The Real Time/Download Campaign has announced the agenda for its National Real Time Day. The organization has scheduled some thirty-plus presentations for the industry-wide event which will occur on Wednesday, February 29, 2012. Real Time Day, which also will happen on this year’s Leap Day will offer agents, brokers, carriers, vendors and others practical guidance on how modern workflows can help drive business and profits. In order to help agents plan their participation, Agency Checklists has prepared a quick Q&A on some of the more important facts about the Real Time Campaign and Real Time Day.
What is the Real Time/Download Campaign?
Launched in 2007, the Real Time/Download Campaign is “…dedicated to improving the competitiveness of the independent agency distribution channel.”
Does The Organization Promote One Specific Method to Achieve This?
No. The campaign does not focus on advocating one specific technology, but rather to promote a workflow approach that frees up more time for agencies to sell, process and service business. The organization says that the majority of agencies can achieve this by leveraging tools already existing in their agency management systems or competitive raters.
Who makes up the Real Time/Download Campaign Organization?
The Real Time Campaign is made up of a broad spectrum of industry professionals including agents, brokers, carriers, technology providers, user groups, agent and industry associations. The Campaign says that it is sponsored financially by the following groups:
ACCORD and the ACCORD-User Groups Information Exchange (AUGIE); Allied Property & Casualty Insurance/Nationwide; Applied Systems; Applied Systems Client Network (ASCNET); Artizan Internet Services; CNA; EMC Insurance Companies; Erie Insurance; Grange Insurance; Harleysville; The Hartford; Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA) and its Agents Council for Technology (ACT); IVANS’ Liberty Mutual Agency Corporation; MetLife Auto & Home; Network of Vertafore Users (NetVU); PIA of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut & New Hampshire; Progressive; Travelers; Vertafore; and Westfield Insurance.
What is planned for tomorrow?
Presentations will be taking place throughout the day both from the Real Time Studio and in webinars hosted by the Real Time campaign, carriers, vendors, users groups and others from across the country. In particular, however, there are a few worth mentioning:
- The sessions are divided into three categories Real Time Sessions for Agencies; Real Time Sessions for Carrier & Vendor Implementers and Web Broadcast Schedule (which will be streaming from ACORD.org.)
- There will be an opening session tomorrow morning at 9:30am which will broadcast live from the ACORD Studio. It will feature Agency Principal, Stu Durland, who is the co-chair of the Real Time/Download Campaign. He will be offering an introduction to efficient workflows and then outlining the rest of the day’s events. Mr. Durland will be broadcasting live from the ACORD Studios in Pearl River, NY. To participate in this broadcast, copy and past this link into your browser – https://bcove.me/yq4b33wu. If that doesn’t work you can access the link from the Real Time Schedule found here: https://eddiesays.org/real-time-day-schedule/
- From 11:30-12:50 – The 2011 Real Time Survey Results will be discussed of 3,100 independent insurance agents.
- At noon, there will be a webinar led by agent Cyndy Smith, of Haylor Freyer Coon and EMC Insurance Companies’ Teresa Addy. Their joint presentation will be focusing on carrier and vendor implementations. Registration for this webinar is at www1.gotomeeting.com/register/545903689
- From 1:00-1:30 there will be a Live Studio welcome and update by Mr. Durland and others.
What else will there be?
There will be more than a dozen agency-focused sessions that will be put on by technology vendors including: AgentDirectExpress & RealTimeExpress, Applied Systems, SEMCAT and Vertafore. These webinars will be explaining how agents and brokers can make better use of the the technology already available within their systems to grow their business and boost efficiency. Note, however, that the majority of these presentations will be broadcasting live.
Anything for insurance carriers?
Yes. NxTech and IVANS will be hosting seminars primarily for those insurance carriers interested in learning how to better align their systems with the needs of agents and brokers.
Anything by insurance carriers?
An array of insurance carriers also will be holding webinars during Real Time Day in order to explain how their technology works with management systems in order to deliver better agency-carrier interface. Cincinnati Financial, CNA, EMC Insurance Companies, Harleysville Group, Progressive, Selective insurance and Westfield Insurance are some of those participating in this group of webinars.
What about Agency Management Systems?
Agency Management systems like ASCnet, NASPA, NetVU and NUDGMI will be hosting sessions to explain how to get the most out of their systems.
There really is quite a lot planned for agents tomorrow, too much to list here. Interested agents should browse the itinerary and register at the Real Time Day Schedule found at www.GetRealTime.org/RealTimeDay.
