Technical Evolution
| PRESIDENT’ S PAGE |
Embracing workflow changes to increase efficiency.
I remember life at our agency during the pre-paperless period. We had many file cabinets, and used more of an abundance of staples and paper clips. We even built a large shed and put dead files in it from every office on an annual basis. Times have changed, and that shed is mostly empty. It does contain our older T-files and file cabinets we can’ t give away.
Now everything is stored in a cloud, and everyone has a computer with multiple monitors. When the electricity goes out, no one can work, including the phones. When something else goes wrong, nobody has any idea if it is hardware, software or an internet interruption. At least 25 years ago we knew how the file cabinets worked.
Reflecting on workflows from the pre-paperless period, we had pending and claims files. The accounting was done on ledger sheets that were put in binders. The endorsements were stapled to the declaration pages in a specific way. Today we have more than 20 separate workflows, including one for clients that want to send text messages into our management system. The workflows are all triggered by activities that are audited to ensure proper documentation and compliance with our workflows. Those activities also become the basis for literally thousands of different reports.
There are huge advantages to a modern agency management system that is properly utilized. What comes as a surprise to most is the amount of time it takes to develop workflows and provide the necessary training to properly utilize your agency management system. Properly done, account mangers can handle more accounts and producers can spend more time
SCOTT STRONG KAIA President
prospecting. Company underwriters no longer have to spend hours deciphering handwritten applications.
Management systems are complex, and all have components that are hard to understand. Hours are spent trying to figure out how to make the system work more efficiently for the benefit of the entire agency. For agencies that have made, or are making, this journey it is easy to understand the frustrations involved.
As we all look for ways to improve our agency operations and evolve, so too does our association. The Agency Services Corporation of Kansas( AScK) is embarking on this journey of changing workflows, modified job duties and learning about parts of their management system that were previously unknown to them. When finished with this process, AScK will be more efficient, provide better service and will be much less likely to make a mistake that could result in an error or omission. I hope that you will be supportive of AScK as they evolve their operation to better serve you over the long term. Keep in mind that change doesn’ t occur overnight, but the AScK team will be up to the challenge and positive change is sure to be the result.
The technical evolution of our business is inevitable. Resistance, as they say, is futile.
Contact Scott at sstrong @ strongsinsurance. com, or call KAIA at( 800) 229-7048.
2 KANSAS INSURANCE AGENT & BROKER | March- April 2018 |