insurance Systems Forum (held in May).

q For standout company reps that you admire, pass their names along to yourstate or regional PIA affiliate association so the association can recognizethem locally or nominate them for the PIA National Company Representativeof the Year award.



Is your agency constantly answering various carrier requests for basic demographic and otherinformation? Is it taking too much time to track down the same information repeatedly?

This new ACORD form on the following three pages will aid the agent and carrier. The agent canuse the same form for every carrier, therefore eliminating duplicate entry, and the carrier no longerhas to devise its own form.

Note that all ACORD static PDF forms are available to agents that belong to user groups or asso-ciations. If you do not have a user name and password today, use this link to register:www.acord.org/forms/forms_association.aspx.

If you do have a user name and password, yet still don’t have access to the static PDF forms, thencall ACORD at 800-444-3341. Press “2” to speak with Member Services.

To secure access to the fillable version of the form, and any other form not currently in your agencymanagement system, consider joining the ACORD Advantage Program at www.acord.org/advan-tage/joinrenew.aspx#joinadvantage.

Agency Questionnaire

‘If the CSRs don’t buy in to growing with a company, it likelywon’t happen. Let’s say owners want to go with Company A, forwhatever reason. If CSRs are comfortable with companies B and Cand don’t understand the system of Company A, the growth isnever going to get off the ground. That’s why the Company A repneeds to get to those CSRs and say, ‘Here’s how easily you accessour company through your agency system.’

— Agent

DATE (MM/DD/YYYY)

PHONE (A/C, No, Ext): NATIONAL PRODUCER #:

FAX (A/C, No): CONTRACT #:

E-MAIL ADDRESS: FEIN:

LEGAL ENTITY







INDIVIDUAL PARTNERSHIP CORPORATION SUBCHAPTER "S" CORP LLC

AGENCY NAME AND ADDRESS PRIMARY CONTACT: FISCAL YEAR END:

WEBSITE ADDRESS: CITY POPULATION:

E&O CARRIER: EXP DATE:

LIMITS EA CLAIM $ EA OCC $ AGGREGATE $

SEND COMPLETED SURVEY TO: TOTAL PREMIUMVOLUME

PERSONAL LINESPERCENTAGE

COMMERCIAL LINESPERCENTAGE

LIFE & HEALTHPERCENTAGE

# OF AGENCYLOCATIONS

# OF AGENCYEMPLOYEES

STATES

NAME / TITLE / E-MAIL ADDRESS HIRE DATE PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATIONS LICENSE NUMBER(S) STATE

NAME: P&C AGENT:

TITLE: P&C BROKER:

E-MAIL ADDRESS: LIFE & HEALTH:

NAME: P&C AGENT:

TITLE: P&C BROKER:


NAME: P&C AGENT:

TITLE: P&C BROKER:


NAME: P&C AGENT:

TITLE: P&C BROKER:


NAME: P&C AGENT:

TITLE: P&C BROKER:


NAME: P&C AGENT:

TITLE: P&C BROKER:


NAME: P&C AGENT:

TITLE: P&C BROKER:


NAME: P&C AGENT:

TITLE: P&C BROKER:


NAME: P&C AGENT:

TITLE: P&C BROKER:


AGENCY #: BRANCH #: PRIMARY CONTACT: FISCAL YEAR END:

NAME AND ADDRESS




AGENCY #: BRANCH #: PRIMARY CONTACT: FISCAL YEAR END:

NAME AND ADDRESS




COMPANY REQUESTING SURVEY AGENCY PREMIUM / MIX OF BUSINESS SUMMARY

$ % % %

AGENCY PROFILE (PRINCIPALS, MANAGERS, CSRS, PRODUCERS) (Attach additional sheets if more space is required)

AGENCY / BRANCH OFFICES

Page 1 of 3ACORD 812 (2006/02) © ACORD CORPORATION 2006

AGENCY QUESTIONNAIRE

LOSSRATIO

INTERFACE (Check all that apply)

COMPANY COMMERCIAL LINES VOLUME DOWN- UP- REAL WEBLOAD LOAD TIME SITE


COMPANY PERSONAL LINES VOLUME DOWN- UP- REAL WEBLOAD LOAD TIME SITE


COMPANY LIFE / HEALTH VOLUME DOWN- UP- REAL WEBLOAD LOAD TIME SITE

AGENCY AUTOMATION SYSTEM USER GROUP(S) YES NO

VENDOR NAME MODEL(Local, ASP)

# USERWORKSTATIONS

SERVER OPERATINGSYSTEM

ACTIVEMEMBER?NAME:

ACTIVEMEMBER?NAME:

SYSTEM NAME VERSION MINIMUMSYSTEM SPEED

BROWSER DO YOU PAY TECHNICAL SUPPORT?

