Tech is a companion to great experiences
At this year’s Dig-In conference hosted by Digital Insurance, Kasey Ketcham, Sr. AVP of Commercial Digital Enablement and Experience at Nationwide spoke alongside partners from Bold Penguin and Celent. The panel discussion explored the ongoing collaboration between carriers, technology providers, and agents to identify and deliver the best possible experiences. Organizations that focus on crafting the best possible experiences for their customers realize over a two times multiplier for revenue growth, profit, engagement, and retention1, which creates an imperative for those organizations that wish to thrive as we move through a digital age.s
Consider these takeaways for agents around how technology is a companion to great experiences:
Improves workflows
The streamlined workflows created by implementing automation allow for improved data quality, centralized client information and cross-selling opportunities.
Action item: Assess existing processes across sales and service to identity opportunities, relative to people and technology. Questions to consider: Are the right people doing the right tasks? How could technology create greater automation and data clarity and insights?
Facilitates smoother supply/demand
Using your customer relationship management (CRM) solution to track the volume and frequency of producer outreach to prospects as well as the outcomes by tactic (i.e., email, call, online advertisement, social media, etc.) allows you to set future sales activities by producer and prospect type that have a higher probability of conversion.
Action item: Change management is critical to help reinforce and incentivize the changes. Develop measurable metrics that demonstrate the tech’s value to use as proof points in helping to drive adoption.
Allows agents to concentrate on relationships
Your Agency Management System (AMS) and other tech should automate routine and low value tasks, such as managing renewals, generating quotes and proposals, invoicing and processing payments, tracking commissions and sending email marketing campaigns.
Action item: Set up automated triggers to promote activities that enhance value and revenue as producers advise and consult clients.
Most impactful when it’s collaborative
Success requires intentional collaboration to ensure the capabilities deliver a best-in-class experience, and a strong feedback loop consisting of qualitative and quantitative inputs allows for insight-driven iterations of those capabilities so you can continue to enhance the customer experience.
Action item: Create collaboration opportunities for your agency’s team leaders, producers, account managers and service representatives, who together can identify how and when the technology is used across your organization.
The panel left agent attendees with two next steps to prioritize, workforce readiness and prioritizing needs. Explore our Navigating Technology series to make progress on both priorities.
Citations/Disclaimers
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1
Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved. Base 999 employees in a leadership role at companies with 500 or more employees in the U.S. Source: The State of Customer Obsession 2021 Survey.
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The information included in this article was obtained from sources believed to be reliable, including subject matter experts, to help users address their own risk management and insurance needs. It does not and is not intended to provide legal advice. Nationwide, its affiliates and employees do not guarantee improved results based upon the information contained herein and assume no liability in connection with the information or the provided suggestions. The recommendations provided are general in nature; unique circumstances may not warrant or require implementation of some or all of the suggestions. Nationwide, Nationwide is on your side, and the Nationwide N and Eagle are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. ©2023 Nationwide.