Tuesday, 24 February 2015

Important Factors To Think About Before Buying Insurance Agency Management Software

By Beryl Dalton


To have lasting success in the insurance industry, agencies today are more reliant upon superior computer programs than ever before. Data is everywhere, and the sheer volume of it is simply too much to manage without the best program on hand. For those agencies seeking just the right insurance agency management software for their office needs, here are a few important factors that should be considered prior to any purchase.

The best programs have superior client data management features. This type of customer relationship management program should be able to not only house client and prospect data, but should also have features that enable the agent and his or her employees to quickly phone or email those customers. In addition, features that enable the creation of quick policy proposals can be tremendously beneficial.

Leads need managing as well, since the growth and stability of an agency is reliant upon maximizing the potential for new customers. Good CRM can track every contact with every prospect, schedule each point of the contact process, and manage each proposal. Centralized storage is important too, so that agents can access data from an online portal even when they are visiting prospects or clients in the field.

Reporting features are also tremendous time-savers, and enable agencies to better track their success in reaching various sales and client acquisition goals. Many of today's top programs help to track lead costs, provide details on sales conversion rates, and accurately record the ROI for any lead source.

Many agents are shocked to discover the many document management features offered by these programs. Many can electronically generate almost any document the agent needs to efficiently deal with prospects and clients alike. Things like Brochures, policy terms and rates, and proposals can be quickly created and transmitted to any customer, making it far easier to manage a lead than ever before.

System security is of paramount importance. The fact is that these agencies are given access to the type of personal financial details and business records that most people would otherwise keep entirely private. And, since there are always criminals seeking access to that type of information, CRM programs need the best security available. That's why the truly superior systems offer encryption, monitoring of their networks, and other techniques to protect sensitive data.

Obviously, there are very few programs that will be able to meet every office's diverse needs. One good way to determine whether an agency needs a secondary program for its lesser coverage is to check to see whether there is a dedicated employee charged with managing those accounts. If there is, that's a good sign that a second program may be needed.

Modern agencies can always benefit from the latest technology, and find it much easier to manage the many complex elements of the business. The main obstacle to achieving that objective is the difficulty many agents have in trying to identify the perfect program. Focusing on these critical factors can make that process a little less difficult.




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