What’s New: In brief (June 29, 2006)

The Insurance Institute of Canada (IIC) has selected Aptify as its enterprise-wide customer and member relationship management software. Aptify is an international provider of customer and member relationship management, e-Business, education management and other applications. By using Aptify to serve as a central data repository for all of IIC’s international affiliates the Institute says it will be able to improve many business processes. IIC believes the new system willallow it to: grow its existing membership activities; reduce and eliminate manual and duplicate efforts required to maintain business; improve internal and external communications; improve collaboration between Institute locations and streamline the consistency of content amongst the provincial Web sites. Aptify’s integrated business applications will, IIC says, provide them with analytical and reporting tools for its growing business intelligence requirements. With more than 20 Institutes and Chapters across Canada connected through Aptify, the Institute says it will be able to maintain professional programs and manage examinations for more than 35,000 individuals.

The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) recently implemented a media intitiative focused on reminding motorists to “Chill, Focus and Relax,” in order to avoid being involved in an auto crash this Canada Day long weekend. Last year’s Canada Day weekend, the ICBC reports, there were approximately 540 crashes on B.C. roads that resulted in one death and 160 people were injuries. “Police tell us that traveling at an unsafe speed is the most frequent contributing factor in fatal collisions,” Solicitor General John Les says. “Throughout the summer, police, province-wide, will be targeting dangerous and aggressive drivers.” The message, he says is that “dangerous and aggressive driving, on our (B.C.) roads and highways, will not be tolerated.” ICBC is also targeting speeding and aggressive drivers for the months of July and August with an awareness and education campaign. Through its safety initiative, the ICBC is telling travellers to:
* Avoid becoming an aggressive driver, be an example and practice courtious driving
* Plan ahead and be realistic about travel times by allowing extra time
* Slow down and leave plenty of space between vehicles
* Prioritize so that staying focused on the road and minimizing distractions are top of the list by, for example, making calls before driveing and pulling over to read maps.
*Never drink and drive.