Cisco Small Business Solutions for Insurance Agencies. How Can You Grow Your Business by Helping Your Insurance Industry Customers Leverage Cisco s Small Business Solutions? Above all, the insurance business is a people business. The more insurance agencies know about their customers and can centralize that knowledge into customer profiles, the better positioned they are to deliver superior customer service. By selling Cisco solutions geared for the insurance industry, you can help agencies improve their ability to attract and retain customers with communications that deliver satisfying service experiences each and every time an agent interacts with a customer. What Problems Do Insurance Agencies Need to Solve? To succeed in today s business environment, insurance agencies must: Achieve the highest levels of customer service and satisfaction in customer interactions Maintain the strongest possible security to protect business assets and comply with regulatory requirements Support the complete lifecycle of the customer relationship including sales, underwriting, policy and claims management, and cross selling for both single-line and multi-line business Elevator Pitch Superior customer service and client referrals are an insurance agency s most powerful marketing tools. The Cisco Smart Business Communications System (SBCS) serves agencies with a comprehensive communications solution from data and voice to video and wireless. With Cisco SBCS, insurance agencies deliver superior customer service that significantly increases customer satisfaction and helps create a competitive advantage. Cisco Smart Business Communications System for the Insurance Industry The Cisco Smart Business Communications System combines voice, data, video, wireless, and security to create a powerful platform for integrated communications. Combined with Vertafore s AMS 360 solution (where available), it gives sales and claims representatives highly secure, instant access to customer policy information, from any location at any time from a variety of devices regardless of when or how customers contact them.
Features and Capabilities Cisco SBCS has everything needed to improve communications capabilities and increase the ability to create customer service that differentiates insurance agencies: Integrated communications: Quickly set up voice, data, video, and wireless services for a new way to reach, serve, and retain customers Easy access to information: Deliver highly secure communications access to remote workers and branch offices Industry-standard interface: Use the optional AMS 360 software on the Cisco SBCS platform Simple setup: Take advantage of simple applications for setup, management, and monitoring Security: Give employees highly secure access to the company network and important data while protecting against viruses and other threats Support: Enjoy long-term investment protection with a limited lifetime hardware warranty and ongoing software updates (available through the purchase of a service contract only) In addition, Cisco SBCS can provide insurance agencies with: Telephone call-processing software with automated attendant, voicemail, and basic call distribution capabilities A full line of business phones, complete with traditional and advanced features such as support for video, for all types of businesses and workers Paging, conferencing, and video calls Integrated business productivity applications such as email integration, single number reach, live record, and more Optional ability to see the availability of colleagues whether they re using a phone or PC Optional integration with popular CRM applications from Microsoft or Salesforce.com Optional wireless access Built-in setup and management tools For a complete list of features supported on Cisco SBCS, visit www.cisco.com/go/sbcs and select the Technical Resources tab. Product Family Information If your customer isn t ready to implement SBCS at this time, but they need a network that will grow as their business grows, these products provide the basis for a robust network foundation: connectivity, security, wireless access, voice and data services. Cisco ISR 2851 Series Router Cisco Catalyst 2960 Series Intelligent Ethernet Switches with LAN Base software Cisco Aironet 1130AG Series IEEE 802.11a/b/g access points Designed for wire-speed delivery of highly secure concurrent services and can accommodate multiple T1/E1 connections for services including data, security, voice, video, and wireless. Enable entry-level networks to provide enhanced LAN services, providing Power over Ethernet (PoE) desktop devices with Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet connectivity. Provide enterprise-class features in an unobtrusive design, delivering WLAN access with the lowest total cost of ownership. Benefits for Cisco Partners With Cisco SBCS, you can grow your service and support business by: Building a robust unified communications foundation for small insurance agencies, providing opportunities to upsell advanced IP technologies, phones, management software, and service engagements Reducing the cost and effort required to deploy, configure, and manage the solution, allowing you to focus more time and resources on business growth Solidifying your role as strategic advisers who can align technology strategies and solutions with the unique needs of insurance agencies Cisco partners are in a powerful position to sell industry-specific solutions to insurance agencies because Cisco has partnered with Vertafore, the leading provider of independent insurance agency software, to build a capable, industry-specific communications solution based on Cisco SBCS. Benefits for Insurance Industry Customers Cisco SBCS for the insurance industry allows today s serviceoriented insurance agencies to combine voice, data, video, wireless, security, and more into one easy-to-manage solution and achieve the following significant business advantages. Improve operational efficiency and productivity Cisco SBCS simplifies communications and provides special features that help local agency insurance sales and claims representatives save time and increase productivity. Integrated messaging allows employees to view and prioritize voicemail, from either a PC or an IP phone. Built-in video communications make instant face-to-face video a reality. And new mobility
