HIGH-TECC 2008

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Program Notes & Schedule
A hands-on, solutions-packed Program...

We specifically design our program to offer you real world solutions that will help you understand technology trends so you can stay ahead of the technology curve. These programs are presented by a variety of industry experts who are actively creating new solutions that will impact how you "bridge the gap" with your clients and other business partners.

(Plan your flight in time to pick up your registration materials Sunday, July 20, from 11:00am-5:30pm. Vail is a scenic 2 hour drive from the Denver airport.)

Schedule is subject to change.

Sunday  Monday  Tuesday  Wednesday

Sunday, July 20, 2008

11am-5:30pm Pick Up Registration Materials at Registration Booth Sponsors of registration materials include Strategic Insurance Software, Artizan Internet Services, ASP SaleSource, and PatAlexander.com 6pm-8pm Opening Reception

Monday, July 21, 2008

7:30am - 8:30am Continental Breakfast 8:30am - 10:15am Opening Session: Communicate, Collaborate, Connect Presenter(s): Steve Anderson, The Anderson Agency Report MySpace, Facebook, Linkedin, Blogs, Wikis and text are just a few examples of the new communication tools being used by a growing numbers of people of all ages. Any agent can use these tools to effectively communicate, collaborate and connect with prospects, clients and employees if they understand what they are and how to use them. Get practical hands-on experience with many of these tools and explore the multiple ways they can help you connect with people in a different way. Agents who are willing to explore the twilight zone of communication will attract a new type of client. 10:15am - 10:30am Networking Break 10:30am - Noon Opening Session cont. Communicate, Collaborate, Connect Presenter(s): Steve Anderson The morning session will continue with some specific examples of how the new forms of communication will change your agency. You will begin to explore practical examples with detailed explanations of the tools you will need to learn to be able to effectively market and communicate with clients and prospects. Noon - 1:00pm Lunch Sponsored by XDimensional Technologies 1:00pm - 2:30pm Agency Systems Vendor Panel Agency, Benefit and Document Management Systems are all an important tool to help you run a successful agency today. These vendors will share with you what they see as their major challenges moving forward, the trends they think agents need to prepare for and how they are helping agents meet these challenges. This will be your chance to learn about the successes and mistakes from the best and the brightest. Come prepared with your questions. Afternoon Snack Sponsored by AMS Services, Inc. 2:30pm - 4:00pm Blue Ribbon Recipe for Great IT Presenter(s): Dave Robinson, CIO, The Lockton Companies, Inc. Are you following the recipe to make yourself successful? One great way to be successful in anything is to find someone already doing it successfully and copy them! This presentation will lay out a recipe for IT success in most any organization. Starting with exceeding the company's basic expectations of you and your team and building toward methods for communication, marketing, and assuring alignment with your business. Let's get cooking and kick IT up a notch. 4:00pm - 5:30pm Technology Showcase **SOLD OUT** (Want to showcase your product/service? Contact Jenny for participation details.) Current Showcase Participants are: Xanatek, AMS Services, Zywave, First Research, SilverPlume PL Rating, Strategic Insurance Software, EZLynx by Webcetera, Simply Easier Payments, SilverPlume Client Connect, XDimensional Technologies, Artizan Internet Services, VRC Insurance Systems Don't know how to use Facebook or LinkedIn? Wondering what a Wiki can do for you? Curious to see what various vendors are developing to help you streamline your organization? The Technology Showcase is a hands-on session where you'll get the opportunity — upclose and in person — to see a myriad of new technologies in action. Each vendor or industry expert will put the spotlight on one, individual technology product or service from their company. You'll get a close-up on how it works and what it can do for you — and you'll be able to sit down with these experts and get immediate, detailed answers to your questions about their "showcase."   [Top]

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

7:30am - 8:30am Continental Breakfast 7:30am - 8:30am Mountain Top Prayer Breakfast Sponsored by Sound Marketing Inc. 8:30am - 10:00am Bridging the Industry Communication Gap — Panel Discussion Real time, comparative rating, submitting renewal and new business account information are just a few of the required communications that happen between insurance companies and their agents. Yet, for agency owners and managers, it's one of the most frustrating and inefficient aspects of running the business. This session will explore the current problems and highlight software and tools aimed at improving information sharing. 10:00am - 10:30am Networking Break 10:30am - Noon Breakout Session #1: The Power of Positive Audits Presenter(s): Pat Alexander, PatAlexander.com The very term "audit" usually conjures negative feelings of the IRS and federal penalties. But with the right tools (and attitude), auditing can be a great way to measure the staff's work and conduct more successful staff reviews. This session will explore employees' needs for job satisfaction, how to decide what to audit, and how to design your audit program. You'll leave this session with a whole new audit appreciation! 10:30am - Noon Breakout Session #2: Automating the Sales and Marketing Processs Presenter(s): Dave Schuppler, ASP SaleSource The soft market is forcing agents to be as creative as possible to survive. In this session, you'll hear first-hand from an insurance agent who uses a formal marketing process to attract new clients while retaining existing customers. Don't miss this chance to learn the dos and don'ts of making marketing processes work — it's an essential part of growing your revenue this year! 10:30am - Noon Breakout Session #3: The Anatomy of a Successful Web Site Presenter(s): Matt Dandurand, Media Contour Don't know where to begin when it comes to getting a new website or making the one you have work for you? In this session you will begin to understand what makes a website successful and, most importantly, why. You'll see demonstrations of the latest available online tools, how they work, and why you need to use them; learn about the process visitors go through when deciding whether or not they will be your next client, and you'll find out how to choose a successful Web design studio to ensure that all of the necessary tools are put in place for a successful website. Noon - 1:00pm Lunch 1:00pm - 2:30pm Your Questions Answered Moderated by Steve Anderson Each year we ask participants to submit the questions they would like to have answered at HIGH-TECC. This session will specifically address those questions with the help of various speakers and other attendees. You will also be able to bring up new questions and we will do our best to help with answers. This proved to be one of the more popular sessions last year. 2:30pm - 2:45pm Networking Break 2:45pm - 4:15pm Breakout Session #1: Targeting Agency Time Wasters Presenter(s): Pat Alexander, PatAlexander.com The old adage is true: Time is money. Ineffective handling of data, logging into carrier websites for information and agent management systems are just at the tip of the money-wasting iceberg. Stop by this session to get practical, cost-effective solutions for better productivity and a plan for reducing processing costs and implementing new technology. 2:45pm - 4:15pm Breakout Session #2: Where Do We Go From Here? Presenter(s): Jack Burke, Sound Marketing Inc. Technology and economics are rapidly driving business into new territory. That change is creating new expectations and demands from your business partners. Jack Burke looks at how these changes are impacting the marketing, advertising and communications and answers the question: Where do we go from here? 2:45pm - 4:15pm Breakout Session #3: The Power of Change Presenter(s): Keith Savino, ACORD Originally introduced in the 1990s, the POWER of Change facilitated organizational improvement. It has recently been completely updated and overhauled to help today's organizations get up to speed with modern business operations. Come to this session to learn the Power of Change's Five Step Process, which will enable agents and brokers to compete in today's marketplace. 6:30pm -7pm Closing Party Cocktails 7pm-10:00pm Closing Party Dinner & Wild West Night   [Top]

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

7:30am - 8:30am Continental Breakfast 8:30am - 11:00am What's Great in 2008 Moderated by Steve Anderson Steve, along with some friends, will review the latest technology tools (hardware and software), little known and useful websites and other "stuff" that could make your life, and the life of your staff, easier. Several people will be joining Steve to show what they have discovered and why it might help your agency.   [Top]