DESCRIBE OTHER SUPPORTBROWSER VERSION

DATE LAST PATCH INSTALLED: DATE LAST VERSION UPGRADE WAS INSTALLED:

AGENCY AUTOMATION SYSTEM USER GROUP(S) YES NO

VENDOR NAME MODEL(Local, ASP)

# USERWORKSTATIONS

SERVER OPERATINGSYSTEM

ACTIVEMEMBER?NAME:

ACTIVEMEMBER?NAME:

SYSTEM NAME VERSION MINIMUMSYSTEM SPEED

BROWSER DO YOU PAY TECHNICAL SUPPORT?

DESCRIBE OTHER SUPPORTBROWSER VERSION

DATE LAST PATCH INSTALLED: DATE LAST VERSION UPGRADE WAS INSTALLED:

AGENCY STAFF THAT PARTICIPATES REGULARLY IN DAY-TO-DAY USEOF AGENCY AUTOMATION SYSTEM FOR SALES AND/OR SERVICE

CSRs PRODUCERS CLAIMS ACCOUNTING MANAGEMENT

TYPE OF CONNECTION TO INTERNET DSL T1 FRACTIONAL T1 CABLE DIAL-UP

RATING VENDOR NAME RATING SYSTEM NAME

KEY AGENCY IT CONTACT(S) E-MAIL ADDRESS(ES)

YES NO

1. DOES EVERY EMPLOYEE IN YOUR AGENCY HAVE A WORK STATION WITH ACCESS TO: a) INTERNET

PLEASE EXPLAIN "NO" RESPONSES IN REMARKS. b) E-MAIL

c) AGENCY AUTOMATION SYSTEM

2. DOES YOUR AGENCY INPUT POLICY AND TRANSACTIONAL DETAIL FOR ONLY SPECIFIC TYPES OF BUSINESS?

IF "YES", EXPLAIN IN REMARKS.

3. DOES YOUR AGENCY PLAN ON CHANGING YOUR AGENCY AUTOMATION SYSTEM VENDOR WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR?

IF "YES", EXPLAIN IN REMARKS.

AGENCY PREMIUM / MIX OF BUSINESS

$ %

$ %

$ %

$ %

$ %

$ %

$ %

$ %

$ %

TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION

GENERAL INFORMATION

REMARKS (Attach additional sheets if more space is required) ATTACHMENTS

Page 2 of 3ACORD 812 (2006/02)

AGENCY # BRANCH # AGENCY / BRANCH NAME LICENSE NUMBER STATE

AGENCY LICENSE NUMBERS

Page 3 of 3ACORD 812 (2006/02)

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Carrier Checklist for Agency Owners/Managers

AUGIE recommends e-mailing this checklist to your carrier contacts one weekprior to the next visit. The questions will help the carrier prepare for the meetingand create an agenda. Of course, please tailor the list to fit your needs.

To: ________________________________________________________________

From: ______________________________________________________________

Re: ________________________________________________________________

Date: ______________________________________________________________

Thank you for scheduling time to visit our agency. We appreciate that you valueour time and need to plan the visit to ensure that our time is used efficiently. Inthe interest of continuing to provide you the high-quality business you seek in anefficient manner, please review the following items prior to our meeting:

Topics for Review

q Review typical business matters (e.g., premium volume, new product, rate, com-mission, contingency) and how your company will help us write more business.

q How will your company make it easier for us to give you more business?

q We would like you to set aside time to have you watch us demo our workflowand to show you how we work with a competitor or two.

q We are interested in process improvement within our agency and we would liketo discuss how using technology will impact that workflow with your company.

Attendees

q We would like you to meet with specific employees who need to know how towrite more business with your company. They would like to show you ourworkflow with your company—using a sample piece of new and/or renewalbusiness—walking through the steps from our agency management system toyour company system. (They can’t use your technology if they don’t under-stand it.)

Preparation for the call at our agency

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Carrier Checklist for Agency Owners/Managers (cont.)

q We understand that you may not know how to address all issues. Please beprepared to put us in contact with someone who can answer technology-related questions—or be prepared to contact your trainers on the phone ifquestions arise.

Prior to the Visit

q Please send us any materials that we should review to be prepared for our discussions.

q Please investigate if your company has special dollars to allow agencies to bereimbursed for some of their expenses. Is hiring a workflow consultant one of them?

