https://completemarkets.com/Article/article-post/1859/AUTOMATION-INFORMATION-SYSTEMS-MANAGEMENT/
... of agency information systems has shown, the responsibilities of managing these systems has grown exponentially. However, despite the importance of A/ISystems to independent agencies, too many principals commit too few resources (in time, people, or money) to selecting a manager for their systems. The prevailing attitude seems to be stuck in Accounting 101: Since everybody uses the system to invoice, let the bookkeeper manage it. Because the bookkeeper would prefer to balance debits and credits, it's small wonder that their standard response to an agency principal's latest and greatest new idea about how to use the A/ISystem is: It can't do that. This is no indictment of capable, hardworking bookkeepers. But the fact remains that making the bookkeeper responsible for the agency's automation is often a short-sighted and inappropriate decision ... system coordinators? The best way to answer these questions is to look at various agency activities to see how they are affected by your computer or Automation/Information System (A /ISystem) . The A/ISystem forms the heart, if not the soul, of your agency. If you disagree, unplug your system for just one day and watch what happens. You'll see: No claims service No policyholder service No renewals or new business proposals No company communication No accounting activity However, you finally will be able to read that stack of circular file material that's been composting on your desk for the last month or so. Accounting: Mining Invoices The first systems, if they could be called systems, required only a basic knowledge of agency accounting (and the vendor's phone number, if ...
https://completemarkets.com/Article/article-post/1045/ESTABLISH-AN-ORGANIZATIONAL-STRUCTURE/
... existing agency customers and other prospects. Many agencies use an insurance company representative in this position. The Sales Department Coordinator is a relatively new position in agencies. The coordinator's major functions include coordinating sales objectives, telemarketing for new clients, and narrating management reports. This person sometimes acts as the owner's secretary. OTHER AGENCY POSITIONS There are many other positions you may find in an agency, such as bookkeepers, word processing operators, receptionists . . . depending of course, on agency size. The point in organizing agency personnel along these lines is to free your staff of distractions to concentrate fully on particular clients. After all, the organizational flow is a key element in the success or failure of the agency. Login or Register (for FREE) to gain access to thousands of other great ... x No Thanks Loading.. Establish An Organizational Structure 4/30/2013 by CompleteMarkets Editor , Gary Holgate This content has not been rated yet. ESTABLISH AN ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE by Gary Holgate When analyzing the organizational structure of an independent insurance agency, you will find that there are four different general functions performed: 1) Sales 2) Service 3) Paperwork 4) Management Before going into a detailed definition of each, let's discuss the types of contact that an agency has with existing and prospective customers. TYPE OF CUSTOMER CONTACT When I first began analyzing agencies in the late 1960s, I quickly learned that an agency has two basic types of contact with existing and prospective customers: Demand Contact Public-Relations Contact Demand contact' with a customer occurs when an existing customer contacts the agency and, upon ...
https://completemarkets.com/Article/article-post/1702/WORK-FLOW-PROCEDURES-MANUAL-COMMERCIAL-AUDIT-PROCEDURE/
... yet. COMMERCIAL INSURANCE AUDIT PROCEDURE In most agencies, audits are processed much like all other types of mail. Because of the adverse financial impact that an audit can have upon an agency, it is our opinion that a specialized processing take place. Unlike other company billings that are normally controlled by the CSR/Marketer, it is our feeling that the audits be under the direct supervision of the bookkeeper or financial manager. 1. All audits when, received by the Financial Manager/Bookkeeper are logged in on Form audit.frm 2. Financial Manager/Bookkeeper establishes a follow up date 5 days prior to the date that an audit can be returned to the company for direct collection. 3. Financial Manager/Bookkeeper notes on the agency copy of the audit the follow up date and forwards the ... Manager/Bookkeeper that they will guarantee the audit premium and to allow the cut-off date to pass Login or Register (for FREE) to gain access to thousands of other great articles. Need more reasons to join? Need insurance for you, your business or your family? Get quality appointments - Save yourself a whole lot of time & money when you use our directory of carriers, wholesalers and service providers. Negotiate lucrative contracts with carriers and wholesalers. Net result. More revenue for your agency! Clients & Prospects will research you, your co-workers and your agency here. The most comprehensive online insurance industry reference library for - Personal Lines Professionals Commercial Lines Professionals Life/Health & Benefits Professionals Online newsletters and content that you can use for your clients and social media efforts. Ability to attach ...
