Pat Alexander » Articles http://patalexander.com Insurance Agencies of the Future Wed, 23 May 2012 11:00:15 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Me and My Mac – TAAR January 2010 http://patalexander.com/2010/05/05/me-and-my-mac-taar-january-2010/ http://patalexander.com/2010/05/05/me-and-my-mac-taar-january-2010/#comments Wed, 05 May 2010 13:38:34 +0000 Pat Alexander http://patalexander.com/?p=1137 In this article I relate how I evaluated the type of new laptop I chose and how that relates to evaluating your technology needs in your agency.  In looking back to what I said in the article there is only one item that I no longer agree with.  I said I really like the blogging [...]
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In this article I relate how I evaluated the type of new laptop I chose and how that relates to evaluating your technology needs in your agency.  In looking back to what I said in the article there is only one item that I no longer agree with.  I said I really like the blogging software better than what I was using before.

A few weeks ago I helped an agency set up Microsoft Windows Live Writer for their blogging.  This is the software I was using when I changed to my Mac.  After testing 4 different Mac blogging software I am going back to the Windows Live Writer software.

I am enjoying the best of both worlds.

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]]> http://patalexander.com/2010/05/05/me-and-my-mac-taar-january-2010/feed/ 4 Best Practices Documentation and Management – TAAR – November 2009 http://patalexander.com/2010/04/06/best-practices-documentation-and-management-taar-november-2009/ http://patalexander.com/2010/04/06/best-practices-documentation-and-management-taar-november-2009/#comments Tue, 06 Apr 2010 11:00:47 +0000 Pat Alexander http://patalexander.com/?p=1108 A conversation at an industry event centered around the use of wikis.  My colleagues agreed that an agency’s best practices should be posted in a wiki and editable by the staff.  I expressed my concerns about this and my colleagues told me my concerns were old-fashioned and out-of-date. Well, of course that set me to [...]
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A conversation at an industry event centered around the use of wikis.  My colleagues agreed that an agency’s best practices should be posted in a wiki and editable by the staff.  I expressed my concerns about this and my colleagues told me my concerns were old-fashioned and out-of-date. Well, of course that set me to thinking they might be right. So I checked with insurance agents’ errors and omissions underwriters. This article discusses this issue in depth.

Best Practices Documentation and Management – TAAR – November 2009

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]]> http://patalexander.com/2010/04/06/best-practices-documentation-and-management-taar-november-2009/feed/ 4 2015 and Beyond – TAAR – September 2009 http://patalexander.com/2009/12/30/2015-and-beyond-taar-september-2009/ http://patalexander.com/2009/12/30/2015-and-beyond-taar-september-2009/#comments Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:00:57 +0000 Pat Alexander http://patalexander.com/?p=1025 In October 2008 I attended the ReSource Pro Innovation Summit in Qingdao, China. The attendees were led through a number of activities which had them thinking and planning for the agency of 2015. Every attendee that I have spoken to said that this meeting was phenomenal in opening their eyes and minds to how to [...]
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In October 2008 I attended the ReSource Pro Innovation Summit in Qingdao, China. The attendees were led through a number of activities which had them thinking and planning for the agency of 2015. Every attendee that I have spoken to said that this meeting was phenomenal in opening their eyes and minds to how to plan and think about the future. There were both wholesale MGAs and retail agencies involved in this summit. However, as a group they came to same common themes.

acrobat20x20.jpg 09.09 2015_and_Beyond.pdf

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]]> http://patalexander.com/2009/12/30/2015-and-beyond-taar-september-2009/feed/ 0 First Look – Aspire Agency Management System – TAAR – July 2009 http://patalexander.com/2009/12/02/first-look-aspire-agency-management-system-taar-july-2009/ http://patalexander.com/2009/12/02/first-look-aspire-agency-management-system-taar-july-2009/#comments Wed, 02 Dec 2009 13:00:51 +0000 Pat Alexander http://patalexander.com/?p=987 I did this first look article for the Aspire agency management system product a number of months ago. Since then, they have gone “live” with a number of test agencies and continued to finesse this product. However, the article still contains a lot of relevant information. I invite comments and questions pertaining to this article. [...]
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I did this first look article for the Aspire agency management system product a number of months ago. Since then, they have gone “live” with a number of test agencies and continued to finesse this product. However, the article still contains a lot of relevant information. I invite comments and questions pertaining to this article. For questions specific to the Aspire system, I will ask the management team of Impowersoft for a response.

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]]> http://patalexander.com/2009/12/02/first-look-aspire-agency-management-system-taar-july-2009/feed/ 0 The Future of the Independent Agency – TAAR – May 2009 http://patalexander.com/2009/08/19/the-future-of-the-independent-agency-taar-may-2009/ http://patalexander.com/2009/08/19/the-future-of-the-independent-agency-taar-may-2009/#comments Wed, 19 Aug 2009 20:20:37 +0000 Pat Alexander http://www.patalexander.com/?p=507 As I travel the country, the first question I hear when I visit an agency is,  “Where is the insurance industry headed?”  Of course, nobody has the exact answer to that question.  I believe I need more knowledge about what is going on in the reinsurance and insurance carrier worlds to be able to offer [...]
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As I travel the country, the first question I hear when I visit an agency is,  “Where is the insurance industry headed?”  Of course, nobody has the exact answer to that question.  I believe I need more knowledge about what is going on in the reinsurance and insurance carrier worlds to be able to offer a view of what the future might hold.

