Posts - July 2009

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Over time, we have conducted quite a few webinars featuring tips and tricks, full tours of new functionality, and discussions on issues of the day. As the Sircon for Agencies and Broker Team contemplates the next market-focused webinar, we would like to hear your input.

As you may recall, the last webinar we hosted in June featured Simplified Licensing. Before that, we invited Beecher Carlson’s Director of Applications, Angela Ford, to join us as we discussed A New Way to Leverage Trusted Data.

Before we simply tell you what you’re in store for next, we would like your feedback on which topic or topics would be the most meaningful for your firm. Here are a few we’re considering:

• Growing a Sustainable Firm with One-Click™ Compliance
• Putting Real-Time™ to Work for You
• How to Achieve Painless Compliance
• Compliant Enough. Avoiding Fines and Censure in the Insurance Compliance Arena.

Give us your thoughts by emailing firmalchemyfeedback@sircon.com with your suggestions. And remember, while you may not work here, you are the reason we do what we do. Aren’t democracies grand?

For those of you with firm websites, this little gem could greatly increase the number of incoming sales leads your agency receives, with very little effort and no cost on your part. Perhaps you have heard of a marketing strategy called Search Engine Optimization, or SEO. If you perform a quick Google search on the definition of search engine optimization, your search will return this very long list. For our purposes, we will concentrate on SEO in the sense that strategic postings online could improve your incoming sales leads and possibly even the quantity of quality producers who knock on your door, looking for a good firm to join.

Online service directories are a great place to list your firm and improve your search engine optimization, while you’re at it. Best of all, most of the directories are free. The more places you can list your firm online, the higher your agency will rank in “organic searches” (those you don’t have to pay for). So get your firm out there and see if you don’t begin receiving more incoming leads from great prospective clients, and some of the best producers in the market.

You can check out Sircon in the directories below:

• LinkCentre.com
• Yellowpages.com
• Roask.com

Last week, I stepped out of the office and onto the open road to experience some more of our great state. From Bay City, to Port Austin, to Holland and Grand Haven I drove, bought antiques I have no room for, and ate too much ice cream – all great things to do on a Wednesday and Thursday, if you ask me. Perhaps the most exciting part of my two-day adventure, was that while I touring the Thumb and West Coast of Michigan, the rest of my team was hard at work launching a new product. Best yet, even though I was in the car and strolling two coastlines, I was right there with my team, every step of the way, via email, phone, and shared applications from my BlackBerry.

Sometimes, as I’m sure you know, you really can’t just leave it all behind. Deadlines approach, business doesn’t stop, and in this day and age, that’s a really good thing. Business aside (just a little anyway), I’m here to tell you, encroaching renewal deadlines, CE requirements don’t have to stand in the way of your summer fun – you really can have it all. In fact, constant connectivity is something that Sircon delivers with each product and service we offer you. By leveraging the Software as a Service (SAAS) model, Sircon’s web-based licensing and compliance tool, its powerful producer management and data repository technology, and it’s robust compliance reference library and integrated evidence room, are all available anywhere you have a web connection, anytime, day or night. For a busy licensing specialist, compliance administrator, or producer on the go, this means 24/7 access to license applications, renewal submissions, CE inquiries, and much more with the click of a mouse, or the push of a button on your phone.

So go ahead, jump in the car and explore your state and be confident in knowing that no matter what deadline is fast approaching, using Sircon means you’ll never have to miss a beat, or a sunset.

Send your favorite road trip stories to firmalchemyfeedback@sircon.com.

The software industry as a whole is tasked with sidestepping a nasty (and admittedly reputation-damaging) habit of developing new technology just for the sake of developing new technology. For those of you who have ever owned a cell phone, you know what I mean. Oftentimes owning "the latest and greatest" means being the proud owner of a feature you don't understand how to use, and likely can't even find.

On the flip side of the coin, here's a fun fact for you: Did you know that Sircon has whole teams of people, from each customer-facing department (Support, Development, Billing, Sales, Product and Project Management, and Marketing), that focus solely on improving our user's experience within existing Sircon products and services? It’s true! For you, that means mindful development and design from the start, and responsive products that are always improving.

In addition to existing product improvement, we have major initiatives underway which will fuel the development of new products for the Agency and Broker market, built from your feedback. In the next months, and as I am authorized to let more of the proverbial "cat out of the bag", count on Firm Alchemy to be the first place to read about exciting new innovations from Sircon, built for you, straight from your wish list. As for now, I can tell you that regardless of your agency’s size, one new technology in particular will revolutionize how you manage your producers, their licenses and renewal deadlines, CE course completions and requirements, and more, all from one convenient dashboard, accessible 24/7, online. Stay tuned for more information on this exciting new service, right here, throughout the months of July and August – this is a Big One!

As always, if you have a suggestion you would like us to take into account, email: firmalchemyfeedback@sircon.com.