Efficiently keeping up with clients and prospects through email automation and consistent outreach isn’t as hard as it may seem. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools for insurance agencies can make it all possible, as they are built to allow agents to reach out to their current book of business, potential clients, and leads at specific times of the sales pipeline. Let’s take a look at what exactly a CRM is and the benefits it can yield for your agency.
Understanding CRMs and Their Functionality
A CRM is a software tool or a set of strategies that businesses use to manage their interactions with customers and potential customers. Essentially, a CRM system helps businesses organize, automate, and synchronize their sales, marketing, customer service, and technical support processes. It allows businesses to keep track of all customer interactions, including phone calls, emails, chats, and social media interactions, in one central location.
With a CRM system, businesses can improve their customer relationships by providing personalized and relevant experiences, anticipating customer needs, and resolving issues quickly. This, in turn, leads to increased customer satisfaction, loyalty, and retention, which can ultimately lead to higher sales and revenue for the business. Utilizing a CRM system can help you streamline your customer-facing processes and deliver exceptional customer experiences, which is crucial in today’s highly competitive insurance market.
What Insurance Agents Should Look for in a CRM
When choosing a CRM for your insurance agency, there are several essential key features to consider. A CRM should benefit your processes, so it’s important to choose software that aids your administrative, sales, marketing, and customer service goals. As an insurance agent, these are seven of the most important features to look for in a CRM:
- Contact Management: The CRM should have robust contact management capabilities that allow agents to store and manage customer data, including contact information, policy details, and communication history.
- Policy Management: The CRM should allow agents to manage policies and policyholders, including tracking renewals, claims, and payments.
- Sales Pipeline Management: The CRM should have tools to manage the sales pipeline, including lead tracking, opportunity management, and sales forecasting.
- Marketing Automation: The CRM should have marketing automation capabilities, such as email campaigns and lead capture forms, to help agents generate and nurture leads.
- Reporting and Analytics: The CRM should have built-in reporting and analytics capabilities, allowing agents to track key performance metrics, such as conversion rates and customer retention rates.
- Integration: The CRM should be able to integrate with other tools and systems that the agency uses, such as email, calendar, and document management systems.
- Mobile App: The CRM should have a mobile app, enabling agents to access customer data and manage tasks on the go.
By prioritizing a CRM with these features, insurance agents can improve their customer service efforts, increase sales, and ultimately grow their business.
Two Options to Consider: MedicarePRO & AgencyBloc
Thankfully today there are many options of solid CRM tools for insurance agents to choose from. While you are researching and narrowing your search for a CRM for your business, it’s important to consider pricing as well as functionality. As we’ve mentioned, selecting a tool that can amplify your business goals and match your budget is critical. Here are two options our team at Carolina Senior Marketing recommends:
- MedicarePRO – best for the independent agent/small agencies
- User-friendly recommendation
- Create emails to be sent out at specific times of the sales process
- Linked to Sunfire for enrollment capabilities
- $45 for a single user, $55 for two users – use code “CSM5” for $5 off every month!
- AgencyBloc – best for the mid-large agencies
- Most features, including commission processing
- Automated marketing, email, and business processes
- Pricing begins at $75
If you’re ready to utilize a CRM for your insurance agency, our team is here to help. Please email us at info@carolinaseniormarketing.com to get started today.
Hear from Our Agents:
With so many different factors to consider, it’s helpful to have the trusted opinions of peers in the insurance industry. Agents Mike York and Hayes Eagle of Blue Moon Benefits Group have both developed processes within the CRM software AgencyBloc that have streamlined their business initiatives. Let’s look at how they use it:
- What are the most helpful features you use daily?
- “It is our “file room”. We keep no physical paper files in our office – everything gets scanned into AgencyBloc. We can access all of our client’s information, policy information, etc. from anywhere. It is extremely helpful in keeping us organized and connected as an agency. It is also very helpful in calculating and paying out agent commissions.” – Mike York
- “Beyond just keeping track of our clients, you are able to run reports for many different scenarios to see trends as far as referrals methods, marketing, and other facets that help grow our business.” – Hayes Eagle
- Are there any unique ways you use the CRM or processes you’ve created?
- “We do have several “automated” features that we have set up with AgencyBloc. Once a new policy number is entered into AgencyBloc, an automated email is sent to the client with their policy information. We also have automated marketing emails sent out to those turning 65. Lastly, we have an automated birthday message that goes out to our clients on their birthday each year. Again, these are things that are on auto-pilot. We set it up once and it gets done from there.” – Mike York
- “Yes! We have several automated workflows that help our clients stay informed of the process once an application has been submitted. We have it triggered to send out an email to the client once a policy ID number has been generated showing them what their ID number is and many other bits of information. Also, it sends them a Happy Birthday email which we receive great feedback from as a very thoughtful message which lets them know they are not just a client, but more part of the Blue Moon family. There are many other great things AgencyBloc has that we use but more we have yet to enable. It is such a great tool.” – Hayes Eagle
- How has it helped your workflow?
- “AgencyBloc allows all of us at the agency to be connected to the same information so we can all better help our clients without hesitation.” – Mike York
- “It makes our day-to-day phone calls/appointments very easy. When an individual calls in with a question, we can quickly pull their information up and help answer any questions they have. We also utilize a section where we can put notes such as their children’s situation, if they are at college we can easily see that which helps us build a relationship beyond just having a client. There are many other items within the CRM that helps us see if we have yet to receive a Policy ID number for someone and we are able to fill that in with ease. When a prospect calls in, you can add their information in with notes to remind yourself where you left off last.” – Hayes Eagle
- Any words of advice to agents considering using a CRM?
- “Do it! Everyone has their own method of keeping up with their book of business and having a CRM keeps everything in one place and you are able to pull it up from anywhere you may be. When you are out of the office, it is easy to pull up when you are catching up with emails and phone calls so the individual gets a timely answer. As your business grows, you are able to use the various features within the CRM to help make life and your career much easier to navigate.” – Mike York
- “Definitely use one. Spreadsheets only go so far. Do not rely on carrier software to maintain your client and prospect information. Remember to feed and maintain it daily. Make sure you feel comfortable using it.” – Hayes Eagle
Using a CRM system can bring many benefits to insurance agents and ultimately give them a competitive edge in an intense market. As you plan out how you want to develop your business, consider partnering with an FMO that can help you take advantage of tools like a CRM, which can manage customer data more efficiently, streamline processes, and deliver top-notch customer service.
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Look no further than partnering with a North Carolina-based Medicare FMO like Carolina Senior Marketing if you’re not already an independent agent with us. Give us a call at (919) 460-6073 or email info@carolinaseniormarketing.com.
