Agent Interview: Chuck Winn of QuotesMadeSimple.com

For the last year, Chuck Winn has been building QuotesMadeSimple.com, an online division of the traditional agency he's run for over a decade. Recently Chuck shared how his new online process has streamlined his operations and put his agency on track for big growth.

Norvax: What was your goal for picking up agency automation tools? 

CW: I had grown so much in my agency I had to switch from selling policies to servicing policies because I had such a large number of policies on the books. And it became too difficult to basically do everything at once. I was looking for ways to increase my bandwidth. The Norvax system allows me to do that. An individual application in the past would consume anywhere from an hour to 2 and a half hours of my time. You had to contact the prospect, get the information from them, gather the quotes, meet with them either on phone or in person, do the application with them — it takes a lot of time. With Norvax and the quoting system and the online process, I can cut that down to 25% of the original time or even more. 

Norvax: What was the most frustrating daily task you've been able to eliminate?

CW: The accuracy of [the application process] is probably one of the bigger time-saving aspects. With the old paper applications, you'd send in an application to a carrier and then the underwriter would contact you with a whole laundry list of items that were missed or whatever. With the online application, they're not able to proceed until that information is complete in the system. So the application process and the underwriting process takes much less time than it used to in the past. And I don't have to chase down signatures or doctor's names or addresses or phone numbers or anything like that anymore.

Norvax: So roughly what would you say the average turnaround time is now for applications?

CW: It used to be anywhere between 4 -8 weeks. The average turnaround time is now 7 -9 days. It saves sales, too, because when things drag on for too long people get frustrated. They may look to do something else or they might change their mind. A lot can go wrong in that 4 – 6 week process. The shorter the underwriting process can be made and the more streamlined it is, the better persistency we have with that original sale.

Norvax: What role does your website play in your marketing strategy?

CW: We're working on the marketing aspects of that right now. We're actually really trying to take our website to a different level where it's more of a health-oriented website. Not just insurance but health and wellness-oriented types of services. We're going to start a healthy eating column on the website. We also have a travel aspect of it — de-stress, take a vacation, that type of thing. And then of course the health insurance side of it. So we're looking for ways to market the website more than just health insurance but more of a whole wellness type of package. Give people more reasons to come to our website.

Norvax: What are some of the goals you have for 2007?

CW: We're actually looking to open up into two other states in the next year which is something we were not able to do before. Having the online capability really gives us the freedom and the flexibility to go anywhere in the country without having to actually leave where we live and work every day. So it is letting us actually build a business instead of sit there and go through the day to day motions of running an agency. We're actually building something of value now.

Norvax: Another way you're building your agency is through your partnership with Warner Pacific. How have they helped you?

CW: I'm part of Warner Pacific's monthly study group where we sit down with likeminded agents that are doing the same types of things that we are. We try to help the group as a whole look at different ways to do things more efficiently. So it's not necessarily technology-based, but it's certainly cutting edge because we're sharing secrets with our quote-on-quote competitors but as a result we're breaking down the learning curve and getting things done more quickly.

Norvax: What makes Warner Pacific a good fit for your future goals to grow your agency?

CW: They're certainly helping with the technology-based information. They also have the top rated carriers on board with them. So it's a great place to go to get the trainings to get the materials to get the support and get the connections with the carriers that we need to move forward. If I had to work with each individual carrier there would be a lot of time and effort involved and I don't think there would be as much payoff.

Norvax: Warner Pacific is also known for bringing innovative carriers together, notably at the Health Summit 2.0 last fall. Does that benefit agents like you at all?

CW: Absolutely. It helps us to keep up to date with the new products the carriers are offering. I think it also lets the carriers know there is a growing market out there for internet-based technologies and it probably pushes them to make changes that make it easier for us to do business with them. So while they have a chance to market the products to us, they also see that there's a distribution channel there on the agent's side. I‘m finding that carriers are taking more of an interest in those types of solutions than they did in the past.