Choosing an agency management system can be overwhelming. The thought of overhauling your workflows, teaching staff a new system, and transferring management system data is enough to make your head hurt. But, it doesn’t have to be this onerous.
If you’re considering a new management system, but afraid to make the switch, ask yourself why. Is it a horror story from another agency’s transition? A poor conversion experience with your last system? Fear staff will resist the change? These are all legitimate concerns. But, when it comes to #management #system transition, you can’t let the mistakes of the past or fear of the future keep you stuck.
In my years at SIS, we’ve helped dozens of agencies make the management system switch. No matter the size, all agencies face some challenges. And we know it is possible to successfully navigate the uncertainty of change.
Tackling the Four Cs of Change
The first step to managing your agency management system transition is recognizing what you’ll need to make it smooth. In our time working with agencies, we’ve noticed four major areas that can make or break agencies. We call these the “Four Cs of Change”:
- Conversion: Moving data from one system to another.
“From beginning to end it was a success. (SIS) took us step by step through everything. We didn’t have to worry about the conversion or losing data. They were very reassuring. We love working with all of the team members. They are easily accessible and almost like family. It has been a great experience.”- Debra Harp, Office Manager at THW Insurance
- Capabilities: Ensuring your new system has the capabilities you need to effectively run your agency, and you know how to use them.
- Customer Service: Making sure you know who to call when you need help and knowing they’ll answer.
- Community: Getting connected with a user community, providing you with the support and resources you need to continually improve your agency’s operations.
“SIS’s customer service is fantastic. They’ve been on top of it from that first sales call to our latest support needs. Someone is always there to take our email or call, and our issues are resolved in no time.”- Jim Waun, Partner at Sweet & Associates International
The Partner Approach to Change Management
The key to managing the challenge of transition is simple: take a partner approach. That means choosing a provider that will work with and for you during your conversion. It’s important to stay informed and feel heard throughout the process.
This is something we know well from working with our partner agencies during their transitions. Two things you’ll receive from an SIS conversation are:
- A clear, honest conversation: no technical jargon or pushing software
- All the information you want: what you could be paying, what capabilities are available, and clear expectations of what takes place during a transition
“(Partner XE is) … just much more user-friendly. Thanks to that, we’re getting more out of the software in these first fifteen months than we have in the past 25 years.” Andrea Nelson, Partner at Unisource Insurance Associates
These simple promises set us up to work in a true partnership with our agencies. You’d be amazed how much clear, honest communication can make a difference in how you and your staff experience agency management system transition.
Get Connected with a Partner Today
On the whole, we’ve helped agencies reduce their monthly spend by 40-60% without sacrificing capabilities, and providing an easier to use solution. We’d love the chance to connect with you and determine how SIS and Partner XE can do the same for your agency. Give us a call at 800.747.7005, Option 6 or drop us a line at [email protected] to get the conversation started.
Jordan Owens, leads the sales efforts at SIS as Director of Sales. Jordan is focused on building relationships with independent insurance agents across the country as they evaluate their agency management options. Under Jordan’s leadership, the sales team has matured and grown with an increased focus on specialization in key roles including the implementation of the college executive program. In his free time, Jordan enjoys spending time with his wife and young boys, playing basketball and serving his church.