Report Touts Agent Culture Change
NU Online News Service, Jan. 4, 2:55 p.m. EST?The Agents Council for Technology announced it has published a report on the ACT Web site to help independent agents and brokers build a sales-driven agency culture and implement disciplined sales processes using available technology tools.[@@]
Alexandria, Va.-based ACT, affiliated with the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, said it has formed the Sales & Marketing Work Group to examine how technology can be used to further the independent agency's primary function as sales organizations.
"We recognized that establishing a sales-oriented culture was the critical first step for agents to take, followed by deciding on the supporting business processes," said Asa Pike, chairman of the work group and CEO of Agency Revenue Tools in Fryeburg, Me. "Implementing these steps increases the likelihood that the agency will have the discipline to implement sales-related technology tools and then continue to use them on a sustained basis."
ACT said phase-one of the report, "The Transition to an Agency Sales Organization–Culture and Process First, Then Technology, " focuses on building the sales culture and the related business processes.
"Marketing and sales should not be handled as point-in-time projects but instead need to become ongoing and a core part of the agency culture," Mr. Pike added. "Keeping the business development pipeline full needs the constant attention of the agency's sales management team. The process of ?suspect' development, prospect management and effective client acquisition needs to become second nature to agency management."
Phase two of the report, "Bolstering Agency Sales & Marketing With Technology," discusses how agents and brokers are using technology to enhance marketing, sales and sales management efforts, said ACT. It provides a checklist to assist agencies in using technology more effectively in these critical areas.
According to ACT Executive Director Jeffrey M. Yates, "Phase two is a compilation of success stories of agencies using particular technologies to enhance their sales?whether they be contained in the agency management system, a third-party system, or provided by insurance carriers to their agents."
The report indicates that producers are increasingly using PDAs and smart phones to give themselves access to their contacts, calendars, e-mails and "to-do" lists while out in the field, said ACT. Many are also taking digital photos for underwriters and using their laptops to make presentations and to gather application information.
For more information, and to access the reports, go to www.independentagent.com/act, and click on "Technology Reports."
© Arc, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to TMSalesOperations@arc-network.com. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.