https://completemarkets.com/Article/article-post/995/Personal-Lines-Profit-ThereS-More-Than-One-Way-To-Do-It/
...e type of products, pricing, and services that agencies need to handle persona...
https://completemarkets.com/Article/article-post/2265/THE-NEXT-GENERATION-OF-INSURANCE-AGENCIES/
...rocesses that deliver goods and services to the customer. When we practice t...
https://completemarkets.com/Article/article-post/204/Working-Your-Plan-For-Renewals/
... transaction plan is of paramount importance. Planning your work then working your plan helps you accomplish more in a day. A solid renewal control process will help you control your work rather than it controlling you! Here are some recommended steps for implementing a comprehensive renewal flow plan: RENEWALS 1) Get the renewal control list. This list should be prepared from the information contained in invoices. The agency's bookkeeper or accounting personnel can prepare this report three to four months in advance of the renewal month. The list should be produced by date and in alphabetical order. If you work in a team, the list can be generated by producer code and in chronological order. 2) Update. Review the list and make direct notations on it with information about modified expiration dates, coverage types, and ... renew as is' with your initials written on the copy of a declarations page were acceptable directives for a company underwriter? Those were the days, my friend and, alas, they have come to an end. The renewal process has become far more complex. Without a solid plan of action with specifically defined mechanisms, renewals can easily take control of a CSR's time. When this happens, service suffers. True risk management - providing total financial protection for clients - requires time and careful attention to details. This sort of quality care leads to excellent retention rates. You've heard it before: It costs far less to keep an existing account than it costs to get a new one. So, implementing a careful renewal transaction plan is of paramount importance. Planning your work then working your ...
https://completemarkets.com/Article/article-post/951/PROFIT-CENTER-APPROACH-TO-SALES/
...ncies using accounting firm for bookkeeping or batch processing. ...ctor. Outside services-Allocate directly or use commissi...
https://completemarkets.com/Article/article-post/724/Why-Good-CSRs-Leave-%E2%80%94-And-How-To-Retain-Them/
...other agency positions, such as bookkeeping, claims, marketing, etc.
CSR CARE...
https://completemarkets.com/Article/article-post/1067/HARDENING-P-C-MARKET-SHOULDN%E2%80%99T-STOP-GROWTH-IN-LIFE-HEALTH-SALES/
...d Health insurance and financial services to their P/C clients, they don’...
https://completemarkets.com/Article/article-post/1858/System-Utilization-Your-Return-on-Investment/
... ? You probably know the Return on Investment (ROI) on your last stock or mutual fund, but what about the ROI on your AMS? Does it really matter? Many agents don't know the answer to these questions; in many cases, they've never given it any thought. They dutifully bought a system because it was the right thing to do. Then they immediately turned it over to their bookkeeper or accounting department (since computers were for number crunchers') and blissfully went about the business of selling and servicing. Today, most agencies have a comprehensive automation system. They also have a high degree of automation knowledge, but are still not what you would call techies. For the most part, they have no idea if they're using their system to anywhere near its full capability. The ... Management System Utilization Survey that follows will allow you to measure your system usage and then take action to improve it. Although neither a complete survey of every possible function in every major agency management system, nor a measure of every type of software available to agents and brokers, the survey will open your eyes to forgotten uses of your AMS. Take the time now to print and complete this survey. Measuring your agency utilization is the first step toward improving it. The test can be completed in a few hours. Once you have completed and scored it, your strengths and weaknesses will be apparent. Several key people in your agency should complete their own copies of the survey, and then compare their answers to get an accurate overall picture. &# 160AGENCY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM UTILIZATION SURVEY DIRECTIONS: ...