TAARReport T H E May 2004 Volume 20 • Number 5 Inside TAARReport Power Perspective • 1 Take advantage of multiple monitors to increase your productivity. Setting them up is simple – and the process doesn’t have to be expensive. A U T O M A T E D A G E N C Y R E P O R T How to Install and Use Dual Monitors by Steve Anderson Editorial • 2 The results are in! A recent survey concludes that participants increased their errorless production using multiple screens and found the configuration more useful than single screens. T Connections • 6 Companies like Hartford know the value of multiple-line marketing. Why can’t the independent agency force follow suit? multiple monitors. Small Agency Power Corner • 8 Customers don’t care about how much you spend on technology; they care about how you use technology to better serve them. dragging open windows from one monitor to another or stretching a single Glad You Asked • 9 What are some common uses for PaperPort software? Technology E&O • 10 Are you reasonably certain that your files don’t contain any disparaging comments regarding your customers? Here’s a quick guide on what should and shouldn’t be documented in your files. TechnoTidbits • 12 A judicious use of outsourcing can help you be a low-cost operation. Work.Flow • 14 Learn how your agency can move towards a more sophisticated electronic filing structure without having to purchase additional software. www.taarreport.com he Windows operating system makes it possible for you to increase your work productivity by expanding the size of your desktop. Using Windows XP, you can actually connect up to 10 separate monitors to a single computer. Talk about multi-tasking! This article will provide you with the information you need to set up a workstation that takes advantage of Why use more than one? Multiple monitors allow you to work on more than one task at a time by window across numerous monitors. With multiple windows open, you can edit images or text on one monitor while viewing Web activity on another. Or, you can open multiple pages of a single, long document and Using Windows XP, you can actually connect up to 10 drag them across several monitors to easily view the layout of text and graphics. You can separate monitors also stretch a to a single comput- Microsoft Excel er. Talk about two monitors so you spreadsheet across multi-tasking! continued on page 3 Editorial Dual Monitors Should Be Your Next Hardware Upgrade Virtually every agency will be using some type of electronic document management in the not too distant future. It really is no longer a question of “if,” but when. The evidence is all around us. An increasing number of insurance companies are no longer sending agents paper copies of client documents. Instead, they are sending PDF files. An increasing number of agencies are installing electronic document management systems to help manage electronic documents and paper files. Yet one major barrier still needs to be overcome before agencies will realize the full productivity benefits of moving to electronic documents. This barrier is the single monitor that sits on virtually every desktop. I am convinced that installing dual monitors is an absolute necessity in order for agencies to gain the full productivity improvements promised by managing documents electronically. The problem is that paper is much easier to deal with than documents viewed on a computer screen. The use of paper is ingrained in the agency culture. When faxes are received electronically, the user will most likely print them. They have to. It is too difficult to toggle back and forth between the fax program displaying the document and the management system. Dual monitors solve this problem. Dual monitors allow you to replicate the look and feel of a piece of paper without needing to print. Using one monitor, you can view a full size copy of the fax. On the other, you can view the management system. You can finally use Windows for what it was designed to do in the first place — work in multiple programs at once. Screen Displays, was conducted by the University of Utah’s Department of Communication. Based on the responses of 108 university and non-university personnel, the study results show that respondents increased their errorless production by 18% using multi-screen configurations. Participants also considered multi-screen configurations significantly more useful than single screens and preferred multiple monitor setups on every measure of usability. They found them 29% more effective for tasks, 24% more comfortable to use, and 39% easier to move around sources of information. My own informal survey supports these conclusions. Cadenhead Shreffler Insurance, the agency where I worked in Texas, started scanning all customer paper files in 1993 and installed dual monitors on every desktop a few years ago. Everyone wondered why they hadn’t done it before. Another agent sent me a picture of his desktop using three monitors — one for Outlook, one for Internet Explorer, and one for his management system. Everyone I talk to who has gone to dual monitors says they wouldn’t go back. Dual monitors can help any agency realize significant gains in productivity — even if your agency isn’t contemplating installing a full document management system. Just think about the number of carrier Web sites your staff goes to each day. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to look at the carrier Web site and your management system at the same time? For complete details on how to set up dual monitors, be sure to read the lead article this month. ◆ And the survey says… A 2003 study, entitled Productivity and Multi- 2 TAARReport • May 2004 T H E A U T O M AT E D A G E N C Y R E P O RT TAARReport MAY 2004 VOLUME 20 • NUMBER 5 Steve Anderson, EDITOR Andrea Serrette, ASSOCIATE EDITOR CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jack Burke SOUND MARKETING, INC. Ed Higgins THOUSAND ISLAND AGENCY G. Barry Klein ULTIMATEINSURANCELINKS.COM Laura Nettles NETTLES CONSULTING NETWORK, INC. Curtis M. Pearsall UTICA MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY Jenny Kabakovich, BUSINESS MANAGER & HIGH-TECC COORDINATOR Char Campbell, PRODUCTION Sissi Haner, COPY EDITOR Afni Insurance Services, WEBMASTER © Copyright 2004 by The Automated Agency Report, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction, by any means, of material appearing in TAARReport, The Automated Agency Report is strictly forbidden without permission. The Automated Agency Report, TAARReport (USPS 765-570, ISSN 08888205) is published monthly by The Automated Agency Report, Inc., 11496 West 105th Dr., Broomfield, CO 800216688. Periodicals Postage Paid at Broomfield, CO, and at additional mailing offices. Annual subscription rate is $175 ($120 agency rate). POSTMASTER: Send address changes to TAARReport, The Automated Agency Report, POB 6218, Broomfield, CO 80021-6218. KEEP IN TOUCH Your comments, opinions, and input are encouraged. Letters and articles may be faxed or e-mailed to the editor at… TEL: 303.404.0457 FAX: 720.294.9797 E-MAIL: WEB: How to Install and Use Dual Monitors, continued from page 1 can view numerous columns option is to purchase a card without scrolling. designed to handle multiple One monitor serves as the monitors. However, you can primary display and holds the experiment with the process by logon dialog box that you use scavenging a card from an old when you start your computer. computer that’s