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Monday, 01/18/10
Real Time ‘21 Day Challenge’ Launched Nationally
PEARL
RIVER, NY (January 15, 2010)—The all-industry Real Time/Download
Campaign today is rolling out a major new nationwide initiative—the 21
Day Challenge—for independent insurance agencies that have not yet
adopted Real Time rating and inquiry workflow or that want to broaden
Real Time usage to all of their employees.
The
Challenge is built on the broadly accepted premise that it takes 21 days
to break old habits and form new ones. In the case of insurance
agencies, even if a new workflow saves time and reduces keystrokes—as
Real Time has been found to do—it takes some time for employees to
become fully comfortable with new processes and to learn how to use them
most efficiently.
Real Time
is the ability to click on a button from a client file in the agency
management system or comparative rater for immediate access to carrier
information on that client. This approach provides a single workflow for
servicing or quoting.
The Real
Time 21 Day Challenge gives agencies step-by-step guidance in how to
implement Real Time and broaden its usage through a Web site—www.getrealtime.org/21dc.
Agents will have options in taking the Challenge, depending upon where
the agency currently stands with the functionality. A “Champions
Challenge” allows selected employees go through the Challenge first and
then bring it to the full agency in an “Agency Challenge,” where all
employees take the Challenge together. If the agencies need to install
Real Time functionality, they can click the button “New to Real Time”
for a preliminary walk-through on getting started.
As
agencies begin one of the challenges, they should register on the site
so campaign supporters can reach out to them to provide support if
needed, say campaign officials. Carriers and vendors are ready to answer
questions that may arise as individuals and agencies take the challenge.
The
initiative was designed to recognize successful completion of the
challenge, which occurs when:
1. Real
Time has become the predominant workflow for the agency (for those
carriers and transactions where it is offered); and
2. The
new workflow is having a positive impact in the agency.
Agencies
will receive a certificate acknowledging their successful completion
when they finish the full Agency Challenge.
A Webinar
is scheduled for January 27, 1:30-2:30 p.m. EST, to showcase real-time
functionality and to demo the new 21 Day Challenge Web functionality.
Anyone can register in advance for the Webinar at
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/596616128.
National,
state and local agent associations and user groups that want to drive
broader 21 Day Challenge participation among members may contact Dave
Willis at dave@Aartrijk.com or
(603) 444-2225.
The 21
Day Challenge was piloted last year by independent agents in Iowa and
New York.
About the
Real Time/Download Campaign
Launched
in April 2007, the Real Time/Download Campaign (www.getrealtime.org)
is dedicated to improving the competitiveness of the independent agency
distribution channel.
The
campaign—supported by independent agents, trade associations, carriers
and technology providers—isn’t advocating a specific technology, but a
workflow approach that frees up more time for agencies to sell, process
and service business. Most agents can leverage tools already contained
in their agency management systems or comparative raters.
Real Time
is the ability to click on a button from a client file in the agency
management system or comparative rater for immediate access to carrier
information on that client. The transaction may be a quote, billing
inquiry, claim inquiry/loss run, policy view, endorsement or a request
for information. Most-recent numbers show more than 20,000 real-time
transactions are performed industry-wide each business day through
agency management systems; this figure excludes real-time rating
transactions processed by comparative raters.
The
campaign’s goal is to double the number of real-time transactions each
year.
Campaign
participants include agents, brokers, carriers, technology providers,
user groups, and agent and industry associations. The campaign is led by
industry groups and sponsored financially by: ACORD User Groups
Information Exchange (AUGIE)/ACORD; Agents Council for Technology
(ACT)/Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America; Allied Property
& Casualty Insurance/Nationwide; AMS Users' Group (AMSUG); Applied
Systems; Applied Systems Client Network (ASCnet); Artizan Internet
Services; EMC Insurance Companies; Grange Insurance; Harleysville; IVANS;
Liberty Mutual Agency Markets; MetLife Auto & Home; PIA of New York, New
Jersey, Connecticut & New Hampshire; Strategic Insurance Software (SIS);
The Hartford; Vertafore; and Westfield Insurance.
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Dave
Willis
dave@Aartrijk.com; (603) 444-2225 |
