HIGH-TECC is an annual gathering of agents, brokers, vendors, associations and executives interested in the technology which drives the insurance industry. The atmosphere is charged with a high level of knowledge on the subjects at hand and the sharing of information. I have attended this conference for the past several years and find that there is always more to learn than I ever imagined. I have never heard an attendee that didn’t find the meetings and information exchange valuable.
Steve Anderson is presenting the opening session of HIGH-TECC 2008, Communicate, Collaborate, Connect. This session is all about technology agencies and companies should be looking at and determining how to use in their business model. Technologies from social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to things such as internal company wikies. This is just the first session and as a group we are already overwhelmed by the great information and new ideas discussed. In addition to showing us how to apply some technologies to our businesses Steve discussed Second Life, a technology to envision how it might work for your company.
The second session of the day is the Agency Systems Vendors Panel. In the past this has been agency management system vendors only. This year document management vendors have been added. This is a great addition to this panel as agencies use multiple types of systems to manage their business. All of the panel members are talking about their visions and plans for moving forward with the agency users and their abilities to integrate with other systems in the agency.
The third session of the day is Blue Ribbon Recipe for Great IT presented by Dave Robinson. Dave is the CIO of Lockton. He is doing a great job of showing us how technology can be a great benefit to your firm or how it can totally work against you. He has also discussed how technology should enhance the business of doing insurance. Dave’s best quote “The best technology doesn’t necessarily get you there, it is the people behind it.” Dave’s friends at the front table had score cards and applause signs. At different times during his presentation they scored what he was saying and provided the appluase sign a the end of the presentation. This is the type of great audience interaction you come to expect at HIGH-TECC. Dave’s One Grand Prediction is: “Nothing is immune to change. A paradigm shift will reshape, redefine, and shake up the insurance industry. When and how will it happen?”
The final session today is the Technology Showcase. This is the first time for this type of event at HIGH-TECC. Twelve companies are participating in this event. Each has chosen a specific area of their products to showcase. This seems to be a great success. All vendors are busy talking to attendees and answering questions. There are networking sessions occurring while attendees are waiting to visit with the vendor of their choice. It is 5:30pm and people are still visiting with vendors. As with most insurance events there was beer and wine available so conversations are lively.
My reflection on the day: The subjects today were varied, very interesting, timely and lots of food-for-thought. There was great participation by the attendees. I think this is one of the most successful days I have attended at HIGH-TECC. Great job HIGH-TECC team.
