Connexions Express, Summer 1999

Summer 1999
ADVANTAGE to....the broker channel
by Klaas Westera, President

CSIO has recently gone through a process of self-analysis resulting in a fresh and clear new mandate. It comes out in support for the broker distribution channel. CSIO's new Vision Statement reads:

"CSIO is a valued industry association that creates solutions for subscribers to achieve a competitive advantage for the Independent Broker Distribution Channel." You cannot get much clearer than that! Anything and everything we do here at CSIO must be for the benefit of the Broker Channel.

As CSIO's new President, I am pleased to say that this mandate is one that I am personally very comfortable with and committed to. I look forward to working with all of the channel's stakeholders to succeed in our new mandate. It is only by working together that brokerages, companies and industry vendors can deliver that competitive advantage. Some key CSIO activities will include; listening and adapting to changing needs and tools acting as an all party forum through which progress can be made delivering new standards and services faster R&D on new technologies and related business methodologies acting as a technology information resource and depository for our stakeholders enchancing CSIOnet's value to the broker channel learning from and sharing with similar industries inside and outside of Canada facilitating the industry's move and effective use of Internet based technologies, including E-commerce

Admittedly a lot to do, but for a cause we all believe in. " . .. to achieve a competitive advantage for the Independent Broker Distribution Channel".

CSIOnet Merger
The Board of Directors for both CSIO and the IICC (Insurance Information Centre of Canada) have agreed to merge their respective networks into one industry wide network administered by IICC effective July 1, 1999. This move will allow both organizations to provide a single, cost-effective and secure data highway for Canada's property and casualty insurance industry. A network steering committee with representatives from insurance companies, the Insurance Brokers Association of Canada (IBAC), CSIO and IICC are working to plan continuous network improvements. In addition, CSIO will continue its network enhancement activities on behalf of the broker channel through new value added services for the network. You will not notice any changes as we are taking great care to make this transission transparent to the user.

E-Commerce for the Broker Channel
The rapid growth of the Internet and its use by today's consumer is creating increasing interest in web site development within the broker channel. A recent study reviewed at ACORD's May conference, showed the insurance industry is not immune to this trend. One indicator revealed the number of consumers who shopped the Internet for insurance, grew from 11% to 19% over the last year.

The question of broker web sites has changed from 'if' to 'when'. A web site presence will allow brokerages to compete for business associated with this new venue and potentially gain a new competitive advantage.

CSIO will be directing more of its resources towards Internet/E-Commerce activities to help the broker channel take advantage of these new tools. Reprinting the TAAR article (see Page 2) "Avoid Web Design Phobia" is a small example of CSIO's emerging assistance for the broker channel in E-Commerce.

Although this article delivers excellent ideas, CSIO still strongly encourages brokers to seek professional assistance in building their web sites.

This article reprinted with permission from the March 1999 (Volume 15, Number 3) issue of TAARReport, The Automated Agency Report.

Connections, by Jack Burke
Avoid Web Design Phobia

The following ten tips will help you build an effective Web Site. Just over a year ago, I was paralyzed with fear of designing a Web site for our company. I've since walked through that fear, and echo the great line: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."

From consultants to agency owners, I have found that many people share various aspects of my "Web-phobia." Comments range from outright confusion to amazement about the Web to questions about how to structure information and build traffic. Ironically, my mind quickly forgets my past fears and wonders why people are so intimidated by the idea of building a Web site. As a result of much research and countless conversations, I've distilled and synthesized a few suggestions about Web sites that may benefit you. (Some of these ideas currently exist on our Web site; others will be implemented during the next renovation.)

1. Establish a "Contact Us" directory which lists the name, title, and e-mail hyperlink for each employee. This, of course, assumes that each of your employees has his/her own personal e-mail.
   
2. Provide a constantly changing value-added enticement. You need to give people a reason to return to your site - and merely offering a billboard menu of your services definitely falls short. The easiest way is to write articles that contain pertinent information for your market. If you're not a writer, many publications will allow you to reproduce their material as long as source credit is given.
   
3. Develop a "Meet Our Friends" page that hyperlinks to the Web sites of clients, vendors, and friends. This should be negotiated to a mutual benefit whereby they provide a hyperlink to you on their site.
   
4. Expand the "Meet Our Friends" concept with value-added discounts. Most of your clients would be very willing to offer a special discount to your other clients and employees. The more you help your clients to get more business, the more loyalty you inspire in them.
   
5. Offer personal pages for your employees. Employees are then given responsibility for their own pages (which is good techno-training) and are able to share the important things in their lives with your clients. It's amazing how quickly pictures of grandkids, details on hobbies, information on organizations and charities, and other personal data can help develop lasting relationships with clients. Plus, your employees then urge others to see their pages - which drives more traffic to your site.
   
6. Design a virtual library section. Most agencies have developed an extensive library of training and educational materials. Make an inventory of what you have available in print, audio, and video, then list it under your virtual library. Clients can e-mail their request and borrow the material on a first-come, first-serve basis.
   
7. Have contests! Here's a fun way to get your clients and prospects acclimated to what your site offers. Sneak in a word or phrase somewhere within your site and offer a modest prize (lunch for two at a nice restaurant) to the first five people who find the hidden word.
   
8. Publish your newsletters. If you send out periodic newsletters, post them on your Web site as well.
   
9. Establish a community bulletin board. From owners to receptionists, the staff of an agency is usually pretty involved in the community. Offer organizations the ability to publicize their events on your Web site. They'll appreciate the gesture and will definitely drive more traffic to your site.
   
10. Add a Web site signature to all of your e-mail. Most e-mail programs allow you to customize a closing "signature" which is added to all outgoing e-mail. Make every e-mail an invitation to visit your site and make the address a hyperlink.