Editor's note: AaronWeiss, Director of Marketing, LaserJet and Enterprise Solutions,HP.

The customer experience could be called the next majorbattleground in business.

While improving customer interactions could have an outsizedpositive effect with respect to customer retention, a failure to docould lead to a large number dissatisfied customers talking abouttheir negative experiences.

Such trends appear to have been largely ignored: more than halfof salespeople find themselves unprepared for client meetings,according a recent IDG Knowledge Hub survey of over 200 techbuyers, an alarming indicator that client relations are not alwaysa top priority in complex sales.

Insurance agents are particularly affected by their customers'opinions because insurance can be an emotional purchase. Customerstend to expect follow up and a working relationship, yet manyinsurance agents fail to deploy those simple experience-enhancingtactics. In fact, a study from Insure.com found that insurancecustomers often complain that they haven't heard from their agentsince purchasing their policy.

Organizations and individuals can gain a major competitiveadvantage by treating their customers well, and in thehighly-personalized world of insurance, arming agents with theproper technology is the first step to providing top-flightcustomer service. Click "next" to read the top three ways thatinsurance agents should utilize technology to increase clientsatisfaction.

Transfer Traditional Files to theCloud

Today's customers have high expectations, meaning that basiclevels of customer service aren't appreciated; they're expected.The first step to improving the customers' experience is to lookinward. An organization should start by upgrading itsdocument-management system from file cabinets to the cloud to makeit more nimble and flexible.

When an agent has the ability to access the organization'sentire database of customer information from any device with anInternet connection, he/she is better equipped to meet withcustomers on their terms without scrambling to locate the correctforms or documents. With the entirety of an organizations customerdata at their fingertips, insurance professionals will no longerneed to fear grabbing the wrong file or sharing outdated customerinformation.

Beyond providing quick and secure access to customer data,shifting files to the cloud can save an agency or branch locationspace and money while adding an additional layer of encryption,backup and security to customer data, not to mention the advantagesof finding files more quickly with features like full text search.Storing paper files in traditional filing cabinets can beshockingly expensive: the average annual cost of storing thosefiles in a five-drawer filing cabinet is more than$2,000. Many offices would benefit from removing file cabinetsaltogether and using the money they save to improve their space andcreate a more welcoming environment for customers.

The process for transferring an office's paper files to thecloud has never been easier thanks to the wide availability ofhigh-quality scanners and multifunction printers (MFPs). Aninsurance organization should look to upgrade its imaging equipmentto scan and organize its documents simultaneously while opticalcharacter recognition (OCR) software indexes text from the files tobe searched in the future. Integrating the right imaging devicesand software solutions can convert an office's filing cabinets intoa much cheaper and more efficient database of information.

Invest in Mobile Technology

After modernizing filing systems, insurance organizations shouldconsider updating the way they interface with customers byimproving the technology used during meetings. Now that theorganization's files are accessible through the cloud, individualagents can ditch overstuffed briefcases for a tablet or notebookPC. Because much of a broker's time can be spent out of the officemeeting with clients, a mobile device is another worthwhileinvestment that can also serve as a lifeline to customer data.

Cloud-based filing systems, which can be easily accessed througha smartphone or tablet app, give agents the ability to quicklyreference customer information in the event of an unscheduledmeeting. With good document-management software, insuranceprofessionals won't have to worry about duplicating documents orfinding the most up to date file—their addendums will alwaysdisplay the most current version, along with any information addedby other team members.

In addition to adopting mobile tactics like tablets and thecloud, to keep up with the growing mobile trend, it's important forbusinesses to consider adopting a mobile printing strategy thatmakes it convenient for employees to print needed content likecontracts, information sheets or professional-quality brochureswhen necessary.

In fact, according to a recent report from InfoTrends, nearly 50percent of businesses in the U.S. already are planning to addprinting capabilities for mobile workers. Not only does a mobiledevice allow insurance professionals to update customer informationin real time, but with the introduction of mobile printing devicesand software, they can now print directly from a tablet orsmartphone while on the go. In addition, with new touch-to-printnear field communication (NFC) capabilities, anyone in the officecan print quickly and easily, increasing productivity andefficiency.

Use Software to Communicate MoreEffectively

Skills like learning to manage time and expectations can help toan extent, but a dedicated agent should look for other tools to goabove and beyond for their customers. Written communication withcustomers has become more important than ever, but the days of "ToWhom It May Concern" letters are over.

Invest in a software solution that will personalize each massemail or letter that is sent. Solutions exist that do much morethan insert a customer's name into their monthly statements—someeven allow users to pull specific data from each customer's historyand incorporate it into personal communications. Customerinformation can also be embedded in electronic communications,making emails more informative and engaging. Imagine how muchcustomer relationships would improve if more newsletters, emailsand statements were read.

All of these technological solutions should ultimately serve onepurpose: freeing agents up to better engage with customers. Everycustomer wants an insurance provider that identifies with them andhas their best interests at heart. It's no great secret that in theinsurance industry, a great customer relationships leads to a greatcustomer experience. Trust and mutual respect will go farther thanany extraneous benefits an insurance agent might provide, andintelligent investments in useful technology can help insuranceorganizations reach that point.