Getting organized?

NHB_MMA · 03-21-2007, 02:05 AM

What methods, devices, software, systems, etc. do you guys use to keep organized and keep on top of things?

My place is a mess with papers on every plan, rider, marketing piece, etc. littered everywhere, so it seems. I am having a tough time remembering to call some people back (usually they're not great prospects and I kind of shift them to the rear of the priority list) and follow up in a timely manner. I'm forgetting to get illustrations and quotes printed off. You name it and it's bogging me down. Any suggestions?

cadylou · 03-21-2007, 02:38 AM

Hey, I have an idea . . .I also was confused, but then I got YIO (Frank's Insurance Agent's office program) and have found it to be very helpful. It has fun stuff like birthday reports & annualized premium reports that other contact management programs don't have . . . . .

All you have to do is call Frank at 877-633-0808 and he can give you an overview. He provides free technical support . . . .

Oh by the way, Frank knows I have a picture of him with a monkey . . . .

cadylou · 03-21-2007, 02:39 AM

Hey! Midwest, Mary . . .what do you say??? Wanna try it??

salpro22 · 03-21-2007, 02:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NHB_MMA

What methods, devices, software, systems, etc. do you guys use to keep organized and keep on top of things?

My place is a mess with papers on every plan, rider, marketing piece, etc. littered everywhere, so it seems. I am having a tough time remembering to call some people back (usually they're not great prospects and I kind of shift them to the rear of the priority list) and follow up in a timely manner. I'm forgetting to get illustrations and quotes printed off. You name it and it's bogging me down. Any suggestions?

You are going through something I experienced my first month going indy. It made me go absolutely crazy. Luckily for me, I came up with a system that works well.

1) I have my wall of health, wall of goals, wall of motivation and wall of scripts.

The wall of health has all the plans that are available in MD side by side. This helped me to memorize things without having to open up a file on my computer everytime I needed to prove that I know the products. Can't remember how much prescription coverage is offered by Carefirst, I simply walk over and go aha, there it is. I am in the process of putting together a sheet listing a range of quotes from people based on ages w/ various carriers for my own record.

Wall of goals has a list of my weekly goals. I keep tracking of my goals on a daily and monthly basis via a spreadsheet, although I am in the process of getting things down to the hour. I also keep track of appts./deals/pending, etc. on the wall of goals.

The wall of motivation is where I put down ideas that I want to try out, marketing strategies, changes to scripts, telemarketing, etc. I am going to put a picture up of Alf to cheer me up throughout the day

2) I took all the crap that each insurance company sent me and went out and bought some cheap containers to store everything (e.g., flyers, brochures, plan guide, etc.). I only e-mail out information now, so I really do not have a use for many brochures yet.

3) I use ACT to keep track of every client and potential client that I have w/ fields for what part of the process they are in (prospective client, client, dead, go to hell

etc.)

4) Buy yourself one of those "that was easy" buttons from Staples. Best $5 I ever spent. I must pound the $#$#ing thing at least 30 times a day.

Frank Stastny · 03-21-2007, 03:42 AM

You may also want to take a look at "Your Insurance Office" (YIO).

I originally developed the program in 1995 so it has been around for a long time. As opposed to ACT, YIO is specifically designed for L&H agents.

You can download a full-working demo from my website.

Support is toll-free and unlimited. If you have any questions please give me a call.

wilkin · 03-21-2007, 07:42 AM

I use a database program called Inscomm which is designed for insurance agents. Been using it for about ten years-it's great. The nicest feature is the ability to scan pages into each client file. I scan apps, copies of correspondence, faxes, etc. Of course I have all their policy info by type of business, company, effective date, etc. too. I can't imagine being an agent today without a data base program.
-Bill

honestagent · 03-21-2007, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NHB_MMA

What methods, devices, software, systems, etc. do you guys use to keep organized and keep on top of things?

My place is a mess with papers on every plan, rider, marketing piece, etc. littered everywhere, so it seems. I am having a tough time remembering to call some people back (usually they're not great prospects and I kind of shift them to the rear of the priority list) and follow up in a timely manner. I'm forgetting to get illustrations and quotes printed off. You name it and it's bogging me down. Any suggestions?

I want to add to the other few agents' comments about Frank's program. I too was going nuts like you NHB. I have milk crates, filing cabinets, my own data base, I was writing on leads, writing on post its, just writing anywhere and before I knew it, things got out of control and very disorganized. I could not keep up.
Damn, it got so bad where even if I found what I was looking for, I coud not even read my own handwriting at times. Pretty bad. But one day, I said, heck, what do I have to lose to download a demo that is free to try and secondly, that so many endorse? So I did.