hidden in a In addition, most programs dis- closet somewhere. Two types of play windows on the primary cards are available: Peripheral monitor when you initially open Component Interconnect (PCI) them. Different screen resolu- or Accelerated Graphics Port tions and different color quality (AGP). Simply slip the card into settings can be selected for each an available slot in the computer. monitor. Multiple monitors Monitor: The second piece of can be connected to individual hardware you need is a second graphics adapters or to a single monitor. Again, you can go the adapter that supports multiple inexpensive route while you outputs. experiment with the process and upgrade to a better monitor later. Equipment There are two pieces of hard- If you are like me, you probably have some old monitors sitting ware you need to complete an around your office. These should installation: a video card and a work fine and will allow you to second monitor. experience the benefits without Video card: When choosing spending additional money. The a video card, two options are problem with using older moni- available. You can purchase a tors is their size. Placing two 15- new single video card with two inch or 17-inch monitors on a (or more) video out ports, or you standard desk does not leave can add a second card to your much room for working. A better idea is to purchase two flat panel monitors that can desktop computer. The consensus seems to be that the best When you place two monitors together, the distance between the actual screen areas shouldn’t be a [email protected] [email protected] distraction as you move back and www.taarreport.com forth between monitors. 3 Setting up multiple monitors is simple and easy. It can cost almost nothing (if you have old equipment you can use) or less than $1,000 per workstation (if you buy two new 17-inch monitors and a new video card). be placed side by side on a desktop. Fifteen-inch flat panel monitors are now available for about $350 each. Seventeen-inch monitors (the best option) cost about $450. When you are deciding what monitor to purchase, look at the size of the bezel. The bezel is the piece that surrounds the actual screen and it should be as small as possible. When you place two monitors together, the distance between the actual screen areas shouldn’t be a distraction as you move back and forth between monitors. You can also purchase monitors that are specifically designed to work together. Although this options is generally a little more expensive, it may be worth saving the time and hassle of putting together your own system. Check out www.9Xmedia.com and www.go-l.com/monitors/ for more information and pricing. 4 Installation The installation process is quite easy. Follow these directions to install a second video card on your PC: 1. Turn your PC off and disconnect its power supply. 2. Find an open PCI slot (or AGP if it’s not already in use) and insert the video card. If you’re using two PCI video cards, the one nearest the CPU will boot first. If you’re using one AGP and one PCI, the PCI will always boot first. In your BIOS settings, you might be able to manually determine whether an AGP or PCI video card is the master. You’ll have to poke around in your BIOS to find out. If you don’t know anything about a PC’s BIOS, grab a friend who does and see if he/she can help. For a comprehensive list of hardware supported by Windows operating systems, see Compatible Hardware and Software in Help and Support Center. Once the card is installed, your computer should recognize it without any problems. If it doesn’t, click Display Troubleshooter for more information. 3. Connect your second monitor to the new card. 4. Connect your power supply to your PC and restart your machine. Windows XP will detect the new video adapter hardware and install the appropriate drivers. The boot process determines which card will be the master or primary. Jerry Kroggel of Greater Lexington Insurance has three monitors on his desk. He uses one for Outlook, one for Internet access, and one for his management system. TAARReport • May 2004 Display, or you can minimize all windows, go to your desktop, Figure 1: The Display Properties dialog box allows you to set up how multiple monitors will work. Dualview On many portable computers and some desktop computers (those with two video ports on one video card), you can expand your display to a second right click and choose Properties. On the Settings tab (see Figure 1), click Identify and a large number on each of your monitors will display, showing which monitor corresponds with each icon. Now click the monitor icon that represents the monitor you want to use in addition to your primary monitor. Select the “Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor” check box, and then click Apply or OK. This allows you to drag items across your screen onto alternate monitors (see Figure 2). If the check box is not displayed on your computer, it may be because your video adapter does not support multiple monitors. monitor by using Dualview. Dualview is very similar to the multiple monitor feature. The difference is that when you use Dualview on a laptop, your primary display must always be the laptop’s LCD screen, whereas with the multiple monitors feature, you can choose a primary monitor. Now that your computer is running, configure the Display Property settings to extend your desktop to the second monitor. There are two ways to access these settings. You can click on Start, Control Panel, and then www.taarreport.com Figure 2: Selecting the “Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor” allows you to work with multiple monitors. You can rearrange the positions of the monitors to reflect their physical arrangement. Once you click OK or Apply, you will be able to drag an item on your primary desktop across your screen until it appears on the second monitor. The arrangement of the icons in the Settings tab window determines how you drag items from one monitor to another. For example, if you are using two monitors and you want to move items from one monitor to the other by dragging left and right, arrange the icons side by side. On some systems you can change which monitor is the primary monitor by clicking on the monitor icon that represents the monitor you want to designate as the primary one. Select the “Use this Device as the primary monitor” check box. This check box will be unavailable if you cannot change the primary monitor. Setting up multiple monitors is simple and easy. It can cost almost nothing (if you have old equipment you can use) or less than $1,000 per workstation (if you buy two new 17-inch monitors and a new video card). The payback in increased productivity is very short. This is an upgrade well worth your while. Put it in your plan today and implement as soon as possible. ◆ 5 Connections by Jack Burke Fear of Failure… or Fear of Success? Don’t be afraid to sell additional coverages to your clients. Over the past six months I’ve been working with a “legend” in the personal lines arena — Cosmo Conte. As a State Farm agent/agency owner he climbed to the pinnacle of success in my hometown of Cleveland. About 25 years ago, he moved to San Diego and did it all over again in California. The secret to his success was simple: multi-line selling. Recently, we updated and repackaged a combination book and audio program he originally created in 1989. Although I knew that the simple truths it