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Author: Kitty Ambers

​If you're playing offense on a football team, you know the point is to score a touchdown. But if you want to effectively move the ball down the field, you need to work from a playbook. 

Likewise, agents, carriers, user groups and trade associations often agree on what needs to happen to “score" from an industrywide technology standpoint.

How do we know? Because we talk about it all the time.

And yet carriers often scratch their heads and say, “We're not sure what to implement" or “Our agents haven't asked for this before."

To close this communications gap, NetVU has built what we call the “Industry Playbook." It describes an ideal state for key technology implementations in the independent agency system. It outlines barriers, players we need on board, and what we at NetVU are doing in our universe to get to that desired state.

The playbook is geared toward getting everyone on the same page so carriers know where to invest, vendors know what to build, and agents know how to make good business decisions. Our goal is to replicate the successful industrywide collaboration of the Real-Time Campaign that was launched a decade ago.

Based on recent conversations with industry players, we are updating all sections of the playbook. Here are three key examples:

1. Credential management and Real-Time adoption, including multifactor identification, privacy and related cyber issues. The playbook outlines full support of the industry coalition promoting SignOn Once, which aims to eliminate the hassle, cost and security risk of multiple user IDs and passwords.
   
   
2. Customer self-service, including a client portal that should provide a seamless experience for a customer to access all types of insurance information in a single place, regardless of carrier. The client should be able to do anything that a call/email exchange with a CSR could accomplish. An effective client portal is a “must-have" for the agency of the future.
   
   
3. eDocs and eMessages, which are electronic documents (usually PDF policy images) and notifications created by the carrier and pushed to the agency throughout the workday. This method ultimately should replace communications the carrier currently sends via snail mail, email, carrier portal/website or other delivery methods.
   

Each section of the playbook has champions who are ready to speak on a particular topic. We aim to get our local chapters around the country involved by giving them access to those experts. The more people we can get into the conversation, the better.

Dozens of industry professionals have vetted the playbook content. But if you have something to add or an opposing viewpoint, please join the discussion. Come to meetings and conference calls hosted by NetVU, ACT, AUGIE, IVANS, Insurance Digital Revolution (IDR), and the Big “I." 

Carriers and vendors must meet the needs of most agents. We'll never satisfy everyone - But if we follow an “Industry Playbook," we can achieve consistency and common understanding. We can reach the end zone.

Kitty Ambers, CIC, CPIA, CISR (kitty@netvu.org) is CEO of the Network of Vertafore Users, based outside of Dallas. [Click here for the latest version of the online “Industry Playbook."]