November 2016 Wisconsin Independent Agent Magazine

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INDEPENDENT AGENT NOVEMBER 2016

REDISCOVER YOUR MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS BUSINESS SOLUTIONS

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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EDUCATION & TRAINING

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PUBLICATIONS

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TO LEARN MORE GO TO IIAWSOLUTIONS.COM, OR CONTACT THE IIAW

We make it our business to

KNOW YOUR CLIENT’S

BUSINESS West Bend’s insurance professionals know a lot about business.

And hunt clubs are one of our specialties.

As an Official Supplier of the Silver Lining®, our products are backed by your knowledge and expertise.

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INDEPENDENT AGENT NOVEMBER 2016 Eric Schwartz, Editor

Open Door Policy Our Value Is Finding Your Solution. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Insuring Wisconsin Growth Fund Conduit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Fall Planning 2016 IIAW On Track & Off To The Races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Virtual University Quick Q&A Double Shot: Landlords & Personal Auto. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Government Affairs DOT Safety Responsibility Proposal Questioned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Opinion Digital Transformation: The Time Is Now For Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Industry Service Bill Reeves, Society’s COO, Retires After 44 Years In The Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Technology Why Smart Home Tech Is Forcing The Industry To Get Smart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Agency Management Investment In Tech Increases Agency’s Current, Future Value. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Members in the News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Errors & Omissions Does Your EPLI Policy Cover What You May Have Missed?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Sales How Your Prospects Really Want You To Follow-Up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Community Service Jerry Couri Awarded Distinguished Agent Of The Year Award. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Marketing Keeping Website Pages Simple. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Independent Insurance Agents of Wisconsin 725 John Nolen Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53713 Phone: (608) 256-4429 or (800) 362-7441 ■ Fax: (608) 256-0170 ■ Web: www.iiaw.com Executive Vice President - Matt Banaszynski 2016-2017 Executive Committee President........................................................ Matt Weimer 100 North Corporate Dr., #100, Brookfield, WI 53045 President-Elect.................................. Lise Meyer Kobussen P.O. Box 633, Sauk City, WI 53583 Secretary-Treasurer............................................. Jason Bott 330 East Kilbourn Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53202 Chairman of the Board................................... Steve Leitch P.O. Box 85, River Falls, WI 54022 State National Director................................. Linda Steiner 555 Main Street #320, Racine, WI 53403 2016-2017 Board of Directors Mike Ansay 101 East Grand Ave. #11, Port Washington, WI 53704 Cindy Burns 500 South Central Ave., Marshfield, WI 54449 Gerald Couri 379 West Main Street, Waukesha, WI 53186 Jack Demski 101 East Grand Ave. #11, Port Washington, WI 53074

Jack Riesch P.O. Box 1610, Waukesha, WI 53187-1610 Pam Utpadel 100 West Lawrence St. Suite 313, Appleton, WI 54911 Darrel Zaleski 4233 Southtowne Drive, Eau Claire, WI 54701 2016-2017 Committee Chairs Agency Services............................................. Kim Dandrea N19 W24200 Riverwood Dr., Waukesha, WI 53188 Automation/Technology................ Cathleen Christensen P.O. Box 949, Fond du Lac, WI 54936-0949 Emerging Leaders............................................Jack Demski 101 East Grand Ave. #11, Port Washington, WI 53074 Employee Benefits........................................... Mike Farrell 1300 South Green Bay Rd., Racine, WI 53406 Government Affairs........................................Skip Hansen 100 North Corporate Drive #100 Brookfield, WI 53045 Carrier Relations.......................................... Kevin Murray 525 Junction Road, Madison, WI 53717

Ryan McClone 150 Main St. Suite 102, Menasha, WI 54952

Marketing & Membership Development............ Jeff Thiel P.O. Box 1610, Waukesha, WI 53187-1610

Marc Petersen 15171 W. National Ave., New Berlin, WI 53151

Technical................................................Timothy Kakuska P.O. Box 547, La Crosse, WI 54602-0547

WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT

On The Cover…

After Fall Planning’s brainstorming session, we discovered that we had to refine the way we communicate to you. Many of you are not taking advantage of the benefits you are entitled to as members of the IIAW, and that’s on us. We want to focus not only on communicating but also on listening. To better communicate what is available to you as a member we launched IIAWsolutions.com. Once there, click WHAT WE DO for a quick snapshot of what we have to offer. Beyond the website, we want to be your go-to resource for your business. Whether you have a simple question or a complex issue facing your agency, please contact us. Call or email us. Send us a Facebook message. Text us. Come and see us in person. Let us find the answer for you. Our Value Is Finding Your Solution. To learn more, go to Matt Banaszynski’s article on page 5. For more about Fall Planning, go to page 10.

> A DVERTISERS & INFORMATION AAA Wisconsin................................................. 38 Acuity Insurance ............................................ 39 Aflac................................................................. 15 AmTrust North America.................................... 13 Arlington/Roe.................................................. 12 Badger Mutual................................................. 36 Berkshire Hathaway/Guard............................. 29 Big “I” Retirement.......................................... 35 Burns & Wilcox.................................................. 7 Conduit Donation Form...................................... 9 Convention w/David Spade.................Back Cover IIAW Continuing Education.............................. 20 IIAW Prelicensing............................................ 33 Integrity Insurance......................................... 30 J.M. Wilson...................................................... 22 Pekin Insurance............................................... 37 Robertson Ryan & Associates.......................... 28 Society Insurance............................................. 6 The IMT Group................................................. 22 West Bend......................................................... 2 Western National.............................................. 16 Wilson Mutual.................................................... 4 NOVEMBER 2016 | 3

Big I Wisc 8.5x11 Handshake 5-16.pdf

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OPEN DOOR POLICY

OUR VALUE IS FINDING YOUR SOLUTION: INTRODUCING IIAWSOLUTIONS.COM Recently, at our strategic Fall Planning event, we had a lively brainstorming session aimed at coming up with new ideas for products and services that the IIAW and its committees could work on.

Each committee member generated one or two ideas that focused on issues/topics that were important to their agency/company. We encouraged them to include ideas for new IIAW products and services that would solve a problem or meet a need.

The only requirement for the exercise was ideas. Where those ideas came from was flexible. Google it. Think big or outside the box. Look in unexpected places for inspiration. Borrow and adapt ideas. Learn from others. Essentially we were looking for a kernel of an idea to get us started and the committees’ collective brainpower would do the rest.

Over 100 volunteers brainstormed new ideas for our eight different committees to discuss. At one or two ideas each, there were many ideas to sift through.

From there each committee broke down the ideas and identified a few objectives they wanted to accomplish to help IIAW members. All in all it was one of our most productive Fall Planning sessions to date.

Thank you to everyone who participated. We are always soliciting new big ideas so contact us today with any thoughts that you think are important and worth exploring.

After Fall Planning, the IIAW staff and I went back and evaluated all the ideas that were discussed. As we reviewed all the great ideas that addressed a number of issues, challenges and opportunities facing independent agencies, there was one glaring issue that was made clear to us during this process — even our most engaged members aren’t tuned into all the products and services we offer.

Many of the products and services requested and needed by our volunteers are already offered by the Association or its strategic business partners. It’s obvious that, in this day in age where we are bombarded with nonstop information, emails, texts, and other messages, the Association’s voice is being drowned out.

WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT

We determined that the Association needed to evolve in a manner that is conducive to the way our members want to receive or seek out information. We want to focus not only on communicating but also on listening.

After soliciting feedback from some of our committees we launched IIAWsolutions.com. This website illustrates what benefits you are entitled to as a member in Wisconsin’s Premier Association for Independent Insurance Agents.

One benefit is access to consultative services! Starting today, we are launching a consultative division within the Association. We have experienced professionals on staff and a vast, national network of strategic business partners and insurance professionals ready to answer all your questions and provide you with the optimal solution.

Whether you have a simple question or a complex issue facing your agency, please contact us. Call or email us.

Send us a Facebook message. Text us. Come and see us in person! The IIAW provides the tools, resources and knowledge to help you serve your clients effectively and grow your agency. We will do the work so you don’t have to.

In this day and age we understand that you are expected to do more with less. Let us alleviate some of that stress by identifying, > Matt Banaszynski is facilitating and achieving solutions for your the Executive Vice President of the agency. We want to be your go-to resource for Independent Insurance your business.

Agents of Wisconsin.

Visit IIAWsolutions.com, or contact us today, Contact him at matt@ iiaw.com. to find a solution.

NOVEMBER 2016 | 5

© 2016 Society Insurance

Coverage for outages from overhead lines.

Small detail. Big difference.

When the power goes out, your customer’s business goes dark—and they start losing money. With Society, they’re automatically covered for loss of business income even if the outage is caused by storm damage to an overhead power line. After all, that’s how most outages occur. Ironically, other insurance companies see this as reason to exclude losses that result from storm damage to overhead power lines. If you agree that details like these can make a big difference, give us a call at 888-5-SOCIETY or visit societyinsurance.com.

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INSURING WISCONSIN GROWTH FUND CONDUIT As a state regulated industry, Wisconsin’s laws can have a direct impact on the private insurance market and on an independent agent’s ability to deliver quality and affordable insurance products and services to the customer.

The IIAW Government Affairs team is working hard on your behalf to ensure that these laws and regulations do not interfere with your job as an independent insurance agent. Instead, the Association has been busy advocating for eliminating unnecessary, burdensome government red tape and encouraging more opportunities for insurance agents to be able to grow and expand in a highly competitive, technology-driven environment.

DIAGRAM 1 Your past donation to the Insuring Wisconsin Growth Fund Conduit has given our Association an influential voice with the policymakers in Madison.

