NU Online News Service, May 13, 10:21 a.m. EST

Improper managing of websites by insurers can negatively impact their companies, according to the head of a media consulting firm that has polled consumers on website usage.

That warning comes from Thomas Harpointer, chief executive of the Atlanta-based AIS Media firm, which found in a telephone media usage survey that 31 percent of those responding were dissatisfied with insurance website usability.

Mr. Harpointer said in an interview that his company's research has found that, "Consumers are embracing the Internet at a much faster pace than insurers."
Insurance firms, he noted may have a website, but simply sending consumers notice with a home page address is "inappropriate."

Everyone goes to a home page. It's like a lobby in a building it's not the actual destination. Simply advertising a home page confuses and frustrates consumers."

In addition he said that besides irking consumers simply advertising that a firm has a homepage does not allow the company to track specific results from a marketing piece.

How does one measure traffic from a direct mailing when it falls into all web traffic? He asked rhetorically. Companies, he advised, must set up a personalized URL that specifically provides information on an offer it has sent out.

That way a customer doesn't have to search or dig and it is a "more efficient use of marketing methods and time," he said.

"If a marketer can't effectively measure, how can they make marketing decisions?" he wondered. Mr. Harpointer said that wasted marketing money has a trickle-down effect that costs everybody involved with a company.

According to the executive, insurance companies are costing stockholders profits by not effectively leveraging interactive marketing and continuing to rely heavily on traditional marketing channels such as direct mail and telemarketing.

Amongst insurers, he said auto insurers are more advanced with website usage and their interactive marketing is far higher than those that write other lines.

Among the key findings that AIS listed from the survey performed by Strategic Vision LLC, was that when interested by an insurance offer that was mailed to them 59 percent of respondents said they preferred to visit a company website to obtain more information compared with 41 percent who would call the company.

When looking into insurance policy options 37.5 percent said they turned to friends and family, 32 percent said they used search engines 27.5 percent unspecified other means and 3 percent used Yellow pages.

Thirty-three percent said they would consider purchasing insurance online and the other two thirds said they would not.

Regarding satisfaction with insurance website usability, 5 percent said they were extremely satisfied, 14.5 percent were very satisfied, 49.5 percent somewhat satisfied, 26.5 percent somewhat dissatisfied, 3 percent very dissatisfied and 1.5 percent extremely dissatisfied.

Asked how they preferred to receive insurance offers, respondents said they liked a variety of sources with 68.5 percent mentioning print brochures, 54 percent a live salesperson, 41 percent electronic brochure, 40.5 percent by email, 22.5 percent via live online chat and 22 percent via telephone.

The factors that influence the insurance buying decisions of respondents were listed as industry ratings and reviews, 64 percent; online consumer ratings and reviews, 57 percent; company website 54 percent; television, radio and print ads 48 percent; postal mail advertisements, 37 percent; online advertisements, 25 percent; social media, 22 percent and telemarketing 5 percent.

Special Reports /

Insurers Often Make Poor Use Of Websites, Consultant Warns

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