Organic growth, changing customer demand and competition are thetop factors driving independent agency and brokerage technologyinvestments, according to results from Applied Systems' Applied Net Technology Survey.

Taken from the responses of more than 100 insuranceprofessionals who attended Applied Net 2014 from Sept. 15-18 inOrlando, Fla., the survey reveals a growing appetite for advancedtechnology solutions to better meet the expectations formultichannel engagement, according to the software provider's CEO,Reid French.

"Digital technology is driving the fundamental and rapid shiftsin consumer behavior, and changing demographics—including theeconomic and professional arrival of the millennial generation—areonly accelerating this shift," French says.

Among the key survey findings:

Technology Investment Trends

1. Organic growth (55%), changing customer demand (54%), andcompetition (48%) are the top factors driving independent agencyand brokerage technology investments.

2. Agency or brokerage management system updates rank as the No. 1priority for three out of five respondents, followed by clientself-service (47%) and mobile technology (37%).

Growth and Productivity Gains

Forward-thinking agencies continually evaluate and evolve theiroperational processes, customer service models, products andservices to ensure productivity, client growth and overall businessprofitability, Applied Systems states. When consideringtechnologies that drive growth and productivity:

1. Standardized brokerage and agency management workflows deliverthe greatest value, according to nearly two-thirds of respondents(64%).

2. Client self-service offerings (44%), cloud technology (33%),mobile technology (32%) and business intelligence applications(27%) also are recognized as tech areas with potential for positiveimpacts on agencies and brokerages.

Focus on Business Intelligence Grows

1. A business-intelligence application delivers the most insightinto staff productivity, according to 58% of the respondents.

2. Nearly half (46%) of respondents say identifying opportunitiesfor growth also is a benefit of a business intelligenceapplication, followed by increasing staff productivity (23%).

"Data growth and availability continues at an exponential rate,which is creating a wealth of untapped information that can delivernew insights into business operations, potential new markets,client retention and business opportunities," says Michael Howe,senior vice president of product management at Applied Systems."These findings clearly demonstrate growing agency and brokerinterest in business intelligence applications to improve businessoperations and ensure the greatest level of staffproductivity."