Providing clients with on-demand policy and account access iskey to providing customers the kind of 24/7 service they have cometo expect in this age of electronic connectivity.

By creating such an online connection with both personal andcommercial policyholders, agents can boost customer satisfaction aswell as client retention, resulting in higher profits for theagency.

For example, an independentagency in Arizona lets customers tend to their insurance businesson their own schedules. By not restricting insureds to the ninehours when the agency's doors are open, the Arizona Group offers alevel of customer service that says, "You deserve to manage yourinsurance affairs whenever it's convenient for you."

Account Manager Carrie Brown of the Gilbert, Ariz.-based agencysays the online, round-the-clock services it has provided since2005 differentiate it from other agencies. Insureds can issue theirown certificates of insurance and auto ID cards and can viewpolicies and coverages. It saves time for both the insured and theagency. She calls it a win-win.

The online portal, of course, does not replace all servicesdelivered by the agency—just those that can easily and efficientlybe handled on a self-service basis. 

SELF-SERVICE=SAVINGS

By providing on-demand access to insureds' own policyinformation, agents turn their websites into effective, secure,self-service options where insureds can find answers to simplequestions such as "What is my deductible?"

The time savings resulting from online service allows foragencies to increase internal efficiencies and spend more timeproviding clients with high-end consultation and supportservices.

Dean D'Camera of D'Camera Group in Annapolis, Md., says hisagency's value proposition includes "empowering businesses."

He says one way the agency does this is by showing clients thebenefits of working with an online customer-service tool. Theagency demonstrates how the tool empowers them to manage numerousaspects of their insurance needs, such as real-time certificateissuance, replacement auto ID cards or managing auto fleets.

D'Camera says clients appreciate the tool and self-serve morethan 90 percent of their certificates of insurance.

He says the economic benefits to the agency are significant asit can redirect its resources to proactively work with its clientsto meaningfully impact their businesses.

BETTER BUSINESS CONTINUITY

During severe weather and other disaster situations, manyclients require immediate service from their agents. If agents fallshort of providing effective service when clients need them most,they could lose business. Those who go above and beyond win clientloyalty and renewed business.

On Dec. 27, 2010, Massachusetts was socked with its firstblizzard since 2005. Gov. Deval Patrick declared a state ofemergency, and state police urged everybody to stay off the roads.Hurricane-strength winds ravaged the coastal areas, and 60,000residences and businesses across the state were without power.

Among those affected was Smith Buckley & Hunt Insurance inBrockton, Mass. Colette Revan, the agency's business and systemsmanager, says that for several days the agency had no power becauseof the blizzard. But her agency was equipped with an online portalthat allowed staff to continue providing immediate service tocustomers from remote locations.

In addition, because the online portal maintains active policydata, call-center representatives had access to the same policyinformation.

VALUE-ADDED SERVICES

Online customer service also enables agents to providevalue-added services. For example, New York brokerage Dewitt Stern,which services clients in a variety of commercial arenas, includingreal estate, fine arts, contracting and entertainment, providesclients with a secure client portal connected to the brokeragewebsite.

The firm can load a client's documents right to the portal,eliminating the need for a third-party document-storage provider.Mike Bostley, vice president of IT at the firm, says it saves theagency thousands of dollars a year.

Bostley says the features available to the portal are a greatvalue-added service, providing clients a one-stop service areaonline with cutting-edge online tools.