Independent Agency Automation Pro/Cons

[TopLeftPNW]

I am a licensed P & C agent, I spend the majority of my career captive with a very big, national carrier and recently jumped ship for an independent agency. I really loved the work; I feel like I excelled more in the short time I was with that first agency than I had in years, and I was finally excited about my work again. Unfortunately, the agency was plagued with issues, toxic work environment that went back far beyond my arrival, unclear leadership and no clarity on my job role (I went through 5 "titles" in 6m) I thought I was being flexible until I was totally buried and no end in sight. I left.
I had several offers from some big names but took a position at a smaller independent agency with realistic and clearly defined job roles, great people, and transparent leadership. Due to staffing issues the office manager is the current CL account manager, she is very nice and easy to work with, but insanely overwhelmed. After receiving my first task list I realized why. The agency is probably several years behind the agency I had just left from a technology standpoint. They have a great AMS but utilize the bare minimum. The major carriers are sending paper copies of everything into the agency - no commercial downloads. The temp staff that I replaced wasn't experienced and everywhere I look I find mistakes (would have been caught and corrected with Downloads) I don't even want to get started on the E&O exposures.
I want to help my new peers and agency, but I don't want to be the new girl who knows it all and says they're doing it all wrong. I don't know how to approach the OM/CL acct mgr without her getting intimidated or offended, I need to find some solid data on the value in carrier downloads, implementing agency best practices, work flow standards, and opening up the AMS so that we can fully utilize the tools that were already paid for and are waiting to be turned on. I need a way to approach her about this as 100% of my workload is manual entry of information that could be downloaded + mailings that could be sent by the carrier.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

 

[marindependent]

They have a great AMS but utilize the bare minimum.

Many Agencies Do.

Professionally speaking I would be clear in an email to your manager that you are concerned that the agency could be in for an E&O issue if "things are not fixed." And then I would go about assisting in fixing things up, right before you ask for more money and prover you worth.

Many insurance agencies are desparatly in need of tech savy agents to dial things in.

I wish you the best!

 

[TopLeftPNW]

Thank you.
I know my question was riddled with unspoken office politics and in truth, I do not want to cast the current Mgr in a negative light, she was handed a mess and with the weight of an agency on her very young shoulders, I can see why she would have a fear of the unknown. I have seen the other side of the transition though, and perhaps there is trust that needs to be earned through this manual data nightmare. There is talent hidden behind all that paper, if relieved of the "manual processing" we would have an enormous increase in time available for profit/growth generating activities like selling more policies and providing excellent (proactive) customer service.
I hope I have found an agency that values a growth mindset, I still get called a "young agent" which I love (38) and I have big ideas, I'm motivated and willing to work hard and invest myself in the team, I don't own the agency (yet) and am once again the new girl. Thank you again