From the moment you work up till now, you have likely utilized some form of technology to do something for you. Whether it was Alexa, Siri, Google Home, or some other type of digital assistant, you’re not alone in relying on technology to make your life easier. But, as an insurance agency, have you considered how this culture of self-service tech impacts your business? How can independent insurance agents like you embrace the power of digital?
Dive into the digital age by harnessing the power of digital marketing
Keeping Up with the Digital Age
Whether you’re ready or not, your customers expect service via digital means. A recent MIT study found companies embracing the digital wave are 26% more profitable than those who hesitate to keep up.
Digital service meets the dual demands of today’s customers: fast yet personalized service. PropertyCasualty360 identified two types of customers agencies might encounter, and both benefit from digital: “Settlers” and “Explorers.”
Settlers are “(an) older generation of loyal users who want fast and simple experiences,” while Explorers “are younger, less loyal individuals who value customized support that is easily available via mobile.” Settlers want things quickly and easily. Explorers want things personalized and at their fingertips. Digital can give both what they want.
These six steps are the key to making a lasting impression on your customer service
Ramping Up to Digital
If your agency has yet to step into the digital age, stop, take a breath, and start at step one: get connected. This means connecting with your customers via digital means and getting systems in your agency connected. The key is information should be shared from your agency to your potential and current customers and within your agency between departments and systems.
PropertyCasualty360 also defined the various levels of digital engagement found across agencies.
Basic Digital means having:
- A website with the ability to view products and services, including requesting quotes
- Ability to view policies, make policy changes, and payments online
- Digital marketing methods such as social media or online content marketing
- Digital communication methods in place to talk with customers and partners
Advanced Digital means having all the above plus:
- Mobile access for agents and customers
- Integrated systems sharing data across your agency
Extreme Digital includes basic and advanced elements along with:
- Eliminating paper throughout the agency
- Utilizing marketing automation to manage prospect and customer engagement
While Extreme Digital is the goal, be careful – don’t jump too high too fast! Pace your agency based on your priorities (i.e., customer needs) and abilities.
Do you have the tech tools you need to embrace digital service?
Entering the Digital Age with SIS
After working with hundreds of agencies over the past years, we at SIS have seen agencies ranging from digitally clueless to digital trailblazers. That’s why we’ve crafted our Partner XE agency management system to help agencies step up their digital engagement from wherever they start.
With mobile access, integrated system like accounting and email, and a Client Portal for instant customer self-service, Partner XE has the tools agencies need right now, and the ability to add in the tools they’ll need tomorrow.
We’ve recently added to our tool belt with Partner XL. Integrating with the Partner XE management system, Partner XL takes all that makes your agency unique and super-charges it with marketing automation and pipeline management tools
Hear what our Partner XE agencies have to say about SIS, Partner XE, and how they harnessed the power of digital to boost their business on our client stories page. And, find out how the Partner Platform can help your agency take off: view a demo and get in touch with an SIS team member today.
Sarah Deak has been contributing to the SIS team since 2013, covering topics like agency perpetuation, workflow improvements, data security, and marketing. She has a background in small business, working with organizations to improve their online presence and client engagement. Sarah also writes for the SIS newsletters and website, and counts herself lucky to hear from our many passionate, hard-working clients for our client stories. Her favorite part about working for SIS are the dedicated, service-minded people.