ebix.ASP is one of the first representatives of a new generation of agency management systems. Ebix has carried forward the combined functionality of its various management systems while at the same time adding features only possible through the Internet, such as remote access from home/hotel room/anywhere, and wireless access to notebook computers, cell phones and PDAs (personal digital assistants). ebix.ASP should serve to energize a market that's increasingly looking for the next big thing in agency automation.
In this review, we'll pay special attention to how ebix.ASP answers conventional agency management system needs, what it offers that legacy systems don't, how it prices and sells the service, what installation and training is like, what seems to be missing, and what ebix has in mind for the future.
System architecture and user interface
In order for ebix.ASP to be accessible to an agency, the agency must have PCs connected to the Internet running Windows and Internet Explorer 5.0 and up. High-speed connections (DSL, cable, T1) are recommended but the service will run on 56kb dial-up connections. No special software needs to be downloaded or run on the agency PC. The service is a conventional Internet application that supplies HTML to the browser for execution.
ebix.ASP divides the browser window into three and sometimes four sections. A main menu of seven functional areas, indicated by icons, crosses the top of the Window left to right. These include: To do list, clients, policy servicing, contact management, accounting, reports, and maintenance. In addition, a number of associated ebix services, identified by icons begin on the right and proceed to the left and include: Live help, ebix exchange, and ebix research. Presumably additional items could be added or some deleted depending on what the user subscribes to or to what larger group he or she belongs. For example direct access could be provided to a wholesaler, MGA or specialized markets to get a quote.
Each of the seven functional areas noted above is associated with a submenu (and some of those have additional menu levels). When a functional area icon is clicked (the area invoked), the appropriate submenu appears in a column on the left side of the Window. Mousing over submenu items sometimes reveals sub-submenus. Often, and as relevant, it's possible to access functionality from one area (say invoicing within accounting) from another (policy servicing). By the way, it would be better, in my opinion, to show all the sub-submenus for a functional area all the time, rather than force the user to discover that they're there via a mouse-over. On the other hand, using pop-up sub-submenus conserves screen real estate so that, for instance, it isn't necessary to scroll down to see or activate menu items.
Below the functional area icon row and to the right of the submenu column, the remainder of the browser Window is devoted to displaying data (and sometimes doing additional navigation). The data area may contain a simple form, a multi-page form with tabs, a list of items, or any combination. For instance, a list at the top of the pane may allow selection with display of item detail at the bottom of the pane (e.g. a list of vehicles at the top and a particular vehicle at the bottom). It's a straightforward arrangement that anyone could grasp immediately.
Generally speaking, ebix is a Microsoft shop, with ebixASP being a Microsoft ASP 3.0 implementation with a fair amount of Java script being used for field validation. ebixASP interfaces with ebixExchange, written in Microsoft.NET technology to allow direct interfacing with carriers and third party data providers. The application uses Microsoft's SQL Server database software.
Agencies can host themselves or have ebix do it. The vendor has teamed up with Exodus, a Cable & Wireless Service and a global Internet outsourcing group, to provide the infrastructure and hosting for the ebix.ASP service. Ebix and Exodus provide commercial grade security, back-up, and redundancy to ensure continuous 24x7 access to the ASP service
This is probably a relevant place to report that all activity through the system is tracked in detail. This complete audit trail can reveal who did what to which, but it's probably more valuable as a source to analyze patterns of activity, CSR load, and the like. The report system allows an agency manager to slice and dice activity data in whatever way might be useful.
System functionality
To do list: ebix.ASP contains a diary/scheduling feature similar to those found in Microsoft Outlook and other time organization software. There's no connection between the ebix.ASP scheduler and Outlook even though some agents might find that desirable. I don't know the technical issues involved, but since Outlook (and Microsoft Office products generally) are so ubiquitous in agencies it would be better to integrate them rather than foster parallel, similar functionality. Ebix told me that in order to manage planning and activity data and functionality, the ebix.ASP software needed to provide the scheduler and be in charge of it. Ebix believes that the benefits of having ebix.ASP automatically place To Do items on its calendar and keep track of all appointments more than compensates for the transition from Outlook. ebix.ASP will even call agents on their cell phone to remind them of appointments. An agency can configure ebix.ASP to copy any ebix.ASP originating e-mail into Outlook or any other e-mail package thereby using both e-mail approaches in parallel.
Clients: Like every management system created in the last 15 years, ebix.ASP makes clients the entity to which policies and other information are attached. The ebix.ASP client record provides profiling codes as well as the ability to list staff or household members. The client search feature allows access by name, address, phone, and a number of other search criteria
Policy servicing: ebix.ASP stores risk entities, like vehicles and locations, at one level above any particular policy. That means they can be included into multiple policies when relevant without having to be duplicated policy to policy. The system supports policy history, with any number of versions per policy term. ebix.ASP supports most common policy types including Private Passenger Auto, Homeowners, Dwelling Fire, Personal Umbrella, Personal Lines Package, Personal Inland Marine, Watercraft, Personal Package, BOP, Commercial Auto, Truckers, Workers Comp, General Liability, Commercial Property, Commercial Package, Glass and Sign, Commercial Umbrella, and Life. The system provides all ACORD applications for these lines as well as binders, certificates, auto ID cards, and other common ACORD forms. The policy area also supports claims tracking and appropriate ACORD forms. Besides the canned lines, ebix.ASP includes a module that allows the agency to create custom lines of business including sub-lines and any unique screens and field elements.