The result you may ask?

WOW! Let me just say I am soooooooooooooooo much more organized!
NHB, this program WILL NOT let you forget to call follow ups, run your illustrations, and do those contacts so you can truly be productive! It also has many other fields to help track your business, cool ways to stay 'in your clients' faces,' and build an agency, should you desire.
It's so hard to remember and prioritize because we make so many contacts. But the system does this for you. It's very easy friendly to use, and if I can learn this, anybody can! I promise. With one press of a button, you can quickly and succinctly view who you have to follow up and what you have to do! It's so cool. I am so tickled by how organized I am getting. And that's AN ACHEIVEMENT FOR ME!

Frank also gives tech. support should you need that. Not many other companies do what he gives especially at this valued investment and yes, this is a solid investment to your clients, and mostly yourself.

I know this will help you.

NHB_MMA · 03-21-2007, 10:35 AM

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll take more time to look at them this evening. I'm off to meet a client. Hope I can keep my stuff together till then.

:smile:

Frank Stastny · 03-21-2007, 08:00 PM

NHB,

I had not seen inscomm before so I went to their website, www.inscomm.com . Their website doesn't have a lot of detailed information about the program itself. It sounds like it is more investment oriented than insurance oriented. So to find out more I called them. This is what I was told.

The cost of the basic program is $695.00 for the first year. That includes support. To add the scanning module is an additional $300.00. However the guy said that if you add additional modules at the time of purchase there is a discount.

Each twelve months the program will lock preventing the user from entering new data. The old data will still be available to look at but it does not allow the user to make any changes. In the eleventh month you can pay a $195.00 renewal fee and they will send you a licensing file that you download and that will give you an additional twelve months of use as well as support. There is an additional charge to put the program on more than one computer and additional licensing fees for the computers as well as the scanning module.

You must call them and request a demo. The demo is free but not available on their website, it must be ordered.

Without more information on their website it is difficult to see what the program actually does and how "insurance friendly" it is. I tried to have him explain it to me but it is very difficult to try to tell someone over the phone what a computer program is like. If you think this may be a better option for you than YIO I suggest that you order the demo and give it a "test drive".

Just thought this might help you out.

*midwestbroker* · 03-21-2007, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cadylou

Hey! Midwest, Mary . . .what do you say??? Wanna try it??

Try posing with a monkey or YIO?

cadylou · 03-21-2007, 10:57 PM

I meant wanna try YIO . . . .the monkey was just a little joke . . . I don't really have a picture . . .

*midwestbroker* · 03-21-2007, 11:11 PM

I might play with it. We'll do lunch and chat!

Macdaddy · 03-23-2007, 06:08 PM

I would love to try YIO, but it simply will not work on my Sony Vaio laptop. It downloads and installs, but when you click on the icon is says:

"This application must be installed to run, Please run set up from the location you originally installed the application". I have tried everything to get it to work including calling Frank, and he didn't know what to do.

Frank Stastny · 03-24-2007, 01:30 AM

Macdaddy,

I have sent that message you got to one of the guys who programs for me and will let you know as soon as I hear back from him.

That is a new one, no one has told me that they have gotten that message before so I have to look to the experts.

NHB_MMA · 03-24-2007, 01:30 AM

I started by getting a plain notebook and marking dates on the pages (cheaper than buying a whole separate dayplanner) and writing who I had to call for that day. It's amazing how much better the last two days have gone just from having a system to remember who I have to call and when.

*midwestbroker* · 03-24-2007, 10:49 AM

I have been using the following:

Humana has a system called CDS (Client Data System). A fancy name for old version of ACT. I personally do not like it (too many bugs).

I use a 8x11 day runner calender (1 week per 2 pages). I write my appointments, who I need to call that day and can mark future calls. I like the bigger one because I can put full sheets of paper (like mapquest maps) in there without folding them. Another plus is that it fits in the outside pocket of a legal pad case thing (those leather ones with the outside pockets). Kind of bulky, but it works.

I use an old palm pilot for my address book and all my important notes (websites, log-in names, etc). That normally stays in the lap top bag. Also use it for the calculator feature.

To track prospects, sales etc, I use spreadsheets. I am going to try an actual ACT program and see if I can make that work (thanks Renee).

Frank Stastny · 03-24-2007, 03:40 PM

Mcdaddy,

You indicated in an e-mail that the program works fine on your home computer but isn't loading properly on your work computer.

Do you have the same security settings on your work computer as you do on your home computer? Often times businesses modify the security settings on their computers so that may be t