contained were still valid today, I’ve been amazed at the quantities that are selling. Agents across the country seem to be looking for the magic formula that will help them grow their agencies. The reason I’m surprised by the demand for this product is simple: saturation. After all, every sales and marketing guru from George Nordhaus on has been extremely vocal about the need for agents to sell more than one policy to their clients. For years, statistics showed that the average American had 7.2 insurance policies — but agencies were only averaging a little better than one policy per customer. Whether you call it cross-selling or multi-line marketing, the message has always been the same. More policies per client mean lower acquisition costs, higher client retention, and greater profits. That being said, the question still remains as to why agencies don’t put more energy into cross-marketing additional policies to existing customers. Are we afraid of the success it might engender… or are we afraid of failure? Now, before members of the choir 6 (those who are cross-selling) rise up to say that I’m wrong in my assessment, let’s take a look at one consumer — me. A case in point When we arrived in California in 1984, one of our first culture shocks was the cost of automobile insurance. As a Farmers insured, we contacted a local agent and learned that the premium was nearly three times higher than it had been back East. We paid the difference and chalked it up to the price of living in California — until the locals explained that anyone in the know with a good driving record was getting insurance from 20th Century (now 21st Century). I made a call and switched insurance providers in order to cut my premium by more than 50% — I didn’t have an agent, just an 800 number. During that time period, we were never approached about additional insurance by either the Farmers agent or 20th Century. Our second culture shock came when we purchased our house. Our developer recommended both a mortgage company and insurance agent to us, and we used both. Other than annual statements, we never heard from the agent who provided our homeowner’s insurance. The third culture shock arrived as our children started turning 16. 20th Century wasn’t interested in insuring teenage drivers and indicated that with skyrocketing premiums. That’s when a Mercury agent came to the rescue and kept our insurance as reasonable as possible. Plus, we now had a real, live TAARReport • May 2004 agent to represent us. In the meantime, we started Sound Marketing and needed business insurance. Since we really didn’t have a meaningful relationship with anyone other than our auto insurance agent, we followed the recommendation of our attorney and got insurance through a local independent broker. Acknowledging that we were a small account, he also explained that our primary (only) contact would be with the CSR staff — not him. During this time, we also purchased health insurance. I called our auto agent to see if he handled other personal lines, such as health coverage. He said he did and he wrote the policy — but remember, I had to proactively call him to find out if he represented any health companies. That’s not cross-selling. In later years, he sold his health book to another agent whom I’ve never met, although he gets his commissions on a regular basis from our premium payments. Too many agents As the years progressed, we now had one agent for business, one for home, one for auto, and a fourth for health insurance. Not one of them has tried to cross-sell anything to us. The only extraneous message came from the original Farmers’ agent we had long since discarded. His letter explained that auto insurance had become too competitive and he had sold his agency in order to “become” a life insurance agent. To his credit, he was a persistent life insurance agent and eventually sold life policies to both my wife and me. He’s still our life agent today — but he’s never attempted to sell us any other financial services package or coverage. So, there we were with five basic coverages and five agents. The only anomaly was that these agents had retained our business despite lack of communication or concern www.taarreport.com Companies like Hartford know the value of multiple-line marketing. Why can’t the independent agency force follow suit? about our needs. So when I saw an AARP/ Hartford mailer about home insurance, I made contact with them. In one short phone call, they quoted a home policy. When they learned we had moved our offices into a wing of the house, they quickly requoted it for both home and home-based BOP coverages. After I told them to write the policies (two agents immediately liquidated), they came right back and asked about my automobile coverage. The only reason I didn’t give that to them is because of the nature of my cars (there are some classics involved and I didn’t want to go through the hassle of new appraisals, etc.). Companies like Hartford know the value of multiple-line marketing. Why can’t the independent agency force follow suit? In today’s increasingly competitive world, success requires that you maximize the potential value of each and every client to your agency. ◆ Editor’s note: Next month, Jack will discuss how you can communicate the cross-selling message and begin selling additional coverages to your clients. Jack Burke is the president of Sound Marketing, Inc., editor of ProgramBusinessNews, host/producer of Audio Insurance Outlook, and author of best-selling books on marketing, customer relations, and service. He can be contacted at [email protected] or 800.451.8273 7 Small Agency Power Corner It’s Not About Technology by Ed Higgins O ne interesting observation about technology applications is that agents have focused strongly on improving efficiency. Many agencies and other businesses have embraced one such technology tool — automated attendants — as a way to eliminate the expense of a live attendant. Technology gone wrong If you’re anything like me, I’m sure you’ve had your share of not-so-wonderful experiences with automated attendants. There are two that stand out in my negative memory, and I try not to keep negative memories about anything. The first is a recent experience that involved carefully listening to the attendant’s directions, which included a warning along the following lines: “Don’t press any keys because we recently changed all of our selection options to make sure that your attempt to speed through this process will fail in connecting you to your desired destination.” I also recently engaged a system that warned: “Pressing zero will not transfer you to the operator.” After listening to these types of instructions and disclaimers, it seems that you invariably make a couple of selections and ultimately press the wrong button by mistake. At that point, you realize you have gone off track and are lost in the woods, with no option except to hang up and try again. Sometimes, you get all the way to the end of the selection tree and discover that the destination does not provide the service you seek. If you’ve had a similar experience, it must have occurred to you that any efficiency gained It is important to always remember that the customer cares little or nothing about from this system comes from the perspective of the vendor, not the customer. While a simple automated attendant system may provide a level of customer satisfaction, an extended selection tree