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]]> http://patalexander.com/2009/08/19/the-future-of-the-independent-agency-taar-may-2009/feed/ 0 Agency Culture – TAAR – March 2009 http://patalexander.com/2009/08/10/agency-culture-taar-march-2009/ http://patalexander.com/2009/08/10/agency-culture-taar-march-2009/#comments Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:47:40 +0000 Pat Alexander http://www.patalexander.com/?p=501 I’ve written about agency culture before, but it’s an issue that continues to resurface.  Culture affects singular and multi-agency locations alike.  Some offices in a multi-location agency can be perfectly healthy, while others are broken.  The same is true within a singular location. Read Article Subscribe to The Anderson Agency Report
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I’ve written about agency culture before, but it’s an issue that continues to resurface.  Culture affects singular and multi-agency locations alike.  Some offices in a multi-location agency can be perfectly healthy, while others are broken.  The same is true within a singular location.

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]]> http://patalexander.com/2009/08/10/agency-culture-taar-march-2009/feed/ 0 The Power Of The Positive Audit Part II – TAAR – November 08 http://patalexander.com/2009/06/15/the-power-of-the-positive-audit-part-ii-taar-november-08/ http://patalexander.com/2009/06/15/the-power-of-the-positive-audit-part-ii-taar-november-08/#comments Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:22:16 +0000 Pat Alexander http://www.patalexander.com/?p=492 I want to tell you the story of the “Perfect Agency”.  This story is based on an actual agency that I audited for their E&O carrier several years ago.  The E&O carrier instructed the auditors to find holes in the agency’s processes that might lead to E&O claims. Read Article Subscribe to The Anderson Agency [...]
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I want to tell you the story of the “Perfect Agency”.  This story is based on an actual agency that I audited for their E&O carrier several years ago.  The E&O carrier instructed the auditors to find holes in the agency’s processes that might lead to E&O claims.

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]]> http://patalexander.com/2009/06/15/the-power-of-the-positive-audit-part-ii-taar-november-08/feed/ 0 The Power of the Positive Audit Part I – TAAR – September 08 http://patalexander.com/2009/05/10/the-power-of-the-positive-audit-part-i-taar-sept08/ http://patalexander.com/2009/05/10/the-power-of-the-positive-audit-part-i-taar-sept08/#comments Sun, 10 May 2009 22:28:35 +0000 Pat Alexander http://www.patalexander.com/?p=425 Last year when I attended the “Building Winning Teams Workshop” with Patrick Lencioni, he introduced his newest book, The Three Signs of a Miserable Job.  Now, at this point, you’re probably think, “Oh no! I don’t want my staff to see this!”  Well the book isn’t really for your staff – it’s for management. Read [...]
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Last year when I attended the “Building Winning Teams Workshop” with Patrick Lencioni, he introduced his newest book, The Three Signs of a Miserable Job.  Now, at this point, you’re probably think, “Oh no! I don’t want my staff to see this!”  Well the book isn’t really for your staff – it’s for management.

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]]> http://patalexander.com/2009/05/10/the-power-of-the-positive-audit-part-i-taar-sept08/feed/ 0 Agency Staff Perpetuation – TAAR – July 08 http://patalexander.com/2008/07/01/agency-staff-perpetuation-taar-july-08/ http://patalexander.com/2008/07/01/agency-staff-perpetuation-taar-july-08/#comments Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:53:34 +0000 Pat Alexander http://projects.mediacontour.com/patalexander.com/?p=129 A few years ago, an acquaintance (who is of retirement age) decided to work three days a week in lieu of full time.  She intended to maintain this work arrangement for several more years. Read Article Subscribe to The Anderson Agency Report
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A few years ago, an acquaintance (who is of retirement age) decided to work three days a week in lieu of full time.  She intended to maintain this work arrangement for several more years.

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]]> http://patalexander.com/2008/07/01/agency-staff-perpetuation-taar-july-08/feed/ 0 The Quest for the Perfect Proposal – TAAR – May 08 http://patalexander.com/2008/05/01/taar-may-2008-%e2%80%93-the-quest-for-the-perfect-proposal/ http://patalexander.com/2008/05/01/taar-may-2008-%e2%80%93-the-quest-for-the-perfect-proposal/#comments Thu, 01 May 2008 17:56:01 +0000 Pat Alexander http://projects.mediacontour.com/patalexander.com/?p=133 Proposals are a hot topic. When I work with or audit an agency, I heard a number of issues related to proposals. Read Article Subscribe to The Anderson Agency Report
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Proposals are a hot topic. When I work with or audit an agency, I heard a number of issues related to proposals.

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