Sigler to Co-Chair Real Time/Download Campaign

Independent agent Joyce Sigler, CISR, CPIW, CPIA, has been named co-chair of the Real Time/Download Campaign, a leading industry advocate for workflow and technology efficiency in the independent agency distribution channel. Sigler is vice president of administration at Jones & Wenner, an insurance agency in Fairlawn, Ohio.
 
In her role with the campaign, she succeeds Cyndy Smith, vice president and director of technology at Haylor, Freyer & Coon, in Syracuse, N.Y., who co-led the campaign for several years. An active member of the Network of Vertafore Users (NetVU), Sigler has 17 years of insurance agency and carrier experience.
 
Real Time is the ability to click on a button from a client file in the agency management system or comparative rater for immediate access to carrier information on that client. The transaction may be a quote, billing inquiry, claim inquiry/loss run, policy view, endorsement or a request for information.
 
"In today's marketplace, independent insurance agents and brokers need to find new ways to increase profitability and efficiency," said Sigler, who assumes her new role September 1. "Real-time agent-carrier communication is one of the easiest and most impactful ways of doing that. It certainly has been in our office.

Published on August 31, 2011

"The campaign has done a remarkable job in a relatively short period of time to make awareness of Real Time and Download prevalent throughout the industry," she added. "More important, campaign volunteers and other leaders have helped drive significant increases in implementations and adoption. This has benefited the industry, of course, but it has also helped us serve our clients, who continue to expect better, faster service.
 
"We need to continue reaching those agents and brokers who are not using technology to its fullest," Sigler noted, "and we must keep advocating with carriers and vendors for continued improvements in their Real Time and Download interface functionality."
 
While working for a carrier, Sigler helped agencies establish and upgrade their network infrastructures and provided management system and workflow training. She has held-and continues to hold-a number of volunteer roles with her users group and other industry organizations, and serves as a mentor to agencies seeking to improve their efficiency using advanced automation and workflows.
 
Sigler joins Campaign Co-Chair Karen Youngman, personal lines manager at Don Allen Agency, based in Rochester, N.Y.

About the Real Time/Download Campaign:

Launched in 2007, the Real Time/Download Campaign (www.getrealtime.org) is dedicated to improving the competitiveness of the independent agency distribution channel. The campaign isn't advocating a specific technology, but a workflow approach that frees up more time for agencies to sell, process and service business. Most agents can leverage tools already contained in their agency management systems or comparative raters.