frustrates most typical customers. Usually, people make phone calls because they want personal contact. A poorly implemented automated attendant creates the opposite experience. Technology gone right Over the past several years, we have migrated to a totally paperless office environment. When clients come to our office, they are surprised to find a large motion-activated train in our vestibule. It runs for about 30 seconds and creates an interesting conversation piece. We use the train to explain a fundamental concept to our prospective clients: all the technology they see in our office enables processes they will enjoy if they do business with our agency. For example, we explain to how much we spend on technology. continued on page 11 8 TAARReport • May 2004 Glad You Asked by Steve Anderson What Are Some Common Uses for PaperPort Software? This month’s question comes from Harwood & Son Insurance (www.harwood ins.com) in Farmville, VA: We have purchased a current version of ScanSoft’s PaperPort software but are not sure what to do with it. So far, we have only used it to convert Word documents to forms or to create PDFs. Can you give us some ideas of how we should be using it? Answer We have recommended PaperPort software for many years as a tool for helping manage and control access to scanned paper documents, as well as other electronic documents. ScanSoft Inc. has recently released an updated version of PaperPort — Pro 9 Office, which is available directly from ScanSoft (www.scan soft.com) or from most software retail stores. This new version includes the ability to create and manipulate PDF files. While we don’t recommend PaperPort as a full document management solution for most agencies, it does provide great value for easily manipulating, storing, and retrieving various types of electronic documents. Here are three ideas: Carrier Submissions: We have used PaperPort to streamline the creation of electronic submissions as a single electronic document. When the software is installed, several new “printers” are added to the printer dialog box. These virtual printers allow you to “print” any document from a Windows program to the PaperPort “desktop” as an electronic image. www.taarreport.com This means that ACORD applications can be printed from your Windows-based management system, Word documents can be printed, loss runs can be scanned or printed from a carrier Web site, and any other document can be converted into a common electronic format. These individual documents can then be combined into one document simply by dragging and dropping them onto each other. With Pro 9 Office’s ability to work directly with PDF files, the new submission can be easily converted into a PDF file and then e-mailed to the underwriter. Resource Library: Every agency maintains a file of articles, newsletters, and other documents that are valuable resources for staff to refer to when they need help. The problem with this approach is finding the information when needed. By scanning these documents and letting PaperPort turn them into text through its OCR (Optical Character Recognition) process, a specific document can be found using a simple search process. This allows an agency to maintain valuable, searchable information in one place. Form Typer: Another program included with PaperPort is called Form Typer. This program allows you to type information on top of an existing image and enable it to become part of that image. This is useful when you need to complete a non-standard application or form and is much easier than going to that last typewriter in your office to complete an application. ◆ 9 Technology E&O by Curtis M. Pearsall What Do Your Files Say About Your Clients? For years, you have heard speakers at loss control seminars talk about documentation and how it can impact the resolution of an E&O claim. Many articles have also been written on the subject. It is probably fair to say that there is no one piece of loss control advice as powerful as the art of how to successfully document. The most common type of E&O claim involves “failure to provide the proper coverage.” For years, I have been of the opinion that agents do have conversations with their clients about the need for higher limits or a specific type of coverage. Unfortunately, these conversations are not documented and when a claim occurs, it becomes the agent’s opinion against that of the client. Although it might seem that these are even odds, in most cases, agents are more likely to lose the case than win it. This information is not anything you haven’t heard before. However, has anyone ever provided you any advice or guidance on what should be documented? Or how about what should not be documented? There are some definite rules of thumb that should be followed. For the sake of this article, I am going to address the issue of electronic documentation, as opposed to paper. Yet in many cases, the rules are the same. What should be documented? Most agency staff have a pretty good idea about what should be documented. Typically, conversations your staff have with the clients / prospects should be noted with times, dates, and the essence of the conversation. An example is: “Spoke with Mr. Jones on the additional limits for Jones Trucking and he is undecided at this point and will get back to me in another week or so.” Ideally (time permitting), it would be wise to send Mr. Jones a letter confirming the conversation. These types of conversations should also be entered in a diary so staff can follow up and make sure the issue is resolved. In this day of electronic communication, it is likely that you will receive e-mails from your customers / prospects as well as from your companies. These should be handled the same way you would handle a paper memo or phone call. Full documentation of the file means full documentation. Memos, whether in electronic, paper, or phone format, need to be documented. What shouldn’t be documented? Are you reasonably certain that your files don’t contain any disparaging comments regarding your customers? 10 The goal is to have documentation that is honest and objective. What is the nature of documentation in your electronic files? A general rule of thumb to follow is to assume that anything that is documented in your files can (and probably will) be subpoenaed in the event of an E&O claim. Now, using this rule of thumb, how comfortable do you feel? You TAARReport • May 2004 may say that you have no concerns for your agency. Here, then, is a true story. I received a phone call from a producer who documented in the file not to advise a particular client to buy a specific coverage because the client couldn’t afford it. If a claim had occurred that would have been covered by the coverage not offered, this type of documentation would have been extremely damaging. Obviously, the best advice in this scenario is to offer coverage and let clients decide whether they can afford it or not. Are you reasonably certain your files don’t contain any disparaging comments regarding your customers? Whether comments of this nature do or don’t impact the resolution of an E&O claim is immaterial. They are not appropriate and should not be condoned. If you are unsure of what’s in your files, take a look at a number of files involving each of your CSRs. If you have a procedures manual, there should also be a section dedicated to this subject. If you don’t have a manual, make sure your staff knows the dos and don’ts