Leveraging Innovation and Back-Office Support for Strategic Agency Growth

You can’t squeeze more hours out of the day, but you can make your hours more efficient. With the right technology and resources supporting you, your insurance agency can dedicate more time to revenue-generating activities.

CHALLENGES FACING TODAY’S BROKERS

Independent insurance brokers have always had their work cut out for them. They have to find new prospects and retain their current clients while juggling relationships with multiple carriers. To stay competitive and compliant, there’s a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes.

Now brokers are having to adapt to changing expectations and new technologies. According to The State of Commercial Insurance (a report from the Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers and EY), both carriers and brokers have been investing in technology. Among brokers, 28% say they’re investing in data analysis. Other investments include virtual pitches, third-party data integrations, comparative raters, portal and self-service tools, CRMs, and marketing automation and lead generation tools.

These tools can help brokers optimize their processes to see better results but deciding which tools to invest in can be a daunting task. Disruption is turning the insurance industry upside down – and most brokers need help navigating the options.

ENABLING AUTOMATION AND BOOSTING SALES EFFICIENCY

The right prospecting system can simplify sales and allow you to grow your business more efficiently.

There are multiple options available. ZoomInfo Engage, for example, is a sales engagement platform that integrates with the ZoomInfo B2B database to support prospecting and outreach. The Outreach Sales Execution Platform provides automated prospect email sequences, deal management, and revenue forecasting. Agency Revolution takes this a step further by integrating with your agency management system to maximize efficiencies.

Automation is key to efficiency. Think about all the work that goes into keeping track of dates and policies to launch prospecting, pre-renewal campaigns, cross-selling campaigns, and other marketing efforts. If you can automate as much of this as possible, you can free up more of your time while also making sure that nothing slips through the cracks.

For seamless processes, you also need an agency management system that’s designed to maximize automation, as well as systems that integrate with each other. Applied EPIC leverages it’s integrations with Indio (a digitized insurance forms software) and Ivans Download for cloud-based data exchange to ensure optimal process from prospecting to binding to renewal.

OUTSOURCING ADMINISTRATION WORK

Every agency has to deal with administrative work: there’s all the data entry involved in applications, new business, and market research, as well as policy services like issuing certificates, processing renewals, issuing certificates of insurance, retrieving documents, checking policies, and sending cancelation warnings. Plus, we haven’t even touched on all the print and mail fulfillment activities you need to manage, like mailing letters, notices, and benefit documents and scanning items, where required.

All these activities are necessary to keep your business running smoothly, but they don’t always contribute to business growth. As a result, it can feel like these activities are eating up all of your time without offering any reward.

Hiring administrative staff is one option, but many small agencies lack the resources to do this, resulting in brokers taking on the work themselves.

That’s why outsourcing administrative work makes so much sense.

FREEDOM TO FOCUS ON GROWTH

Many brokers already know that Heffernan Network provides access to top-rated carriers and specialty programs – but this is only the beginning. We also provide sales and operations best practice guides and access to cutting-edge innovation to help you grow your business efficiently in a rapidly changing world.

Heffernan Network has partnered with PATRA to offer our Affiliate broker network a wide range of back-office support services, including policy services, certificate services, data entry and producer support, system support and integration, print and mail fulfillment, and more. These services remove the administrative burden, allowing brokers and service staff to focus on customer-facing functions.

With PATRA managing the details, your team can spend more time growing your business. The low monthly minimum means you always receive the amount of support you need without paying an arm and a leg.

We also offer access to other innovations that can help you stand out in the market. As part of Broker Tech Ventures, we invest in innovative products and companies – and you reap the benefits. Whether you’re looking for agency management systems, automated marketing, comparative rater, or something else, we can facilitate access to insurtech products that will help your agency thrive.

The insurance industry is changing. Heffernan Network can help you access the resources and support you need to stay ahead.

Are you ready to join the Heffernan Network? Start a conversation