An insurance carrier, particularly one offering commercial lines, often finds itself in the publishing business. Like most large insurance companies, Firemans Fund has a wide variety of safety, regulatory, and training programs for its customers. The insurers old distribution system did not allow the company to monitor who received the materials or whether they were even received by the customer. We had quite a large operation printing and developing these programs, says Tom Alteri, director of product development for Firemans Fund, the Navato, Calif.-based carrier that is part of Allianz AG. Our distribution center sent the materials directly to our field consultants, who then delivered them to our customers. We had no reliable data indicating where, when, and to whom these materials were actually being delivered.

Firemans Fund researched some fulfillment houses in hopes of finding a solution to its distribution problems, but it was an association with interlinkONEs president and CEO, John P. Foley, Jr., that sealed the deal. Foley and Alteri were asked to make a joint presentation at a technology conference, and they ended up presenting a model for the solution Firemans Fund ultimately bought from interlinkONE.

The idea interlinkONE proposed was an Internet-based ordering system connected directly to the warehouse. Products would be shipped directly to the customers. The system would also be able to capture important information such as company name, contacts, products delivered, shipping data, and feedback. They designed a system specifically for our needs and made a proposal, Alteri says. They convinced us they could do it, and they sure enough did.

First interlinkONE started with a Web-based warehouse management system for Firemans Fund. We uploaded all our products into the system and trained our consultants on the new ordering methods, Alteri says. In addition, we converted most of our hard-copy printed materials to PDF files, which could then be delivered to the customers electronically. Printing, shipping, and handling costs were reduced dramaticallyand our customers received their information immediately.

After using the warehouse program for two years, Firemans Fund developed a marketing program around it called the iCustomer Series. interlinkONE developed Web site templates, a Web-based training system, and a new self-service customer library. The iCustomer Series includes CD-ROMs targeted at specific industries (hotel, retail, real estate, restaurant, warehouse, and manufacturing). Firemans Fund developed the CD-ROMs in-house, and they link the customers to Web sites developed and hosted by interlinkONE. They provided us with a template design that allows us to create and administer proprietary sites for each industry, Alteri says. Additional new portals can be created for industries as they are added.

The interlinkONE site operates on a Microsoft NT 2000 platform. Its Internet connection offers a customized firewall, a dedicated Ethernet segment, and 24/7 network monitoring.

Alteri is impressed with the products simplicity. Using the customer library on the portal sites, customers have the ability to search for and order products, he says. You select what materials you want, and once you complete your order, they are sent to you immediately.

The benefits appeared quickly. We saved probably four times our initial investment just in printing, shipping and storage costs over the first year, Alteri says. When Firemans Fund instituted the program, it knew it had inefficiencies in its warehouse program. Not only did we realize cost savings, we now provide superior customer service, he says.

Firemans Fund started out small with interlinkONE, but the relationship has prospered. We started with that little warehouse program, and now we have Web-based training and a customer library. We keep adding all the time. Its been a huge sales success for us, he says. The iCustomer Series can be reached through the Firemans Fund Web site, but it is password protected. interlinkONE built and hosts it, Alteri adds, and we did not have to tie up our own IT resources. Its made things a whole lot easier for us. Robert Regis Hyle

CaseFile

The Problem: Finding a way to track and distribute printed information to commercial lines customers.

The Company: Firemans Fund Insurance

lines: Business, personal lines

Web site: www.ffic.com

Net written premium: $4.8 billion

The Software: BRM suite of products

from interlinkONE

Web site: www.interlinkone.com

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