of file documentation. ◆ Curtis M. Pearsall is vice president and director of Errors & Omissions for the Utica Mutual Insurance Company. He oversees the underwriting, marketing, services, and claims divisions of the Utica E&O program. He can be reached at 800.274.1914 x 2543 or [email protected] It’s Not About Technology, continued from page 8 clients that they will have access to their insurance account via the Web and e-mail access to their assigned client serviceperson. We provide live access to a designated customer representative, with a back-up of modified rotational servicing that enables resolution to their inquiries during their first call. We explain that our 24-hour claims service is made possible through a technology application but results in a live return phone call from an agency representative. When clients look around our office, they see that we have flat screen monitors and no filing cabinets. Staff can work without leaving their desks. The impression created is one of controlled power, and most people sense the special quiet environment. After giving clients an explanation of the technology we use, we move to a risk management www.taarreport.com assessment of their account and the annual coverage review that we will perform every year their policy renews with our agency. It’s usually at this point that we stop the conversation and point out that this entire process is not about the technology that is pervasively evident throughout the office. It’s about the value-added service of personal risk consultation and personal contact through as many different communications channels as possible. That is the real basis of our work, and the primary reason clients want to do business with us. It is not about technology. Technology exists to support the backroom processes and facilitate personal service. Our entire technology platform is designed with the goal of creating a better experience for the customer — from the customer’s perspective. Consistently, this brings a broad smile of approval from clients, who quickly admit that they have little or no real interest in our technology platform. It is the personal contact, risk management counsel, and relationship that they seek and desire to establish. Effectively implemented technology applications afford us time to spend face-to-face with clients. It is important to always remember that the customer cares little or nothing about how much we spend on technology. Rather, they make their decisions based upon the net value they perceive in the relationship. ◆ Ed Higgins, CPCU, is an active agency principal with over 28 years of experience. He is also an agency technology workflow consultant. He can be contacted at [email protected] or 800.453.8917 11 Techno•Tidbits by G. Barry Klein How to Outsource Your Small Programming Jobs (Abroad) Before I jump into the meat of this article, here are two comments: 1) This isn’t an article about the merits or evils of outsourcing. Instead, here is my opinion on that debate: It’s a world economy now; stop whining and deal with it. 2) For the record, I have five people who “work” for me, for all or most of their income. The two people in the United States received 80% of the money I paid out. The three abroad, two in Romania and one in Russia, received 20% and did 100% of my programming, and probably 90% of the work (based on hours) of all five. If it weren’t for those three, the two here wouldn’t have jobs with me. So, here’s what this article is about. Shortly after I started my business, I found out that someone in our industry (whom I admire) had already started a similar project, with three times the funding and with a big company behind him. He paid his programmers $75 per hour, ran out of funding before finishing, and went out of business. I figured that there must Here’s the catch: You’ll mostly deal with programmers in India, Russia, Romania, and a lot of countries where English isn’t the primary language. 12 be someplace, similar to a job posting board, where programmers bid for jobs, and Google helped me find several of them. My programmers earn about $5 per hour, are happy to get that rate, and my project was completed on time, on budget, and I’m now successfully in business. Programming for less There are many of these programming posting boards. The biggest seems to be eLance, but I chose ScriptLance, which seemed to focus on the kind of small projects I needed. To date, I’ve done hundreds of small jobs, averaging $50 per job, with a few as inexpensive as $10 and a few as expensive as $1,000. Basically, ScriptLance operates as a reverse version of an eBay auction. On eBay, you put your ‘tchotchky’ (Pez container or whatever) up for sale, bidders see each successive bid, and the price bids up until someone buys it. On ScriptLance, you put your job specifications up, and each successive bidder (usually) bids lower, until you see a bid you like and choose it, ending the bidding. Like eBay, there is a “rating” system for both the programmers and Webmasters (you don’t have to actually be a Webmaster to put a job up for bid). At the end of each project, both programmer and Webmaster are asked to rate each other on a scale of 1 to10, and write some comments. Before choosing a programmer, you can see how many jobs he has done (or they; many are teams), what type, and how others have rated him. Similarly, one look at my ratings — a perfect series of 10s, TAARReport • May 2004 with comments like “Great to work for, pays quickly, great communication” — and programmers are happy to bid for my work. You open an account on ScriptLance by depositing money using a credit card, PayPal, or sending a check. The cost to post a job is a flat $5 (charged only if/when you choose a programmer for the job), and the programmer is charged a small fee on his end when he gets paid (in his local currency). There is also an escrow system available, since most programmers don’t know the Webmasters, and might worry about getting paid. Because of my high rating, I’ve only been asked once to escrow the funds, and I did. The catch? Here’s the catch: You’ll mostly deal with programmers in India, Russia, Romania, and a lot of countries where English isn’t the primary language. It is critical that you write absolutely clear specifications, and have the patience to explain things (such as what a ZIP code is, or that some of them have leading zeroes) that they might not know. I recommend that you actually create the specifications in a word processor and review it several times before pasting it into the job entry form. Soon after posting the job, bids will start coming in. Although a posting can last a week, I usually pick someone within 8 - 12 hours, often within minutes. That “freezes” the project, the programmer gets notified that he has been chosen, and “accepts” the job. Then, ScriptLance notifies each of the other’s e-mail address. Invariably, the programmers have Instant Messenger, but I don’t like IM so I deal only with e-mail. Only twice have I had programmers in North America (one in Minneapolis, one in Toronto) where I could call, but 99% of my jobs have been done in India, Russia, Romania, or New Zealand. Over the last two years, I’ve developed relationships with three programmers who www.taarreport.com Programming Boards: www.scriptlance.com www.elance.com www.projectspring.com www.allfreelance.com www.freelanceworkexchange.com have learned to do my jobs the way I want