by Laura Nettles, Nettles Consulting Network, Inc.
1. Establish Workflow Guidelines Eliminating Unnecessary Steps
- Evaluate effective use of diary follow up feature allowing enough time to receive and process each transaction
- Eliminate redundant use of cover letters
- Replace printing and mailing all correspondence and ACORD forms (certificates, binders, applications) with e-mail and electronic faxing
- Implement download with all carriers if available - monitoring to ensure data integrity
2. Streamline Routine Processes
- Stop paper with downloaded carriers
- Eliminate traditional paper second requests – instead always call for follow up
- Check and invoice policies and endorsements as received – do not hold
- Process endorsement request on-line – eliminate hand-written notes
3. Evaluate Service Structure
- Consider combining small commercial and personal lines into a Family Business Unit
- Increase capacity in mid/large commercial unit by:
- Moving smallest accounts from small commercial unit to a service center
- Move smaller accounts currently in mid/large commercial unit to the small accounts unit (you actually increase the commission threshold for the small accounts unit)
- Define the service and processing role by:
- upgrading the role of the assistant to assume more of the routine processes like issuing on-demand certificates, policy checking, processing endorsements, audits, cancellations, etc.
- freeing up the CSR (from routine processes) to be more service oriented providing quality support to clients and producers in the marketing process and dealing with complicated insurance issues
- Consider centralizing processing by having all incoming routine requests (certificate request, endorsement requests, etc.) go to a central processing unit and distribute according to volume
- Offer 24x7 service to clients
4. Implement Transactional Filing in All Departments
- Personal Lines
- Small Commercial Lines
- Commercial Lines
- Benefits
- Claims
5. Define Workflow Guidelines
- Integrate agency management system and practical insurance process
- Create task forces to define guidelines
- Define service standards
- Establish workflow steps streamlining wherever possible
- Establish monitoring guidelines to ensure compliance
6. Streamline Certificate Process
- Implement client issued certificates on-line
- E-mail or electronically fax all certificates to holders, client and carriers
- Document source of certificate request on-line
- Discard supporting documentation
7. Streamline Endorsement Process
- Train clients to request routine endorsements via e-mail or fax
- Eliminate second request – call carrier for follow up
- Process and invoice endorsements as received – do not hold
- Eliminate cover letters
8. Streamline Renewal Process
- Establish a renewal time-line creating target dates for tasks including
- Meeting with production, marketing, claims and service to determine renewal strategy
- Guidelines for gathering updated renewal information
- Submission guidelines for getting complete and accurate submission to markets
- Submission guidelines for renewing with incumbent carrier
- Tracking methods for conversations and follow up
- Proposal guidelines
- Binding coverage guidelines
- Define ownership of renewal time-line by
- Defining responsibility for each task in the time-line (producer or CSR)
- Having the CSR make sure all tasks get done according to the time-line regardless of who actually does the task
- Use system generated schedules and summaries to gather updated renewal information
- Order loss runs on-line
- Prepare and track submissions electronically
- Implement integrated proposal system
- Obtain policy numbers and payment plans from the carrier when binding coverage
9. Streamline Claims Process
- Move clients to direct report
- Establish guidelines for monitoring claims
- Eliminate unnecessary carrier follow up – only follow up based on a request from the client or producer
- Implement a client service schedule defining claims monitoring for each client – consider including a follow up with the client when the claim is settled
10. Define Document Management Guidelines
- Use agency management system as primary electronic file
- Define guidelines for storing third party documents outside the agency management system
- Implement scanning
11. Be Prepared to take Agency Workflows to the Next Level
- Attend User Group Meetings
- Attend Industry Conferences (ACORD, High Tecc, Big I, etc.)