PRODUCT BROCHURE APPLIEDOnline. Online FOUR REASONS TO RUN YOUR BUSINESS WITH APPLIEDONLINE

Transcription

1 PRODUCT BROCHURE APPLIEDOnline Online FOUR REASONS TO RUN YOUR BUSINESS WITH APPLIEDONLINE

2

3 Simplicity ENJOY THE CONVENIENCE AND SIMPLICITY of an agency management system that is always current, automatically maintained and securely available because it is accessed through cloud services on the Web. AppliedOnline saves your agency or brokerage the time and operating expense of administering and maintaining a system in-house. AppliedOnline provides advanced security, unlimited storage and continuous service for your customers via remote access and in the event of a disaster. Staff can access agency data anytime from anywhere with an Internet connection. Nearly 92 percent of agencies purchasing a new management system chose to a cloud-based system instead of taking on the burden and cost of hosting the system themselves. These agencies report a multitude of advantages. As you consider moving your agency management system online, start with the four good reasons to run your business with AppliedOnline. 1. DELIVER BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE 2. SPEND MORE TIME GROWING YOUR BUSINESS 3. PROVIDE THE BEST DATA PROTECTION 4. CONTINUE WORKING IF DISASTER STRIKES APPLIEDOnline // 03

4 1. Deliver better customer service SERVICE CUSTOMERS WHEN THEY NEED IT MOST With AppliedOnline, service customers anywhere, anytime. Agencies and brokerages report up to a five percent increase in customer retention with this level of customer service. Agents report higher satisfaction with the flexibility of working when and where it is most convenient for them and their customers. DRAMATICALLY REDUCE DOWNTIME Eliminate the need to put customers on hold because a system is down for daily backups or an update. AppliedOnline systems are up percent of the time. SERVICE CUSTOMERS IN REAL TIME WITH COMPLETE INFORMATION Every authorized AppliedOnline user in your organization sees the same customer information the minute it is entered into the system, no matter where the data entry originated, allowing everyone in all locations to provide service based on accurate, current customer data.

5 Customer Service Facts NO END OF BUSINESS Agencies work around the clock to provide service to customers when they need it most. By 8 a.m. on weekdays, 71 percent of AppliedOnline agencies have had someone working in the system for at least two hours. Between 6 p.m. and Midnight, 15 percent of AppliedOnline agencies have someone logged in. Between Midnight and 7 a.m., 43 percent of agencies have someone online conducting business. At least once a month, I seem to get an after-hours emergency that requires that I get into my system in the middle of the night or on a Sunday afternoon. We re set up so that within about three minutes of the customer s call, my phone system has notified me, and I m calling them back. Customers are amazed. The important thing is we can now take care of them without having to wait for next business day. PHILLIP TILLEY Owner & Principal Tilley Insurance Agency Monett, Missouri APPLIEDOnline // 05

6 Customer Feedback We had an instance where a local organization that we insure was running a big community event on a Saturday, and the organizers realized they hadn t produced a certificate of insurance. The event could not be held without the cert, so they were in danger of having to cancel and have disappointed, upset ticket holders. I got a frantic call, and I was able to get into the system and produce the cert in time for the event kickoff. Needless to say, the organization was grateful I like being able to work from home. I can go home at night, and if a customer calls for something, I can log in and give him what he needs right then and there. The extra level of service is nice. QUINTON HANSON President Associated Insurors Florence, Alabama ALAN HARKABUS Manager A.B. Gile Insurance Hanover, New Hampshire 06 // APPLIEDOnline

7 2. Spend more time growing your business DECREASE ADMINISTRATIVE TIME Administering a system in-house typically requires additional time each day for nightly backups. Agencies also spend time each year installing upgrades and updates. Time spent on administrative tasks takes time away from selling insurance. Seven out of 10 agencies report they are writing more business since they moved online. ELIMINATE ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS WITH APPLIEDONLINE > Manual nightly backup - redundant backup and physical storage according to industry best practices > Manual updates of server software - server software is always current > Manual updates of antivirus and security software - system is automatically updated daily against the latest threats > Automatic download retrieval - downloaded files from IVANS every morning, eliminating the need to run Transfer Manager to retrieve them

