Small businesses were hard-hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, and independent insurance agents have played a vital role in helping these enterprises recover. But the work is not done yet. Agents and brokers must continue to guide their small-business clients to build trust and create resilience to protect clients from future crises. Cake & Arrow, a digital customer experience agency, recently released its "Three Visions for Empowering Independent Agents" report that outlines the roles agents can play in supporting small businesses and how insurance carriers can empower agents as they pursue these opportunities. The slideshow above highlights Cake & Arrow's three visions for future agents and how insurers can support agents to serve small businesses better. Cake & Arrow's report summarizes the firm's research on COVID's impact comprised of surveys, one-on-one interviews, and concept evaluations with hundreds of small-business owners and gig workers countrywide. "Stationed in communities across the country and with deep ties to small businesses, [independent insurance agents] are well-positioned to service and support owners through the recovery and beyond while seeding trust with the insurance industry," the report states. "It's up to insurance carriers to leverage their size, their resources, and their resilience to empower and enable independent agents to do so." Related: |

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