Contact management: The system provides a way to enter and track suspects and prospects, to do basic mailing and other contacting, but it's neither a sales management nor a CRM (customer relationship management) system and it's not meant to be. Shortly Ebix will be offering what it says is a robust campaign management system, including leads, that agents can subscribe to and use separate from, but data-integrated with, ebix.ASP. The company also told me that it is building an integrated call center solution within the ebix.ASP system for launch by December 2002.
Accounting: ebix.ASP has the foundations for a strong accounting area, acceptable to even very large global insurance brokers. In a way, that's no surprise, since those people are an important part of the Ebix customer base. Accounting transactions can be broken down five ways from Sunday via a five-level hierarchy - agency, region, division, department, and profit center. Charts of accounts can vary by entity and level and multiple general ledgers can have their own fiscal periods. Receivables/ cash receipts can operate by item or balance forward. Policy set up and then billing transactions can support substantial complexity, for instance, allowing a policy to be composed of multiple parts going back to separate carriers. Flexible broker billing is supported as well
Reports: Because ebix.ASP is based on a modern SQL database, it's easy for the vendor to add new canned reports, and users can design their own as well using Crystal Reports, a popular SQL reporting tool included with the system.
Maintenance: Security, code lists, and other configuration elements are accessed through the maintenance menu. Maintenance is the first area a system administrator would go to when setting up ebix.ASP for the first time. Changes to certain maintenance items, for instance signon rights, can be made on a batch basis. System logon requires an agency code, a user code, and a password - all configured in the maintenance area. Users can be set up by groups to have access to certain areas and whether they can look but not touch. ebix.ASP comes with many defaults already set up, though an agency can change them to match their particular needs.
Customer self-directed service
Today, Ebix hosts a generic Customer Self-Service (CSS) function that agents can subscribe to and provide outwardly to their customers - no matter which Ebix system they use. Ebix legacy systems upload data nightly (or at some other agency defined interval) into the ebix CSS database, and then their customers have access to this copy, sending back e-mail requests to the agency for policy changes when relevant. ebix.ASP will work the same way; that is, there will be an add-on service the agency must pay for, but it won't be necessary to do nightly uploads. The Ebix CSS system will make inquiries into the ebix.ASP system real-time as they occur, so the customer will always be viewing current data.
What's new and different
Ebix told me that ebix.ASP is intended to be a superset of its other products. It's taken the best elements from each of them and redesigned them to run within a native Internet application. And it's added new functionality possible in the Internet environment and not found in classic management systems. Not every element is available today, but a strong foundation is in place to build out other details to suit small to large agencies.
ebix.ASP has some advantages over locally installed software just because it's an ASP. But because the software was written from scratch for the Internet, it has some additional advantages over traditional client/server software brought to the Net via mediating software like Citrix. ebix.ASP is likely to be more efficient and more scalable than local software or Citrix-supported ASPs. Interface and integration (of software also hosted on the server) should be easier for Ebix to accomplish than locally run software. New software releases can be posted and available to all users immediately. Presumably, agents should have much lower capital expenditures with ebix.ASP compared with Ebix in-agency solutions. Less frequent hardware upgrades and no up front licensing fees are also a benefit of this ASP environment
But how is ebix.ASP really new in terms of functionality or in fostering different agency behavior? Ebix likes to talk about how ebix.ASP is available anyplace, anywhere, anytime - that is, via multiple devices and communication channels without respect to geography. Thus ebix.ASP could be accessed through multiple means — through the Internet from an agency office or locally when agents host their own system, from home, hotel room, or on a vacation over an Internet connection, and through WAP enabled cell-phones, PDAs, or other devices. That means producers on sales calls, parents home with a sick kid, an emergency-agency presence, or whatever, could all have access to agency data and functionality.
Besides the advantages of a native Internet ASP (including WAP/Windows CE compatibility) what else is special about ebix.ASP? We noted above that the ebix.ASP main function row includes connections to additional Ebix functions, like its exchange, research area, and so on, and that more are coming. ebix.ASP is best appreciated as one element of a constellation that Ebix supplies agents through the Internet to provide help for virtually every step in the insurance process, from leads to sales to claims. Though all elements are not released yet, Ebix plans eventually to provide seamless integration among all its services so that they can be subscribed to separately, but used together as one extensive service. So, for instance, eventually its Insite and Ebix exchange service will be able to request and return direct bill status, claims information, quotes, etc. from a carrier and provide it to the agent in real-time within the ebix.ASP environment.