The conduit allows our Association to collectively help elect individuals who understand and appreciate the important role of independent insurance agents and want to promote a positive and robust state insurance climate.

The conduit also allows the IIAW Government Affairs team to maintain and build important relationships with lawmakers that make us more effective when fighting on your behalf.

DIAGRAM 1 on this page details the differences between a conduit and a political action committee (PAC) regarding how contributions are allocated to candidates.

Please consider participating in the Insuring Wisconsin Growth Fund Conduit. Your contribution is an important investment in the IIAW’s ability to have a strong voice in the State Capitol. Our online donation portal is IIAW.com/InsuringWIConduit. There is also a contribution form on the reverse of this page.

Thank you for your leadership and support.

Matt Banaszynski Executive Vice President

IIAW Conduit Donation Form INSURING YOUR VOICE IS HEARD IN THE CAPITOL! Please indicate if you would like to make a one time payment or recurring monthly contributions (until canceled).

• • • • •

Governor’s Club Senator’s Club Representative’s Club Cabinet Member Other Amount

___$500+ ___$250 ___$100 ___$50 ___$___

or ___$42 a month or ___$21 a month or ___$9 a month or ___$5 a month or ___$__ a month

All fields required and must be reported to the Government Accountability Board: Name: __________________________________________________________ Agency: __________________________________________________________ Title: __________________________________________________________ Phone: __________________________E-Mail ___________________________ Business Address: _____________________________________________________ City, State, Zip: _____________________________________________________ Home Address: _____________________________________________________ City, State, Zip: _____________________________________________________ I authorize the IIAW to publish my name in IIAW publications as an IIAW Conduit contributor: YES or NO (circle one) NO CORPORATE CHECKS OR CREDIT CARDS We accept personal VISA, MasterCard, checks, and ACH withdrawals ACH Donation: Account #______________________ Routing #_________________________ Bank Name:__________________________________________________________________ Credit Card Donation #:___________________________________ Exp. Date: ____________ Billing Address:_______________________________________________________________ Cardholder Signature:__________________________________________________________ Please make check payable to: Insuring WI Growth Fund Conduit Mail to: IIAW, 725 John Nolen Dr., Madison, WI 53713 Questions? Call 608.256.4429 IIAW Conduit contributions or gifts to a political action committee are not deductible as charitable contributions for income tax purposes.

Donate Online at IIAW.com/InsuringWIConduit

FALL PLANNING 2016: IIAW ON TRACK & OFF TO THE RACES IIAW PRESIDENT MATT WEIMER INTRODUCES NEW MEETING FORMAT TO SPUR MORE IDEAS & FEEDBACK On September 22, 2016, Blue Harbor Resort & Conference Center in Sheboygan hosted the Independent Insurance Agents of Wisconsin’s 2016-17 Fall Planning Session.

New IIAW President Matt Weimer welcomed the volunteer members who serve on the Association’s eight committees and introduced a new format for the event.

“Before the set committees meet we will have all individuals meet in random, mixed groups to spend time conducting brainstorming sessions,” said Matt. “After this, individuals will meet with their respective committees to discuss what was brought up in these sessions and create goals and objectives for the year. Committee chairs will then be invited up to report on specific objectives for their committees.”

In a nutshell, the brainstorming groups spent five minutes talking about possible objectives for each committee. All ideas were written on large pieces of paper and submitted to the committees for consideration. When the regular committees met they had sheets of ideas to sift through. Ideas that came up several times were given priority and made part of the committee’s annual agenda. The brainstorming discussions proved to be a great way to get all the members involved in all aspects of the Association.

Association staff also sat with the brainstorming groups to better understand the committees’ annual objectives and to learn what the membership expects regarding products and services.

“After evaluating the feedback and ideas gathered from the committee meetings, we

Mike Farrell (standing at right), chair of the Employee Benefits Committee, listens intently to Terry Murphy with the other members of the committee.

10 | NOVEMBER 2016

realized that the IIAW already offers 80 percent of the products and services that our members are requesting,” said Matt Banaszynski, IIAW Executive VP. “We, as your Association, are making it a priority to provide solutions to the other 20% of ideas that were generated in which we don’t offer a product or service. In addition, we are constantly striving to identify future trends in technology and the industry to help your agency stay ahead of the curve.

Our value is in finding you solutions to all of your needs, from the most basic to the most challenging. All you have to do is pick up the phone or email us. We’ll do the work so you don’t have to.”

Matt Weimer also introduced the committee chairs, Exclusive Company Sponsors, and Partner Level Sponsors.

The committee chairs include: Kim Dandrea, Agency Services; Cathy Christensen, Automation/Technology; Jack Demski, Emerging Leaders; Mike Farrell, Employee Benefits; Skip Hansen, Government Affairs; Kevin Murray, Carrier Relations; Jeff Thiel, Marketing and Membership Development; and Tim Kakuska, Technical.

Our Exclusive Company Sponsors for 2016-17 include: AAA Wisconsin, Acuity Insurance, Burns & Wilcox, The Hanover Insurance Group, The IMT Group, Integrity Insurance, Liberty Mutual, Progressive, SECURA Insurance, Sentry Insurance, SFM Insurance, Society Insurance, Travelers Insurance, West Bend Mutual and Wilson Mutual.

In addition to our Exclusive Company

Sponsors, we would also like to thank our Partner Level Sponsors: Aflac, Amerisafe, Arlington/ Roe, Austin Mutual Insurance, Auto-Owners Insurance, CNA Insurance, EMC Insurance, Madison Mutual, Partners Mutual, Philadelphia Insurance, QBE, WPS Insurance, Wisconsin Mutual Insurance, and Zurich Insurance.

“I and the rest of the Executive Committee strongly encourage you to express your personal gratitude to our committee chairs and those who work for our Exclusive and Partner sponsors for helping make our Association so successful,” said Matt.

Matt also spoke about the value of political giving.

“It’s extremely important that we contribute to the Insuring Wisconsin Growth Fund Conduit,” he said. “Your donations help the Association gain access to legislators who in turn advocate for or against legislation that supports the health of our industry.”

After the chairmen/women relayed the individual committee reports, Matt invited all registered participants to the Karting activity at Road America. As you can see from the photos with this article, the action was competitive and a really good time!

Save the Date: The 2017 IIAW Annual Convention is May 3-4, 2017, at the Marriott Madison West!

Details will be coming soon but this year’s convention is going to be incredible. For Wednesday night’s entertainment, we are proud to bring you actor, comedian, and Saturday Night Live alum David Spade with special guest Kevin Farley!

Kim Dandrea (standing), chair of the Agency Services Jack Demski (standing), chair of the Emerging Committee, leads the discussion about planning the Leaders Committee, talks to the IIAW’s largest committee’s objectives for the upcoming year. Prior committee about goals and objectives. to the regular committee meetings, random, mixed groups met for brainstorming sessions to generate ideas for the committees. The work from the brainstorming sessions is represented on the sheets of paper hanging on the walls. The Government Affairs Committee is also shown in the background.

Members of the Marketing & Membership Development Committee (with chair Jeff Thiel at right taking notes) talk about the upcoming year.

WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT

An aerial shot of Road America’s Kart track.

These racers should have sponsorships. After the Fall Planning meetings, it was time to trade paint on the Kart track at Road America.

These true racing machines are direct descendants of open wheel formula cars. Top speeds range from 40-50 MPH. Each kart is required to have a transponder, which allows timing and scoring personal to record racing position and lap times. Racers received a print out immediately after leaving the track of how they fared against the other drivers.

The Kart chassis used is a straight frame, configured specially for sprint type road racing. Each kart has a drive train, which usually consists of a chain and centrifugal clutch. Different sized sprockets are available and can be changed to allow for various engine choices, tracks and conditions.

Jack Demski gives a double thumbs up after the checkered flag.

Doing The Right Thing Since 1964 Standing Tall

Mark Maucere, Andy Roe, Jim Roe, Chad Trainor, Janet Phillips and Jim Eades

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ASK AN EXPERT: QUICK Q&A ABOUT LANDLORDS AND PERSONAL AUTO Members using the Big “I” Virtual University (VU) sometimes need answers to questions that they can’t find in the VU archives (independentagent.com/Education/VU/). In such instances, the VU’s faculty of experts put their heads together to find the answers. What follows are two briefs from this Ask An Expert resource.

Q:

Additional Insured Status for Landlords

Q:

One of our clients has received a lease from the landlord. The triple net lease requires our insured to insure the building as they are the sole tenant. In the lease the following has been requested:

Does the PAP Extended Non-Owned Coverage endorsement added to the Personal Auto Policy cover the individual(s) indicated in the Schedule, Just because you who uses a company owned have ownership in vehicle for personal use, even if that individual has the corporation ownership in the company as a shareholder… that holds the title to the automobile he drives?

Tenant shall furnish Landlord with a Certificate of Insurance for such Property Insurance, Business Interruption Insurance and Liability Insurance, naming Landlord as an additional named insured with regard to the Property Insurance to the extent of Landlord’s insurable interest, and naming Landlord as an additional insured with regard to the Business Interruption and Liability Insurance.

doesn’t mean you

individually have We have an experienced insurance company any individual underwriter that said the ownership rights in ENO will not cover when the person has ownership the property that in the company that owns entity owns. the automobile. I feel the individual and the corporation, LLC, or another entity, are two separate entities so the ENO is appropriate in these situations.

A standard request for the landlord as additional insured for the General Liability. But I have never heard of an additional insured for the Property of BI coverage. Is there a property endorsement that would satisfy their request?

