SB: The Virtual University has been around for about four years now. Let's start by giving us an overview of how things got started. Who came up with the idea?
BW: I didn't conjure up the idea of an online VU, but I did pitch the concept to IIABA in January 1997. A year later we had a prototype. As we worked on the concept and design, we went through several versions and continued to flesh things out.
One concern was to develop a Web site that loaded fast on dial-up connections. Of course, we also solicited feedback from people. At one point, I ran the design by 100 people and 98 said it was "dull and boring," so I modified it. In early 2002, I changed the design to its present look and feel.
An important feature of the VU is the delivery of online educational courses on topics that agents need information about. For that, we enlisted the help of Anlon Systems, a company that specializes in Web-based delivery and management of educational programs.
We got up and running with online courses last year and we're now adding states as they file courses for C.E. We started with Texas and Georgia as pilots to work out any bugs in the registration or delivery system, and now we're adding states pretty rapidly.
SB: Who else was involved in getting the VU off the ground?
BW: I pitched the idea to Chris Amrhein, who convinced IIAA CEO, Jeff Yates, that the time was right for this approach. I had dinner with them and they were willing to do it, if I came on board at IIAA. We negotiated, I joined the staff in June 1999, and we launched the prototype in September.
SB: What obstacles needed to be overcome?
BW: There were only two obstacles: money and staff. I didn't have either one. The VU staff consisted of me, and the financing consisted mainly of my salary and $139 for a copy of MS FrontPage. Since then, we haven't needed to directly invest much more.
SB: With respect to goals and evolution of the effort, where is the VU today?
BW: Considering the minimal financial investment in people or technology, I think we've exceeded most of our goals, except for the VU being a revenue source. But that will change now that we've integrated with our online course partner, Anlon Systems. Also, we're getting close to the point where we will begin to offer subscriptions to non-members and generate revenue from sponsorships and advertising.
SB: Since its creation, I've sensed that the VU is a personal “labor of love” of sorts. Is that accurate?
BW: From my personal perspective, that's quite accurate. To quote Elwood Blues, "I'm on a mission from God." Perhaps that's a little melodramatic, but I'm convinced the Internet is the way to deliver just-in-time learning.
As 9/11 unfolded, I worked with our VU faculty to begin analysis of the insurance implications of the WTC disaster. By that afternoon, we had a resource page online. I worked through the night, literally, and had a five-page article online by the next morning.
Of course, it's wonderful to be able to provide that kind of service and resource to thousands of insurance professionals. Knowing you're doing something of value that people appreciate is the highest reward one can receive for your work.
SB: How do you spend your time as Web site manager, writer, editor, coordinator, etc.? I assume this is your full-time responsibility.
BW: I pretty much do all of the Web site maintenance. I'm lucky that we have a dynamite education/research/technical affairs department. There are only four of us, but we seem to get a lot done. I have someone who helps manage our "private" VU areas for our state education directors, and the other folks in our group handle 90% of the work involved in our online course component.
I write each of our bi-weekly e-mail newsletters and usually write 1-3 of the six featured articles in each issue. I only have to edit the other articles that come largely from our faculty and a few outside "benefactors."
The VU is, by far, my primary responsibility, but I spend time on related projects as well.
SB: What kind of accountability do you have to IIABA?
BW: As an employee, I'm completely accountable to IIABA. Hopefully, I've lived up to their expectations. I do think the VU has been a bigger success than many people expected it would be.
There have been a couple of occasions where I've gotten myself into a little hot water because of "controversial" articles we've run. But our senior management has been very supportive. The VU is looked at, not as a spokesman for IIABA on policy issues, but as an educational arm. The folks I report to have given us a considerable measure of academic freedom to publish our technical opinions, even if they're not popular with some folks in high profile positions.
SB: I've frequently commented that I personally regard the VU as one of the Big I's few “bright spots” when it comes to member services. Yet, it seems that the IIABA's primary preoccupation (and the one that gets the most press) is the lobbying effort and its political agenda. Am I off base?
BW: OK, now you're trying to get me in trouble! Actually, I think IIABA has many bright spots, but most of them aren't as visible as the VU. There are many valuable projects and relationships that go on behind the scenes that our members aren't aware of.
The VU's visibility is an advantage and our existence is probably better known than many of IIABA's other activities. Despite that, though, I'd bet that maybe only 10% of mainstream agency employees even know the VU exists, so we have a long way to go.