8 Customer Feedback When we moved to the online system, the two people who always got stuck with IT admin problems freed up 70 percent of the time we used to spend on those activities. Now we can do our jobs, which is actually the agency work. CINDY TRITZ Accounting/IT Specialist Cox Insurance Associate Roseville, Minnesota I m the one that was staying late every night doing the backups. Now if I stay late, I m able to do the things related to my customers that I need to be doing, instead of worrying about backups. BARBARA WHITAKER President Novotny Inc. Francesville, Indiana When someone has retired or left for another reason, we haven t yet needed a replacement. With our online system, we ve been able to maintain the same amount of business with half of the employees we used to have. RHONDA SMITH Systems Administrator & CSR NorthWyoming Insurance Buffalo, Wyoming 08 // APPLIEDOnline

9 3. Provide the best data protection LOSING VALUABLE DATA is a risk when hosting a management system on your agency s server. With AppliedOnline, you avoid a situation like the following. My three-month-old computer crashed Friday. The operating system needed to be reinstalled due to corrupt files. We eventually reinstalled the operating system and did a full system restore. No users or computers are in my directory so I am without a network. Suggestions on what to do next?

10 IF SECURITY HAS BEEN BREACHED OR YOUR AGENCY HAS TEMPORARILY MISPLACED A COPY OF YOUR DATA BACKUP, YOU RE LEGALLY OBLIGATED TO IMMEDIATELY PROTECT YOUR CUSTOMERS. Most U.S. states and territories have laws requiring businesses to comply with regulations for protecting personal information. If your agency experiences a breach, most of these laws also require you to provide ongoing credit monitoring, with a cost of about $150 per customer. RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS WITH APPLIEDONLINE PROVIDES PHYSICAL AND ELECTRONIC SECURITY FAR BEYOND WHAT ANY INDIVIDUAL AGENCY CAN AFFORD. AppliedOnline hosting facilities are housed within some of the world s most secure, reliable data centers. Since AppliedOnline s introduction more than a decade ago, through 32,000 seats and millions of policies, not one of our customers ever experienced a security breach or data leak via the Internet or through our data centers. Our data centers are classified Tier 3+, an industry standard stating data centers are up and available percent of the time. Servers are maintained and updated daily against the latest security threats and viruses. If your agency s internal computers or entire office becomes inaccessible, AppliedOnline is still ready available from any secured Internet connection in the world, including a cellular data connection-enabled laptop. 10 // APPLIEDOnline

11 AppliedOnline gives you unlimited file and attachment storage. BACKUP TAPE FACTS > Best practices call for your business to have at least 23 original backup tapes: 10 for Monday-Friday backup (in a two-week rotation), one for each monthly backup and one for year-end. Tape needs could be greater, depending on data size and other variables. > Back up in three separate locations. It is not uncommon for multiple locations to be inaccessible when disaster strikes. > Spend at least $500 per tape for the very best protection against backup tape failure. Tapes that cost $50-$60 have failure rates in the high 20 percent range, and they should be replaced every three to four years to reduce the risk of damaged tapes failing. > Full restoration of your agency s server to truly verify backups. Unfortunately, agencies with a server crash or other data loss often find that verified tapes aren t complete due to environmental issues like heat damage or corruption.

12 ONLINE BACKUP PROVIDERS CAN LEAVE DATA VULNERABLE. Paying very little for online backup may leave your agency unprotected. Many online providers only hold a copy of your agency s data and do not offer support in the actual data restoration process. They might also back up only some of your data, images and documents. EXAMPLES OF SECURITY BREACHES INVOLVING BACKUP TAPES > A former insurance agent discovered it was possible to extract client information from the website of a Tennessee insurance agency. The ex-agent hacked policies, Social Security numbers, names and addresses. > A laptop stolen from the car of an Illinois financial firm employee contained client names, addresses and bank account information. > Among items taken in the burglary of a Wisconsin financial services company was a backup tape with client names, addresses, Social Security numbers, birth dates and policy numbers. > In Minnesota, a broker for a large insurance and financial services organization misplaced a USB drive containing unencrypted client data, including names, Social Security numbers, addresses and birth dates. > A break-in at a Pennsylvania insurance agency resulted in the theft of an unencrypted computer containing customer contact information, Social Security numbers, birth dates and driver s license numbers. > Several backup tapes that went missing from a New York investment firm contained customer information such as names, and street addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, bank account information and passport numbers. 12 // APPLIEDOnline