Interface and integration
Ebix has experience in interface and integration, and with its acquisition of Insite, has considerable software resources and expertise to bring to bear on interface and integration implementation. Ebix told me that ebix.ASP can do download from 100 carriers via Ebix exchange, though you'll have to check on carriers, lines, and transactions supported. Edited upload and carrier Web site integration are complex areas under continuing development by the vendor, so you'd best direct specific questions to them about solutions you're looking for.
Image and workflow
Though ebix.ASP can store and retrieve all kinds of files (anything an agency can upload, including image files), the system doesn't explicitly support image management. Agents with anything less than DSL lines to the Internet might find uploading high volumes of images on a daily basis impractical, but that's a problem for ASP solutions generally. I understand that the vendor plans to offer third-party imaging solutions integrated with ebix.ASP as an option.
Though ebix.ASP has the rudiments of workflow management, including the concept of multi-step, suspensible transactions, it does not provide robust workflow management. But most classic, locally-run management systems don't really do that either.
The buying process
To the extent it can, Ebix will sell ebix.ASP through the Internet through online demos. Generally speaking, it won't be sending sales people out on the road to go door-to-door. The vendor claims to have a nice order backlog already without having done any explicit marketing. I was told that several dozen agencies (both large and small) have already purchased and installed ebixASP. Two associations (the 1,260 member IROQUOIS group and another big association with a much larger membership) have contracted to sell private label versions of the ebix.ASP product to their respective members.
Two large implementations are underway presently in London — one for a group of 80 agencies and another involving a 350-employee personal lines retail brokerage. A UK carrier, Brit Insurance Holdings, will joint venture with Ebix on a European version of ebix.ASP and will implement ebix.ASP for its broker base. A large Mexican agency, Reune, is working with Ebix to create a Spanish version. A demo presentation is available on the ebix Web site that will give you an overview of the software. Custom Webex demos can also be arranged.
ebix.ASP is affordable even for small agencies. The service costs $65/month per user with a $1,000 (or greater) signup fee aimed at covering startup administrative, training and support costs. Ebix will guarantee the $65 fee for five years. Ebix will also convert data from the agent's existing system guaranteeing 100% conversion. For an additional fee, Ebix offers this conversion at fixed prices ranging from $3,500 to $5,000 for agencies with employee bases from 5 to 30 employees. Ebix guarantees the data conversion and will even have it key-entered, if necessary, for no additional fee.
Installation, training, and on-going support
Unlike classic agency management systems, ebix.ASP requires no hardware or software installation, except universal, simultaneous connection to the Internet, if that's not present. But the service, like any agency management system, does require configuration and set up, which could take an agency some time - though Ebix-supplied start-up defaults can shorten the process. Ebix will provide telephone and online help, but it doesn't make a practice of providing on-site assistance, though that can be contracted for at an extra charge. Ebix wants to sell and "install" ebix.ASP via self-service and the Web, and that makes sense given its modest pricing. Agencies that are already well educated and competent with their existing agency management system could probably get up to speed pretty quickly with ebix.ASP, but tyros will have trouble doing this on their own just as they would with any complex system.
Though ebix.ASP has online live help, as well as 24 hour telephone support over a toll free access number, it does not provide online textual help via context sensitive, outline, or search. That's a shortcoming that Ebix will want to address, as well as the publication of a paper (or printable) user manual. After all, a software system is partly software, but to be valuable it must be surrounded with a context of instruction and help.
ebix.ASP comes with online live help for immediate reporting of problems over the web. Users also have the ability to log any issues directly to Ebix's support site, www.ebixsupport.com, and track progress of those calls via the Internet. In addition, the company has a Product Development Committee for each product, composed of user group agency members
Overall
I'm impressed at how much Ebix has put into its ebix.ASP product in a short period of time. It's a very strong starting point for further elaboration, though the service will suit some agencies of all sizes just as it is today. Accounting and policy maintenance are well fleshed out and more comprehensive than some classic, in-house systems. ebix.ASP is part of a collection of services that, once connected, will make it extremely useful.
I think that Ebix needs to improve its documentation and training tools. It will be very interesting to see how agents respond to and use this very large and complex native Internet application.
Also, Ebix should clarify its interface approach, especially with respect to edited upload and carrier Web sites. The need for clarification applies to its overall vision and specifics for integration with its other services as well — though I respect the vendor's unwillingness to publicly promise too much before the fact. In my opinion, it's in the integration with this vendor's other services (as well as those offered by others, including carriers) that can make ebix.ASP qualitatively different from classic management systems. After all, that's really the point of doing all this work.
Given that Ebix has done so much so quickly, and because it has the resources and intellectual capital to make the needed connections and fill in the blanks, evolving versions will undoubtedly become richer. Ebix has a powerful vision for the future and is well on its way via ebix.ASP and its portfolio of other (to be integrated) services. Any agency considering moving to another system and/or going to an ASP solution should take a look at what ebix has to offer. Take a look at www.ebix.com for more information.
© Copyright 2002 by Sound Internet Strategy. All rights reserved