Our "Ask an Expert" service provides additional exposure. If an agent has a claim denied, he or she can submit it to us. We'll provide six to ten "expert" opinions, and if our experts think the claim should be covered, the adjuster pays it. That has a very real and measurable value.
That's why it's hard to quantify the value of the other work IIABA does in other areas — legislatively, regulatory, social, etc. We all know that lobbying efforts are critical for protecting industry interests, but it's difficult to measure that value.
SB: What kind of agent response does the VU enjoy?
BW: In the 3-plus years we've been up and running, response has been 99.99% positive. I finally stopped posting the unsolicited testimonials we get every week and haven't updated that page in many months. Also, we started our free e-mail newsletter with 32 subscribers. We now have almost 13,000 subscribers.
Yet, my one regret is that too few of our members — and many others in the industry — just don't know that we exist.
SB: How then do you measure the success of the VU?
BW: I don't have time! Truthfully, I've never tried to gauge our level of success. It's probably a bad way to run an enterprise, but we don't currently measure Web site traffic except to get an idea of what content is accessed the most and to make sure that it's easy to navigate.
When I first pitched the VU, I was convinced that it was viable, needed, and would be a success. I haven't seen anything that would change my mind. So, if there's any measure, I guess it's that we're still at it and growing as fast as we can with limited resources.
SB: Given where the VU is today, where do you expect it to be by the end of the year? In two years? In five years?
BW: After three years of "beta" testing and offering lots of free information, our goal is to go "private" this year. The VU was conceived as a membership service and our leadership would like us to continue it as a membership benefit. For non-member agencies, companies, risk managers, attorneys, and others, we plan to offer access on a subscription basis.
My expectations are that this revenue stream — along with limited sponsorships, advertising, and our online courses — will enable us to improve the technology and add staff in the next year or two.
Looking five years down the road, I'd like the VU to be recognized as the premier source of industry information available online. From a technical insurance standpoint, I think the VU can join other well-known resources as a major player, particularly given that we take a broader approach to the subject matter and incorporate features that they don't.
Ultimately, I'd like to see a VU icon on the desktop of everybody in the insurance industry. Whenever someone has a question or needs to do some research, all they have to do is click our icon to access it. I think that's a reasonable long-term goal, provided we can develop the funding necessary to bring that about.
SB: What are the VU's future plans?
BW: For the immediate future, we need to move to a member-only/non-member subscription basis, get our e-commerce integration completed, and begin to actively market sponsorship and advertising opportunities — along with more aggressively marketing online education. At that point, my hope is that we can start adding staff and geometrically grow our content base.
SB: So, how well is the online education and C.E. effort progressing? That's a key component of the VU.
BW: Slowly but surely. We work in close partnership with our state associations on this. We provide the vehicle and they handle the C.E. and processing on their end. In most cases, we provide the course content and they market it. Increasingly, though, we expect our states to begin adding their own content.
Our biggest obstacles, as expected, are varying state C.E. requirements. But where we've encountered problems, we've been successful in resolving issues with regulators.
SB: Realistically, how committed can the VU's faculty and consultants remain, or will you be looking for new blood, enthusiasm, and ideas?
BW: Most of the faculty members (more than 40 now) are true insurance nerds and they love participating. Our initial faculty was by invitation only and most of the new additions were by referral. I've turned down a number of folks who were interested in becoming faculty members, but I've also added several who approached us. So far, we've lost very few. We're always interested in new faculty, but I'll have to say we're pretty selective.
SB: Here's your chance at self-promotion. What do you want to say to agents about the VU, why they should use it, and how they can benefit?
BW: Probably a more relevant question is why could they conceivably not want to use the VU? It's currently a free service and will probably always remain free to member agencies. I suggest they sign up for the newsletter, give us a shot at a coverage question, and then judge for themselves.
I think the vast majority will agree with one of our members in Missouri who said, "I can't tell you how much easier the VU has made my job. This is the best membership benefit IIABA has developed in years."
“Ultimately, I'd like to see a VU icon on the desktop of everybody in the insurance industry.”
© Copyright 2003 by Sound Internet Strategy. All rights reserved
“Considering the minimal financial investment in people or technology, I think we've exceeded most of our goals, except for the VU being a revenue source.”
“In the 3-plus years we've been up and running, response has been 99.99% positive. I finally stopped posting the unsolicited testimonials we get every week….”