Customer service is getting speedier and more personalized across industries. From banks to grocery stores, people expect to get their needs met almost immediately.
An Aspect Software report found 73% of customers want to solve their product or service issues on their own. And, 60% of customers prefer an automated self-service website or mobile app to get the job done.
These same customers are your customers. If you don’t have the insurance tech needed to match these growing expectations, you’ll be counted out. So, what tech do you need to keep up?
Read more on what customers want and how to choose the best insurance tech
Top Self-Service Insurance Tech for the Independent Agency
We’ve seen a lot change over our decades of service to independent agencies, but the recent jump in self-service tech is a whole new ballgame. We’re here to stay on top of these advances and equip our Partner agencies with the tools they need to serve their customers better. Below are the top self-service tools we’ve identified and our recent posts detailing the benefits and importance of each.
- Customer Self-Service Portals: Customers want instant access to policy information, including plan details and insurance cards. Find out how these portals can cut down service responses, saving you time and money while improving customer service. See our post “Why Agencies Fear the Self-Service Portal and Why They Shouldn’t”
- Mobile Websites & Apps: We hold a wealth of information in our pockets, and your customers expect to be able to access your agency info via that mobile device by their side. See why mobile access is critical, especially for things like submitting accident info and getting claims updates. Read our post on “Top Agency Management System Tools: The Insurance Mobile App”.
- Integrated Texting: Texting is now the number one mode for quick information exchange. Your customers expect to be able to reach you by text, and your management system needs to be able to capture that exchange with texting integration. Learn more about integrated texting in our post “Insurance Management System Musts: Integrated Texting”.
- Marketing automation: With marketing automation, you can provide customers with the information they need right when they need it. Automated messages are sent when triggered by customer actions, like clicking on “request a quote”. Get more information on how marketing automation can help customers in our post “Marketing Automation: Your Key to Omnichannel Insurance Sales”.
- Chatbots and A.I.: New to the insurance sector, chatbots and A.I. are quickly becoming commonplace in other customer-focused industries. Both help customers and prospects by routing them to the right person and immediately providing CSRs the information needed to solve the problem. See more on chatbots and other customer service software in our post on “Building a Virtual, Yet Personal Agency”.
Increasing Your Customer Connection with Partner Connect
Our Partner agencies are on the cutting edge of customer self-service with tools like integrated texting, marketing automation, and email integration, and we’re stepping things up with our latest Partner Platform addition, Partner Connect.
Partner Connect is a multi-level offering that includes a custom client self-service portal, agency mobile app, and branded website designed for customer convenience, agency availability, and brand promotion.
Read more about Partner Connect here and get in touch with an SIS team member today to find out more.
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.