PIA Digital Leaders: What Your Agency Needs to Do Right Now

Two innovative PIA National leaders whose agencies have been on the cutting-edge of our industry's digital transformation share their insights in "Digital Destiny," in the January 2015 issue of the National Underwriter.

Stanley G. Logan Jr., an agency principal at Logan Lavelle Hunt Insurance Agency LLC in Louisville, Ky., and a member of the PIA National board of directors, representing PIA of Kentucky; and Keith Savino, a principal with the insurance agency Warwick Resource Group LLC in Warwick, N.Y., ACORD board member and recipient of the PIA National 2014 Excellence in Social Media Award, commented extensively in the article.

"What I hear from our customers is that they like to be with an agent and an agency that is spending the money to be relevant to them," says Logan. "When I talk to my insurance company partners, they are interested in sales. That's still the No. 1 game in town, and they want more and more from us. Having the right tools to do that job is the edge that forward-looking agencies can enjoy, if they're willing to do the homework."

Savino rattles off the technical advancements incorporated in his agency's business plan, but bristles at calling them "tech." "These are just communications tools. I don't see them as 'technology,'" he explains. "Some people don't even view smartphones as 'tech' anymore. I see it as a required part of business; I don't think of it as an advantage as much as a requirement. I challenge people to think differently about that."

"The big challenge is communicating your value to your clients," he continues. "The minute you stop offering a service because you will not implement new business tools, you're intentionally putting up a roadblock to a good customer experience."

Read the full article here.