Insurance policyholders want quality service, fast
When a client calls at 10:30 to confirm an endorsement on their policy, they expect to have their answer before lunch.
In our recent survey of insurance policyholders, 83% said they expect their agent to respond to inquiries within one business day, and 35% expect a response in an hour or less. They expect high-quality service, too. Thirty-two percent of policyholders would switch agents for better customer service.
For account managers and agency team members who interact with clients, it can feel that meeting client expectations involves working harder, and chasing down information faster. Those expectations are putting more stress on teams. In 2024, more than half of agency professionals said they felt workload pressures. And the challenge isn’t exclusive to insurance: 70% of executives say customer expectations are evolving faster than their company can adapt.
It’s easy to assume meeting these expectations is a matter of just doing more work. More often, the challenge is whether the person speaking with the client has the right access to information
Why client experience is a visibility + information challenge
A client sees their agency as one entity, but internally, work is often done by a team. Different staff members handle different pieces of one account from quoting and selling a policy to managing servicing, and doing billing, certificates, or carrier communication.
That specialization is normal for large agencies. The problem is that answering a client question can involve collecting information from different systems and reconstructing the client’s story every time they call.
For clients with complex accounts, multiple locations, or unique endorsements, it becomes a real delay. Even if you can pick up the phone quickly, you might not be able to provide an actual (and thorough) answer quickly. It’s challenging to scale the personal attention clients expect across an entire book of business.
Why visibility is the key to improving the insurance customer experience
Providing excellent client experience isn’t about individual performance but information visibility—seeing the account status, history, open work, and next steps in one place, in the moment. Having visibility of a client’s account whenever you need it gets past the swivel-chair problem.
It’s possible to deliver the personal attention people associate with a small agency, even when the work is shared across a large team, when an agency’s tech stack and data is connected. You can see a client’s policies and coverage alongside notes from prior interactions, recent changes, and what’s currently in motion.
For complex accounts, connected systems become even more important. When the full account picture is visible, it’s easier to understand how policies connect, spot gaps, and see where additional coverage might make sense. Having a connected system means software can share the same account information: policies, servicing activity, open requests, documents, and notes. Instead of different software and staff holding their own information, everything comes together to make a clear picture.
How a connected view solves the client experience dilemma
An integrated system connects your core platforms (AMS, document management, servicing workflows, billing, carrier downloads, e-sign, communications) so they stay in sync. When an endorsement is requested, a document is issued, or a carrier responds, that activity shows up where your team works, tied to the right account.
The speed that comes with the connected view also makes it possible for agencies to offer the next step in the customer experience: proactive service. Policyholders say they value personal relationships and trusted expertise above all else. Reaching out stops being an extra task and starts being part of the workflow. The relationship and expertise policyholders value show up as timely updates, clear next steps, and fewer surprises.
When clients say they’ll make buying decisions based on service, information visibility becomes a competitive advantage. It lets a larger agency feel coordinated and personal at the same time. The result is an experience clients can count on, regardless of who answers the phone.
As insurance policyholders become more exacting about what they want from their agents, meeting those expectations hinges more on information access and visibility than on time put into a task.