People Supporting Technology

More than just an argument to curb profanity in the workplace, customer support is the safety net for anyone who uses computer software. Like any such protection, you want it to be there when you need it. Further, good customer support promotes more efficient use of ever-advancing technologies.

That’s why, out of the various forms of customer support available today, those that provide help most immediately rank as the most used. In an age when cell phone calls and text messages weave the fabric of our lives, many software users accept nothing less than near-instant response when they need help. Those who use broker management technology often need that safety net to keep a business running.

“We all know how bad support can be and how devastating it is when it isn’t there,” says Brenda Rose, vice president of Firstbrook, Cassie & Anderson Ltd. (FC&A) in Toronto, Ontario. What is her advice to brokers shopping for a broker management system? Definitely make quality of support a huge concern in making your buying decision.

About 10 years ago, FC&A was ready to replace its legacy system with technology that could better handle the complexities of a brokerage operated in multiple locations by more than 50 users. In reviewing technology providers, the brokerage quickly ruled out those that could not claim a track record in insurance technology and commitment to customer support.

FC&A ultimately chose The Agency Manager (TAM) from Applied Systems Canada. A big part of that decision had to do with the fact that it came with “a support team of people you can count on so you can sleep easy at night,” Rose says.

ASSORTMENT OF ASSISTANCE

So what components make up a superior broker management support team?

Telephone Support in Real Time

For some types of issues, brokers require the quickest possible response. In these situations, logging a call and waiting for a call back just doesn’t cut it, Rose said. Many agents and brokers agree, according to a study conducted by Applied Systems. The results of the study suggest phone support in real time is the method chosen by more than 60% of clients who contact Applied System’s support. Callers will hold on average one minute, 45 seconds before they speak to a support technician. The technician is able to resolve issues on first contact 74% of the time, in English or in French. When calls need additional research, average callback delay is about two-and-one-half hours.

On occasion, hold times will vary. At month-end, for instance, customers typically experience a higher volume of accounting-related issues. Even then, many customers still prefer the phone support option, which allows their calls to be taken quickly from specialized real-time queues.

Variety of support methods

Rose advocates a support method appropriate for each circumstance. Some companies, for example, offer online databases that contain problem descriptions and solutions. These may be supplemented by telephone support, or ways to submit problems by means of email and fax. “Sometimes, for complicated issues, I might use email support so I can send attachments while I indicate the issue in the email,” Rose noted.

Then there’s “chat,” an acceptable four-letter word. In fact, online chat is the second most-used option for Applied Systems customers. One advantage of using the chat option is that the average wait time to begin chatting online with a support technician is about 18 seconds. “Online chat is a real timesaver for me,” one CSR said in Applied System’s recent survey. “Usually, my problem is fixed before I even have time to tell the boss we had one.”

Another advantage of online chat is that CSRs will have a “transcript” of the chat conversation. This is important because employees whose primary language is neither English nor French often understand more by reading than by spoken conversation.

Another support mechanism is an online tech forum. This resource allows customers to log onto a company Web site for a scheduled session, in which support technicians answer client questions on specific topics. One study participant described the resource as a type of “mini-seminar just for the issues I need addressed at the moment.”

Enhancing Brokerage Growth

“The farther we go down the road of technology, and the more sophisticated it gets, the more dependent we will be on support,” says Rose. Already paperless in personal lines business, FC&A is moving toward paperless commercial lines, as well.

Rose says FC&A is working with a third-party document management provider that will integrate with TAM. “All of our information will eventually be accessible in that network, not in paper files,” Rose says. “TAM will remain the centerpiece of our operation, and support will be critical to how it all works.” Like many brokers, FC&A does not employ an on-staff IT person, underscoring the importance of dependable assistance from its broker management system provider.

Sixty-four out of 75 employees at FC&A use the TAM broker management system. Those who do not use TAM are dependent on those who do. “If we were to go down for any reason, everyone is down,” Rose says. “So once again, support assistance is key.”

Support Team as Business Partner

Answering the contemporary needs of technology users, technology providers often provide help that transcends the traditional scope of customer support. System users are often balancing their everyday work tasks with the training they require in order to keep up with the latest technological developments. Tech support workers often straddle the line between offering support and training brokers to help keep their businesses running smoothly. “We want our clients to know they are never on their own when they’re using our technology,” says Greg Shiple, vice president of customer support at Applied Systems.

Shiple says the evolution of technology in the insurance marketplace heightens the importance of customer support for brokers now and for the future. “Because of a number of factors — enhanced product functionality, advances in technology, the complexity of integrating third-party products — we see the need to continually adjust support services for our brokers and agents,” he says. “Technicians are here to ensure that clients succeed. We are prepared to provide the support that brokers and agents depend on as their needs continue to evolve.”