A:

ISO introduced two endorsements to do this in 2008 at the request of our national Technical Affairs Committee and our Mid-America Insurance Conference:

• CP 12 19 - Additional Insured - Building Owner This new endorsement will allow a tenant under a triple net lease to add the building owner as an additional insured. This was a much-needed form that was aggressively pursued by MATC beginning in 2004.

• CP 15 03 - Business Income - Landlord as Additional Insured (Rental Value) This is a new endorsement that allows a tenant to purchase loss of rental value income insurance on behalf of the landlord. Like the new CP 12 19, this was a much needed coverage increasingly required in lease agreements and actively sought by CTAC beginning in 2000.

PAP Extended Non-Owned Endorsement

A:

Corporations and LLCs are distinct legal entities that have property rights of their own. Just because you have ownership in the corporation as a shareholder (or LLC as a member) doesn’t mean you individually have any individual ownership rights in the property that entity owns.

If I’m an employee of General Electric and, as part of my 401K plan, also own stock in the company, if I have a company car assigned to me, that shareholder interest doesn’t make me an owner of that vehicle.

> Various faculty members of the Virtual University contributed to this article.

The Virtual University is a Big “I” members-only resource. Many articles are based on real-life questions received by the Ask an Expert service. This service ensures that the information is current and topical. Go to www.independentagent. com/Education/VU/. You will need to login with your IIABA username and password before using the VU. The IIABA does not assume and has no responsibility for liability or damage which may result from the use of any of this information.

14 | NOVEMBER 2016

WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT

Creative

Risk Management Leverage voluntary benefits as a creative risk management strategy to help you control costs and reduce workers’ compensation claims.

Control costs Workers’ comp coverage, although mandatory in most states, adds yet another pressure point for employers continually looking for ways to control rising costs. Workers’ comp utilization may actually increase as employees’ out-of-pocket major medical plan costs, such as deductibles and co-pays, increase. Voluntary and benefits plan redesign can be an effective component of your company’s overall cost control conversation.

40

%

of companies providing access to voluntary accident insurance reported declines in their workers’ comp claims.

36

%

Whether you fully fund the coverage or offer employee-paid options as part of an overall benefits package, adding the appropriate mix of voluntary to core offerings is a simple way to more effectively manage risk transfer from rate-variable workers’ comp coverage to ratestable voluntary products. For employees, the added voluntary benefits limit their out-of-pocket financial exposure. And, they can help lower your bottom line expenses without sacrificing employee access to financial protection against unexpected accidents or illnesses.

Reduce workers’ compensation claims Offering voluntary accident and disability insurance continues to gain traction as an effective way to help decrease the frequency and expense of workers’ comp claims. A robust national employer study commissioned by Aflac in 2014 supported similar 2013 findings, validating historically anecdotal claims that providing access to voluntary accident and disability insurance results in declines in the number of workers’ comp claims. The 2014 survey found that:1 • 40% of companies providing access to voluntary accident insurance reported declines in their workers’ comp claims.

– When responses were broken down by company size, the survey found that 50% of large companies, 38% of medium companies and 36% of small companies reported declines.

• 36% of companies providing access to voluntary disability insurance reported declines in their workers’ comp claims.

– When responses were broken down by company size, the survey found that 46% of large companies, 28% of medium companies and 34% of small companies reported declines.

of companies providing access to voluntary disability insurance reported declines in their workers’ comp claims.

Please contact the IIAW for more information

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS There are many policymakers, citizens, and some in the industry who say that Wisconsin needs to do more to strengthen the enforcement of the mandatory auto insurance law — in other words, the opposite of what the DOT is proposing.

DOT SAFETY RESPONSIBILITY PROPOSAL QUESTIONED Did you know that the third highest traffic conviction in Wisconsin from January through June 2016 was driving without insurance? And that the fifth highest traffic conviction was driving without proof of insurance?

Combined, both of these traffic violations accounted for 60,835 convictions and 16 percent of all convictions during this period.

Out of 127 various traffic offenses levied by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT), these two categories alone accounted for the highest number of traffic convictions even though Wisconsin has had a mandatory auto insurance law since 2009. To put this somewhat into context, the next highest traffic offense was speeding (11-19 miles over the limit) with 46,843 convictions, or 12.32 percent of total offenses in the same period.

A recent agency budget proposal from the DOT serves as an excellent reminder of why it’s imperative for a highly regulated industry like insurance to have a strong presence and be proactive in government affairs advocacy.

Last month, the DOT, along with all other state agencies, submitted a 2017-19 biennial budget request to Governor Walker in preparation for his formal state budget address to the Legislature next February. Contained deep in the agency’s budget (on page 256 of 323), we discovered a provision that suggested that the agency was proposing to eliminate the Financial Responsibility law (Chapter 344) from Wisconsin statutes.

The short title of the DOT budget request was “Elimination of Safety Responsibility Law” and the description of the change was “The Department requests the elimination of the Safety Responsibility Law in Chapter 344 of the Wisconsin Statutes.” For those familiar with the state Financial Responsibility law, you can understand the confusion and cause for concern with the proposed language.

involved in reportable crashes, 1.6 percent were uninsured, failed to pay for damages, and accepted a one-year suspension. In the eyes of many, the law and Safety Responsibility (SR) program serves as a level of “adult supervision” for this population of uninsured drivers and is supposed to provide an incentive for motorists to carry auto liability insurance. The law imposes driver licensing and motor vehicle registration sanctions against uninsured motorists who do not pay for the damages they cause. Like all other states with the exception of New Hampshire, it is illegal to drive a motor vehicle in Wisconsin without minimum liability insurance coverage.

Mandatory auto insurance has been Wisconsin law since the Legislature enacted Wisconsin Act 28 in 2009.

In response to the DOT budget proposal, the IIAW Government Affairs team quickly informed our membership of the plan through an electronic legislative alert and subsequently requested a formal meeting with DOT officials asking for clarification about the plan. Additionally, IIAW has been working closely with our advocacy partners in Madison at the Wisconsin Insurance Alliance (WIA) to ensure that we all deliver a strong, consistent industry message to the DOT and policymakers.

The IIAW met with several DOT officials including: Tom Rhatican, Assistant Deputy Secretary; Nate Yahn, DOT Legislative Advisor; Mitchell Warren, DMV Deputy Administrator; Reggie Paradowski, DOT Program Chief; and Ann Perry, Bureau Director of Driver Services.

Wisconsin’s Financial Responsibility law was enacted in 1945 to protect individuals who suffer damages in accidents caused by uninsured motorists. The law requires motorists involved in reportable accidents to submit evidence to the DMV of their financial ability to pay for damages they caused in an accident. An accident is reportable if there is injury or death, if there is $200 or more damage to government property (except a government owned vehicle), or if there is $1,000 or more in damages to any one person’s property (including government owned vehicles).

Our meeting with DOT was very informative and productive for both sides. It became evident from this meeting that the department has a differing view over the effectiveness and their administration of the SR law and program that the agency oversees.

DOT believes that due to the small and declining number of accident claims that trigger a license suspension, it may no longer make sense for them to operate in this arena. And the agency has also been charged with reducing its overall operational costs as a budgetary cost saving measure.

In 2014, there were 2,926 claims made against 4,327 uninsured drivers and/ or owners exceeding $13.9 million in damages. Out of 195,662 vehicles

CONTINUED ON PAGE 19

WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT

> Misha Lee is Owner/ Founder of Lee Government Relations, LLC and lobbyist for IIAW. Follow Lee Government Relations on Twitter@mishavlee.

NOVEMBER 2016 | 17

OPINION

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION: THE TIME IS NOW FOR INSURERS “ Software is eating the world,” as Marc Andreessen said in 2011. However, even if you had stepped into a time machine at that point and arrived in the present day you might be surprised to see the extent to which this has happened.

Uber, a company that owns no vehicles, dominates the taxi business in many major cities around the world. Facebook, a company that creates no content, has become by far the biggest online destination for Internet users. Airbnb provides thousands of people with shortterm lets every day, yet owns no real estate.

Digital has revolutionized many different industries and the insurance sector makes no exception. New entrants and digitally leading competitors are looking to exploit this failing. With the intensive competition in this market it has never been more important to gain an edge on the opposition. And in order to be competitive insurance companies must start a full swing digital transformation program now to drastically lower their cost to income ratio. It’s imperative they shift their operations to a digital first model, and provide their customers a seamless digital experience, just like they get with Uber or Facebook.

However, this is easier said than done. An insurance company needs to examine all of its processes and figure out where automation makes more sense than using a human operator. After all, the costs for digital customer onboarding or online sales are significantly lower than in the physical world, where human intervention is required. The digital sales and self-service model has recently become more popular in the insurance industry and this allows for full end-to-end automation and straight through processing.

For example, customers are now able to configure their own insurance policy, assisted by a smart guided selling engine, rather than being assisted by a human advisor. Subsequently the customer can actually buy the policy and apply all the required documents and signatures in an easy to use digital process, without having to sign any paper or visit any branch. And even better, behind the scenes, the whole process is fully automated and directly connected to the various back-end systems of the insurance provider.

It all sounds nice, but doing a full digital transformation is not easy.

It requires a completely different way of thinking and working. This is true in many of industries - not just insurance - but I see too many examples of companies taking an “inside-out” approach in which they start with products and then thinking about how they push these products to the market. This approach is somewhat backwards.

In my view, the best way forward is to apply the ‘outside-in’ approach.

This starts with thinking about what it is that a customer wants rather than what products you want to push. Outside-in is all about starting with the customer, and creating a seamless customer journey.

