Going Paperless

[JRoot]

I'm looking for an agency management software to make my agency completely paperless. I'm leaning towards DORIS Insurance Systems - agency management software - Insurance Automation, but I know theres others out there that I havn't looked over.

I sell mostly Life/Health and about 25% commercial P/C.

Any recommendations?

 

[RolloverCoach]

David Drucker has a publication called Virtual Office news.
If you have an interest in tech/going paper you can buy his book
and subscribe to his newsletter.

 

[Frank Stastny]

You may want to take a few minutes to look at "Your Insurance Office" (YIO). Agents throughout the US and in eight foreign countries have found it very helpful.

The full-working demo is free. There is no learning curve and support is unlimited and toll-free.

Board members also receive a discount. Click on the link below or call the toll-free number for more information.

 

[Guest]

Before you run off and spend money on the well-liked YIO program mentioned earlier, you should take a look at:

Small Business CRM Resource Centre - Your Free Guide To CRM Help

and specifically the free or very low-cost web-based systems like SugarCRM and FreeCRM . They are not insurance-specific, but they have both worked well for me. I started with FreeCRM and moved to Sugar later on as it had more features that I liked (but didn't really need!) Both are free, but Sugar you have to host on your web site, while FreeCRM is hosted for you for free (they hope you will upgrade to t heir $15/month package... well worth it.)

I actually enjoy working with SugarCRM and it works for my small operation. I bring it up in the morning in it's own browser window, minimize it and leave it there all day. Takes no resources as a desktop program would (not an issue if you have a lot of RAM in your computer... which I don't... only 1 GB.)

Anyway, there are tons of systems out there... some like YIO are desktop-based and others like FreeCRM, Sugar (demo is here), Salesforce, Norvax, AgencyPro (mostly for group health) etc. are web-centric. And even if something (like Free or Sugar) is non-insurance specific it will work pretty well for lots of agents. Sales is sales, data is data, and selling insurance products is not all that different from a back-office perspective than selling any other service (wedding photography, legal service, computer repair, event management, landscaping, etc.)

You have lots of choice... at lots of prices. Each have their pros and their cons. Find out what YOU need most, what you can afford, and go from there.

Again, the favorite on this board seems to be YIO. I really didn't like it much, but I'm way in the minority here. I also really like a web-based paradigm (which YIO is not) since I travel a lot and like to be able to run my business anywhere I can get a web hook-up... hotel, PDA, iPhone, kiosk, etc. (It's saved my ass more times than I can remember!) Find out what your hot button is and try some of the various solutions out there and it won't take long for you to figure out what will work best for your business. Don't feel hurried or pressured. And often the first system you try is not always the one you end up with.

Al

 

[senior-advisor-indiana]

Al,

Do you realize how annoying it is to read your "YIO" bashing everytime someone asks about a software program? I haven't read any complaints from the "Insurance Agents" that are using it.

 

[Guest]

Al,

Do you realize how annoying it is to read your "YIO" bashing everytime someone asks about a software program?

I only write it to annoy YOU. Looks like it's working.

I don't 'bash' YIO. I've said over and over that it is popular, that it is a worthy contender and that I don't much like it. You have a problem with me saying so? If so, well somehow I think I can live with it.

I notice you don't mind Frank coming on here and singing the praises of YIO. If you want to be a vocal supporter for Frank, knock yourself out.... it's your privilege. Even though I'm not, don't I have the same privilege? Or did I miss something here?

I haven't read any complaints from the "Insurance Agents" that are using it

So? Are you saying you want to be judge and jury of what can and can't be posted here? Because if you do, that's something I really CAN'T live with! I really don't think this board exists for the sole comfort and enjoyment and final approval of Senior Advisor Indiana.

That does not mean you can't express your opinion (which you have) but if you ask me, YOU of all people have hardly any credibility to criticize ANYONE here about being annoying, as you lead the list in that genre.

Have you read your own sig recently?

Al

 

[GreenSky]

That does not mean you can't express your opinion (which you have) but if you ask me, YOU of all people have hardly any credibility to criticize ANYONE here about being annoying, as you lead the list in that genre.

Have you read your own sig recently?

Al

The difference is that SAI and others on this INSURANCE FORUM actually SELL INSURANCE for a living. You've admitted that you are new to the industry, sell only occasionally, and have proven over and over (and stated) that you really don't have a great deal of insurance knowledge. The only insurance you "love" is that crap from Colonial where you simply refer the prospect to someone else.

If anyone on this forum has no credibility, it's YOU!

Now I'll wait for the inveitable reply where you will either try to show you are above this kind of posting, or where you take offense.

Rick

 

[Guest]

If anyone on this forum has no credibility, it's YOU!

Now I'll wait for the inveitable reply where you will either try to show you are above this kind of posting,

Above this kind of posting? Not at all. But I only bother when I think kicking someone's hind-end is going to make a difference. With you, it won't. So why bother?

Rick, you're a guy (we all know a few) who really enjoys beating the crap out of other people. I'm sure you've done it all your life and I'll bet that you will keep doing it until the day you assume room temperature.

So no, Rick, I'm not above (or below) telling people that you are one %$#@-up guy. Yet I don't have to... because when you post the things you post about other people... you prove it.

I can't imagine any agent wanting to do business with you after reading what you write about others. And when I think about the stereotype hard-sell, high-pressure insurance salesman, "you da man!" No one here who reads your posts would dispute that you are "the personality" of a boiler-room phone-jock.

You claim you're the big head-honcho, big-kahuna senior-market insurance agent, but at the end of the day all we have is your word for it... and a bunch of meaningless letters after your name. What's the old saying? "Empty barrels make the most noise?"

Real professionals don't write what you write. They don't bash other agents. They don't try to raise themselves up by pushing someone else down. Life is not a zero-sum game to real professionals.

or where you take offense.

Everyone is offended by you Rick. People PM me all the time about you. Name one other person on this board that is as vituperative, as antagonistic, and as aggressive as you are?

You're not funny (like SAI). You're not imaginative like STI. You're not literate like Chumps and James and others. At the end of the day... all you are is mean... just plain mean... just a guy with one really large chip on his shoulder. It seems you just thrive on trying to fight with people here. What I don't understand is that if you are as successful as you SAY you are, where do you find the TIME?

You kind of fancy yourself as a 'leader' of this board. But I don't see it. You know what we call a leader without any followers? Just a guy out taking a walk.

Rick, say what you want about me or anyone else. At the end of the day you are your own worst enemy.

Al

 

[GreenSky]

Al, ya got me with that post. I'm going to turn my life around and become one of your followers.

Now where can I find people willing to take bad advice regarding heath insurance? Or have you cornered the market?

Rick

 

[Guest]

Al, ya got me with that post. I'm going to turn my life around and become one of your followers.

Now where can I find people willing to take bad advice regarding heath insurance? Or have you cornered the market?

You somehow think that you are making yourself look good by making me look bad.

It does not work that way.

Everyone knows it... but you.

As I said, you are your own worst enemy.

Al