Insurance Agents Talk Shop

How's Your Website Really Doing?

You know your website speaks to your credibility as a business and insurance agency, so how frequently are you reviewing it to make sure it fits well in your strategy for lead generation and client service?Our guest for this episode, James Amezcua, Sales Director at Lift Local joins us for an engaging conversation that includes the importance of catering to Google’s search engine when it comes to online visibility and lead generation. Learn the importance of relevance, distance/similarity, and prominence when it comes to search engine optimization (SEO). James also sheds some light on the importance of your Agency’s Google Business Profile and how it has become an important part of your agency’s online presence.We also touch on the impact of artificial intelligence when it comes to websites and online search. This episode will help you keep up with the latest trends when it comes to your website and online identity.Please join us.

Leveraging Tech to Elevate Agency Sales and Service

How familiar are you with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems and Net Promoter Scores (NPS)?We're joined by Torey Maerz, Co-founder and CEO of ClientCircle by Rocket Referrals, who sheds some light on how important these systems can be to understanding your insurance agency’s client base and attracting new clients.Torey’s career is one that has focused on the use of technology in building systems (tools) that empower small businesses like insurance agencies to deepen existing client relationships and position appropriately to garner new ones. ClientCircle has been doing business for over 11 years now, and their use of AI has helped make their products and services more effective than ever.Torey provides some insights on the approach and importance of using CRM and NPS in elevating your agency’s sales and service. Join us for an insightful conversation. 

Agency Interaction with Prospective Clients

With so much emphasis on technology these days, it’s easy to lose sight of our own personal interactions with prospective clients in the sales process.We're joined by Kelly Donahue-Piro, President at Agency Performance Partners (APP), who shares the results of her team’s 2023 Secret Shopper Program targeting independent insurance agents – the results just might surprise you.Kelly has been working in the insurance field for 15 years, and at the helm of APP since 2014. Kelly and members of her team are regular keynote and featured speakers at insurance events. In fact, she and/or members of her team will be speaking at a number of SIAA-related events this spring, including the Lone Star Summit on April 30th. Kelly brings some helpful perspective as we work through the meaning of the results captured through the Secret Shopper Program. If you would like to view the results for yourself, Kelly has been kind enough to provide them and you can access them through the link below.https://www.siaa.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/IATS-Episode-27-Q2-2024-Secret-Shopper-Call-Stats-Asset-for-Show-Notes.pdf

Agency Management Systems – A Critical Component of Agency Operations

In today’s environment, the agency management system (AMS) has indeed become a critical component of agency operations. It’s time to get rid of, or at least reduce your reliance on, that paper filing cabinet. These days, an AMS can really help you get to that paperless office, while increasing your overall agency efficiency.We're joined by Michael Ley, Director of Network Relations at HawkSoft, who provides insight into today’s agency management systems and the key benefits of using one. As with all things technology, the AMS has evolved significantly over the last ten years.HawkSoft has been helping insurance agencies with AMS installations and integrations for years, and our guest highlights the key considerations to choosing the right system for your agency. As robust as today’s agency management systems are, Michael informs us that it isn’t necessary to start with all the functionality an AMS offers – it’s okay to start with the basics and turn on more components over time.

Integrating Technology Into Agency Operations

Technology keeps advancing and improving, making it difficult to know when and what to choose for systems that will help insurance agency operations become more efficient. In this episode of IATS, we consider the systems most needed by, and order of implementation at, insurance agencies.We're joined by Michael Streit, General Manager of EZLynx, who helps us to understand the most critical technology to implement and provides a framework for the progression of integrating additional technology into agency operations.EZLynx has been helping insurance agencies with technology and its implementation for decades, most notably with their insurance raters. As the marketplace has evolved, so has the company’s capabilities relative to developing a tech stack (or parts thereof). We gain insight from Michael about the effects of moving forward versus not moving forward with newer technologies.