Convenience and instant results are key for today’s digitally-minded customers. They want to be able to do their research into the type of policy they are going to buy online - though they may also want to have an instant message conversation in order to clarify some of the finer details. They want to be able to make their application

18 | NOVEMBER 2016

online, and they want an answer as quickly as possible. These are all areas where digital can help - a comprehensive, interactive website with a configuration tool for policies, chatbots and data-driven risk calculators at the back-end will meet these needs. Facilities to scan ID documents through a smartphone app are another way insurance companies can provide customers with a frictionless experience. And while all sales processes need to go digital, as far as possible, so do the self-service processes customers undergo for making a claim.

With the intensive competition in this (digital) market it has never been more important to gain an edge on the opposition.

One other significant obstacle that insurance companies face is that their operating and collaboration model is old school - not ready for the digital world. There are often separate siloes within a business that have grown independently from each other - sales, marketing, IT and so on. Compared to Fintech start-ups that work with small multidisciplinary teams, these old school collaboration models simply are too slow and have way too much overhead. Time is of the essence, though, and insurance companies need to think more like lean technology start-ups in order to put this platform in place quickly. There is no time for separating out the market analysis, > The following article is an opinion product design, development and testing piece written by Jouk processes - you need to create a small team Pleiter, CEO and cothat can do all of this at once, testing as founder of Backbase.

It originally appeared they go along. After all, this is the agile on ibamag.com. The approach that many new players in the views expressed here insurance market are taking, and in order are not necessarily the views of the IIAW but to keep pace with them it is necessary to be are meant to spark able to move fast. discussion.

WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT

DOT SAFETY RESPONSIBILITY PROPOSAL QUESTIONED CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

According to the agency’s latest statistics, the number of accidents with SR suspensions declined from 6.77 percent of all reportable accidents in 2009 to 2.37 percent of accidents in 2014. Specifically, the agency would like to get out of the administrative process for holding uninsured drivers accountable after they get into accidents.

The agency complains that the current process of holding statewide SR administrative hearings is costly and burdensome. They believe this is an area best left to lawyers and experts in the judicial system.

Right now, an SR administrative hearing only determines whether or not a reasonable possibility exists that a judgment would be made against the uninsured operator or vehicle owner involved in the accident. Drivers and witnesses are placed under oath and testify on the record. They may also be represented by attorneys, bring witnesses, submit sworn affidavits, or other evidence. However, DOT officials believe that the court system is best equipped to deal with these complex issues and ultimately hold uninsured motorists accountable for their actions.

In addition, the agency would like to get out of the administrative process of suspending licenses of the uninsured when they get in accidents and do not settle or pay damage claims. The court system would also oversee this process. It’s specifically this provision that is the main cause of concern because many view the DOT’s current process as the only enforcement mechanism in current law to curb uninsured drivers who cause accidents. Arguably, removing these protections WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT

would diminish the mandatory auto insurance requirement despite the declining number of suspension claims.

There are many policymakers, citizens, and some in the industry who say that Wisconsin needs to do more to strengthen the enforcement of the mandatory auto insurance law — in other words, the opposite of what the DOT is proposing.

One possible way to do this would be to amend current law to require an automatic driver’s license suspension for anyone involved in a motor vehicle accident regardless of fault. To reinstate a person’s driving privileges, the individual must obtain an SR22 that verifies proper insurance coverage.

Right now, uninsured drivers in accidents have a state sponsored off-ramp to skirt the law if they satisfy a judgment against them. This process, in fact, directly conflicts and contradicts the mandatory auto insurance requirement; Wisconsin should really be focused on enforcing our laws and providing more effective ways to reduce the number of uninsured on our roadways.

Since our meeting, DOT officials are currently reviewing how and whether or not to move forward with their original proposal. The IIAW welcomes your feedback and would like to hear your thoughts on this issue. In the meantime, the government affairs team will continue to have a healthy dialogue with the DOT and Legislature to ensure that you and your customer’s interests are protected.

NOVEMBER 2016 | 19

CONTINUING EDUCATION

ABEN ONLINE CE CLASSES Certificates of Insurance: Emerging Issues and Other Stuff That May Scare You 3 CE Credit Approved Date: November 27, 2016 Location: ABEN Online – iiaw.aben.tv Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

From Medicaid to the Exchange: What Every Agent Should Know 4 CE Credit Approved Date: November 30, 2016 Location: ABEN Online – iiaw.aben.tv Time: 8:30 – 11:50 AM

E&O Risk Management: Meeting the Challenge of Change 6 CE Credits Approved Date: December 6, 2016 Location: ABEN Online – iiaw.aben.tv Time: 9:00 AM – 3:45 PM

Long Term Care Insurance 3 CE Credits Approved Date: December 12, 2016 Location: ABEN Online – iiaw.aben.tv Time: 9:00 – 11:00 AM

Ethics in Today’s Changing Times 4 CE Credits Approved Date: December 13, 2016 Location: ABEN Online – iiaw.aben.tv Time: 2:00 – 6:00 PM

Commercial Lines Claims That Cause Problems 2 CE Credits Approved Date: December 14, 2016 Location: ABEN Online – iiaw.aben.tv Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

IIAW ONLINE CE CLASSES

Ethics & Agent Liability 3 CE Credits Approved Date: November 21, 2016 Location: IIAW Webinar – iiaw.com/events Time: 12:00 – 3:00 PM

Who Is An Insured 3 CE Credits Approved Date: November 22, 2016 Location: IIAW Webinar – iiaw.com/events Time: 8:00 – 11:00 AM

Workers’ Compensation 3 CE Credits Approved Date: November 22, 2016 Location: IIAW Webinar – iiaw.com/events Time: 12:00 – 3:00 PM

Commercial Property Coverages 3 CE Credits Approved Date: November 29, 2016 Location: IIAW Webinar – iiaw.com/events Time: 12:00 – 3:00 PM

Cyber Liability 3 CE Credits Approved Date: December 2, 2016 Location: IIAW Webinar – iiaw.com/events Time: 8:00 – 11:00 AM

The Dirty Dozen 3 CE Credits Approved Date: December 5, 2016 Location: IIAW Webinar – iiaw.com/events Time: 12:00 – 3:00 PM

Insurance Valuation Strategies 3 CE Credits Approved Date: December 6, 2016 Location: IIAW Webinar – iiaw.com/events Time: 8:00 – 11:00 AM

Data Privacy Insurance 2 CE Credits Approved Date: December 14, 2016 Location: ABEN Online – iiaw.aben.tv Time: 1:30 – 3:30 PM

Condominiums 3 CE Credits Approved Date: December 7, 2016 Location: IIAW Webinar – iiaw.com/events Time: 12:00 – 3:00 PM

FOR MORE CLASSES AND TO REGISTER, PLEASE GO TO IIAW.COM

INDUSTRY SERVICE

SOCIETY COO REEVES RETIRES AFTER 44 YEARS IN THE INDUSTRY; SCHULTZ TABBED AS SUCCESSOR On October 24, Society Insurance announced that, after 44 years in the insurance industry, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer William “Bill” F. Reeves plans to retire effective April 1, 2017.

Society’s board of directors has also expressed its intent to name Dina S. Schultz, the company’s current Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Senior Vice President and COO upon the retirement.

“On behalf of the entire Society team, I want to thank Bill for his years of service to the company and everything he has done to help drive the mission and vision to move Society forward,” said Rick Parks, Society Insurance President and CEO. “During our time working together, Bill has been more than just a valued executive and colleague — he has been a treasured friend. I wish him much happiness in his retirement.”

“

On behalf of the entire Society team, I want to

thank Bill for his years of service to the company and everything he has done to help drive the mission and vision to move Society forward.”

RICK PARKS, SOCIETY PRESIDENT & CEO Reeves was promoted to Executive VP and COO at Society in 2011. In his time in that role, Reeves has worked closely with Parks to strengthen the company’s operations and financial standing while developing Society’s employees by designing and implementing a nationally-recognized program: Society’s College of Insurance.

Before joining Society in 2008 and becoming the VP of Underwriting, Reeves graduated from the College of Insurance in New York City in 1976 and held a variety of roles with General Casualty Insurance, most recently as the branch manager of General Casualty’s Milwaukee-based office.

WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT

Reeves transitioned his operational responsibilities to Schultz on Nov. 1, when Schultz was promoted to senior VP of operations and innovation. In that role, and when she is formally named COO next year, Schultz will oversee the underwriting, claims, sales and marketing, and human resources departments at Society.

“I am extremely pleased to welcome Dina to her new position,” said Parks. “Her global operations background, combined with strong leadership skills focused on a positive corporate culture, will certainly add great value to the company.”

Schultz brings more than 30 years in business and leadership expertise to the position, with nearly 17 years of executive-level background in the insurance industry.

Bill Reeves

Since joining Society in 2012, Schultz has led a full-scale rebrand of the company while steering Society toward profitable and longterm growth. Schultz has transformed the sales and marketing functions at Society in her time with the company, utilizing her strong marketing, advertising, public relations and operations expertise to focus on offering agents and policyholders many new products, tools and services to make the company easier to do business with. As an executive sponsor, Schultz is also overseeing a grassroots program to continuously improve Society’s operations through efficient processes and procedures.

Prior to joining Society, Schultz was the COO of Missouri Employers Mutual and was instrumental in leading the start-up company to become the number one workers’ compensation insurance carrier in Missouri.

Dina Schultz

NOVEMBER 2016 | 21

®

®

WWW.IMTINS.COM

TECHNOLOGY

WHY SMART HOME TECH IS FORCING THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY TO GET SMART Smart home technology is revolutionizing the way homeowners manage their household appliances. Whether it’s dimming the lights, locking the doors or turning down the central heating, smart home tech enables users to control various devices when they’re out and about via applications available on smartphones and tablets.