them. Now, I send the jobs directly to them, but still pay them through ScriptLance. Since they know what to do, I can just send them the barebones information, and they do it. Two of them make their primary living working for me. Here is a simple example of how I use ScriptLance. A customer sent me an HTML page that was centered (appropriate for the Web) and I needed to left-justify it for e-mail. I couldn’t do it, to save my soul, even though justification is usually just a single mouse click. After wasting 45 minutes, I slapped myself on the forehead and went to ScriptLance. I put a copy of the file on my Web site, posted a job with the link and a request for someone to left-justify the file, looked at the clock, and went to do my e-mail. Eleven minutes later I checked, and there were four bids, starting at $30 and two of which were for $10. One said, “I’ve done the work. Send me $10 and I’ll send you the corrected file.” I chose him, and five minutes later had the fixed file. I’ve since sent him — a young programmer in India — several other HTML jobs. It is a brave new world, folks, but the economic law that says “the low-cost provider always wins” still applies. Judicious use of outsourcing can help you be a low-cost operation. ◆ G. Barry Klein is a former insurance agent who maintains the www.ultimateinsurancelinks.com Web site as an industry service. He can be reached at [email protected] 13 Work.Flow by Laura Nettles Information Management Part 2: Electronic Filing Options Editor’s note: Part 1 of this series, Building A Firm Foundation, appeared in last month’s issue. These articles summarize the Best Practices Guide to Information Management developed by Laura Nettles with The Agent’s Council for Technology (ACT) and the IIABA Council for Best Practices. Sometimes I miss the good old days — when you were only a phone call away. Documentation was simple. We talked and confirmed things in writing. I had a simple three-part form that I used to summarize conversations. The original went to the customer, underwriter, or agent. The yellow copy went into my file. And I had an extra pink copy for suspense. Things were simple then. That was then. This is now… This is the Information Age. Information is coming from everywhere at lightning speed. We get e-mail, voice mail, and snail mail. We talk via cell phones, chat rooms, and Web conferences. We send documents electronically as PDFs, JPGs, and TIFs. Sometimes we don’t even send the document at all — we just send a link. It’s amazing and, if you’re in charge of quality management, very scary. There are a variety of options available to assist agencies in moving towards a more sophisticated electronic filing structure. These include transactional filing, scanning or a combination of these. Also, the agency management system typically offers a variety of features to assist the agency in storing infor- 14 mation electronically. These features typically come in the form of attachments for e-mails, Word documents, and spreadsheets. In this article, we will review the different electronic filing options that are available to most agencies today, without having to purchase additional software solutions. The following solutions are designed to give agencies the biggest bang for their technology dollars and to prepare agencies for more sophisticated document management software programs. Types of files In the world of electronic information management, there are many places you can store information. Agency management system vendors originally delivered systems designed for accounting and databases. Now, vendor systems have evolved and offer a variety of options for storing information about your clients. Let’s define “information.” Information is anything about your clients that you wish to retrieve at a later date or need to store to avoid E&O. This includes all communications with your clients and carriers regardless of the media — phone, fax, paper or e-mail. Information includes data, correspondence, meeting notes, and all supporting documentation for routine insurance transactions (certificates, endorsements, renewals, claims, etc.). We all know that in insurance, this can represent a boatload of information. Let’s review the different options available. TAARReport • May 2004 Pros Cons Provides access to all client information in one place. Has the potential to eliminate paper. Agency management system may limit the types of files that can be attached. Capability is needed to attach .pdf, .jpg, .html, .tif, Word, and Excel. Organizes incoming e-mail, attachments, and e-faxes simplifying retrieval events. Some systems do not have adequate coding available for organizing documents. They may not be sophisticated enough for larger, more complex clients. Feature already exists and is therefore not costly to implement. Attachment workflow may be cumbersome. Figure 1: Things to consider when evaluating attachment features. Attachment features These features are available on your agency management system. They include the ability to attach incoming and outgoing e-mails and e-faxes, Word documents, and spreadsheets. Some systems make the attachment part of an activity while others make the attachment part of the client. Usually, the attachment can be related to a specific policy. Most vendor systems today also offer electronic storage for outbound correspondence. Typically, this feature is available via a Word integration feature. This means the data from the agency management system prefills Word documents (typically schedules and proposals). These documents can be edited and stored as attachments. See Figure 1 for considerations when evaluating attachment features. From an E&O perspective, it’s important to note whether or not attached documents may be locked from editing. On some systems, attached documents can be edited. Also, keep in mind attached documents will have to be preserved as your system is Pros Cons Most of insurance processes can be completed without pulling a paper file. It takes a fraction of the time to get the information out of the computer than to get it out of (and return it to) the paper file. Not effective if computer does not contain all information about a client. Retrieval of paper on a regular basis is cumbersome. May not be the best solution for complex commercial accounts. Drastically improves database integrity because staff is forced to rely on computer. Recreating a client file for legal proceeding can be cumbersome. Improves the quality of customer service by providing fast access to client information online. No more pulling files. No more misplaced files. Does not allow for electronic correspondence. Assumes all transactions are paper. Figure 2: Things to consider when evaluating transactional filing. www.taarreport.com 15 Pros Cons Improves the quality of customer service by providing fast access to client information and supporting documentation online. Does not allow for electronic correspondence. Addresses only paper transactions as scanned transactions. Eliminates need for costly filing cabinets. Also reduces floor space requirements. May be difficult to implement if agency has remote offices. Document imaging features can provide for electronic submissions eliminating costly preparation and mailing costs. Lack of coding options may make it difficult to implement for complex commercial accounts. Facilitates sharing of documents. Variety of implementation options requires a lot