IT CAN BE hard for agents to keep current with technology. With so many high-tech products and automated services available, it's difficult to know which gadgets will benefit the bottom line and which will just become clutter.

During a panel discussion at this year's AMS Users' Group National Conference, which was held in March in Grapevine, Texas, three independent agents shared their procedures for staying up-to-date while breaking down barriers to progress. The panelists were Gray Nester, technology director for BB&T Insurance Services, in Charlotte, N.C.; Cynthia Smith, vice president of technology for Haylor, Freyer & Coon, in Syracuse, N.Y.; Michael Foy, principal of Foy Insurance Group, in Exeter, N.H. Jeff Yates, executive director of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America's Agents Council for Technology (ACT), was the moderator. Following is an edited transcript of some of their comments.

Yates: First, I've asked the group to comment on the most important new technologies they've implemented at their agencies in the past year or two.