As well as giving users an unprecedented level of control, smart home applications also increase environmental efficiency and cut energy costs.

But while these devices are making life easier and more convenient, they’re also putting users at risk.

At an MIT hackathon for smart homes, would-be cybercriminals were able to gain control of more than one quarter of all devices within three hours.

Smart home technology is becoming a growing target for cybercriminals who are hacking into systems in an attempt to gain users’ personal information or disable alarm systems in preparation for a burglary.

WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT

Equipped with hacking software known as remote administration tools (RAT), cybercriminals now have the potential to access home equipment connected to a smart tech app, including smart thermometers with cameras, allowing the hacker to spy on a family or property.

Worryingly, another device that can be compromised is a baby monitor. One strange individual hacked into one to scream obscenities at children. In the hacker community, many of these devices are seen as an easy target.

To illustrate the point, at an MIT hackathon for smart homes, would-be cybercriminals were able to gain control of more than one quarter of all devices within three hours.

As more Americans adopt smart technology, insurance companies are being forced to incorporate this new set of risks into their homeowner policies. But there’s more work to do.

Major players like Apple, Amazon and

Google are now investing huge amounts of time and money in the smart home space and in order to provide adequate coverage, personal lines carriers should be opening conversations with these companies to help them improve their underwriting and provide better insurance products. This is a problem that is only going to grow and the insurance industry has a responsibility to step up.

For brokers, the issues around smart home technology create some good opportunities.

In asking their homeowner clients if they’re using smart technology, advising them of the dangers and then guiding them towards the right policies, brokers have the chance to become known as industry leaders who have their finger on the pulse. Not only will these conversations help brokers grow their business, they’ll also help them become known as being conscientious and compassionate and having their clients’ > Joe Rosengarten best interests at writes for Insurance Business America. heart.

NOVEMBER 2016 | 23

AGENCY MANAGEMENT

TECHNOLOGY: INVESTMENT IN TECHNOLOGY

INCREASES AGENCY’S CURRENT, FUTURE VALUE An irrefutable correlation exists between technology investment and the value of an independent agency.

And the ultimate key to agency value is investing time, training and talent to use that technology to the fullest, to effectively drive sales and deliver a better customer experience.

“Every agency one day will be bought, sold, merged or internally perpetuated in some way, shape or form. Thus, every principal must recognize that the firm that fully leverages its management system will command a premium,” says Bob Pettinicchi, executive vice president and chief lending officer at InsurBanc, a division of Connecticut Community Bank, N.A. How much of a premium? “Agencies today are valued at six to eight times or more of EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization), which means pretax profits, basically,” explains Kevin Stipe, president of Reagan Consulting. “So a dollar in recurring savings is worth six to eight dollars in agency value.”

Tech fuels perpetuation success Steve Aronson, president and CEO of Aronson Insurance in Needham, Massachusetts, is a vocal advocate of the multipliers of technology.

Aronson recently sold his nearly 100-year-old family agency at terms

Nobody thinks twice about technology once it becomes embedded in our lives. On a daily basis we maintain a calendar on our smartphones or drive a modern car. Once we learn and practice it, we don’t think twice about it. he wanted, which included the ability to retain full control until he’s ready to retire. He’s convinced that without the efficiency, expense savings and topline growth delivered by fully leveraging technology, he wouldn’t have been able to secure a solid future for his firm.

Aronson says focusing on the bottom line—on running the agency like a business rather than a “typical” small insurance agency—is critical to receiving full value for the firm.

“At some point, acquisitions start to be a multiple of EBITDA rather than a multiple of commissions,” says Aronson. “When you look at the cost of acquiring and keeping a customer, you quickly learn that technology is a great enabler —it allows you to be much more profitable.”

An agency can’t afford not to take advantage of everything it receives from its technology solutions provider.

Digital tech is here to stay. Our customers expect ease of doing business, and that’s particularly true of younger generations. Businesses that fail to fully embrace technology will struggle to survive. Millennials will be here long after Boomers are gone, and as an industry we have to be ready for them, whether they’re customers or employees.

“As our employees get younger and younger, technology is not

24 | NOVEMBER 2016

optional; it’s essential,” Aronson says. “We don’t give classes on Windows or iPhones or the F2 key anymore. Technology is a life tool.”

A well-trained staff maximizes technology value. While talented people remain an irreplaceable ingredient of success, a strong case can be made for technology as an asset of growing importance in today’s agency. A small investment in training, and effectively using a tool, can have an exponential impact on both cost savings and the ability to increase sales and therefore revenue.

The goal of any technology user should be full-system utilization.

That means getting the most for your money from the technology investment. With training, it’s possible to get ever closer to that goal.

Aronson firmly asserts that investing a modest amount of time engaging with a technology users group can pay off. “Spend time with successful people who are achieving the things you want to achieve,” he says. “Sometimes a webinar is easier and the expense is minimal, but the value of attending a conference or workshop is the time spent outside the session sharing ideas with other users.”

Other learning resources that users groups offer include on-demand education, system certifications and local chapter meetings.

Systematically passing along that learning to others in the agency leverages the value of any training investment. When agency professionals return home from a conference or meeting, they must share what they have learned with coworkers—handling e-forms, applications and certificates, eliminating dual entry, mastering document management and integrating accounting software.

Time and again, tech users tell me that peer-to-peer learning is the best. Many agents make an initial contact at an in-person event and then follow up to interact in online forums and over the phone with peers they’ve met from around the country or locally. Those are the insurance pros who are learning the most and striving daily toward full system utilization.

Cash in the rewards. It soon becomes apparent that the benefits of investing in technology and working smarter are limitless, and here are a few:

a

By putting its data in the cloud an agency can go paperless.

a

Being able to manage information flow allows an agency to outsource functions to reduce expenses.

a

Putting processes and workflows on a common platform helps agencies efficiently integrate with one another.

a

Technology unlocks the power of data to improve prospecting and the customer experience. The more we know about our customers, the better we can service them and help solve their problems.

WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT

AGENCY MANAGEMENT “To be able to pull the data on your book of business is gold,” says principal analyst Ellen Carney, insurance eBusiness and channel strategy at Forrester Research. “If you look at where insurance business spending is increasing more than other industries, it’s in data analytics.”

Data drives business When Forrester asked small business owners what’s most important to them when purchasing insurance, many key attributes cited revolve around technology:

a

79% said customer service, second only to price. The agency management system performs repetitive tasks, saving keystrokes and time so more energy can be devoted to customer service. It also delivers instant access to the answers policyholders need.

a

61% said access to a dedicated local agent. A producer can focus on the agency’s market and prospects when the machine takes over workflows and consolidates data entry.

a

57% said the ability to access, view and share certificates of insurance electronically. Agency management systems streamline the connection between carrier and customer.

The numbers are convincing. However, just thinking about what customers want and need can lead to sleepless nights, because there’s a fundamental behavioral reality behind all of this: Change is difficult and technology can seem intimidating.

Get your head in the cloud. “Not long ago we would mention cloudbased management systems and agents would push back,” says Ron Berg, executive director of the Agents Council for Technology (ACT), part of the IIABA. “They didn’t want their data outside the four walls of the building until big events like hurricanes wiped out some agencies and they didn’t have backup. Today, we’re seeing more acceptance of cloudbased solutions, as well as preparedness.”

Berg says ACT members help others in the independent agency channel overcome the fear of the unknown and embrace technology by examining how they can improve at each step of the insurance cycle:

a

What do you need to do for customers who first realize they need insurance?

a

How can their policies be presented and bound efficiently?

a

How can you better serve them throughout the policy period?

a

What about customers at renewal?

a

What about customers filing a claim?

Take baby steps. “We advocate starting with one or two things rather than tackling it all at once,” says Berg of converting processes and workflows to automation. “We take different tool sets and strategic plans and break them down into what they are and why they’re important.”

Pettinicchi has seen the industry change with the times, albeit WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT

haltingly, and he likens the technology transformation to ripping off a Band-Aid. “Nobody thinks twice about technology once it becomes embedded in our lives. On a daily basis we maintain a calendar on our smartphones or drive a modern car. Once we learn and practice it, we don’t think twice about it. Embrace it, use it and it will become embedded,” he says.

“I remember a time before computers and spreadsheets,” he adds.

“When all these things came out you’d go to a class to learn about it but, still, not everybody had PCs to put it into practice. When you finally got the PC and your alternative was taken away from you, you were forced to take the leap.”

It’s one thing to talk about technology, but accelerating the transformation is the mission of NetVU, ACT and other industry groups.

“The best thing we can do for agents is to provide the tools they can snap in place,” says Berg. “It starts with giving them interactive guides to walk them through an analysis of their agency to show them where they need to take next steps.”

The time to move on technology was yesterday, and the time to fully embrace it is now because the wolf is at the door.

“There are a lot of people trying to figure out how to use technology to steal business from agents,” says Pettinicchi. “Why wouldn’t agents use the technology they have at hand to make their business sustainable?”

Consumers use tech for insurance decisions. Forrester’s survey of adults who purchased a financial product in the last 12 months illustrates the pervasiveness of technology. Yes, the agent remains the preferred source of help, but technology-based tools, such as search engines, websites and comparison sites, are closing in.

If the agency model is to remain viable and consequently increase in value, all processes and interactions in the policy cycle must be driven by, even rooted in, technology. Technology reduces errors and saves time and money. > Kitty Ambers (kitty@ Agents will become stronger advisers when netvu.org) is CEO of technology is their ally. And that accrues to the NetVU, the Network of Vertafore Users. bottom line.