13 4. Be prepared if disaster strikes Disaster comes in many forms, disrupts your business, and threatens your ability to service your customers. DISASTER RECOVERY TAKES VALUABLE TIME. On average, a server crash or corrupted drive takes a local area network (LAN) down for at least three days. A massive disaster can take two weeks or more. With AppliedOnline, you can overcome a disaster faster because you only need an Internet connection to operate your business. CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS AND SCENARIOS > If your agency s disaster plan relies on backup tapes or a backup server shipped to an operational location, what will your business do if all shipping is halted, as it was for nearly two weeks after 9/11? > What will your agency do if you lose your business location and everywhere you store backup records? In 2005, Hurricane Katrina destroyed Treutel Insurance Agency of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, as well as the house and the bank where the agency kept its backup tapes. > What is your agency s disaster recovery plan if your hard drive crashes, your data is corrupted, coffee spills on your server, or a squirrel gets stuck in an electrical transformer and knocks out power to your office? APPLIEDONLINE > Delivers the security needed to be available for your customers when they need you most > Allows you to continue business during a disaster, if your place(s) of business are inoperable > Provides access to all of your agency data through a simple Internet connection

14 Disaster Recovery Facts Having a plan to restore your agency s data is the first step to prepare for a disaster. If you re hosting AppliedOnline on your own server, you should already have invested in basic preparedness for disaster recovery. The following components are essential for business continuity: DATA > Daily and/or real-time backup, verified and periodically tested > Incremental and full data copies stored off-site (at a minimum of two locations) that can be accessed at any time, including weekends and holidays > A contingency plan if local and off-site backups are not available SERVER > A pre-built server loaded with a network operating system and AppliedOnline > Access to your server no matter what the circumstances (for example, during 9/11 there was no shipping, so all backup systems had to be driven to sites) WORKSTATIONS AND NETWORK > A plan for quickly acquiring and setting up new workstations for employees > Remote access during the restoration process DATA THEFT > A plan to immediately notify customers of a breach > Reimbursement for long-term credit monitoring and cleansing of approximately $150 per customer

15 Customer Feedback AppliedOnline protects us from being shut down for a period of time. We were shut down twice for a couple of days when we had our own server. Second time it crashed we said that was enough. We converted immediately to the online program, and we ve felt secure ever since. THOMAS BURR President Burr & Company Grand Rapids, Michigan We thought we had a good backup, but we didn t. You don t find out until the server crashes. That was not a fun time in my life, and it motivated me to move online. It s a good feeling to know Applied has fail-safe systems. BRAD BERRONG President Ed Berrong Insurance Agency Weatherford, Oklahoma APPLIEDOnline // 15

16 The roof on our office building was torn off when a violent windstorm blew through Chicago, and we watched as the mangled roof was later plowed off the highway. We had to temporarily relocate our office, but we knew we didn t have to worry about servers, files or customer data because all we needed was an Internet connection to be in business. The storm hit at 6:30 p.m., and one of our partners was issuing certificates from his laptop at home by 7:15 the following morning. The customer later found out what happened and was quite impressed we were able to function. Using the online system is a big part of our business interruption plan, allowing us to operate anywhere at any time. All the backup tapes in the world wouldn t have had us operating that fast. TOM RIORDAN Principal Riordan & Scully Oak Brook, Illinois Applied Systems Inc. 200 Applied Parkway University Park, IL appliedsystems.com Copyright 2013 Applied Systems PB-AppliedOnline-3/2013