The average insurance agent is 59 years old. That means they’ve lived through multiple insurance agency systems, having been in the workforce through the advent of PCs, the rise and fall of CD-ROMs, the introduction of email and Google, and a whole host of other major...
News and Updates September 2015
It’s “back to school” time and we at SIS stay focused on continuing our learning. With Partner XE 2015 rolling out we are making plans for the National User Conference in October, and participating in ACT and ACORD events in the fall.
If you haven’t yet registered for the Partner XE Today and Tomorrow conference on October 15 & 16 in Columbus, check out the agenda here and make your reservation. Rooms are going fast.
We’re also creating opportunities for education and collaboration within our Partner XE community. Our latest eGuide features tips from Partner XE agency owners, and we’re pleased to announce three upcoming workgroups for further collaboration. Find out more by reading below, and feel free to contact me with your ideas on ways to grow our Partner XE community.
All the best,
Alex
Partner XE 2015 Roll-Out
The latest Partner XE 2015 is here! Boasting a better user experienced, increased functionality, and increased workflow efficiency, the release includes an updated Outlook plugin to help your agency stay connected on the go. Look for this Outlook plugin release the week of September 28th.
ACT and ACORD15 Conferences for SIS
Partner XE product manager Bryce Lee and SIS President Michael Doran will be attending two tech-focused conferences this October. Bryce will hear from industry experts and gain insight on cyber security and readiness at the ACT conference in New Orleans. Michael will join Bryce for the ACORD15 conference in Boca Raton, FL to learn more about the challenges and opportunities of new tech, Telematics, social media and marketing, and e-signatures/e-policy delivery. We look forward to integrating their learnings into future generations of Partner XE.
Partner XE Workgroups
SIS staff, clients, and partners have come together to form three exciting new workgroups focusing on Commercial Lines Workflow, Updated Summary Screens, and Internal Remarks & Transactions. Interested in joining these workgroups? Contact Bryce Lee at mailto:[email protected].
Recent eGuide on Cyber Security Features Client Stories
We’re excited about our latest eGuide, which focuses on cyber security and the threats involved with protecting your agency’s data. The guide includes advice from Partner XE agency experts, and why your agency should make cyber security a priority. Check out the eGuide and download it here.
Making Your Site Secure and Searchable
A lot goes into making your independent insurance agency’s website attractive, user friendly, and up to date. However, if users can’t find your site, or don’t feel secure while they’re there, it’s all for naught. As an agency owner, you need to think about making your website searchable and secure so it can be the sales and service tool you need.
SEARCHABLE sites use…
- Modern designs and tools, such as responsiveness, show search engines you’re serious about staying up to date
- Regularly updated, succinct content makes it easy for a web crawler to evaluate your site
- Relevant keywords, including in page titles and image descriptions in your site’s metadata (local keywords are especially relevant for independent agencies)
- Links to other relevant sites, including agency partners, and link backs from those sites
SECURE sites focus on…
- Complying with E & O and HIPPA regulations regarding receiving and sending client data over the internet
- Using updated firewalls and security certificates/patches
- Encrypting all form submissions using complex validation keys
- Watching and testing sites on a regular basis using tools such as WordPress Acunetix or Drupal
Your site’s searchability and security are both linked to your agency management system, and we at SIS take this seriously. Our Partner XE focuses on keeping your client’s data secure, and grants you access to demographics to help focus marketing. Plus, we have a dedicated client services team to help you discover all the ways Partner XE can help you grow your agency
To find out more about Partner XE’s capabilities, contact us at 800.747.7005 or [email protected].
A Responsive Website – What Is It and Why You Need It
There was a time when websites were viewed from a computer connected to a land-line, and only when phone lines were free. Today, your agency’s website can be accessed almost anywhere, at any time, and on multiple devices. From smartphones, to tablets, and to everything in between—your site must be compatible.
It’s a mistake to think that a website displayed on a laptop will look the same on a mobile device. Your agency’s website needs to change depending on the device used to view it. This is called having a responsive website: a site that molds itself to fit how it’s viewed.
What it means
A responsive website adapts to the screen used to view it. This means the layout of a site will modify itself depending on the screen size—including changing the orientation and making menus/navigation accessible in different ways. This isn’t the same as building a mobile website: the big difference here is that it’s all one site, with multiple layout options.
Making your website responsive is easy for developers as it simply requires creating a different style sheet for each page. No change in information or content, just tweaks in how it’s displayed.
Why it’s important
A 2014 Hubspot article touched on a few of the reasons why your agency needs a responsive website. According to Hubspot, 25% of all internet users go online using a mobile device and more than 20% of Google searches were done via mobile. This is a large chunk of users you’re missing out on without a responsive website. In addition, Google penalizes non-responsive sites in its search algorithm. That alone is incentive to update.
Being responsive also means your agency’s website will be ready for future devices. Ten years ago, you didn’t know you’d need to be ready for smartphones – who knows what will be coming next? By creating a responsive design you can simply add-on a new layout to adapt to the latest technology.
Get on board!
If you don’t have a responsive web design, you’re due to get up with the times. Contact your web developer to get the process started, or if you’re hosting in-house, get your web team on the case. There are multiple online tutorials and sample layouts to get started.
SIS is keeping up
Here at SIS we know and are responding (pun intended) to responsive web design, which is why we moved our Partner XE to be mobile-accessible. Our latest Partner XE 2015 has even more added features to improve your agency’s workflow efficiency. Find out more by visiting our website or contact us at [email protected].
SIS Supports the 2015 NASPA User Conference
The Importance of Networking and Community
As a successful independent insurance agent, you live the importance of networking and community ties every day. Because of this, you cannot miss an opportunity to connect with your peers and forge new relationships in person.
At SIS, we also value creating strong community spaces, which is why we are excited that our NASPA user group has announced the date for the 2015 NASPA User Conference in Columbus, OH. From October 15-16, Partner XE community members, users, and business partners will gather to network and engage in technical roundtables and practical work sessions on Partner XE 2015.
Round Tables on 2015’s Important Topics
This year, the conference brings together experts on topics like cyber security, perpetuation planning, and content marketing. These sessions promise to be engaging, high-level conversations with leading experts and packed with strategic insight that can help change your agency.
Partner XE 2015 Work Sessions
In addition to high-level roundtables, there will also be group work sessions lead by experts on Partner XE 2015. With the updated version of the agency management software coming out in August, you do not want to miss the opportunity to work through the software’s updates as well touch on improving workflows, client and policy management, tracking commissions, sales and pipeline management, and much more.
Save some money and register now
If you register between now and August 31, you qualify for Early Bird discounts. Normally priced tickets are $150, but the Early Bird discount drops the price down to $125.
The basics of the event have just been announced, so we’ll keep you updated as more information becomes available. To learn more or to register, click here to visit NASPA’s event page.
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