By Cyndy Smith & KarenYoungman

We are all creatures of habit. We delight in the familiar.We worry about things upsetting our routine. In addition, all toooften, we tend to resist change--sometimes vehemently. This is justhuman nature.

While these are natural tendencies, they can be barriers toprogress--personally and in our work lives. Overcoming themrequires that we leave behind the familiar, open ourselves to newideas and embrace change. That's the premise behind an IndependentAgency System industry-wide initiative--the Real Time/DownloadCampaign's "21 Day Challenge."

Agents and brokers who have implemented real time and downloadin their organizations report realizing several benefits,including:
o Staff time-savings
o Faster client response
o Increased sales
o Better account penetration
o Easier endorsement processing
o Reduced E&O exposure.

(Read an article, "Real time launches 21-day challenge.")

Time for real time
Since mid-2007, the Campaign has served as the cornerstone ofactivity by agents, brokers, agency management system user groups,carriers, vendors, associations and others to drive improvedworkflows throughout our business. To date, we have seen a markedincrease in the availability and adoption of real-timefunctionality. The industry has come a long way in just a fewyears.

When the Campaign first started, people thought real time was aspecific commercial product we were selling. Then they met Eddie,our adorable ease-of-doing-business mascot. They saw him in ads, onthe Web and at trade shows. More important, they learned that realtime is actually a functionality built into agency managementsystems and comparative raters that allows for faster communicationbetween agency and carrier.

As carriers and vendors expanded their real-time offerings,agents and brokers found it easier to, with the click of a mouse,move right from their management system or rater to the exact placein a carrier system they need to be to complete an inquiry or quotea piece of business. And all of the information goes from theagency to the carrier system automatically.

More than two-thirds (69 percent) of agent and broker employeeswho took part in a recent survey indicate they use a real-time toolwithin their agency management system to begin real-time inquiry orservice transactions. This represents nearly a 30 percent increaseover last year's survey results, in which 54 percent of respondentssaid they did so.

Those who use a real-time tool said that personal lines billinginquiry and personal lines policy inquiry transactions were usedmost commonly, by 88 percent and 85 percent, respectively. Incommercial lines, 74 percent of "real-time" agencies said they makebilling inquiries using real-time tools in their system; 69 percentuse the tools for commercial lines policy inquiries.

(Read an article, "The war on keystrokes.")

Help with habits
To encourage more agencies to make real time their predominantworkflow, this year we launched the Real Time/Download Campaign 21Day Challenge. The Challenge represents a comprehensiveapproach--one that takes 21 days--to making Real Time part of theagency lifeblood and its implementation part of their employees'daily routine.

Agencies are checking out the 21-Day Challenge Web site(getrealtime.org/21DC) and using the information provided there.Carriers are reporting a jump in new users since the Challenge waslaunched, and vendors are getting more calls from agenciesinterested in learning how real time might work for theiragency.

The Challenge offers entry points for any agency:
o Those with little or no experience can become more familiar withrteal time and how it works by visiting the "New to Real Time"section;
o Agencies and brokerages that have a staff member interested inleading the transition to real time can kick the tires and getprepared by taking the Champions Challenge; and
o Those organizations ready to dive in can sign up theirorganization for the Agency Challenge.

Each section includes information necessary to move the agencyforward in its quest for increased efficiencies using the latesttechnology and up-to-date workflows. Help sections and day-by-daytactics are prevalent. Agencies and brokerages can take thechallenge without registering, or they can provide contactinformation that carriers and vendors can use to encourage them andoffer support along the way.

Agencies that have not made use of real-time functionality aremissing out. Real time simplifies data entry by agency staff byeliminating the need to rekey customer information. Once staff keysinformation into the management system or rater, they do not needto enter it again--anywhere.

(Read an article by Rick Gilman, "Responsibilities ofchange.")

Tried it, liked it
These agencies tools report significant time-savings. Many peg thenumber at a half-hour or more per employee per day. That's morethan 10 hours per month per staff members. Download--the electronictransmission of carrier data back into agency management systemsand a key element in the successful implementation of real time--issaving another 30 minutes, agencies report. Combined, this meansseven people can do the work that eight do without real time anddownload.

In today's marketplace, forward-thinking agencies are not simplyusing time saved to reduce headcount, though. They are refocusingstaff efforts. Instead of just processing transactions, customerservice professionals are being trained and rewarded for sales.With redundant entry a thing of the past, service staff can spendmore time rounding accounts, up-selling and cross-selling.

The ability to use and reuse data that already exists within theagency database allows faster access to more markets. In the faceof fierce competition, this is particularly important. Agency staffcan get more information, more quickly, from more carriers, so theycan be sure they present the best options to prospects and existingclients.

Immediate access to client information--whether in the agencydatabase or through a simple click to the carrier system--allowsreal-time enabled agencies to boost customer service; staff canfind and share answers on the spot.

Employees can process endorsements in real time, as well; theycan even explore various scenarios and work with the customer toselect the most appropriate option.

A side benefit--but one that may trump all of the others--alsoexists: by incorporating real time and download into consistentagency workflows, organizations can significantly reduce their riskof staff errors and omissions.

Finally, as agencies implement real time and download, employeesfind themselves doing less menial work and are able to helpcustomers more quickly and confidently. As this occurs, employeesare happier. Of course, as those of us in the agency arena know,satisfied employees produce--and retain--satisfied customers.

(Read an article, "Agents tell carriers technology lacks ease ofuse.")

Now is the time

Given the convergence of a highly competitive market and theavailability of leading-edge automation like real time anddownload, the time is right to make a change and create newhabits.

Agencies and brokerages that have never implemented thetechnology should check with their automation provider to see howeasy it is to get started. Often, the functionality exists andsimply needs to be turned on.

Those that have tried real time or download before, and stoppedbecause it did not meet expectations, should try again. Since theCampaign began in 2007, the number of carriers offering real-timefunctionality has virtually doubled. Also, great strides have beenmade in boosting accuracy of personal and commercial linesdownload; now, more than ever, having this downloaded data helpsreal-time transactions function more efficiently.

Finally, agencies where usage is inconsistent should work toencourage broader adoption by familiarizing staff with preferredworkflows and rewarding those who take part.

The 21-Day Challenge can help in each situation. It's alow-stress way for agency staff to try real-time workflows and makethem a habit, which will drive greater agency profits and lead toimproved client services and increased employee jobsatisfaction.

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Cyndy Smith, vice president and director of technology atSyracuse, N.Y.-based Haylor, Freyer & Coon; and Karen Youngman,CPCU, personal lines manager at Don Allen Agency, Inc., inRochester, N.Y., are co-chairs of the industry-wide RealTime/Download Campaign (www.getrealtime.org).