NOVEMBER 2016 | 25

WS E N E H T N I S R E B M ME West Bend Makes Forbes’ List as Top Workplace for Women Fortune’s second annual list of the 100 Best Workplaces for Women features West Bend Mutual at number 96.

Women make up 62% of the workforce and hold 42% of executive/ managerial positions.

Employees say: “The open door policy is taken to new heights. You truly feel welcome to approach management. There is also a willingness to take the time to train people and an overall fostering of the growth of knowledge.”

“Just about everything about this company is amazing. The culture is one of hard work and accountability balanced perfectly with fun and recognition. Members of senior leadership are visible, involved, approachable, and down to earth. They understand the value of recognition and make sure associates are acknowledged and rewarded (in many different ways) for their contributions. They treat everyone with respect and drive that throughout the organization. Work/life balance is also important and encouraged.”

For more about West Bend, please visit thesilverlining.com.

The IMT Group Named #1 Top Mid-Sized Workplace in Iowa The IMT Group has been awarded the #1 2016 Top Workplace honor by the Des Moines Register for Mid-sized companies. This is the fourth consecutive year The IMT Group has been named a Top Workplace. In 2015, we were named #5. In addition, we received the #2 and #4 awards in 2014 and 2013, respectively.

The Top Workplaces lists are based solely on the results of an employee feedback survey administered by WorkplaceDynamics, LLC. Several aspects of workplace culture were measured, including Alignment, Execution, and Connection, just to name a few. The Top Workplaces were chosen based on the feedback (must have over 35% participation) to these surveys and categorized based on the number of employees in the company.

In addition to the #1 Top Workplace for Mid-sized companies, The IMT Group was a special award recipient for Leadership in response to a standout score from employees.

“The success of The IMT Group is attributed to our culture; the heart and soul of our company deeply defined by our values,” said Sean Kennedy, The IMT Group’s President and CEO. “Our core values remain at the center of our business and are the principles that guide consistent behavior, conduct, decision making, and actions. We understand the importance of partnerships, focusing on people by building trust and strong, stable relationships with our agents and policyholders. But our commitment does not stop there. We recognize the importance of

26 | NOVEMBER 2016

commitment to the community; offering all employees paid time off for volunteering. In return, The IMT Group employees are actively involved in supporting our community, participating in various volunteer events in and around our writing states.”

For more about The IMT Group, visit imtins.com.

J.M. Wilson Promotes Sansone as P&C Assistant Underwriter J.M. Wilson is pleased to announce the promotion of Lynn Sansone to Assistant Property & Casualty Underwriter in their Madison, Wisconsin office. Lynn will focus on binding property & casualty business Lynn Sansone for commercial accounts. Her primary responsibilities include providing customer service and handling inquiries for agents as well as binding and preparing renewal and new business accounts.

Lynn was hired in 2003 as a Property and Casualty Underwriting Technician. Prior to joining the J.M. Wilson team she held roles in the construction industry as an Administrative Assistant and Office Manager.

For more about J.M. Wilson, please visit jmwilson.com.

SECURA Earns Spot on Three of Fortune’s Best Workplaces Lists SECURA Insurance was certified as a great place to work today by the independent analysts at Great Place to Work®. SECURA was ranked on three of Fortune’s lists including 100 Best Medium Workplaces, 100 Best Workplaces for Women, and 30 Best Workplaces for Financial Services and Insurance. SECURA earned these credentials based on extensive ratings provided by its employees in anonymous surveys. A summary of these ratings can be found at reviews.greatplacetowork.com/secura-insurance.

President and CEO Dave Gross serves as only the fifth leader in its 115-year history, attesting to its strength and dependability.

“It’s still about helping our neighbors and being there for them when they need us,” says Gross. “That hasn’t changed. Caring for our policyholders and agents is not just a part of our history, but the fabric of all we do and who we are today.”

In the survey, one anonymous SECURA employee said, “SECURA is referred to as ‘home away from home’ by many.

The family-friendly atmosphere, amenities (i.e., cafe, fitness center, wellness center), leadership, career development opportunities, recognition programs, and wellness initiatives are just a few items that make for an enjoyable work experience.

On top of that, the community outreach is impressive. The WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT

WS E N E H T N I S R E B M ME level of compassion extended toward associates, clients, and local communities is hard to beat.”

“This is a company with a heart. I have only been with the company two months, but feel very much of the team already. So many coworkers have reached out to me and shown they accept me as part of the team through words and actions. In my opinion, this happens because our leadership is so open and caring. Dave Gross is a unique and talented president — he has a great blend of empathy and drive, which makes him a strong and respected leader,” said another anonymous SECURA employee.

“According to our study, 96 percent of SECURA Insurance employees say it is a great workplace,” says Sarah Lewis-Kulin, Great Place to Work’s Senior Editor. SECURA Insurance employees completed 534 surveys, resulting in a 90 percent confidence level and a margin of error of ± 1.63. Additional survey results (in table) show what percent of employees rate different areas.

For more about SECURA, please visit secura.net.

Acuity Names New Premium Audit Manager Danni Williams joins Acuity’s Commercial Lines Department as Manager - Premium Audit. In addition to managing inside auditors, Danni will oversee field staff in over a dozen states.

Prior to Acuity, Danni worked at Society Insurance, where she served as Field Premium Auditor and Premium Audit Manager. Earlier in her career, she worked for a premium audit vendor, serving as Field Auditor and Manager.

Acuity earned a Leadership Award and a Case Study Award. The Leadership Award highlighted Acuity’s use of ACORD Standards in ways that have enabled the insurer, independent agents, and trading partners to improve electronic communication and gain operating efficiency. For the Case Study Award, ACORD recognized Acuity’s omni-channel approach that connects the company, agents, and customers, including development of Lead Generation and Quoting and integration with online insurance aggregators.

“Acuity continues to be a leader in the adoption of ACORD standards and in automating insurance processes that make independent agents more efficient and profitable,” said Marcus Knuth, Vice President - Enterprise Technology. “We have been active in developing systems that utilize the ACORD standards since 2000 because of the value they deliver to Acuity, our agencies, and our business partners.”

For more about Acuity Insurance, please visit acuity.com.

Specialty insurance Company NSI Preps for Growth NSI started with two employees when West Bend Mutual Insurance Co. created the division in Madison in 1999.

Today, NSI has 207 employees, said John Reyzer, vice president of finance, and the company should be up to 220 by the time it moves into new offices in the Sauk Trails Plaza II building, 1255 Fourier Dr., in early 2018.

NSI offers property and casualty insurance for companies that are hard to insure, Reyzer said.

Danni Williams

That includes businesses such as childcare centers, beauty salons, tanning salons, sprinkler fitters, alarm installers, children’s camps, assisted living centers and social services organizations.

Danni majored in finance at Illinois State University. She holds the APA, AIS, and AINS designations and is pursuing her CPCU. She will be relocating to the Sheboygan area with her daughter, Addie.

“We have a niche market that standard insurers don’t offer,” Reyzer said.

Company Earns ACORD Awards for Technology Leadership Acuity received two ACORD awards for delivering independent agents technology solutions that support real-time business capabilities.

ACORD Awards are presented to organizations that have demonstrated outstanding achievement in implementation in the past year and recognize business process improvement, individual and organizational leadership, global outreach, and industry community excellence. Since 2000, Acuity has received more ACORD awards than any other property-casualty insurance company.

The new offices will give NSI room to grow, with about 75,000 square feet, about 15,000 square feet bigger than NSI’s current location, 8401 Greenway Blvd., Middleton.

“Since we entered this (location) in 2005, we have doubled our revenue and associate count. We expect, probably in the next 15 to 16 years, to almost double again,” Reyzer said. NSI projects $242 million in revenue this year.

West Bend Mutual Insurance, based in West Bend, Wisconsin, started in 1894 and reported $1 billion worth of premiums in 2015.

For more about NSI, a division of West Bend, please visit thesilverlining.com. Judy Newman wrote this for Madison.com.

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WS E N E H T N I S R E B M ME make Tindall “a valuable representative of management” on the council.

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Integrated Risk Solutions’ Tindall Named to Worker’s Compensation Advisory Council John Tindall, Director of Client Claim Advocacy for Integrated Risk Solutions, has been appointed to the Wisconsin Worker’s Compensation Advisory Council by Raymond Allen, Secretary of the State of Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.

John Tindall

Tindall is a graduate of UW-Green Bay with more than eight years of claims experience including serving as a claims adjuster for a monoline worker’s compensation insurer. In his role as Director of Client Claim Advocacy, Tindall works closely with clients and insurance carriers to seek positive resolutions to claims of all types.

Tindall’s appointment to the council was effective October 21.

Integrated Risk Solutions Executive Vice President and Co-founder Pete Aisbet said the appointment will allow Tindall to have a direct hand in impacting Wisconsin worker’s compensation legislation in the future.

“John was appointed because of his extensive industry knowledge, background and experience,” Aisbet stated.

In making the appointment, Secretary Allen said those qualities will

28 | NOVEMBER 2016 RRA_IIAW_Ad_March_16_Outlines.indd 1

Tindall said he intends to listen very carefully and work for legislation that will continue to improve Wisconsin’s business climate. “ Everyone has a voice in Wisconsin’s Worker’s Compensation system,” he stated. “The Advisory Council process has kept our Wisconsin Worker’s Compensation Act stable for decades. I am excited to work through that process to produce meaningful changes that will benefit everyone.”

Aisbet said the appointment is significant for both Tindall and for Integrated Risk Solutions. “It allows us to continue to build our leadership role in the industry and to impact issues that touch each and every one of our clients,” he said.

