The Service: The System
Details about software and internet connectivity can be both a turn-off and/or a matter of serious concern to many brokers.
Consequently, it may be enough for you to know that TEn has taken care of the following:-
- it all comes pre-configured
- Practices must use it as prescribed
- there is a monthly charge per seat
- everything Practices need is included
- Practices don’t have to worry about upgrades
- Practices need a broadband connection, PCs and a printing + scanning capability
If that is all you want to know, then that’s it; alternatively, read on.
The Infrastructure
The basic requirements for the system are, as mentioned, an internet broadband connection, which can vary in size dependent upon the number of people in any location. Nevertheless, it’s a relatively inexpensive starting point.
The system is Windows based, so PCs are essential. Also, a standard local area network (possibly wireless) will be necessary if there are multiple users in any one office. Apart from that, one or more printers and a scanner form part of the basic infrastructure required.
No servers are necessary and everything else is generally available in any locality from reputable suppliers; or if Practices deem themselves competent in putting things together, these items can all be purchased on the Net.
The Works
The software and the ASP service is not a website - it is a full Windows based broking system - all of which is delivered down the line. It includes integrated Microsoft products; such as Office and Outlook, as part of the monthly fee. Practices do not purchase licenses for these applications separately, unless they are needed for stand-alone purposes outside of the ASP environment.
The necessary and compliant documentation is pre-determined by TEn; client letters, schedules, registers, TOBAs etc and all of which are produced by the system at the appropriate moments. Similarly, the future maintenance of these and business workflows are a matter for TEn.
The Tasks
Given the nature of the TEn business model, the system tasks performed by Practices are broadly or exactly similar to those that tend to rest within the branch offices of national brokers. For a start, that means no system maintenance, configuration decisions to make, or back-ups to perform etc.
On the other hand, Practices are responsible for the capture and maintenance of required client and risk information; the production of invoices; the input of claims; the running of local/relevant reports and so on. Equally, burdens such as reconciliation of agency accounts are centralised, as they would be within a national broker.
The Conversion
Obviously, not a particularly relevant issue to a start-up Operation; as there is nothing to convert from. For an established small broker the situation is somewhat different, although it is generally anticipated that data will be sufficiently slight in most cases, so as to make electronic conversion uneconomical.
However, the re-keying of relatively little data versus the electronic conversion of it is not the major issue that many brokers think it is. Electronic conversions require a certain amount of pre-specification and subsequent checking and correction in any case.
For small brokers, the time differential is marginal at best and the results of electronic conversion always involve a compromise carried forward into the future. The real barrier to smaller brokers in changing from one system to another is a capital investment of money and personnel time in respect of configuration and implementation decisions.
TEn, has by its very nature, done much to diminish both of these cost elements.
