What doesn't run on technology these days? Not much — and the insurance industry is no exception.
With so many technological advances and systems on the market, things can get overwhelming quickly. Independent agents need to have a clear picture of their objectives, from marketing and customer relations to operation and workflow processes, to determine how best to use the available technology without it taking over.
We spoke to two agents — Ashley DeCarteret, president and owner of Harbor Brenn, and Luis Leal, owner of Leal Insurance Services — about how they approach technology use in their agencies.
Talk to Other Agents About How They're Using Tech
DeCarteret was an early adopter of technology in her agency, attending her first NetVU National Conference (now called Accelerate) when it was an agency management system (AMS) users group.
"I felt as if we were on top of our game, that we knew everything about the system, and I wasn't expecting to learn much at the conference," explains DeCarteret. But the unexpected happened, and she learned a lot about what the system could do that she was unaware of. "It was a true 'aha' moment."
DeCarteret quickly took this experience and became very active with NetVU and the network of users, taking classes, asking questions and collaborating with colleagues.
"The more I talk to others, the better my agency becomes," she says. She reaches out to colleagues about their use of technology for sales and pipeline management, including how they use software products like ClientCircle or AgencyZoom, which are customer relationship management (CRM) products that help grow an agency.
Try Out New Client Communication Strategies
"One of the biggest complaints from clients is that they don't feel they hear from the agency. We're using these systems to help us proactively communicate with them without it becoming too time-consuming," she says.
For example, DeCarteret reaches out to clients to review their coverages annually with ClientCircle, which helps automate the process and eliminates multiple human touchpoints.
DeCarteret is also interested in effectively using social media to communicate with clients and to attract and find new talent for the agency.
"At the most recent NetVU Spark Conference, we had many conversations about social media marketing, Human Resources and employee onboarding with other agencies. There are aspects of the technologies we use, but not necessarily to their fullest capabilities. We learned from other agencies how they optimize the system's capabilities and will implement what will work for us," she says.
Understand the Ins and Outs of Every Role in Your Agency
DeCarteret credits her understanding of workflow processes throughout her agency as a contributor to improving how everyone uses technology effectively.
"I've worked in almost every role in the agency, so I understand the different functions, how the processes should work and how each piece of the puzzle fits together," she explains.
DeCarteret feels that agencies too often attempt to make improvements using technology, but look at only the pieces they know and understand. If they don't consider the full scope of how a technology will impact other workflow processes, they can fail to foresee stumbling blocks that may occur.
"Until you fully understand how everything fits together and each role, you won't be able to make the necessary improvements and may make things worse with your technology choices."
Embrace Tech, But Don't Create Unnecessary Barriers
Leal, like DeCarteret, keeps his finger on the pulse on the latest in technology, and he feels it's important to have a nuanced approach to its use so that it doesn't create a barrier between the agency and its clients.
"For example, I use a CRM to reach customers on certain topics. However, there are times that I've already had a conversation with a customer about the same messaging or topic that the CRM is automatically generating, and I forget to disengage it, and this redundancy can be confusing. The customer will email or text me, 'We just talked about this the other day. Why am I getting this email?'" says Leal.
So, while automation is great, Leal feels it has its time and place. His focus is on how to continue to improve the overall client experience, and he is homing in on technology to enhance communication and remove barriers between the customer and his office.
"There's some technology we're removing because we realize that our customers aren't interested in it. It creates a barrier that just doesn't need to be there," he says.
Use AI to Simplify Insurance Speak
One recent example Leal identifies that helps communicate with clients is ChatGPT, as it can remove the "insurance-ese" out of insurance. Too often, he explains, we as an industry use terms like "'claimant" and "insured," and get caught up in policy language foreign to many clients instead of talking to them normally.
"One of my specialties is in insuring contractors. It's very easy for us as insurance agents to talk about things like General Liability insurance and premium audits with contractors. But what does that exactly mean? General Liability doesn't mean you are covered 'generally' for insurance. Many things aren't covered under a General Liability policy. Clients will also ask what exactly a premium audit is and how it works," he explains.
To help get ahead of these questions and break down what these terms mean, Leal uses ChatGPT to provide simplified explanations. AI technology enables you to ask a random question and provide an answer.
"If you don't understand the answer, just request a simplified version. For agents struggling for different ways to explain an answer to a question or translate insurance-ese to plain English, ChatGPT is a good resource," he says
Ultimately, it's all about balancing technology with what is best for your agency to find new customers and enhance communication with clients — without losing that personal touch.