The WCAC provides direction for Wisconsin’s Worker’s Compensation program. It provides a forum for labor and management representatives to collaborate and formulate amendments to the worker’s compensation act and administrative rules. This cooperative amendment process is called the “agreed bill” and is unique to Wisconsin.

For more information about Integrated Risk Solutions, please visit intrisksolutions.com.

WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT

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ERRORS & OMISSIONS DOL Overtime Regulations Effective Dec. 1, 2016

DOES YOUR EPLI POLICY COVER WHAT YOU MAY HAVE MISSED? WHAT AGENTS NEED TO KNOW In May 2016, the Department of Labor (DOL) finalized an update to an overtime regulation that exempts certain “white collar” employees from overtime and minimum wage requirements.

The overtime regulation increases the minimum salary at which employees can qualify for the administrative, executive, professional, and computer “white collar” exemptions from $23,660 to $47,476.

The regulation also changes the salary requirements to qualify for the “highly compensated employee” exemption from $100,000 to $134,004. The regulation is

effective Dec. 1, 2016, barring legal or legislative relief.

compliance with the FLSA and other applicable federal and state law.

The overtime regulation does not impact employees who are currently properly classified as “non-exempt” (i.e. overtime pay legally required), outside sales employees or independent contractors. All employee salaries, job duties and overtime eligibility status should be reviewed and adjusted, as needed, to comply with the new rule. Additionally, employee salaries and job duties, as well as independent contractor agreements should periodically be reviewed to ensure continued

These changing and complex overtime rules may leave room for error in interpretation by either an employee (and their lawyer) or by an agency owner.

Does your Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI) coverage include defense in this event?

Some monoline policies do but most endorsements do not. The most common place to find this coverage is within a monoline form. Even on a monoline policy, this is most often included as an added coverage to the standard policy form.

Check your policy to see if you have this coverage.

The IIAW E&O staff works diligently to educate our members and E&O policyholders about their EPLI coverage.

Because we have seen two key coverage options lacking in agents’ current coverage (Wage & Hour Defense and Third Party coverage - What if a client sued your agency for discrimination?), we partnered with Philadelphia Insurance to exclusively market and offer their EPLI product for agents. Philadelphia’s coverage automatically includes Third Party coverage and can include Wage & Hour Defense.

For more information about what our exclusive Philadelphia EPLI program covers, please contact me directly, or go to IIAW. com/EPLI. For more information about the Overtime Rule and an FAQ (updated on September 29, 2016), please go to IIAW.com/ OvertimeRule.

WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT

> Meggen Gagas (meggen@iiaw.com) is the IIAW’s Director of Agency Services.

NOVEMBER 2016 | 31

SALES

HOW PROSPECTS REALLY WANT YOU TO FOLLOW-UP

I was sipping a large frosty glass of beer in the hotel lobby, getting ready to head home after speaking about business growth for a group of entrepreneurs. That’s when Chris approached me.

“Can I ask you a question,” he said tentatively. “I’m stumped about what to do about this situation I’m in.”

I encouraged him to tell me more. Here’s his story:

I was recently in a meeting with an executive for a large hospital group. I’d been referred in by a mutual connection, which immediately positioned me as a credible resource. When we met, I really hit it off with this executive. I asked her lots of questions. She shared some confidential information. And, because I’d dealt with similar issues when I worked in the medical field, I had lots of ideas about how to address the challenge. It was a great meeting. She thanked me for my time and said she needed to think about what we’d talked about.

My initial reaction was that he’d probably spilled the beans too quickly. That’s one of the most common problems I see. But honestly, he convinced me otherwise. They really had a solid peer-to-peer conversation.

So I asked him, “What’s the problem?”

“That was three weeks ago and I haven’t heard from her since,” he confessed. “What should I be doing?”

Chris said that he’d called and emailed several times, mentioning that he was touching base or wanted to know her thoughts. As Chris saw the expression on my face, he justified his follow-up strategy, “I don’t want to be too pushy.”

How Holding Back Holds You Back If I’ve heard that response once, I’ve heard it a thousand times. No one wants to be pushy.

I don’t want to be pushy. But there’s a big difference between being pushy and being professional.

That’s when I decided it was time to turn the tables on Chris—to get him to think “as if” he were his prospect. Here’s what I said:

32 | NOVEMBER 2016

No one wants to be pushy.

I don’t want to be pushy. But there’s a big difference between being pushy and being professional.

Let’s say you were the decision maker. You’d just met with a savvy businessperson who truly understood your situation. You were impressed—and even relieved—because a solid resource had appeared.

Here’s my big question, Chris. If you, as an executive, met this savvy person, what would you expect him or her to do next?

He looked at me thoughtfully. “I’d follow up—but I don’t want to be pushy. It might turn her off.”

What Your Prospect Really Wants— It’s Not What You Think!

“Chris,” I said. “Get over yourself. You’re being a total wimp. Now tell me, what would you want this person to do? Put on your buyer’s hat. Think. Then talk to me ‘as if’ you were this person.”

I watched Chris struggling with the question, then saw something shift. A new idea was emerging; deep down he already knew the answer. Speaking as if he were the buyer, Chris told me:

I’d want this person to take charge. I have a gazillion things going on here in my organization. I’m constantly jumping from project to project. I don’t like to take big risks here either. I’ve seen too many careers get dead-ended. I don’t want this person coming to me with a humongous plan to solve my problem. That would be overwhelming. What I’d really like is for the seller to suggest the logical next step.

I’d want to test him out on that to make sure that I liked working with him, that he delivered on his promises and that his work yielded results.

“Exactly,” I chimed in. “And what’s preventing you from taking charge with this prospect?”

Chris said, “I don’t want to be pushy. And, I guess I want her to want to work with me.”

How Your Own Thinking Holds You Back As I talked with Chris, I could see that his wish not to be pushy was overriding his sense of how he could help his prospect.

“This is not about you,” I told him. “This is about helping a potential customer address their challenges and achieve their objectives.

“You need to focus on them, not you. Don’t wait for them to come begging for your services. Help them. Show them the next steps. Now.” With that, I took the last sip of my beer and said my good-byes. I honestly don’t know if Chris ever dared to be a leader, to show his prospect the next logical step, to help them realize the value of making a change and to guide them through the decision process. But if he didn’t, he was missing a big opportunity.

That’s what it takes to win big deals these days.

> Jill Konrath speaks frequently about sales at conferences around the country. Visit jillkonrath.com.

WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT

INDEPENDENT INSURANCE AGENTS OF WISCONSIN

2016 PRELICENSING CLASS SCHEDULE

Conducted at the State Association Headquarters, IIAW prelicensing classes fulfill the study requirements for life, health, property and casualty. Full course materials — not just an outline — are included with registration. The classes are: ! Designed to help you pass your state licensing examination. ! The quickest way to meet the Wisconsin education hours requirement. ! Taught by experienced insurance professionals who know the business. ! Conducted in a comfortable classroom with free parking. !

Approved by the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance.

2016 CLASS DATES Life & Acc./Health

PRICING & CLASS D E S C R I P T I O N S

Property & Casualty IIAW MEMBER PRICING: $320

Oct. 31-Nov. 3

Nov. 14-17

Dec. 5-8

Dec. 12-15

To register, click the Education tab on IIAW.com.

For Wisconsin exam info, visit prometric.com.

NON-MEMBER PRICING: $335 You may also take individual classes. Class descriptions and prices are below.

Life & Accident/Health

Day One (Monday) 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ($80) SECTION A: Principles of Insurance & General WI Insurance Law Ethics Day Two (Tuesday) 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ($85) SECTION B: Life Policies, Terms & Concepts

CLASS SITE/DIRECTIONS

The IIAW is located at 725 John Nolen Dr. in

Madison, WI. Take the Rimrock Rd. exit (north) off of Highway 12/18 (Beltline), turn right on to

John Nolen Dr., then turn right immediately into the driveway. Located near the Alliant Energy Center.

INCLEMENT WEATHER

If weather conditions are questionable, use your own judgment regarding your personal safety.

However, any missed class time will have to be made up.

Day Three (Wednesday a.m.) 8:30 - 11:30 a.m. ($42.50) SECTION B: Life Policies, cont. & WI Life Insurance Law

Day Three (Wednesday p.m.) Noon - 4:00 p.m. ($42.50) SECTION B: Accident & Health Policies, Terms & Concepts

Day Four (Thursday) 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ($85) SECTION B: Accident & Health, cont. & WI Health Insurance Law

Property & Casualty

Day One (Monday) 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ($80) SECTION A: Principles of Insurance & General WI Insurance Law Ethics Day Two (Tuesday) 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ($85) SECTION B: Property Policies, Terms & Concepts

Day Three (Wednesday a.m.) 8:30 - 11:30 a.m. ($42.50) SECTION B: Property Policies, cont. & WI Property Insurance Law Day Three (Wednesday p.m.) Noon - 4:00 p.m. ($42.50) SECTION B: Casualty Policies, Terms & Concepts

Day Four (Thursday) 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ($85) SECTION B: Casualty Policies, cont. & WI Casualty Insurance Law

HOTEL INFORMATION

Students requiring lodging will receive a special rate at the Clarion Suites, 2110 Rimrock Rd. in Madison. Please call the hotel directly at

608.284.1234 and ask for the independent insurance agent’s discount.

R EGISTER

Member pricing given for full class registrations.

FOR

! Please contact Katie at Katie@IIAW.com for information about multiple registration discounts.

The course fee includes all class materials. Materials are distributed on the first day of class. You receive:

• The Life & Accident/Health or Prop. & Casualty Insurance Study Manual.

