Content posted in October 2001
|
Importance of Redundancy, Diverse Systems Grows Post-9/11, Stresses Hartford Financial's Lowenthal
The importance of redundant and diverse information technology systems was stressed by Craig Lowenthal, 1st VP/CIO, Hartford Financial Products, who shared his company's Sept. 11 disaster recovery experiences as part of a panel on "New Realities and Challenges in Financial Services" at this week's Financial Technology Expo & Conference in New York.
Making Wireless Work: Fidelity Exec Advocates Enhanced Functionality
The reason wireless has not taken off is that we have not made it easy to do, Joseph G. Ferra, chief wireless officer,
Fidelity Investments, told Financial Technology Expo & Conference attendees. However, according to Ferra, aggressive financial services companies are well placed to take advantage of wireless opportunities.
When and Where STP Will Reach Insurance? FTCE Panel Debates Strategies
With insurance carriers focusing more and more on reducing costs and improving efficiencies, many are turning towards end-to-end processing. However, as a panel of industry executives pointed out at this week's Financial Technology Conference & Expo, straight-through processing (STP) in insurance is no slam dunk.
CRM Briefs
Fireman's Fund selects technology from Bottomline Technologies to help in the development of a fully automated electronic premium collections process; Irish Life standardizes on Siebel eInsurance; LOMA launches the Customer Service Institute (CSI), a collection of courses, seminars, surveys and hiring tools related to customer service.
Delivery Briefs
InSystems launches InSystems Group Service, an e-business portal enabling group insurance carriers to provide self-service capabilities to plan sponsors, plan members and broker/TPAs; Allstate Bank deploys components of Sanchez Computer Associates' e-Profile outsourced solution; a new partnership with AnnuityNet enables the annuities operation of Lincoln Financial Group to offer online sales and service capabilities to its distribution partners.
Class of 2000: Where Are They Now?
2001 has proved to be a particularly challenging year, in more ways than one. Here is what the Elite 8 2000 honorees have been up to.
Customer Focus? Now More Than Ever
Slumping economy notwithstanding, past Elite 8 honorees agree that investing in customer support and service remains a top priority.
Driving AIG’s Transformation Through Influence
Tireless energy and a highly qualified, loyal team let Mark Popolano tame the "technology monster" of AIG's vast IT organization.
Chapman Drives Focus on Business Solutions
American Family's Byrne Chapman steers his division toward a better understanding of the business.
Barger Sets the Stage for The Hartford Experience
As The Hartford's first CTO, technology generalist Ken Barger plots the infrastructure needed for a new standard of customer service and interaction.
USAA’s Steve Yates Turns IT into a Business
Yates uses "thrifty" experience to streamline IT and gain respect of senior management.
CIO Makes Transition from Carrier to Global Broker
Aon CIO June Drewry learns about the challenges associated with technically supporting products that constantly change.
McCaig Advocates Power to the IT People
In an increasingly complex IT world, it's the people who are the keys to success, emphasizes Chuck McCaig of Chubb.
Building IT for the Customer Economy
At Prudential Financial, Barbara Koster is working to make IT nimble to respond quickly to customer demands.
CIO Tested by Concurrent Y2K/Demutualization
Bob Walters does "more with less" as John Hancock consolidates use of external partners.
A Place at the Table
Challenging times bring technology executives greater influence—and heavier responsibilities.
IT Scrambles To Restore Order
World Trade Center tenants use lessons from 1993 bombing, quickly switch over to backup systems.
Contact Centers Handle Disaster Call Spike
Carriers' call centers proved to be up to the job of handling claims and providing service following the terrorist attacks.
Insurer Recovery Teams Do the Job
Executives report marathon work shifts, great morale during disaster recovery operations.
New Zurich Life Exec To Focus on Agent E-Business
Zurich Life has named Michael Sladek as director of field Technology services for e-business. He will focus on
developing and implementing field technology initiatives designed to enhance Zurich's distribution channels.
BCE Emergis, Principal Collaborate on E-Premium Solution
BCE Emergis is debuting new "order-to-pay" electronic transaction
technology through a contract with The Principal Financial Group. The five-year, multi-million dollar contract will provide The Principal's group life and health business the capability to present corporate customers with electronic premium statements derived from their current enrollment databases.
Insurers Bank on Brand; Is It Enough?
A number of banks have experienced a fair degree of success
extending customer relationships though the sale of insurance
products. Until very recently, however, few insurance companies
have followed suit, despite the more flexible regulatory environment.
By Greg Davies, Senior Analyst/Insurance, Gomez
OpenFLEX Offers Free P&C Technology To Aid Aon & Marsh Victims
In order to help the families of employees of Aon and Marsh & McLennan who lost family members during the Sept. 11 attacks, OpenFLEX, Inc., will provide an AIMS-I system to
each of the first five insurers that donates $50,000 or more to aid in the relief for the families that lost loved ones. OpenFLEX will match that amount up to $50,000 per system.
CDS/EQECAT Alliance Targets Underwriters
An alliance has been announced between CDS Business Mapping,
provider of RiskMeter.com, a Web-based online property lookup
source for underwriters, and EQECAT, a catastrophe risk management software provider.
Risk Management Tools Get More Attention
In the wake of the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, airlines and others entrusted with people's lives
are likely to adopt some of the risk management techniques employed by financial institutions, experts say.
CRM Briefs
Onyx Software will support the Microsoft Pocket PC 2002 platform with its suite of mobile CRM solutions; PeopleSoft will release a new framework for financial services for the development of "pure Internet CRM" solutions; Edify Corp. forms the Natural Language Solutions Group.
Delivery Briefs
CNA has launches new capabilities on its CNA Central Web site; Lincoln Re Risk Management Services (will provide quotes on group health employer stop loss insurance through Internet-based subscription service QuoteLab; New York Life Investment Management launches three new Web sites.
Cross Selling Starts With The CRM System
By: Steven Marlin, Executive Editor, Bank Systems & Technology, Cristina McEachern, Senior
Associate Editor, Wall Street & Technology, Anthony O'Donnell, Senior Associate Editor, Insurance &
Technology
Make Web Service a Reality
Strategies for customer retention are the focus of Insurance & Technology's Executive Summit 2001.
Call Centers: The Next Generation
Call centers are transforming into communications centers where all customer contacts are managed.
Taking the Guesswork Out of Calculating Technology ROI
With budgets being squeezed, the return on investment for IT projects can pay off in the long run.
AAA Missouri Takes Direct Route
AAA Missouri chooses FileNET technology to manage underwriters' workflow.
Self-Service with Online "vRep"
Interactive Web bot created in CEO's image gives personalized answers to health insurer's brokers, providers, and corporate and individual clients.
WinXP Release Anticipated
Tech Execs See Big Advance Over Earlier Operating Systems.
Hartford Expands E-Biz Center
Extranet portal now provides transactional capabilities.
Insurers Begin Recovery Immediately
After the World Trade Center attack, insurers deal with shock and grief, while emergency disaster plans kick in and IT operations are restored.
|
Tweet This