Latest Productivity Headlines

All the headlines from our Productivity Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Challenges to Anti-Concurrent Cause Clauses Linger in Katrina Lawsuits

Jul 27 2009 // Hurricane Katrina, in addition to causing unprecedented damage and destruction, added significantly to the workload of state and federal courts in Louisiana and Mississippi. Almost four years after the fact, those courts...

Further Challenges to Anti-Concurrent Cause Clauses

Jul 20 2009 // Hurricane Katrina brought the question of the validity and applicability of ACCs to the forefront. Hurricane Katrina, in addition to causing unprecedented damage and destruction, added significantly to the workload of...

How to Re-ignite Producers – and Other Employees – Who Have Lost Their Spark

Jun 1 2009 // Incentive Compensation Focused on Customers, Not Premiums, Works, Consultant Says Al Diamond is one of the country’s best known and respected agency management consultants. His firm, the Agency Consulting Group, is...

How to Re-ignite Producers – and Other Employees – Who Have Lost Their Spark

Jun 1 2009 // Al Diamond is one of the country’s best known and respected agency management consultants. His firm, the Agency Consulting Group, is based in Cherry Hill, N.J. He deals with agencies across the country on issues...

Every Agency Can Measure and Maximize Its Performance

May 18 2009 // Clear Roles, Documentation, Communication Among Lessons Shared By Consultants for High-Performing Agencies Use your agency management system to the max. Measure your productivity. Communicate consistently and effectively...

How to Improve Productivity in a New Economy

May 4 2009 // Agencies Must Stop Money Wasting Financial Leaks The economy is in the tank and so is the stock market. Thousands are unemployed and many people do not know where to turn. No one is setting up charities for insurance...

Don’t Cheap Out on the Training

Apr 20 2009 // And Other Lessons from High-Performing Agencies Use your agency management system to the max. Measure your productivity. Communicate consistently and effectively with your staff, customers and carriers. And above all,...

Maximizing Sales Starts With Source-to-Sale Tracking

Mar 9 2009 // I consistently hear from agencies: “Can you give me ideas to make my phone ring more often?” This tells me right away that the agent associates sales activity with actual sales. Consider how much revenue an...

Operational Efficiency Should Be Priority No. 3 for Agency Managers

Feb 22 2009 // Managing an independent insurance agency in the current hard economy and soft market requires agents to set priorities. In the Jan. 28, 2009, issue of Insurance Journal, Juan Andrade, executive vice-president for sales and...

Operational Efficiency Should Be Priority No. 3 for Agency Managers

Feb 22 2009 // Managing an independent insurance agency in the current hard economy and soft market requires agents to set priorities. In the Jan. 28, 2009, issue of Insurance Journal, Juan Andrade, executive vice-president for sales and...

Operational Efficiency Should Be Priority No. 3 for Agency Managers

Feb 22 2009 // Managing an independent insurance agency in today’s economy and soft market forces agents to set priorities. Juan Andrade, executive vice-president for sales and distribution at The Hartford, who oversees his...

Don’t Cheap Out on the Training

Jan 25 2009 // And Other Lessons from High-Performing Agencies Use your agency management system to the max. Measure your productivity. Communicate consistently and effectively with your staff, customers and carriers. And above all,...

Conf. Board Urges Tech Transfer to Reduce Greenhouse Gasses

Sep 10 2008 // In a new report the Conference Board, a non-profit, business research organization, has concluded “restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) are not feasible without significant productivity growth and a...

Wausau Survey: Employers Stay Level Headed Despite Recession Worries

Jul 11 2008 // Although a U.S. economic recession would not be good news overall for employers, most don’t believe a recession would drive up workers’ compensation claims, according to a new survey of financial executives by...

New ‘Carbon Revolution’ Urged to Slow Global Warming

Jun 26 2008 // The world needs a shift as radical as the Industrial Revolution to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, while safeguarding economic growth, the McKinsey Global Institute said on Thursday. Its study said that a modern...

Federal Charter: A Future ‘Insurance Subprime’ Debacle?

Apr 21 2008 // The banking and securities industry is facing worldwide subprime mortgage-related losses which knowledgeable sources – including the International Monetary Fund — now suggest could top $1 trillion, according to...

Federal Charter: A Future ‘Insurance Subprime’ Debacle?

Apr 21 2008 // The banking and securities industry is facing worldwide subprime mortgage-related losses, which knowledgeable sources – including the International Monetary Fund — now suggest could top $1 trillion, according to...

Analysts See Increase in P/C Mergers Ahead; Rate Climate Change Top Issue

Apr 14 2008 // Insurance equity analysts expect a significant increase in property/ casualty mergers and acquisitions this year, according to findings of a global survey by Accenture. More than two-thirds (71 percent) of all P/C analysts...

Progressive Insurance Sponsors $10M X-Prize for Fuel Efficient Vehicle

Mar 21 2008 // The X Prize Foundation, best known for its competitions promoting space flights, is offering $10 million (euro6.37 million) to the teams that can produce the most production-ready vehicles that get 100 miles per gallon or...

Failure to Reimburse Claims Expenses Efficiently Impacts Customer Satisfaction

Feb 10 2008 // J.D. Powers’ study says the faster the service the happier the claimant The length of time it takes to repair damages on auto and homeowners insurance claims weighs heavily on customer satisfaction, according to the...