of pre-planning. Figure 3: Things to consider when evaluating imaging solutions. upgraded or enhanced. Once you begin using the attachment features, it will be difficult to switch agency management systems. Transactional filing This revolutionary idea came into being in the mid 1980s as a result of the implementation of agency management systems and key features such as download and database. The concept was based on the idea that once a piece of paper is processed on the computer, it should not need to be retrieved. Therefore, the paper is filed by date processed instead of by client. See Figure 2 for considerations when evaluating transactional filing. From an E&O perspective, document retrieval is difficult to control in a transactional filing environment. Paper documents retrieved may not get filed in the correct place. Electronic documents may require opening each document to locate the correct document. Also, many agencies maintain original policies for “occurrence” policies. In a traditional filing system, these policies are pulled when achieved. In a transactional filing environment, the archive process is eliminated. Document imaging Document imaging, sometimes referred to 16 as scanning, offered the promise of a paperless office. However, document imaging is simply just another filing option. It is an important option and offers many benefits. However, document imaging alone will not result in a paperless office. Implemented properly, document imaging facilitates the retrieval of paper documents. Instead of filing paper transactionally by date or by client, the paper is scanned. See Figure 3 for considerations when evaluating imaging solutions. Security is usually solid on scanned images — they cannot be edited. However, legal precedent for accepting scanned images as originals is still unclear. Electronic filing options offer many benefits, but they fall short in many areas. The most important advice is know what you have and use it appropriately. Keep filing and stay tuned. ◆ Laura Nettles is on a mission to maximize independent agency performance. She believes that without proper implementation and workflow planning, an agency will never reap the full benefits of technology. Nettles is a member of the TAAR Network and can be reached at [email protected] TAARReport • May 2004 www.taarreport.com Resources Vendor Contacts AMS Services, Inc. 800.444.4813 • Windsor, CT www.ams-services.com Applied Systems, Inc. 800.999.5368 • University Park, IL www.appliedsystems.com Ebix, Inc. 800.433.5744 • Atlanta, GA www.ebix.com DORIS Insurance Systems 800.282.3394 • Alpharetta, GA www.dorissystems.com InStar Corporation 800.736.1425 • Kennewick, WA www.instarcorp.com irs-aims 800.876.1466 • Universal City, TX www.irsaims.com Keal Technology 800.268.5325 • Concord, ON www.keal.com MI-Assistant 800.755.2329 • Eleva, WI www.mi-assistant.com Strategic Insurance Software, Inc. 800.747.7005 • Gahanna, OH www.sisware.com Terrace Consulting, Inc. (888) 269-6200 • Oakland, CA www.terrace.com VRC Insurance Systems, Inc. 818.707.4295 • Westlake Village, CA www.vrcis.com XDimensional Technologies, Inc. 800.789.2567 • Brea, CA www.xdti.com Association Contacts Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA) 800.221.7917 • Alexandria, VA www.independentagent.com Professional Insurance Agents (PIA) 800.742.6900 • Alexandria, VA www.pianet.com www.taarreport.com ACORD 800.444.3341 • Pearl River, NY www.acord.org IVANS, Inc. 800.288.4826 • Greenwich, CT www.ivans.com CSIO – The Centre for Study of Insurance Operations 416.360.1773 • Toronto, ON www.csio.com AIMS Users Group, Inc. (irs-aims) Mark Willingham, President TEL 915.365.2516 • FAX 915.365.3667 www.irsaims.com VIP-VRC’s Insurance Partners (VRC) Bob Pachner, President TEL 212.338.2526 • FAX 212.682.3299 www.vrcis.com The TAAR Network… User Group Contacts AMS Users’ Group (AMS) Susanne Ruffner, Executive Director TEL 972.929.8803 • FAX 972.915.2863 www.amsug.org Applied Systems Client Network (Applied Systems) Bill Jenkins, Executive Director TEL 407.869.0404 • FAX 407.869.0418 www.ascnet.org Ebix Users Association (EUA) (Ebix, Inc.) Debbie Hawkins, West Coast, Co-Director TEL 805.529.1165 • FAX 805.529.1916 Kathy Ginkel, East Coast, Co-Director TEL 407.932.0084 • FAX 407.932.0089 www.eua.org ANeU (Affiliated Network of Ebix Users) Kitty Ambers, Executive Director TEL 804.674.4899 • FAX 804.276.1300 www.ebixusergroup.com DORIS User Group (DORIS) Oscar Page, President TEL 937.461.5563 • FAX 937.461.7592 www.dorissystems.com InStar Users Group (InStar) Kathy Ginkel, Co-Director, East Coast TEL 407.933.7879 • FAX 407.932.0089 Debbie Hawkins, Co-Director, West Coast TEL 805.529.4313 • FAX 805.529.1821 www.instarusers.org consists of insurance and business professionals with a wide range of talent and expertise. The following individuals are available for consulting, training, and speaking: Steve Anderson [email protected] • technology audits • rent-a-CIO • imaging technology Nettles Consulting Network [email protected] • workflow consulting • automation implementation • managing change Mark Parrish [email protected] • automation selection • LANs and peripherals • internal systems, operations Michael J. Weinberg [email protected] • marketing and sales • agency management • incentive-based compensation Tim Woods [email protected] • custom Internet development • application software development • Internet business consulting MI Management System Resource Group (MI-Assistant) Dave Deetz, Resource Group Director TEL 715.287.4262 www.mi-assistant.com For more information about the TAAR Network or referral to specific members, contact… National Association of S.I.S. Partner Agents, Inc. (NASPA) Craig A. Munson, CIC, President TEL 815.756.8565 • FAX 815.756.1936 www.partneragents.com The Automated Agency Report, Inc. PO Box 6218 Broomfield, CO 80021-6218 TEL 303.404.0457 FAX 720.294.9797 [email protected] 17 TAAR Confidential We launched TAAR Confidential a couple of years ago as an additional subscriber benefit. Since that time, it has been delivered as a monthly e-mail. However, due to the increase in junk e-mail everyone is receiving and the difficulty in keeping subscribers’ e-mail addresses current, we have decided to change the format. TAAR Confidential will now be available at any time on the subscriber-only section of the TAAR Web site (www.taarreport.com). To access it, simply log onto the site, click Online Community on the home page and then Confidential. New material will be posted on an ongoing basis and will include random rants, musings, observations, reviews, comments, and recommendations on things, mostly technology related. I will also share what I am reading, the new toys I am playing with, what I am thinking or writing about, where I am speaking or traveling to, and whatever miscellaneous projects I may or may not be working on. ◆ Mark July 18 to 21, 2004, on Your Calendar Today! Steve Anderson invites you to: HIGH-TECC 2004 is the best place to learn what “Embrace the Future” at HIGH-TECC 2004, July 18-21 in Vail, Colorado …the industry’s most unique event for agency and company insurance professionals. Check it out at . . . www.taarreport.com Early Registration Savings FOUR EASY WAYS TO REGISTER ➢ Phone 303.404.0457 you need to know to take charge of your organization’s technology future. “HIGH-TECC provides a great opportunity to learn about the latest agency technology developments and to have the