We’ve made a number of changes to both our JenesisNow and JenesisClassic Agency Management System. You can read all about them, below.

JenesisNow

• There is now a marketing campaign for “No Life Insurance.”  This campaign will run for any customer at that location that has an active policy expiring in less than 30 days and no current life insurance policy.

• When on the Agency screen, viewing your agency’s information, click “Edit Default Coverage Options.”  This screen has changed to be more user-friendly and allow you to edit many more coverages.  You can add or delete coverage codes you want to show up on policies and change the values that will populate in their select boxes.  The main difference is that you can also do this for the “objects” on those policies.For example, you can choose CSL (Combined Single Limit Liability) as a default coverage for the policy level of Personal Auto policies while also adding COMP  (Comprehensive Coverage) as a default coverage for any vehicles that I add to that policy.  You can also rearrange the values that will populate in the drop-down boxes created by dragging them around on this edit default coverages screen.  This works the same as the old screen that was here but adds the ability to add default coverages to many more policy types (not all) and the “objects” on those policies.

• When the carrier downloads a cancellation with a future cancellation effective date the policy status becomes ‘Pending Cancel’ automatically.
  • A pending cancel card can be set up on the main dashboard to track policies that are getting ready to cancel. The base card you would choose is the “policy” card and then filter your card from there to show what you’d like to see.

• We have added the ability to change a Policy Type within the scope of the Line of Business for example: Dwelling Fire can change to a Homeowners or an Auto can change to a Motorcycle.

• An employee time clock and administrative abilities have both been added.  The time clock feature must be turned on at the location level and the administrative features can be accessed by users with the permission “Agency Admin.”  Reporting and a way to export data will come with later versions of the software.  Currently, data can be viewed and filtered on the administrative page for the time clock.

• Personal Umbrella has now been added as a policy type in Jenesis. If you have clients who have a personal umbrella policy you can easily track them in the system.

• View your entire book of business by creating a report that shows you the total number of policies each company has and the total premium.

JenesisClassic

• We have added a report in Production Reports on the Quote tab called XYZ. This new report shows the renewal retention success based on the user who originally quoted the policy in Quote Control.

• We added the capability to automatically process the Commercial downloads so you don’t have to manually process them daily. As with the Personal Line of Business, this function is completely controlled by the agency so you can choose if you’d like them automated or not.

• When Jenesis now processes the automated email and text Happy Birthday communication that is set up in Agency Setup on the Communications tab, both the first and second insured will be included when it’s time for them to receive the happy birthday message. In the past, Jenesis only sent this out to the first insured.

For those of you on our JenesisClassic platform, transitioning to our JenesisNow platform will give you access to a number of other benefits and features to help you take your agency to the next level. Interested in learning more? Schedule a JenesisNow demo, today.

Does it seem like your bills get higher and higher each year that you run your insurance agency? You can’t make much of a profit if your overhead costs are too high, so it’s time to make a change. Updating your insurance agency’s methods and practices can help you reduce costs quickly. Evaluate your agency to see if you’re using any of these outdated business models and ideas. If you are, make the change so you can grow your agency.

Prime Real Estate and a Fancy Office

Back in the “old days,” insurance agencies needed prime real estate and fancy offices to compete. If an agency didn’t have the right address and an impressive interior, it would lose out to the competition.

That’s no longer the case, though. Now, your agency can work remotely while providing the same level of service to customers. Remote work can improve productivity and efficiency, especially when you use the proper technology. For instance, Jenesis Software’s technology partners can provide e-signing solutions so you can collect signatures from home.

By switching to a remote workforce, you can save on mortgage and rent payments, electricity, and more. You will also find that it’s easier to find and retain top talent. The best agents want flexibility, and remote work provides that.

Direct Mail to Existing Clients

Years ago, sending direct mail to clients was essential for insurance agencies. Direct mail was used to keep clients updated, notify them of renewals, send bills, and more. You need paper, envelopes, and stamps to send direct mail, and the costs can add up. Fortunately, you can move from direct mail to email in 2021.

Some of your clients might want to stick with direct mail, so you can still provide the option. However, many will prefer email, so you can save money when corresponding with those clients.

Keeping up with direct mail and email preferences is easy with insurance agency management software. Just include the client’s preferred method of contact so you can ensure everyone receives communications from your agency.

Paper

You might not be able to do away with paper entirely in 2021, but you can make moves to become a paperless office. Going paperless will save you money, but that’s not all. It will also improve your office’s security and efficiency. You won’t have to worry about leaving sensitive data on their desks, and you also won’t have to watch agents waste time sorting through files. They can use the extra time to recruit new clients.

The right insurance agency management software will make the transition to becoming a paperless office seamless. You can use the software to create and maintain digital files that can be accessed anywhere. Once you see the results, you’ll realize that going paperless is the right choice for your agency.

