Implementing Technology in Your Agency - Laird Rixford, ITC
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The document outlines the advantages of implementing technology in agencies, emphasizing improved communication, sales processes, and workflow automation. It discusses various tools for collaboration, enhancing sales, and creating accountability while also noting the drawbacks of reliance on technology such as security concerns and employee wellbeing. Best practices for adopting technology include careful selection, gradual implementation, and involving staff in the process.
Implementing Technology in Your Agency - Laird Rixford, ITC
- 1. Implementing Technology in Your Agency Be the nerdiest agency in town! Laird Rixford / @lrixford President
- 2. Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Arthur C. Clarke
- 3. What can technology do? How technology helps your agency.
- 4. Technology's Advantages • Improves communication and collaboration • Improves the sales process • Saves time by automating mundane processes • Creates accountability • Mobilizes the workforce
- 5. Communication & Collaboration Across the hall or across the world.
- 6. Communication & Collaboration Tools • Email • Microsoft Exchange (via Office 365) • Gmail (via Google Apps) • Chat • Skype for Business (formally Lync) • Google Hangouts • File Sharing • SharePoint • Google Docs • Video conferencing • Screen share • White boarding
- 8. Communication & Collaboration Tools • VOIP • RingCentral • Vonage for Business • Mobile Access • Access to resources on the road
- 9. Improving Sales Workflows Faster close means happier clients and owners!
- 10. Improving Sales Workflows • Website • Insurance Website Builder • Lead management • Velocify • Comparative rating systems • TurboRater (are there any others?) • Automated marketing systems • AgencyBuzz
- 11. Oh, This is SOOO Boring! Get rid of those mundane and boring processes.
- 12. The Boring Stuff • Automate follow-up marketing • Management system downloads • Minimize data entry • Stop filing, start scanning! • Taking payments? • Set up a kiosk at front desk to give easy access to carrier payment pages. • Notifications and alerts
- 13. Provide Accountability Protect employees and the agency itself.
- 14. Create Accountability • Track user’s workflows • Prevent fraud • Mitigate E&O exposures • Office security
- 15. Mobilization Technology is key to mobilizing your workforce.
- 16. Mobilization creates… • …remote employees • …the ability to work from home during disasters • …the ability to work after hours (or prevent it) • …a workforce able to work anytime and anywhere
- 17. Drawbacks of Technology Reliance is a bad thing.
- 18. Drawbacks of Technology • Creating open and collaborative environments creates security concerns. • Hacking • Oversharing • Abuse of oversight • Over reliance on technology is dangerous. • Never trust a backup • Prevents employees from disconnecting. Happy employees have a life. • Must keep up with change.
- 19. Adoption of Technology Choose and implement wisely.
- 20. Best Practices for Adoption • Pick technologies that will compliment your workflow. • Implement slowly, yet methodically. • Don’t overdo a technology revamp. Let users get used to the change. As they adopt, introduce more. • Involve staff in the discussion of technology implementation. They use it daily; get their buy-in. • Develop an advocate for change. • Don’t upgrade for the sake of upgrading. • Upgrade technologies as they become obsolete.
- 21. Thank You Don’t forget to fill out your surveys! Laird Rixford / @lrixford President