chance to share experiences with fellow agents and company and industry representatives.” Jeff Yates, Executive Director, IIABA’s Agents Council for Technology (ACT) Mail PO Box 6218 Broomfield, CO 80021-6218 FAX 720.294.9797 Online www.taarreport.com Name ____________________________________________________________________ TEL ____________________________________________________ Company ________________________________________________________________ FAX ____________________________________________________ Address __________________________________________________________________ E-Mail __________________________________________________ City/State/ZIP ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Will you be bringing your spouse/significant other and/or family members? (Additional meal and activity tickets will be available at registration) ______________________________________________________________________ Registration Fee: includes conference-sponsored meals (Sunday reception & Tuesday dinner, all breakfasts and lunches), breaks, and materials. ■ Before May 14 1st Registration $635 Add’l Registration $585 ■ After May 14 1st Registration $735 Add’l Registration $685 Note: Camp registration fees do not include hotel accommodations. Remember, you can register online using our secure Web site by going to www.taarreport.com Payment Method: ■ Check/MO ■ Bill me ■ Credit Card HIGH-TECC registrations may be canceled until midnight, July 1, 2004. A $100 service fee will be assessed. After July 1, 2004, no registration fee refunds. Send to: The Automated Agency Report, Inc. PO Box 6218 • Broomfield, CO 80021-6218 TEL 303.404.0457 • FAX 720.294.9797 • www.taarreport.com 18 TAAR504 TAARReport • May 2004 Bits&Bytes by Steve Anderson Laptop Theft Puts Customer Data at Risk Cyber Security Tools for Businesses A division of GMAC Financial Services has been quietly informing about 200,000 of its customers that their personal data may have been compromised due to the theft of two laptop computers from an employee’s car at a regional office near Atlanta. GMAC Insurance sent a letter to customers affected by the theft telling them that a “random theft” of the laptops from a locked vehicle may have left them vulnerable to identify theft. The letter says the stolen laptops contained customers’ names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, credit scores, marital status, and gender. GMAC recommended that the customers place a fraud alert on their credit files. The company is reviewing its policies in light of this incident. GMAC Insurance now prohibits employees from transporting “certain types of information” on laptops and is evaluating new encryption technologies, among other approaches. Data on the stolen laptops was password-protected but not encrypted and was being used for a market research project. This is just the latest in a series of incidents that have put personal data at risk. In recent weeks, Citibank Japan, H&R Block, BJ’s Wholesale Club, and a Utah accounting firm have had data lost or stolen — data that could be exploited by identity thieves. The FTC estimates that identity theft cost businesses $33 billion in 2002. Under a law passed last year in California, companies doing business in that state are required to notify any customers who are state residents of any improper release of their personal data. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, DCalif., has introduced a similar bill at the federal level. Make sure you take steps to protect client information contained on laptops or any other devices that are carried outside the office. The National Cyber Security Partnership Task Force is a coalition of private and public organizations that promotes a comprehensive national awareness program to help all Americans — businesses, workforces, and the general population — to secure their own parts of cyberspace (see www.cyberpartnership.org). In support of that mission, nuServe has created a free cyber risk-profiling software suite for small and medium-size businesses with small or no IT departments. The software suite, called Cyber RiskProfiler™, takes the business through a series of questions that will help determine how well they are dealing with cyber security issues within their organization. Try out the survey by visiting https://www1.nuserve.com/ nuserve/cybercustLogin.jsp. Afni Insurance Services Introduces New Web Engine Module Afni Insurance Services has added a new Forms Designer module to enhance their existing AIS WebEngine™. This new module enables an agency to create forms for their Web site. Using the Web-based Forms Designer, users can create fields, tables, and columns and replicate the look of actual forms and renewal questionnaires. The forms module is designed to be simple to use and easy to learn. Love, Douglas & Pope, a Georgia-based agency, added new functionality to their Web site by adding a claims form that is sent directly to the claims representative, as well as a franchise application that streamlines the process of applying for franchise insurance (one of their niche markets). The AIS WebEngine allows an agency to update its Web site without having to learn a programming language. ARIAS Changes Name and Logo The Association of Redshaw Insurance Agency Systems users (ARIAS), an agency management system user group founded over 25 years ago to support the interests of Redshaw system users, unveiled both a new name — Affiliated Network of Ebix Users (ANeU) — and logo. ANeU will continue to provide information, education, and support to the Ebix, Inc. family of users, which will now include EbixELITE, EbixONE, and EbixASP. ANeU’s mission is to serve as a national organization dedicated to providing system-specific education, general technology information, and ongoing support of the interests of Ebix users. Their new Web site is www.ebixusergroup.com. www.taarreport.com 19 Page from the Past That Was Then, This is Now… Eleven years ago, TAARReport featured a column that warned agencies that the potential for errors increases when more people have more access to more automation. In other words, although technology brings speed, convenience, versatility, and productivity, it can also become the breeding ground for problems. “Not so long ago, before the days of a PC on every desk, the office information production process was simpler — primarily because it was limited to only a few people,” wrote TAAR. “Much like the scribes of ancient times who were skilled in writing, the 20th century secretary possessed the unique ability to produce written information, a task made more efficient with typewriters and word processors.” In the “old” days, said TAAR, errors could easily be traced to a few people. In today’s world, where everyone has access to the same technology tools, the potential for human error has increased and is less easily traceable, thus making it ever more important to implement workflows, processes, and procedures in your agency. “Information production is often taken for granted because it is such a routine office activity,” concluded TAAR. “Yet, as more people have more access to more technology it will become increasingly important to view information production as a distinct activity to be managed. Successful service businesses become and stay successful through well-conceived and well-managed information production practices.” ◆ PERIODICALS PO Box 6218 Broomfield, CO 80021
© Copyright 2024