It's time I confessed: I have a problem with technology.
This isn't an uncommon issue, yet it's just as stressful as if I was the only person in the world dealing with this. I curse and scream when confronted with the task of hooking up any sort of electronic equipment. I regularly hit the wrong button on my personal computer, wiping out weeks' worth of work. And I struggle with entangled wires and cords on a daily basis.
I often vow to live off the grid, buy stamps and write letters and read books by candlelight in the middle of a comfortable forest somewhere.
Then every weekday at 8:30 in the morning, I have to cut loose my bucolic dream. Because while there are certainly some corners I can cut in my personal life, I just can't go completely wireless at work.
Nearly everything I do here is done electronically. I write stories on a computer, saving and archiving them into folders.
I research industry trends on the Internet using dozens of online news sources. I manage my contributors and sources through email, easily keeping in touch with them.
But in order to do my job better, I also need to embrace our ever-evolving technological world. If we get a new operating system, odds are it'll make my job faster and easier. If there's a new way I can archive all my information electronically rather than on my desk, it'll make retrieving things a snap. (Just try to find something important when every communication, every form and memo, every news story and article, is piled on your desk -- impossible.)
It probably goes without saying that you regularly use email. You also likely use laptops and cell phones. But have you branched out? How many of you run sophisticated illustrations for clients -- illustrations that help you close the sale? How many of you have the Internet and email on your cell phone, enabling you to sell on the run and efficiently multitask?
I know you put client relationships first (you'd have to in order to sell any policies at all) and leave the back-office stuff for just that -- the back office. But just because technology is not the sole focus of your practice doesn't mean technology isn't important -- and just because technology is sometimes more advanced than what you're used to doesn't mean it's hard to use.
So start simple and do some research. We've made it easy for you. Just look through this year's 2nd Annual Technology Resource Directory, which starts on page 12. Our opening story gives you a taste of how technology in the insurance industry has evolved, what's new, and what's coming up that you should look out for. Then, we take you step by step through the tools that can boost your practice. We tell you what's out there, why you should use it, and what questions to ask to make sure you're getting the best tools you can.
So whether you're new to technology, you've dabbled, or you plunged in years ago but are always looking for the next big thing, our directory will certainly help you improve your productivity by matching you up with the right technology for your needs.
Diversify your clientele
Another essential tool to any practice is a diverse clientele. Are you serving minorities -- and serving them well? Hispanics in particular are in an under-insured market -- according to the U.S. Census Bureau, 32.7 percent of Hispanics of any race were uninsured as of 2004. The uninsured rate for that year for other races was 19.7 percent for African-Americans, and for Asians 16.8 percent. Yet the uninsured rate for non-Hispanic Caucasians in that same year was 11.3.
The first trick to seizing this opportunity is to realize that all clients are the same when it comes to financial needs. Everybody has financial goals that need to be met, and there are certain products and services that can help them best meet those goals. The next trick is figuring out what those products and services are -- and how you can tap into these diverse markets. Check it out on page 28.
Sincerely,
Christina Pellett
ASJeditor@AgentMediaCorp.com
