Page 137 - The UnCaptive Agent

110 THE UNCAPTIVE AGENT

Multi-Company Rating Systems

I’ve already mentioned the relative necessity of purchas-
ing a multi-company personal lines rating system. If
you are going to be involved in the personal insurance
business, this is a necessity for you. Unfortunately, there
aren’t many choices. EZLynx™ and PL Rater™ by
Vertafore™ are currently the only two serious options
to consider. Your choice of a management system may
drive this decision, or your choice of rating system may
drive your choice of a management system. It’s really
a decision only you can make. But you should take the
time to look at all the choices before making a decision.
The three critical things to consider in your matrix
of decision-making are integration, cost, and website
integration.

Customer Relationship Management Systems

The next software system you should consider pur-
chasing for your new agency is a client relationship
management system. A CRM system tracks all the
activity you have with suspects, prospects, and clients.
It allows you to run marketing campaigns. It allows
you to analyze all the marketing data and sales activ-
ities for your agency. And while agency management
systems have some limited rudimentary capabilities in
this regard, they are really no match for the capabilities
in a CRM system. Good CRM systems allow you to
automate a lot of the sales and marketing functions of
your agency, freeing you to spend more time in direct
personal contact with prospects and clients.
There are several excellent CRM systems available in
the marketplace. Two of the most significant providers are
Microsoft, whose system CRM is used by many businesses.