• The Intermediary’s Guide to Wisconsin Insurance Law. • The State of Wisconsin Insurance Licensing Candidate Handbook. This provides all the necessary information to obtain a license.

C LASSES

AT

IIAW. COM

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Jerry Couri (2nd from left) with the W.E. “Mike” Koehler Distinguished Agent of the Year Award. From left: Dale Kent, West Bend’s CFO ; Jerry Couri; Judie Couri; and Kelly Tighe, West Bend’s VP-Sales.

COURI AWARDED 2016 DISTINGUISHED AGENT OF THE YEAR AWARD Jerry Couri, President and CEO of Couri Insurance Agency in Waukesha, WI, was honored by West Bend Mutual Insurance Company as the recipient of the W.E. “Mike” Koehler Distinguished Agent of the Year Award. The award recognizes Jerry’s professional excellence and years of service to his community.

Operating Couri Insurance Agency since 1977, Jerry Couri serves as a board member for the Independent Insurance Agents of Wisconsin and is the board liaison for the Government Affairs Committee. Jerry is also the past president of the IIA of Waukesha.

Jerry’s involvement in his community has earned him two keys to the City of Waukesha by two separate mayors. Jerry has served 20 years as commissioner on the Waukesha Water Utility committee. He has served on Waukesha’s Redevelopment Authority for 15+ years.

Jerry has been the director of the Waukesha County Community Foundation and is currently a member and a contributor. Jerry was the board chair for Safe and Sound, and belongs to BNI of Waukesha.

“

(Jerry’s) leadership as an independent agent and his outstanding community

service make him the perfect Mike Koehler award recipient.” KEVIN STEINER, WEST BEND PRESIDENT & CEO Jerry donates his time and resources to many non-profit and civic organizations, and many area organizations have benefited from Jerry’s generosity. Some of the organizations that Jerry has sponsored include: USS Milwaukee, Carl Zach Cycling Classic, Waukesha County Fair, Waukesha Catholic Auction, Catholic Memorial High School Auction, United Way of Waukesha County, Safe Babies Healthy Families of Waukesha, Women’s Center and the Hope Center of

34 | NOVEMBER 2016

Waukesha, and many other local community events and teams.

Jerry enjoys spending time with his wife Judie, a vice president of the agency, and their two sons and two daughters. He also enjoys spending time with his 11 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren.

Jerry also loves to spend time boating and fishing in the summer. Jerry loves cars old and new.

Kevin Steiner, president and CEO of West Bend, presented the award to Couri: “I was fortunate to meet Jerry early in my career at West Bend. He always talked about consistently doing what’s right for our customers and behaving in a manner that develops trust and respect. Jerry is a role model for other independent agents because he always conducts himself as a true professional. His leadership as an independent agent and his outstanding community service make him the perfect Mike Koehler award recipient.”

Kelly Tighe, VP of Sales at West Bend agreed. “We are very proud to honor Jerry Couri as our 2015 Mike Koehler Award winner. This is the highest honor West Bend can bestow on one of our agency partners, and Jerry is a worthy recipient. He’s represented our company for almost 40 years with the highest level of integrity and honesty, while giving back to his community in an unparalleled way. We are all very proud Jerry represents West Bend.”

In recognition of the award, West Bend donated $5,000 to the MACC Fund (Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer) in Jerry’s name.

The W.E. “Mike” Koehler Award honors Mike Koehler, an independent insurance agent and volunteer who, throughout his life, tirelessly served the insurance industry, independent agent associations, and his community of Cedarburg, Wisconsin.

WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT

Don’t hide from your fiduciary responsibility.

Do you sponsor a retirement plan for your agency?

There is a continuous stream of judicial and regulatory developments in the 401(k) plan world with many addressing the definition and duties of a plan fiduciary.

Many plan sponsors mistakenly believe that they are not a plan fiduciary or have outsourced that role to another party. In reality, while steps can be taken to mitigate duciary risk, no agency owner can eliminate that role entirely.

The Department of Labor expects a plan fiduciary to perform responsibilities that include:

 Acting solely in the interest of plan participants and their beneficiaries with the exclusive purpose of providing benefits to them  Carrying out their duties prudently  Following the plan documents  Diversifying plan investments  Paying only reasonable plan expenses

The Big “I” MEP 401(k) Plan, available exclusively to Big “I” members, has helped many agencies fulfill their fiduciary obligation by reviewing their plan expenses and educating them on the true cost of their plan. In addition, many were able to reduce their recordkeeping and investment expenses.

Let us compare your plan to our and industry benchmarks! Don’t hide–thrive. Contact us today for a complimentary plan consultation.

www.iiaba.net/Retirement

©2016 Big “I” Retirement Services, LLC (“BIRS”), sponsor of the Big “I” MEP 401(k) Plan. Participating employers may retain limited fiduciary responsibility in connection with a decision to participate in the MEP and other matters. BIRS assumes fiduciary responsibility of sponsorship and administration unless otherwise delegated. Mesirow assumes certain fiduciary responsibilities as investment manager for investment selection and other similar functions.

IIAW & INSURPAC BACK GALLAGHER FOR CONGRESS

 The Independent Insurance Agents of Wisconsin and our federal political action committee – InsurPac – donated more than $10,000 to Republican candidate Mike Gallagher as he campaigned to become the next representative of Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District. The seat was vacated when Rep. Reid Ribble (R-Wis.) announced his retirement after six years in Congress. Association members recently attended a fundraiser to support the candidate. From left: Mike Gallagher; Cap Wallrich, Mike Walston, Governor Scott Walker, Mark Truyman and Ted Haase.

36 | NOVEMBER 2016

WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT

MARKETING

KEEPING WEBSITE PAGES SIMPLE When designing pages for your website, keeping it simple is harder than it sounds. Providing options for website visitors is a good idea, but providing too many options is a bad idea.

Why? Study after study confirms that people draw conclusions about a website within a few seconds and then quickly decide to remain or exit your site. That gives you a mere three seconds to communicate what you do and how you provide benefits to your site visitor. The more cluttered your website, the harder a visitor has to work to find what they’re looking for.

Think of your website pages as a storefront. Have you ever looked at a storefront and tried to figure out what the store was selling? We all have. What determines your decision to enter the store or walk away? Your decision is likely based on whether or not the storefront provides you with a positive emotional reaction within a few seconds of gazing through the window.

The best way to keep your website pages simple is to understand your audiences so well that you provide what they need, in the format they need it in, within three seconds.

According to Nielsen Norman Group, a cluttered webpage lowers the perceived value of the organization. Clutter and disorganized content suggest a lack of attention to detail, or an inability to distill information into a meaningful summary that, people assume, reflects the overall character of the business.

By keeping your website design simple, and designing your site around the content your audiences need, you increase the likelihood of visitor interaction. The more people interact with your website, the more they’ll transact with your business. > Tom Marks is founder and president of TMA+Peritus.

A cluttered webpage lowers the perceived value of the organization.

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• No Deductible on Glass Claims • Accidental Death Coverage • Tire Protection Coverage • Non-Standard Auto Program

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• Access to Life Insurance Planning Specialists • Children’s Single Premium Term Plan

HEALTH

• Identity Fraud Coverage with Resolution Services • Personal Injury • Pet Health Insurance • Equipment Breakdown Coverage

• Earthquake Coverage • Water Back-Up of Sewers and Drains • Water and Sewer Line Breakage

• Personal Customer Service • Extensive PPO and Transplant Facility Networks • Benefits Paid Faster than Industry Average

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BUSINESS • Employment Practices Liability Insurance • Employee Benefit Liability Coverage • Equipment Breakdown Coverage • Water Back-Up of Sewers and Drains

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BUSINESS NOVEMBER 2016 | 37

FOOD FOR THOUGHT MILLER: BACK IN THE USA

The election is finally over and we have a new President. The next election is in four years so we have a few minutes before the next campaign begins. Let’s talk about beer!

Last month, Molson Coors Brewing Co. bought SABMiller’s 58 percent share — $12 billion worth! — of the companies’ MillerCoors joint venture. Molson Coors now owns 100% of MillerCoors and makes it the largest brewery in the U.S. and the third largest in the world, after Anheuser-Busch InBev of Belgium and Dutch brewer Heineken. The Miller brands are under domestic control for the first time since 2002. There are no plans to change any of MillerCoors’ sponsorships in the Milwaukee area, which include its naming rights deal for Miller Park and its sponsorship and investment in the Miller Lite Oasis stage at Summerfest.

Source: Milwaukee Business Journal

THERE’S GOLD IN THEM ARCHES

The Golden Arches Theory of Conflict Prevention, from Thomas Friedman’s 1999 book, The Lexus and the Olive Tree, posits: “No two countries that both had McDonald’s had fought a war against each other since each got its McDonald’s.” Friedman supported his theory by saying that, when a country has reached an economic development where it has a middle class strong enough Make Burgers Not War to support a McDonald’s network, the country would no longer be interested in fighting wars. The theory is sound logically but critics (with no imagination or sense of humor) have punched holes in it by citing the 2006 war between Israel and Lebanon and several other conflicts. Taking a positive view of the theory, China and Russia both have Mickey D’s so we can rest easy. Europe’s largest McDonald’s restaurant is in Moscow and a monster at more than 26,000 square feet.

On its opening day on Jan. 31, 1990, the restaurant set a new record for daily visitors, serving 30,000 customers. This restaurant set another record in 2008, having served 2.8 million customers in a year. The Russians may be too fat to fight.

Source: Wikipedia.org (The Lexus and the Olive Tree) & rbth.com

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