Building Efficiencies to Deliver Greater Customer Value
Industry: Insurance
Contact: Karen Stoneman
Company: Spartan Insurance Agency, LLC
Challenge: Looking for capability to electronically store and share documents
Solution: iChannel Document Management, CRM and Portal
Result: Improved processes with a more efficient system that can securely store
documents
Challenge
Spartan was looking for a product that would give them the capability to electronically store and share documents. They also wanted to be able to track any and all communication regarding documents and their customers’ insurance coverage.
Solution
Now their underwriters are filing documents in iChannel every day and keeping up to date notes on customers, which gives the Agent the ability to locate the file easily and access them from where ever they are in the field. With iChannel, they are able to serve their clients more efficiently and collaborate more effectively as an agency.
Results
- Quick, easy filing and retrieval of documents
- Remote access
- Better communication between Underwriters, Agents & Clients
- Improved customer satisfaction
- Reduced printing, ink and toner costs
iChannel DMS, CRM and Portal helped Spartan organize all of their documents and gave them 24/7 access to everything they need remotely. This has streamlined processes and reduced time it takes to serve customers resulting in a more efficient system and very satisfied customers. Improved processes with a more efficient system that can securely store documents.
Specific Areas of Benefit
Remote Access to Documents: Spartan reports the iChannel provides them with quick, easy document filing. They also value the ability to retrieve their documents from anywhere. “I can give many examples of how iChannel has been a huge time saver. One situation I recall was when an agent called from the road, needed time sensitive information and the underwriter was unavailable. We were able to direct him to where, in iChannel, he could instantly access the file. Without iChannel, that would have taken a day or more to resolve.” -Karen Stoneman, Coordinator of Underwriters, Spartan Insurance
Saving and Tracking Communications: with Clients “We have recently started to use iChannel to track discussions with clients. We can save emails, put notes in the system regarding calls made, conversations with clients, etc. All of that information in one shared place makes it easier for staff to collaborate and provide more personalized customer service to clients. We can make a note that we called them with questions, to remind them to pay their bill, etc.” –Jean Saum Prough, Underwriter, Spartan Insurance
Staff Acceptance: Agents and Underwriters like that they can find information in one central place that they have access to 24/7. “Many of our staff swears by the system that iChannel provides while others have been slower to adopt. We are still in the process of getting fully implemented. In hindsight, we see some things that we could have done differently to get the whole staff to buy in more quickly.” – Karen Stoneman, Coordinator of Underwriters, Spartan Insurance Agency
Advice for Firms Planning to Implement iChannel
Karen Stoneman, shared, “We are moving toward improving efficiencies but don’t feel we are getting the maximum benefit yet. We are planning group work sessions so our staff can see the real value of embracing the system. If we did it over again, we would spend more time planning and not be in a rush to start using. With a better game plan, I believe that staff use would have been more successful, more quickly. I think we should have started with a smaller group to determine exactly what we wanted iChannel to do for us.”
About Spartan Insurance Agency
The Spartan team specializes in helping clients develop a crop insurance program that will be the foundation for a sound marketing plan, give them the protection they want and the peace of mind the need to succeed. The Spartan staff has over 200 years of combined experience in crop insurance and agriculture finance. They pride themselves on providing consistent, dependable service. In addition to that, they consistently network with many agri-business and grain marketing agencies to provide an added-value service to their customers. They strive to generate and share quality information that allows their clients to make better, more informed decisions. Spartan’s mission is to provide their insureds crop insurance choices and other risk management tools that will help maintain and increase farm profitability.