Insurance Journal Forums

John J90, there are many systems available even for the smallest agency. You can also take a short email course I developed to help agents with the system selection process. You can sign up at: http://steveanderson.com/choosing-the-b ... nt-system/. Included is a list of products available for each agency size. Let me know if you have any questions.

Steve Anderson
www.SteveAnderson.com

A resource for any agency researching the purchase of a product or service for their agency (including agency and document management systems) is http://www.AgencyUserReviews.com. This site allows any agency user to rate and review their experience with various agency vendors, products and services.

Steve Anderson
http://www.SteveAnderson.com

I have been involved with a small independent agency (10 users) that had been running the Applied Systems products for over twenty years. We have been on Nexsure for a year now and once we actually moved to Nexsure, I realized that the switching cost was much lower than I expected and my agency employees have really embraced the new system and the flexibility it brings. We were really committed to moving to a modern technology (Nexsure is by far the most modern of all them and way ahead of the rest). We are taking advantage of all aspects of the system (i.e. eService’s, downloads and the new smart phone / iPad Apps they provide). Training was great and I don’t just feel like a number when I need support. I am very happy we made the switch. Hope this helps.

Anyone notice the Nexsure buzz is all by people with 1 post ???

We've been using Ebix/VitalSigns and satisfied with it. It aggregates all the ratings and financial data and creates a report showing a carrier's financial strength, saving us time.

AMS360 did get a lot of votes and I wanted to see some product reviews about it. I ran across a site that has very negative comments about it. I wonder whom to believe now... the blog or the majority of the users here.

OldIndyAgent wrote:Anyone notice the Nexsure buzz is all by people with 1 post ???

Hmm ...very interesting. You're right.

What's also very interesting is that in the last 2 days I've had conversations with 2 different people about how I like Nexsure. Not sure if it's Nexsure fishing around or if people actually interested in the product. I think I'm done answering calls about it.

Disclaimer: the opinions I've expressed here are my own and do not reflect those of my employer or their subsidiaries.

Let others take the arrows find something like http://www.miaainsurance.com in your area in a lot of cases our alliance has significant discounts with a number of these vendors and can also offer you help in making the best choice for what you need the system to do for your agency keeping in mind your budget.

I have been reading this comment thread for a bit now...keep meaning to chime in and just keep forgetting! I agree with what many others have said, lots out there and each has its good/not so good. So you really have to check out the various systems to see which "fits" your needs best. Be sure to visit other local agencies to see first hand how they like the product. Also seek out opinions from third parties who are able to provide their thoughts. Then once you make a decision, make sure you are fully utilizing the system to its fullest.

In my nearly 30 year career I have used many different systems. So I have seen a good handful of products over the years.

One product that I love is AMS360! I have been on AMS360 darn near 10 years now. First as a start up agency when 360 was pretty new...and it barely resembles itself with all the changes and upgrades that have been made

I have used it as a user, admin/operations and now as a trainer/consultant for the last nearly 2 years. Like any product there are things I love (Bulk distribution of certs, ability to attach docs to certs, DOC360, ability to direct import locations/vehs/drivers/cert holders, ability to import customer lists, ability to customize some entry fields) and some things that I wish were better (why do some fields "tease" me by looking longer than they actually are?) .

One thing that I do like is the NetVU (Network of Vertafore Users) Chapters as well as NetVU's online community. Both are places to talk and share with other agencies who use the various Vertafore products. Lets face it ... if you are having a problem, someone else is or already has faced the same one. I also love PERS (Product Enhancement Request System) where ordinary users can post suggestions for changes...and vote on those posted by others. The NetVU R&D team will use these to guide the upgrade process, and will often make their own comments.

Another is that the product is ever growing I recall at least 4 major updates done to the system last year. Some were smaller updates but others provided major improvements - the bulk cert dist and doc attachments being two major ones. Version 6.0 is in the process of release now...and it starts the migration away from Internet Explorer as the base platform. I personally know many agencies who are very anxious for this...it means they can use their Ipads to service their clients accounts.

As disclosure - I am part of a consulting group that trains/consults on various platforms, mostly Vertafore products. However, we are honest and direct with out client agencies and actually compete (friendly) with Vertafore's own training division. I did a live week with an Illinois agency two months ago and in a recent follow up the agency principal said "It was great having you here in our office for those first three days, controlling the chaos. I always appreciate having someone helping me who is independent and has no skin in the game."

Michael,
As another independent consultant, I do want to point out that most of the vendors, and the two biggest specifically, have excellent users' groups. NetVu and ASCnet (Applied Systems) are invaluable resources for agencies who use their systems. And it is great that both, rather most, vendors are taking direct input from their customers in the development of their existing and in-development management systems.
As has been stated numerous times in this blog, you and your agency should be getting what you need to effectively run your daily operations from your agency management system of choice. There is a wide range of functionality and features that they provide, and yes, some at a higher cost, but based on your needs the cost may well be worth it.
Some of the best advice I can offer to any agency looking to make a move is to first make sure that your current system cannot provide the functionality you need. More often than not it can, it may be something you have just not used yet! (And ask your Users' Group how to do it!)
Regards,
Jason

What I get from this:

Users can't get the support they need at the two largest agency management systems. So much so that independent consulting firms exist to fix the issues.

I just can't view the systems problems or the need for consultants as a positive.

People don't hire consultants because their systems don't work right, it is because their systems are so complete and customizable that no one person can easily be an expert in all areas of their management system and how to use it the best possible way. Larger agencies have IT people to study and implement new functions, but smaller agencies often don't even know all that their system can do for them. The person who said how valuable the users group is has it right. I can't tell you how often I will run across someone who complains that their system can't do something when I know that their local users group just had a seminar on that. These complainers never show up at their users group meetings.

That seems like politically correct speak for "Ease of Use" is beyond a normal user.

Still not a good thing. I can start my car, buy and sell stock, file IRS tax payments, any number of things very easily...why not push button agency management systems???

OldIndyAgent wrote:That seems like politically correct speak for "Ease of Use" is beyond a normal user.

Still not a good thing. I can start my car, buy and sell stock, file IRS tax payments, any number of things very easily...why not push button agency management systems???

Indy: True you can buy/sell stock, file taxes etc...but are you an "expert" in all those things? Some consumers might add "buy insurance" to your list...but yet the independent agency system is very strong..because insurance is not (yet) a commodity.

I agree that you can start your car...but what happens when it does not start as expected? You see out a qualified mechanic. Same can be said for seeking help getting your system tweaked or training on its use. All of the systems are very complex, so much so that you could not easily be an expert in all aspects of the system while also being a great agent/broker.

JasonBHBCo wrote:Michael,
As another independent consultant, I do want to point out that most of the vendors, and the two biggest specifically, have excellent users' groups. NetVu and ASCnet (Applied Systems) are invaluable resources for agencies who use their systems. And it is great that both, rather most, vendors are taking direct input from their customers in the development of their existing and in-development management systems.

Jason: You are correct about ASCnet...I was merely pointing out what I like about Vertafore and NetVU.

Overall user groups are a wonderful resource no matter which system they support.