Agency Information
- Based in Yoakum, TX.
- Founded in 1981
- 40% personal and 60% commercial
- 12 Employees
Pat Hull
“It’s twice the system, and the personnel are twice as responsive as our old provider. Transition was easy too – no headache, no regrets.”
Jacobs-Weber is a thriving independent insurance agency with four locations throughout Southeast Texas. In business for over thirty years, they found their true niche just over a decade ago in the emergency services market. At the time, Co-owner Pat Hull saw an opportunity for growth and took it. The move paid off in dividends. Hull’s firefighting experience made it easy to “talk the talk,” building relationships through his expertise. The agency’s focus on personalized service led to referrals, expanding business. Today, the agency serves 37 states and counting.
When Hull and his agency got a call from their provider asking them to upgrade, he saw another opportunity to improve his business. “I never liked our old system and never learned how to use it,” Hull said of his previous provider, “And it got more expensive by the day.” A call from an SIS sales executive couldn’t have come at a better time. In SIS and Partner XE, Hull found the same expertise and personal service his agency provides to its customers.
What prompted you to change your agency management system?
I never liked our old provider. I never felt comfortable with the system and it got more expensive by the day. Then I got a call from them asking us to upgrade. I told them we weren’t ready and had some issues we’d like to see fixed first. Their representative asked me to email him my list of issues, saying he’d take care of it. Two months went by, and I never heard from them. They called us up about upgrading again—clearly forgetting they’d talked to us. It was obvious their only motive was getting us to spend more money.
How were you introduced to SIS and Partner XE?
A day after that second call from our old provider, I got a cold call from an SIS sales executive. The timing was perfect. The tone of the call with SIS was a 180-degree turn from the call with our provider. I could tell the SIS rep was sincere. He answered all my questions and gave us referrals. I was impressed.
Did you look at other providers? How did they compare to SIS?
After talking with SIS we did not feel the need to look at other systems. The referrals we got were in the Texas area, and they all said great things.
How did your agency decide to switch providers?
Before going with SIS, we did an agency-wide vote. I wanted to ensure we were all on board for the transition, and I asked our staff to vote “no” if they had any hesitations. But, SIS worked hard upfront so it was a unanimous “yes” to switch. Everyone had a positive experience with SIS, making it an easy decision.
What factors sold you on SIS and Partner XE?
The personal attention and integrity of each SIS team member. The next factor was price – SIS is about half the monthly price of our old provider. And I know I can trust the price won’t go up anytime soon.
What Partner XE capabilities stand out for you?
The Partner XE software is top notch. Simple things we didn’t have with our old provider make a difference. Specifically, the mobile app will be phenomenal for us. The app allows us to operate offsite, which is essential for our agency. We operate seven days a week in 37 states across multiple time zones, so we need to be able to do business anywhere, at any time.
What was training like for your agency?
The training was excellent. I wanted this to be an easy transition and SIS delivered, guiding us through each step. Everyone on our end completed all the online training modules assigned, making the transition smooth. When the SIS team arrived for on-site training, they were so committed. They weren’t going to leave until we understood how to use the system, and got the most out of it.
Thanks to the training, I even use the system. I was scared to death of our old system because it was overly complicated, but I feel comfortable with Partner XE.
Did you experience any surprises?
There were no surprises. We knew there would be accounting differences to clean up, so SIS had someone working one-on-one with our accounting staff. The only issue we had was understanding the Outlook interface, but SIS got on the phone with us and took care of it right away.
What would you say to agencies considering SIS?
SIS is half the price and twice as good as where we came from – it was a no-brainer to switch. It’s twice the system, and the personnel are twice as responsive as our old provider. Transition was easy too – no headache, no regrets. Everyone is top notch and I look forward to building on the relationships we’ve made.
What are you looking forward to as your partnership with SIS grows?
We’re looking forward to some of the training sessions in South Texas, and want to set up trainings in the Houston and Austin areas. We’re planning on going to the Big I Insurance convention in San Antonio this June to see some of the SIS folks we haven’t met yet and shake their hands. They’ve been so good to us – if they’re going to be that close I want to meet them in person.