solutions allow employees to use a mobile phone as an office handset. As part of SBCS, the Cisco Catalyst Express and Cisco ESW 500 Series Switches support all devices and applications attached to the network, to more effectively manage and prioritize high-bandwidth traffic, keeping employees productive and continually connected to business applications. Cisco Mobility Express delivers highly secure, reliable wireless LAN (WLAN) capabilities at an affordable price. It enables faster decision making through improved responsiveness and anywhere, anytime access. It also provides highly secure Internet access to nonemployees or guests. Provide superior customer service Cisco SBCS and the Vertafore AMS 360 application improves the level of customer service, providing around-the-clock availability and quick and effective service for insureds. Cisco SBCS offers automated attendant and basic automatic call distribution (B-ACD) features, making it easy for insureds to reach company employees. Cisco Unified CallConnectors provide integration with CRM solutions. These applications, together with Cisco switches and Cisco Mobility Express WLANs, can help insurance agencies create a network that enables them to offer availability and services that lead to increased customer satisfaction. Control costs Unified communications can reduce local-line fees, long-distance costs, and toll charges and eliminate the cost of duplicate cabling for separate data and voice systems. It minimizes the time and reduces costs associated with system installation and configuration, and it provides easy administration by allowing customers to make moves and changes without special tools or outside expertise. Cisco Catalyst Express and Cisco ESW 500 Series Switches and Cisco Mobility Express access points are scalable, enabling insurance agencies to protect and extend their investments and to more cost-effectively manage growth by adding devices as needed. In short, Cisco SBCS helps insurance agencies make the most of financial as well as human resources. Achieve a competitive edge Cisco SBCS provides small businesses such as insurance agencies with greater business agility: the ability to quickly access and act on information at any time, from anywhere, with nearly any device. Whether working in the office, from home, or remotely, employees get a highly secure connection to the system to reach the right resource the first time and do their jobs regardless of location. This agility can help insurance businesses keep pace with competitors. AMS 360 solution (available only in the U.S.) Now you can offer Cisco SBCS (Figure 1) specifically for insurance agencies and brokers because it can be integrated with Vertafore s AMS 360 application. The result is a powerful communications platform that meets the most important requirements of the insurance industry because of how it increases employee productivity and enhances an agency s customer service capabilities. The AMS 360 software provides leading insurance industry CRM capabilities, enabling your client s sales force to collaborate with their customer service workforce like never before, providing service that exceeds customer expectations. With AMS 360 agency software (available in the U.S.), the insurance agency is integrated with its customer records from the moment a call is received. When the call is initiated, the software displays the customer s policy information and other important details to expedite the request efficiently, even across multiple carriers. How Do I Qualify Customers for the Cisco Smart Business Communications System? Cisco SBCS is best for small insurance agencies that: Figure 1. Cisco Smart Business Communication System Have a limited or outsourced IT staff, require a competitive price, and want advanced network capabilities to propel their business Are boosting security to comply with regulatory requirements Are deploying or considering deploying IP communications solutions, wireless LANs, or IP video solutions Could benefit from network technology that provides a competitive advantage through unified communications Require a highly scalable solution that delivers investment protection while being able to evolve with the business What Questions Should I Ask to Initiate Sales? Q: How much time would your employees save if they could view a list of their voicemails on the phone s display and answer the most important messages first? A: Integrated messaging allows employees to see and prioritize voicemail, from either a PC or an IP phone, helping reduce the time needed to progress through voicemail. Instead of being forced to go through voicemail in sequence, the IP phone s display shows all the calls in your voicemail queue and allows you to select the most important callers first.