…And for an Even More Effective Visit

q Please review your agent-carrier technology capabilities. Understand that thebusiness reasons for efficient best practices workflows are increased sales,retention, and the quality and quantity of the agency’s business. It’s a “win-win-win” for the agents to close the deal quicker and move on to other salesor service. Carriers that help agents write quality business at a reduced servic-ing cost will also be valued by the customer, who will see reduced turnaroundtime.

q If your company is not providing real-time capability or Download, please

q Visit www.getrealtime.org to understand why your company needs to bemore efficient.

q Complete the contact information at www.getrealtime.org/active/contact.asp for help on getting started.

q Please visit at www.acttech.org to validate that your company is communicat-ing their capabilities. Update your information, including download and real-time interface applications, prior to visiting.

q Please show us where you update tech information on your Web site. We rec-ommend that you designate someone at the home-office level for Web-basedupdates. (This is particularly important if you’re downloading and have cutoff the paper.)

q Please bring a checklist on your recent automation enhancements (e.g., real-time inquiry, Transformation Station, TransactNOW), as well as any on thehorizon.

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Carrier Checklist for Agency Owners/Managers (cont.)

q Helpful resources include:

q IIABA’s Best Practices Joint Agency-Company Planning Tool at bp.reaganconsulting.com/uploads/100007_navigation/100024.pdf (seepage 6).

q Use findings from the AUGIE Technology Survey to determine strategiesthat align with agency needs. Visit www.acordadvantage.org/augie.

q The Independent Agent’s Real Time Implementation Guide is available atwww.getrealtime.org.

2 AUGIE (the ACORD-User Group Information Exchange) is a forum for ACORD, agents, brokers, insurers, solution providers, and associations to gather infor-mation, share ideas and actively shape the future of the insurance industry. It allows collaboration on common concerns that affect the day-to-day and long-term operations of agents and provides agents with a voice in the ACORD standards process with the goal of improving agency efficiency and productivity.More information is found at http://www.acord.org/augie/augie.aspx.

‘By providing technology training of our field reps, and withDownload and Real Time, agents are choosing us. We are beingquoted more. We’ve reduced the phone calls from agents. And if100% of transactions are Real Time, the carriers would spend lesstime and resources making sure their Web sites are the best.’

— Carrier executive

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The ACORD-User Groups Information Exchange (AUGIE) is a collaboration of agency usergroups and ACORD whose mission is to:

1. Amplify the voice of automated agencies through their respective user groups.2. Hasten the implementation of ACORD Standards throughout the industry.3. Collaborate on any other industry initiatives of mutual interest to the participants.

Joining is easy—just follow these steps.

1. Get Set Up • Get your user name and password at myacord.acord.org/HIP/ValidateImage.aspx.

2. Join the AUGIE Teams Working Group• AUGIE participants communicate with each other throughout the year using a network called

teams.acord.org. The Teams AUGIE group lets you share documents and emails with thosehaving a common interest.

• Once you have as user name and password, send an email to [email protected] andask to be added to AUGIE on teams.acord.org.

• Once you’ve been added to “AUGIE on teams,” you’ll have access to a lot of functionality.• Please note that you will need your user name and password to access these documents. If you

forgot them, please click on www.acord.org/registration/ForgotPassword.aspx. If you still havea problem, please contact [email protected].

3. Using Teams• The group is located at teams.acord.org/apps/org/workgroup/augie and has a number of tabs.

They include:• Group Home: This tab shows all the emails and documents that have been posted to

this group. If you want to share an idea with the other members, send an email [email protected]. This will allow others to respond to the email trail, and it willbe posted for all to reference in the future.

• Roster: This lists all the participants in AUGIE.• Documents: This is where AUGIE posts documents for this group to review or access.

To see what is currently posted, go to teams.acord.org/apps/org/workgroup/augie/documents.php.

• Ballots: This will be used if we need to take a vote on an issue.

4. Monthly Communication Calls• If you want to hear about AUGIE’s initiatives, join us on the call, held the third Tuesday of

each month at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time:• The dial-in number is (877) 326-2337; conference ID, 7386608; no pass code needed.

Participate in AUGIE

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• If you need operator assistance at any time during the call, simply dial *0. Use *6 to muteyour own line, and *7 to un-mute your line.

• For the WebEx portion, go to ACORD.webex.com and enter meeting number 351 293 455. Click “Join Now.”

5. AUGIE Priorities• Review the AUGIE Priority document posted on www.acord.org/augie/

augie_resources.aspx to learn more about AUGIE’s priorities and find out which AUGIE taskgroups to join.

6. Meetings• AUGIE holds face-to-face meetings three times a year:

• February, in conjunction with the annual IVANS Conference.• May, in conjunction with ACORD-LOMA Insurance Systems Forum.• October or November, in conjunction with the ACORD Standards Forum.

