Use of real-time transaction software by independent agents jumped 30 percent over the past year, according to a survey sponsored by the Real Time/Download campaign.

The survey of agencies using the one-and-done agency-to-carrier transaction software within their agency management systems shows that 69 percent of agency management system users employ a real-time tool to begin real-time inquiry or service transactions.

The use of such tools for rating and quoting is up as well, according to the survey of over 1,600 agents and brokers from every state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, the campaign said.

Launched in 2007, the Real Time/Download Campaign (www.getrealtime.org) is “dedicated to improving the competitiveness of the independent agency distribution channel.”

The campaign does not advocate a specific technology, but a workflow approach that frees up more time for agencies to sell, process and service business, the group explained.

According to the survey, 57 percent use a real-time rating tool for personal lines policies–a jump of more than 32 percent over 2009. For commercial lines, the use of real-time rating tools is close to 22 percent, up 20 percent from last year.

“It's encouraging to see continued growth in the number of agencies using real time,” said campaign Co-Chair Cyndy Smith, vice president of technology at Haylor, Freyer & Coon in Syracuse, N.Y.

“As more agents and brokers adopt the new workflows, they improve their competitive position as a distribution channel and are better equipped to serve their clients,” she added. “The more carriers and vendors see their agents using real time, the more willing they are to invest further in real time to provide additional transactions across more lines of business.”

According to the survey, users identified speed, time savings, workflow improvements and accuracy as key benefits of using real time. Eighty-nine percent of real-time users indicated that using real-time tools saves their agencies time.

For those reporting time savings in personal lines departments, the average daily amount of time saved was just over an hour per person. Average daily time saved per individual in an agency's commercial lines department was just over 43 minutes.

The group also pointed to a number of free resources available to help agents and brokers make use of those tools. Among these is the campaign's “21 Day Challenge” (www.getrealtime.org/21DC), designed to help agents and brokers make use of real time a habit within their organizations.

Among some of the other findings:

o Two-thirds of real-time users said the tools allow them to respond more quickly to client questions.

o “Able to quote more/faster” was a benefit cited by 63 percent of respondents.

o Forty-four percent said use of the tools provides their staff with more time for service and sales.

o Seventy-four percent said the tools are easy to use and save many keystrokes.

o “Accuracy of information” was cited as a benefit by 57 percent.

Those who use a real-time tool said personal lines billing and policy inquiry transactions were most commonly used–by 88 percent and 85 percent, respectively.

In commercial lines, 74 percent of agencies that use real time said they make billing inquiries using real-time tools in their system; 69 percent do so for commercial lines policy inquiries.

Seventy-one percent of survey participants who use a real-time tool for inquiry and service transactions said they use it to perform personal lines claims inquiries; commercial lines claims inquiries are conducted by 61 percent of users.

Personal lines endorsement processing is handled using system-based real-time tools by 59 percent of real-time users.

Despite these gains, 31 percent of survey respondents said they do not use a real-time tool in their management system to perform real-time inquiry or service transactions. When asked why:

o Fifteen percent said either they did not know the functionality was available within their system, or they lack time to implement and/or train staff.

o Twelve percent said they found it to be too difficult to set up.

o Five percent said they could not convince management of its value.