Q: Do you avoid using your phone system s features, such as paging and audio conferencing, because they re too hard to use? A: The simple-to-use interface of the Cisco IP phones and the Cisco Smart Business Communications System gives every employee intuitive access to the phone s powerful features. And because the navigation is simple and clear, your employees will more often use the advanced features and functionality, saving time and money in addition to providing better customer service. Q: How much more quickly could employees make decisions and respond to customers if they could stay in touch whether they re at home, on the road, or in a branch office? A: The key to great customer service is quickly providing accurate answers to customer queries. Cisco Smart Business Communications System is tightly integrated with your business network and helps insurance agencies give better, more responsive service to their customers. Faster, closer connections with customers and other employees are created through immediate, highly secure access to information. Ultimately, faster query resolution creates a powerful and highly competitive customer service advantage. Q: Would your employees benefit from access to CRM applications, such as Microsoft CRM or Salesforce.com, through their desk tops? A: Cisco Unified CallConnectors can be used with the Cisco Smart Business Communications System to improve customer service by integrating your unified communication system on your data network with popular CRM software and other business productivity applications. Customer records pop up automatically, so it s easier for employees to track the conversations. Integration with calendar applications such as Microsoft Outlook help your employees set and quickly see availability of colleagues. Click-to-dial functionality increases productivity in outbound calling, offering a real convenience feature and offering a real competitive edge in a telesales environment. Smooth integration with other critical business applications such as AMS 360 speed up the rate at which your business can run and provide greater customer service to your insureds. Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series, Model UC 540: The first Small Business Pro branded Cisco Unified Communications 500 series hardware being offered by Cisco, the UC 540 base unit supports 8 users (phones) with the option to grow to 32 users in 8-user increments. In addition four analog phones are supported on the UC 540. It includes 32 hours of voicemail storage and onboard wireless. The Cisco UC 540 is covered by the Cisco standard 1-year warranty and a 90-day limited software warranty. A 3-year extended contract for support and replacement is available for purchase. SKU UC540W-FXO-K9 UC540W-BRI-K9 L-UC-PRO-8U CON-SBS-SVC4 Description Cisco UC 540, Base Unit, 8U, Max 32 Users, 4 FXO ports, 8 PoE 10/100 ports, integrated wireless and 1 VIC slot Cisco UC 540, Base Unit, 8U, Max 32 Users, 2 BRI ports, 8 PoE 10/100 ports, integrated wireless and 1 VIC slot. E-delivery license for Cisco Small Business Pro UC 500 series, 8 user increments 3-year Cisco Small Business Pro Service Cisco Configuration Assistant v2.1: Cisco Configuration Assistant provides comprehensive configuration, deployment, and ongoing network management support for the entire line of products in the Cisco Smart Business Communications System. This PC-based application with a simple GUI discovers all devices in the network and dynamically configures products in the Cisco Smart Business Communications System. Cisco Configuration Assistant version 2.1 or higher is required for configuring UC 540. It offers these new features: Multisite (5) configuration including site-to-site dial plan Simplified deployment of SR 500 with UC 500 networks Troubleshooting enhancements with Cisco IOS debugging and show commands. New Cisco Unified Communications 540 & Secure Router 520-T1 Support Configuring SSL-VPN server for SR 500 platforms plus IPS/URL filtering Support for new SPA 500 Series IP phones Configuration support for third party unified communications application configuration Personal speed-dial configuration IP Phone software management enhancements Cisco Configuration Assistant is offered at no cost to Cisco partners and customers. It may be downloaded by visiting www.cisco.com/go/configassist How Should I Address Common Objections? Objection: We can t throw additional budget into new technology. Response: While the initial cost may be higher for Cisco SBCS, the overall cost of ownership over the life of the product is lower. Maintaining and troubleshooting customer network equipment that is performing less than optimally involves many hidden costs, as well as lost opportunity costs due to unavailable technologies. Cisco carries a limited lifetime warranty and free Cisco IOS Software updates for the life of the product. For service requirements outside of product failure, the Cisco service organization is recognized for its industry-leading services, innovation, and excellence.
Objection: We are dependent on accessing client information at a moment s notice. I need to know that I can depend on the technology and not fear that the system will crash and our valuable database of information will be lost. Response: Cisco products are known for their reliability, superior features, and service and support. Maintaining and troubleshooting customer network equipment that is performing less than optimally involves many hidden costs, as well as lost opportunity costs due to unavailable technologies. Cisco also carries a comparable limited lifetime warranty and free Cisco IOS Software updates for the life of the product. For service requirements outside of product failure, the Cisco service organization is recognized for its industryleading services, innovation, and excellence. Competitive Response Responding to competitive claims gives you an opportunity to ask additional questions and develop new opportunities to position an issue or provide more information on Cisco solutions. Consider these strategies: Positioning Against PC Vendors