Insurance Agent Forum

[wilkin]

I use a paper form to keep track of my prospects. It includes a place for name, address, phone, dob, occupation, health history and my contact notes. I keep them in a file folder on my desk while working on them until they are sold or written off for the present. Then they go in a file drawer usually never to be seen again. I wish I had a more efficient way of keeping track of this info.

What do you use? Paper? If so how do you file?

Electronic? Do you scan and attach to a CRM file?

Thanks,
Bill

[Alston]

I've taught myself how to program over the last few years, so I do all of that on my computer now.

However, back in the day, I could do magic with a 3 by 5 card file with tabs for the days of the month and the months of the year. If you want to get fancy, you can use larger cards and/or cards with different colors.

The whole system will cost you a little pocket change and is readily available at your local office supply store.

[al3]

I tell people starting out to use freecrm.com as that system is good and the price is right and you don't have to install anything... it's all on the web. It's not perfect, but it will do the job until you have the time and money to invest in and/or integrate something better... if there IS something better... a debate we have here from time to time.

I use Sugar CRM (sugarcrm.com) which I run on my web host (server) so that I can (like with freecrm) access my data on any computer anywhere in the world.

You asked about scanning. When I do quotes I create PDF files (all the major quote engines let you so this) and upload them to the prospects' Sugar record. When prospect calls back three weeks later it is nice to have that info easily available. Sugar (and Freecrm, I think) lets you send email and it keeps it with the prospect/account's record so that when you bring up the account on your screen you can also see all the email you ever sent.

While most of these systems also have a system for receiving mail, it is a PITA to set up so I simply copy and paste any incoming mail into the account record as a 'note' (attachment.)

Some folks like a program called Your Insurance Office. I was not impressed with it but others love it and rave about it. So give it a try. And some folks really hate "generic" CRM systems like Sugar or Freecrm. Finally, a lot of folks are perfectly fine with a bunch of Excel spreadsheets and/or Act and a bunch of post-it notes on their screen!

Don't worry about what others use. Find out what will work for the way YOU work and what YOU need. Me? I'm on the road a lot (sans laptop) and need the ability to run my agency anywhere I am... thus I like a web-based system I can use from a client's office, a hotel business center, an airport kiosk, etc. Others are never without their laptop and so they run a program resident on that (and pray they don't lose it or have it stolen :-) )

Whatever system you get WILL NOT help you sell even ONE more policy. I don't care what they say, it won't. However a good system (ie. one that YOU like) will give you a lot more TIME to sell more plans and will make running your agency a lot easier.. and make this business a lot more enjoyable. Until I started with FreeCRM and than graduated to Sugar my 'office' was a mess... spreadsheets, PDF files, emails, slips of paper... I could never find anything. Now I have everything on my server and it is backed up every hour and saved to two different locations. I have more time and more energy to do the most important chore... prospect.

So ask people what they are using and give their suggestions a workout and see if you find what you like. What works for me or others may not work for you.

The richest agent I know uses 3x5 cards. He only adds one or two customers a year. He sells multi-million dollar annuities to very wealthy people. He tells me "I need a computer for what? An ulcer? I got that. I'm married... for 37 years now."

Al
Adams-Blake Insurance Solutions

[GreenSky]

I used to use the paper and file method and also found that once put away, I never saw them again.

About 6-7 months ago I purchased a copy of Your Insurance Office. I know I've written more than just a couple of prospects because I finally had a method to follow up.

The owner of YIO also posts here so I'll assume he can respond to this better than I will. I'm still learning all the things the program can do.

I know there are other programs but this is the one that works for me.

Rick

[senior-advisor-indiana]

I also use YIO. It works great. I can't think of anything that would make it better for me. I would say the best part about YIO is the customer service. I found out last week how good that was. I some how renamed YIO or something. Anyway, it was froze and I could not use it and I had not backed up my data. So I was freaking out because I thought I lost everything. Frank answered his phone at 11:30 and it took about 10 min for him to fix me up and get my info back. Service is excellent.

[Slick]

I use YIO and I love it. One of my biggest needs is long term reminders. On a very good day, I'll call 200 people and make about 60 promises to mail something or call them back in the future. With YIO it reminds me when and why I am calling them and it doesn't cost more than a couple seconds to do.

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

Excel spread sheets. The title has name, zip email address, phone and date. Plus, the hard copy of the lead which hangs around for 30 days.

[Delta76]

I use the note card system listed above. It works good and right now I have no intention of changing.

[Frank Stastny]

I also use Your Insurance Office (YIO).

Wilkin, if you would like to know more about how easy it is to track prospects, give me a call.