Real Time Campaign Sees Real Results, Supporters Say

A new campaign to increase the implementation of real time and download technology-based workflows and independent agency-company interface applications is gaining ground, campaign supporters say.

The Real Time/Download Campaign — backed by agents and brokers, agency system carriers, technology providers, user groups, and agent and industry associations — was launched in late April. Cal Durland, ACORD-User Groups Information Exchange (AUGIE) facilitator and a campaign leader, says the campaign so far has experienced a tremendous response.

“We are pleased with the response the educational campaign has achieved in the relatively short period since its unveiling,” says Durland. “Each segment of the Independent Agency System is stepping up to learn about the benefits of real time and download and how new workflows can enhance customer-service capabilities. The more that agents, companies and automation vendors learn, the more comfortable they become with adopting these tools.”

As defined by the campaign, real time is the ability to click on a button from a client file in an 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. This approach provides a single workflow for servicing or quoting.

Since going live a little more than two months ago, the campaign’s online resource center, www.getrealtime.org, has generated about 17,000 distinct visits and 81,000 total hits, says Jeff Yates, executive director of the Agents’ Council for Technology (ACT) and a campaign leader.

Aside from the home page, some of the most visited pages on the Web site include: the Vendor Real Time Links, Carrier Real Time Links and the Real Time Resources/Tools pages, says Yates. The Web site also includes a step-by-step outline for implementing real time, the Independent Agent’s Real Time Implementation Guide, available at http://www.getrealtime.org/active/RealTimeGuide.asp.

“Our goal is to double the number of Real Time transactions in a year’s time,” Yates says. “I think we’re seeing a great start toward this goal.”

The number of insurance company, automation vendor, association and user group real-time links on the Web site has grown considerably over the past two months, Yates said, noting that the campaign will begin tracking aggregate real-time service and sales transactions quarter by quarter, beginning with the first two quarters of 2007. The campaign also will track aggregate active agencies for real-time service and sales transactions.

Moreover, the number of real-time educational sessions booked by state agent associations has increased rapidly — some 15 associations have held or plan to hold sessions in 2007, Yates says. More may be scheduled as momentum builds for the campaign.

The campaign and participating entities soon will unveil tools and resources further targeting industry audiences, Durland says. One resource is “POWER of Change: Performance-Oriented Workflows Ensure Results,” a seminar that aims to reduce the anxiety agency employees often face when trying to adopt new technology-based workflows. The seminar will be presented at various state-based events around the country.

Source: Real Time/Download Campaign