7. Questions? • Contact AUGIE facilitator Cal Durland, CPCU at [email protected] or (845) 620-1700,

ext. 411.

‘I know another regional carrier that has field people who go outand work with agencies specifically on technology issues. And

they’re light years ahead of us on new business.’— Carrier representative

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ACTtechThe Agents Council for Technology (ACT) has designed www.acttech.org as a place for independ-ent agents and brokers to learn what real-time and download transactions their carriers have avail-able for various agency systems.

From the home screen, select “Carrier Possibilities” and look for your carriers on the list. Reviewwhat they are capable of doing, the method used and its status.

If a carrier is not on the list, please complete the contact information on www.getrealtime.org/active/contact.asp so we can work with the carrier to engage their representatives into an “ease ofoperations” philosophy.

ACORD AdvantageACORD’s coordinating role for AUGIE initiatives is supported and funded by ACORD Advantagemembers—more than 10,000 insurance agencies nationwide. For information, go towww.acord.org/advantage/advantage_main.aspx.

AUGIE VideoWatch a new video that discusses projects designed to improve carrier-agent communications atwww.acord.org/advantage/advantage_main.aspx.

Joint Planning ToolTo access the Big I’s Best Practices Joint Agency-Company Planning Tool, go to bp.reaganconsulting.com/uploads/100007_navigation/100024.pdf. See page 6. Note there is a feefor this resource.

Real Time/Download CampaignThe Real Time/Download Campaign brings together independent agents, carriers, technologyproviders, user groups, national and state agent associations, and industry associations—all dedi-cated to increasing usage of download and real-time interface applications.

The campaign encourages agencies already using the interface application available in their agencymanagement systems to increase their number of real-time transactions. The campaign also encour-ages agencies that aren’t using the technology to implement it through their agency managementsystem.

Additional Resources

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Also, the campaign urges carriers to implement real-time interface applications with appointedagencies; and encourages carriers that already use it on a limited basis to expand it to all transac-tion types with independent agencies.

Resources available at the Web site (www.getrealtime.org) are:• The definition of Real Time as well as an insightful implementation guide specifically for

independent agencies.• Links to information from carriers, major automation vendors and user groups concerning

their download and real-time functionality, automation vendors (or carriers) they work with,implementation and installation information, troubleshooting guides and contact information.

• Links to resources, including the AUGIE Workflow Tool and the AUGIE Real Time Time StudyReport, and a link to www.ACTtech.org, a site that enables agents to run reports on the spe-cific download and real-time capabilities—by carrier, by management system vendor, and byline of business.

• A link to the AUGIE Commercial Download Policy Detail Agency Start-Up Guide.• Information about Real-Time Stakeholder Commitments and links to documents that help

various stakeholder groups, as well as campaign materials, such as logos, ads, stories, speeches, presentations and more.

‘Although we had trained our CSRs a few times, they still neededhelp. The marketing rep (who is very tech savvy and a greatadvocate of Real Time) conducted another training, andthe carrier’s interface rep was available by WebEx. In additionto the training, the marketing rep asked the CSRs how theyprocessed new business, quotes, etc. This proved most valuablebecause he observed their workflows and reported to us what wasreally happening. This was valuable information we would not haveotherwise gained. In this way, in addition to training, we used themarketing rep to conduct an audit of our agency’s system usage.We’ve turned off some non-desirable workflows.’

— Agent

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The POWER of Change® (Performance-Oriented Workflows Ensure Results) training helps eliminate the anxiety many independent agencies face when trying to adopt new technology-basedworkflows.

Agency principals and staffers learn about the new workflows and technologies available todayand how these can help their businesses more efficiently process business and become more prof-itable. They also see how to help their distribution partners implement change.

The updated POWER of Change is built around five points: focusing on the customer, finding thecosts, getting the costs out, streamlining the workflow, and ensuring results. The updated programincorporates a video, workbook, implementation book, facilitator manual and PowerPoint pres-entation.

During the presentation agency principals and staffers are urged to immediately change their work-flows to incorporate Real Time and Download, to capture this "found" time and put it to use forbetter purposes, such as implementing programs for cross-selling/up-selling, client retention andnew-business development. Attendees also are urged to engage all their agency’s staffers to identi-fy problems, workflows and to brainstorm solutions.

Carriers and agent associations can support the program by sponsoring sessions for their stake-holders and reinforcing the role positive change can have on agency perpetuation and prosperity.

For information about hosting a session: www.acord.org/Resources/power_change.aspx.

Assistance in Workflow Improvement:POWER of Change® Seminar

‘We’re going to do everything we can to get more agentson board, so individual agents as well as the entire

industry can truly reap the benefits of using Real Time.’— Carrier executive

www.acord.org