COMMISSIONS VS. CONTINGENCIES by Chris Burand Do independent agents serve the insurance company or the consumer? One of the most perplexing aspects of the con...

COMMUNICATING WITH THE MEDIA by Sally Praskey 'Reporters are like alligators; you don't have to love them, but you DO have to feed them.' Steven Poole, director of corporate communications, ...

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: BOARD LESSONS by Jack Burke Are you getting involved in your community? Community involvement is essential for any successful business. Whether you champion ...

COMPASSION ON A COMPUTER by Jack Burke I frequently speak on the need to humanize our technology. Efficient processing cannot replace true customer care. All too often, we get caught up i...

COMPUTERIZED RECORDS: NEW E&O CONCERNS? Over the last few years, the Independent Agency System has focused on the role of automation in the agency and marketplace. Emphasis has been placed on adaptin...

Change — it’s inevitable. A recent article stated that “change is not progress; change is the price we pay for progress.” As consumers, we all want more, better, less costly stuff than we have today. As providers of products and services, we feel that we’re already doing more with less and shouldn’t be expected to sacrifice again. Maxine, the cartoon character, summed it up best when she said, “change is good, as long as I can do what I’ve always done.”

CONTINGENCY COMMISSIONS: A WIN-WIN PROPOSAL by Al Diamond This solution to the contingencies controversy benefits everybody in sight. In October 2004, New York Attorney-General E...

David and Goliath is no longer news. These days, all a boy needs to kill a big man is a gun instead of a sling and a rock. Similarly, technology has created a new world of competition. A David who understands technology can successfully compete against any corporate Goliath.

What you want will only get done if you make it an A+ priority. Jack Fries tells you how a business plan can reward you with survival, planned growth, and profit.

CUSTOMER LOYALTY AND RETENTION PRIMER by Lynn Thomas In todays highly competitive marketplace, customer retention is a critical success factor. IIAAs Best Practices lists i...