Once upon a time, the word batch had a wonderful meaning, particularly when you remembered your sweet little gray-haired grandmother making a batch of chocolate chip cookies. Insurance companies used the word to describe how they would process their work at the end of the day. Today, batch processing is looked on as being somewhat quaint.

It hasn't gone away, though, which is why Wednesday, Feb. 29—Leap Day to many—is being celebrated as Real Time Day for the insurance industry, sponsored by the Real Time/Download Campaign.

Sure, it's not going to supplant Groundhog Day, Presidents Day or my birthday as key events on the February calendar and the fact that we won't have another Feb. 29 until 2016 may take some of the momentum away. It does seem like a good time to appreciate the movement between insurers and agencies to speed the process of writing and issuing insurance policies and the benefits derived from such efficient production.

How fitting is it that learning more about the Real Time Download Campaign is being conducted electronically as GetRealTime.org and many insurance carriers and agency management system vendors supporting the campaign will be hosting online video programming or Web seminars to help educate those who have yet to make the leap.

Most personal lines insurers are already offering real time download to their agency partners, but commercial lines insurance also is moving in that direction as well. Commercial lines agents once were leery of the download campaign because of past failures, according toNort Salz, president of Deep Customer Connections.

“Commercial lines are more complicated than personal lines,” said Salz, in an article for the 2011 ACORD LOMA Daily News. “It takes more back and forth between the two sides and trust and confidence between the agents and the carriers. Carriers need to bring a balance of technology tools along with the capacity to build and maintain relationships with agents.”

Past failures should not be a precursor for the future, though. The technology is better and the workflows have been improved by carriers. The only thing lacking seems to be a willingness to try it. So, if you are not currently using an agency management system or have been scared off in the past, take a little time on our extra day for the year to learn a little more about ways to improve your business and make it more efficient and, ultimately, more profitable.

Special Reports /

A Leap of Faith: Real Time Day for Insurers, Agencies

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