Emphasize that Cisco offers a complete, all-in-one solution. Emphasize ease of purchase (Cisco Capital leasing and financing options). Discuss how the Cisco Smart Business Roadmap helps ensure that the solution can grow to keep pace with a rapidly evolving business environment. Emphasize the business value proposition of the Cisco Smart Business Communications System. Focus on total cost of ownership and manageability. Sell capabilities (security, QoS, mobility, and availability). Emphasize Cisco s experience in network planning and design. Point out that Cisco is in complete control of products, features, roadmaps, and bug fixes. Point out that Cisco s focus is in technologies like unified communications, not PC hardware. Positioning Against Network Equipment Vendors Emphasize the benefits of a comprehensive voice and data solution over competitors that are limited to data-only solutions. Emphasize simplicity: the system is easy to purchase and deploy and requires minimal user training. Discuss how the Cisco Smart Business Roadmap helps ensure that the solution can grow to keep pace with a rapidly evolving business environment. Emphasize simple, robust management tools. Emphasize that Cisco networking was designed with unified communications, not data only Emphasize the business value proposition of the complete Cisco Smart Business Communications System. Emphasize Cisco s financial strength. Emphasize the quality and completeness of Cisco s service and support options. Positioning Against Telecommunications Vendors Emphasize the benefits of a comprehensive voice and data solution over competitors that are limited to voice-only solutions. Emphasize simplicity: the system is easy to purchase and deploy and requires minimal user training. Discuss how the Cisco Smart Business Roadmap helps ensure that the solution can grow to keep pace with a rapidly evolving business environment. Emphasize the simple, robust management tools that can be sold as products or as a service. Emphasize integration with current business applications and solutions. Emphasize the value proposition of moving to the Cisco Smart Business Communications System. Emphasize Cisco s open, standards-based architecture. Service & Support Offerings Cisco understands that downtime is not an option for small businesses. That s why we offer multiple levels of services and support. Essential Support for Cisco Small Business Products Cisco provides support for warranties, advanced hardware replacement (if required), and for questions about Cisco Small Business products. Experienced technicians are ready to get small businesses up and running quickly. Cisco Small Business Pro Service Cisco Small Business Pro Series products are supported through the Cisco Small Business Support Community and Support Center. For contact information, visit the Support Community via the link provided below. The Cisco Small Business Pro Service 3-year support contract provides peace-of-mind coverage at a price your customers can afford. This service enables the customer to derive maximum value from Cisco Small Business Pro Series products. Delivered by Cisco, the device-level, subscription-based service includes software upgrades and updates, extended access to the Cisco Small Business Support Center, and next-business-day hardware replacement as necessary. It also provides community-based support to enable small businesses to share knowledge and collaborate using online forums and wikis to help boost business efficiency, identify and reduce risks, and serve customers better. Application notes, links to technical documents, discussions, and links to software and firmware downloads for Cisco Small
Business Pro Series products can be found by going to the Small Business Support Community (no login is required to browse). The Cisco Small Business Pro Service helps our partners increase revenue, deliver peace of mind, and improve customer loyalty. For more information, visit www.cisco.com/go/proservice Additional Resources To learn more about Cisco Small Business solutions for the insurance industry visit www.cisco.com/go/smallbusiness/insurance With Cisco Capital, small businesses can enjoy lease terms, competitive rates, and benefits similar to those available to larger enterprises. Please note: Cisco Capital is not available in all countries. For more information, visit www.cisco.com/go/ciscocapital Americas Headquarters Cisco Systems, Inc. San Jose, CA Asia Pacific Headquarters Cisco Systems (USA) Pte. Ltd. Singapore Europe Headquarters Cisco Systems International BV Amsterdam, The Netherlands Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide. Addresses, phone numbers, and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at www.cisco.com/go/offices. CCDE, CCENT, CCSI, Cisco Eos, Cisco HealthPresence, the Cisco logo, Cisco Lumin, Cisco Nexus, Cisco Nurse Connect, Cisco Stackpower, Cisco StadiumVision, Cisco TelePresence, Cisco WebEx, DCE, and Welcome to the Human Network are trademarks; Changing the Way We Work, Live, Play, and Learn and Cisco Store are service marks; and Access Registrar, Aironet, AsyncOS, Bringing the Meeting To You, Catalyst, CCDA, CCDP, CCIE, CCIP, CCNA, CCNP, CCSP, CCVP, Cisco, the Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert logo, Cisco IOS, Cisco Press, Cisco Systems, Cisco Systems Capital, the Cisco Systems logo, Cisco Unity, Collaboration Without Limitation, EtherFast, EtherSwitch, Event Center, Fast Step, Follow Me Browsing, FormShare, GigaDrive, HomeLink, Internet Quotient, IOS, iphone, iquick Study, IronPort, the IronPort logo, LightStream, Linksys, MediaTone, MeetingPlace, MeetingPlace Chime Sound, MGX, Networkers, Networking Academy, Network Registrar, PCNow, PIX, PowerPanels, ProConnect, ScriptShare, SenderBase, SMARTnet, Spectrum Expert, StackWise, The Fastest Way to Increase Your Internet Quotient, TransPath, WebEx, and the WebEx logo are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and certain other countries.all other trademarks mentioned in this document or website are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. (0903R)