Most conversations about technology tend to focus on what specific tasks it should do, could do or is not doing for us. It's easy to overlook the big picture: using technology to help grow the agency's business.

In the past few years, new applications, resources and enhancements have dramatically improved agents' ability to work more efficiently and improve their competitive edge. In this month's column, let's look at some new and maybe unexpected ways technology can benefit your agency. While I'll cite a number of specific products as examples of available technology, readers should not take that as an explicit or implied endorsement of any of them.Noise-reduction systems. Nothing is more frustrating than listening to a dozen different conversations while you are trying to work. Many agencies that have a large number of staff working in open areas and cubicles are looking for cost-effective ways to bring some peace and quiet to individual workspaces.One option is a "white noise" generator, which can be placed on individ-ual desktops or installed in an entire agency. By creating a "swooshing" sound, the generators block out background noise. A quick Internet search will disclose a number of brands and models.Even the loss of just 20 minutes a day in one employee's productive work time over the course of a year costs an agency the equivalent of a paid two-week vacation, so anything that saves time and reduces stress for staff also saves money for the agency.Desktop scanning. Consider the number of times each day employees walk to a central scanner, printer or copier. Also ask yourself how often they pause for a quick conversation or otherwise stop along the way. This mental exercise should give you an excellent idea of the value of desktop scanning and how much control it can give your staff over their day. Some desktop scanners can also be used as printers or copiers, which makes desktop scanning even more beneficial.Dual monitors. Dual monitors may be the most appreciated technology application an agency can provide its staff. They double the screen space for CSRs, enabling them to click and drag information or copy from one screen to the other without having to open and close windows. To implement this technology, you may need to purchase a video card with dual connections as well as additional monitors. Stands also are available for mounting flat-screen monitors, to provide more desk space.Webinars. If you want to move up from price-based selling, the challenge becomes how to provide value-added benefits to your clients and prospects. The most effective value-added is intellectual capital that positions your agency as an "insurance expert." One way to provide it is via free online Webinars for commercial clients on such topics as Internet security, risk management, sexual-harassment prevention and disaster recovery. If you use a tool like www.gotowebinar, your "talent" for the Webinars can be located anywhere in the country. You also can host Webinars that deal with topics in which your staff are the subject-matter experts.For the audio portion of a Webinar, www.freeconferencecall.com is a free service that enables up to 96 participants to take part in a conference call. Free recording of the call is also a part of the service.Data-security devices. Many producers carry laptops into the field for presentations and proposals. Some of the challenges with laptops are Internet connections, expense and client-data security. With recent changes in the privacy laws, agencies must be careful how they handle client data, especially when it is taken outside the office, where the agency no longer has the ability to ensure its safety and security.It is never advisable for producers to use clients' or prospects' Internet connections because of potential security issues. Sprint and other phone companies provide Internet access through wireless cards, however, which can be used outside the agency to connect to the agency's network. Using such a card also means a producer does not have to download proposals, presentations, etc., to a laptop, which protects client data.PGP Desktop (www.pgp.com) is an inexpensive encryption software that once installed on a computer requires a user to enter a password before it will work. No password, no access to the hard drive. If a laptop with such protection is stolen, the thief could only reformat the drive and re-install. No data would be compromised.Other products for the field. Palm's Treo "smartphones," which use Windows Mobile OS software, can have a lot of uses for producers in the field. Some models enable users to create and edit documents in Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Options also include the ability to sync documents between the phone and the user's PC and to run PowerPoint presentations directly from the phone. With such a device, a producer in the field could access the Internet, check e-mail in Microsoft Outlook and make a presentation by connecting the phone to a personal computer in a client's office.Another resource for PowerPoint presentations is www.presentationpro.com. This vendor offers a collection of templates and graphics that work inside PowerPoint, enabling producers to develop and deliver more impressive presentations.Producers who need to access their desktop PCs from the field may well be interested in www.logmein.com. Producers can use this free site to access their information in the agency without compromising the security of client data.Online accounting services. With virtual offices becoming more of an option, one challenge agencies face is how to work electronically. This is particularly a challenge for the accounting department. One option is www.paytrust.com, a bill-management system to which statements can be delivered for payment. This service allows an agency to review statements, bills and other information online. With it, an agency could handle its accounting offsite, without losing control of such sensitive information as statements.Another accounting resource is www.remotedepositcapture.com. It enables a user to scan checks and transmit the scanned images or ACH-data to a bank for posting and clearing. While the cost of scanning has to be considered, this type of service eliminates the need to make standard bank deposits, while providing a record of each check handled.Many agencies already use Virtual Check, a service available at www.softwaresolutions.com, It enables clients to fax copies of their checks to an agency, which can then print an actual check for processing.Getting creative. Rounding out accounts is always a challenge. But by combining a little creativity with cutting-edge technology, an agency can produce profitable results. If you have not checked out Progressive's Web site (www.progressive.com), you might be surprised to learn that when a user enters a name, address and ZIP code, the site presents a list of all autos registered at that address, asking the user to pick the auto for which he or she desires a quote.Creative agencies have used this tool to look up autos for their "A-list" homeowners clients. Then they prepare auto quotes and contact their clients to round out their accounts. This idea may not be for all agencies, but it is definitely a creative use of techno-logy-even if the technology belongs to your competition.Technology is not just software, servers, PCs and printers. It's also application. Making the most of technology can help any agency increase productivity and profitability while reducing expenses. Used creatively, technology can help your agency reach its growth goals in 2007.Ted Baker is the president of Advanced Automation, which for 17 years has offered agency consulting services addressing a variety of management and agency development issues. He also is an author and frequent conference speaker. Ted can be reached at [email protected].