Mass Direct Mail Campaigns

There was a time when receiving mass mailers from insurance companies was a weekly occurrence. They would send them out to everyone in the area without any thought on who needed insurance. Many of the recipients weren’t active leads, so the success rates for these campaigns were often low.

Some insurance agencies still use direct mail campaigns, but the process has changed. Now, they qualify leads and send mailers to them. Others have eliminated these campaigns, replacing them with digital marketing.

You can save a lot of money quickly by putting an end to mass mailouts. They annoy people and can hurt your ability to get customers. Plus, they are expensive to run and maintain.

A Full Staff

Insurance agencies used to take care of everything in-house. Now, though, you don’t necessarily need to keep a full staff on your payroll. You can save money by outsourcing some of your agency’s needs. Outsourcing allows you to save money on training and onboarding. It can also reduce staffing costs. You can use outsourced staff members on an as-needed basis and pay them accordingly.

Many insurance agencies successfully outsource accounting, fraud investigation, data processing, and more. Consider your staffing needs and salary obligations. Then identify ways you can save through outsourcing. You can start slowly and add more positions down the road.

Trim the Fat with These Tips

While it will take some time to make these changes, it will be well worth the effort. You can begin by ensuring you have the right insurance agency management software. Your software will help you make many of these changes, from switching to a remote workforce to going paperless. Then you can work your way through the rest of the list. After you make the changes, keep an eye on your costs. You should notice that your overhead costs go down. Plus, you might see a spike in revenue after implementing these changes.

 

If your insurance agency isn’t running as it should, it likely comes down to one of three things. You have a problem with people, processes, or policies. Diagnosing and addressing the problem can help you turn things around for your insurance agency. Let’s take a closer look at each of the three P’s, so you can improve your agency.

People

Insurance agency issues often come down to problems with personnel. You might have recruited and hired insurance agents who don’t fit into your company culture. When one employee doesn’t fit, the company can lose its identity.  This can cause other agents to miss performance goals month after month.

On the other hand, you might have hired the best agents for your company, but you didn’t properly train them. You will need to provide the necessary training for them to reach their full potential. Training should be ongoing, so your employees can also perform at optimal levels.

It’s also possible that your agents are assigned to the wrong roles. You need to make sure each agent has the right job, so you can optimize strengths and minimize weaknesses. Assess your staff and their roles and determine if you need to make changes.

Make sure you are open and honest about what you are doing when you make these changes. Your agents could become fearful of losing their jobs if you suddenly make personnel changes or switch roles. Having an open line of communication will help you calm their fears as you look for ways to improve your agency. With open communication, it will become a group effort, and your agents will become invested in making your agency more productive and profitable.

Processes

What if you have amazing employees who do their jobs well, but your insurance agency is still treading water? If so, it’s time to consider your insurance agency’s processes. You should have processes for referrals, new customers, sales, cross-selling, handling claims, and more. You need to define the processes for each aspect of your business clearly. Outline the expectations and continuously review each process to ensure you are up-to-date with the best practices.

You also need to pay special attention to your processes when someone makes a mistake. That is a cue that you need to review your processes to see if it was human error or an issue with your system. Often, mistakes are signs that something is wrong with the process and not the staff member. You can change the process to avoid future mistakes. This also shows your staff that you trust them, and when they make mistakes, you will look for ways to make processes easier to follow.

You can also get help with processes by utilizing the right insurance agency management system. The software will handle various processes for you, minimizing the work required of insurance agents. It’s also much easier to follow all the processes correctly when you use the software.

Policies

Finally, you need to analyze your internal policies to see if they are holding your agency back. First, consider how flexible your agency is. Insurance agents tend to thrive when they have some flexibility in their jobs. This could include the ability to work from home from time to time and the option to take off early on Fridays. While you don’t want to become so flexible that you lose productivity, some flexibility will help your agents and agency. Consider different ways you can make your agency more flexible. Don’t be afraid to ask your agents what they would like before adjusting the policy. Their input could help you create policies that allow agents to thrive.

Second, ask yourself if you are providing your agents with the tools they need to do their job effectively. Just as with processes, you will find that having the right insurance agency management system will help with this. The right software allows agents to attract and nurture leads while also managing their current client list. It can even help them identify cross-selling opportunities, which can lead to larger commissions.

Finally, you need to evaluate your policy to keep agents up-to-date on industry knowledge. They need to stay on top of new coverage options and policy changes so they can better serve their customers. Far too many insurance agencies expect them to do this on their own. However, adding it to your list of internal policies will allow you to ensure that everyone receives the necessary information. Your agents will then be better equipped to serve their clients.

Get Help With the Three P’s

You will find the insurance agency management software from Jenesis Software can help you address many of the problems you come across in your business. From drumming up business and managing clients to helping you optimize your internal policies and processes, the right software will benefit you in numerous ways. Request a free demo to find out how Jenesis Software can help your agency.