Perhaps too often in these pages we point to issues, problems, and shortcomings in industry thinking, behavior, and technology. We do usually suggest a solution or two and then, of course, nag everyone to adopt it. After all, constructive criticism and gratuitous advice is our job.
On the other hand, as one industry veteran for whom I have great respect pointed out recently, perhaps we don't adequately and often enough acknowledge the efforts and successes all around us. A fair observation.
So in the interest of providing some recognition of what's succeeded rather than simply complaining about everything, we'll suspend our whining temporarily and think of some good things to say. But don't expect this to go on too long or happen too often, lest we be accused by discerning cynics of becoming soft in the head.
What's especially striking, on reflection, to those of us who have been involved in the process over the last 25 years, is how in many ways the vision of the late 70's has actually finally been realized, not completely of course, but substantially. What was once mysterious is now commonplace, the unusual has become expected. Agencies are automated, perhaps not ideally, but usefully and the software they use, if mature, has likely been made highly reliable by hardworking vendors.
Installation software and practices are much improved. Much automation training is now available in some kind of digital format. Vendor service methodology and software make life more pleasant than it ever was before for all concerned.
Hardware is faster and less expensive though more is required. E-mail and Internet access have radically improved communications and information access. Agency Web sites provide another way to let prospects find the agency.
Though the focus of interface has turned to XML and interactive connections, the batch process, now too ignored, in fact plays a daily and useful role in thousands of agencies and hundreds of carriers. It isn't perfect, by any means, but enormous amounts of data are now traded between carriers and agencies, especially with download, and at least reduce the need for double keying.
Automation is now part and parcel of agency life and culture. Once feared and sometimes reviled, virtually no one would want to give it up for even a day. Life without agency automation is unthinkable for agency staff, young and old.
Thousands of agents and their staffs worked very hard over years and decades to understand, absorb, and take advantage of automation. The too common turmoil of long days, weekends, and sometimes incredible frustration has finally paid off pretty well and revolution has become routine.
Vendors have also struggled mightily along the way to make their software and support processes reliable and relevant. User groups routinely provide valuable services to their members and get good cooperation from their vendor partners, including the ability to provide input for setting improvement priorities and reacting to new development ideas.
Agency advocates, like the IIAA, through dedicated staff and agent volunteers, helped raise the consciousness of agents, vendors, and carries to the possibilities of automation. Today ACT carriers on that tradition in new ways. ACORD has created standards that are used daily to move massive amounts of data between industry partners.
And though the first cycle of agency automation — what was dreamed of years ago — is now largely, if imperfectly realized, agents, vendors, carriers, user groups, associations, ACORD, and others are poised to understand the opportunities and take advantage of the Internet and other technology never imagined in those earlier visions. Good work! Great stuff.
OK, enough of that. Next complaint coming up shortly.
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