Laura Hamilton 
Insurance agencies are bought and sold every day, but why should they matter to you? Is it ever the right time to purchase a book of business? Think about this: The average agency owner is 56 years old or older, and 20% of those agents are 66 or older. They are at the stage in … Read more
Whether your agency has 20 employees or one, an agency management system can help improve your efficiencies. If you are looking to streamline your business without completely changing your operations, look to your management system to provide specific client reports, prospecting lists, and more. Here are a few major benefits to using your management system … Read more
Spring cleaning is in full swing as agents prepare for the summer’s shenanigans. While you spend time decluttering your physical workspace, don’t forget to give a little TLC to your digital one! If you don’t know where to start (Epic can be a beast, I know), here are some quick and easy fixes that can … Read more
Finding the perfect commercial lines insurance for everyone who walks through your door can be cumbersome. There is a lot of work that goes into the process: You have to search through all of the carriers to find the right one, then you have to look through all of their lines of business to figure … Read more
How can you use a working referral program to generate more business? Referrals are the most coveted way to gain business, and in an age where exposure means everything, they are one of the ways prospective clients determine your credibility. Honestly, the easiest (and cheapest) way to market your agency is by word of mouth, … Read more
One of the hardest parts about working as a team is motivating your fellow group members. I once had an agent ask me how he could convince his coworkers to cross sell business and upsell current clients. Without hesitation I responded, “With money and fame!” The tricky part was that his business plan could not … Read more
Have you heard staff ask questions like, “Where are the carrier documents?” or “Where are the quote sheets?” Do you find yourself spending a lot of time looking for declaration pages, client information, or the last ten signed applications the carriers ask for? Let’s be honest, it was easier to grab paper documents while working … Read more
Over the years, I have seen some mishaps from CSRs, producers, and agency owners that have resulted in clients filing a claim against their agency’s E&O Insurance policy. The real kicker is that some of these could have easily been avoided. As an agency owner, you try and protect your E&O Insurance against all possible … Read more
Hopefully, you have taken the “How much is too much: Customer Service” quiz from our last ASNOA Advantage newsletter by now. If you didn’t score highly, or if you just want to increase your productivity, then read on! Regardless of what role you have within your agency, it’s time to take control of your day. … Read more
Have You Tried Turning It Off and Back On Again? The latest update from Applied Epic 2019 If you haven’t already noticed, Applied Systems has updated to Epic 2019. While this is exciting news, many new features need to be set up on your end. Whenever a simple update comes through, we always say: “restart … Read more