A property and casualty insurance industry initiative has beenlaunched nationwide to increase the use of real-time processing byindependent insurance agencies.

Real time is the ability to click on a button from a client filein the agency management system or comparative rater for immediateaccess to carrier information on that client. The system provides asingle workflow for servicing or quoting, the Real Time DownloadCampaign explained.

The effort, called the “21 Day Challenge,” is built on thebroadly accepted premise that it takes 21 days to break old habitsand form new ones.

In the case of insurance agencies, even if a new workflow savestime and reduces keystrokes–as real time has been found to do–ittakes some time for employees to become fully comfortable with newprocesses and to learn how to use them most efficiently, the groupsaid.

The initiative will give agencies step-by-step guidance in howto implement real-time processing and broaden its usage through aWeb site–www.getrealtime.org/21dc.

Agents will have options in taking the challenge, depending uponwhere the agency stands with the functionality.

The group said a “Champions Challenge” allows selected employeesto go through the challenge first and then bring it to the fullagency, where all employees take the challenge together.

If an agency needs to install real-time functionality in itsagency management system, they can click the button “New to RealTime” for a preliminary walk-through on getting started.

When agencies begin one of the challenges, they should registeron the site so campaign supporters can reach out to them to providesupport if needed, said campaign officials. Carriers and vendorsare ready to answer questions that may arise as individuals andagencies take the challenge.

The initiative was designed to recognize successful completionof the challenge when:

o Real time has become the predominant workflow for the agencywith those carriers and transactions where it is offered.

o The new workflow is having a positive impact on theagency.

Agencies will receive a certificate acknowledging theirsuccessful completion when they finish the full AgencyChallenge.

A webinar is scheduled for Jan. 27, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. EST,to showcase real-time functionality and to demonstrate the new “21Day Challenge” Web functionality.

National, state, local agent associations and user groupsseeking additional promotional help can go to https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/596616128or contact Dave Willis at [email protected] or (603)444-2225.