New system aggregates and enriches agent tools
WORCESTER, Mass., Sept. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- The Citizens and Hanover
Insurance Companies have launched The Agency Place, a new, web-based agency
portal that provides its network of independent agents with centralized access
to all of the information and tools they need to conduct business in the most
efficient and simplest manner possible. The Agency Place is available 24
hours a day, seven days a week, making it easier for agents to conduct
business on their own schedules.
"We're very pleased to offer this powerful new resource to our agency
partners," said Marita Zuraitis, president of the property and casualty
companies of Allmerica Financial Corporation (NYSE: AFC), the parent company
to both Citizens and Hanover. "The portal enables agents to accomplish their
work more quickly and efficiently, on their own terms, and at times that are
convenient for them. It also simplifies their daily interactions with the
company by consolidating several resources into one easy-to-access and easy-
to-use interface, helping them to increase productivity, and ultimately
profitability."
The Agency Place not only provides quicker access to information and
faster transaction processing, it also provides agents with easy access to
detailed billing, claims, customer and policy information. Agents also have
access to an extensive library of online documents, forms, manuals and other
informational resources that they need to do business with Citizens and
Hanover.
Rollout and Reaction
The portal, currently in the initial rollout stage, is available to all
independent agents representing Citizens and Hanover. Customer service
representatives, producers and agency principals who have begun using the new
system have been impressed.
Brett S. Kern, commercial lines account executive with The Spectrum
Insurance Agency in Rockford, Illinois, uses The Agency Place as a key
resource for accessing the important client and policy billing information he
needs to provide efficient and timely service to his customers.
"The Agency Place is a lifesaver for us," he said. "Not only is the site
attractive and well-organized, it's easy to use and enables us to get to the
information we need when we need it. It rounds out the package of services we
receive from Citizens and Hanover very nicely and has made a huge difference
to us."
"The Agency Place offers our office staff the ability to provide our
clients with instant answers to their concerns," said Janet L. Peppler,
president, The Peppler Agency, Grosspoint, Michigan. "As an [agency] owner,
the Citizens portal has instilled confidence that my staff is able to service
our clients to the fullest; there is nothing more impressive (and expected) in
today's technology times than to be on 'Real Time' to service our clients for
policy retrieval. The losing agency will answer the client 'Let me check and
get back with you'. The winning agency will have the customer's trust with
instant answers to questions that are important to them and answered
immediately."
"It [The Agency Place] is really first class in ease of navigation," said
Jim Shealy, vice president and partner of the Hardegree Insurance Agency in
Atlanta, Georgia. "It's especially easy to make inquiries on the system,
which is saving us a huge amount of time and helping us respond to our
customers more quickly."
Kavin K. Smith, Director of Brokerage Operations at Palmer & Cay, said
"The Agency Place demonstrates Citizens and Hanover's commitment to deliver
outstanding technology solutions. Billing inquiries and claims status are
important to our clients -- they expect and deserve fast and accurate service.
This portal will enable us to be even more efficient and to be even more
responsive to our clients."
"We see the addition of our agency portal as another key step along our
journey to build a world class company," said Zuraitis. "It provides
technology that adds value -- not complexity -- to the work process, and
reinforces the commitment we made to our agency partners to provide more and
more capabilities to support ease of doing business."
About Citizens & Hanover
Howell, Michigan-based Citizens Insurance Company of America, founded in
1915, and Worcester, Massachusetts-based The Hanover Insurance Company,
founded in 1852, offer a range of property and casualty insurance coverages to
individuals, families and business through a wide network of independent
agents. The Citizens and Hanover Insurance Companies are ranked among the top
30 property and casualty insurers in the country and are members of the
Allmerica Financial companies, a group of insurers led by Allmerica Financial
Corporation, a Fortune 500 company.
CONTACT:
Investors: Sujata Mutalik, (508) 855-3457
E-mail: smutalik@allmerica.com
Media: Todd M. Peckham, (508) 855-4460
E-mail: tpeckham@allmerica.com
SOURCE Allmerica Financial Corporation
-0- 09/09/2004
/CONTACT: Sujata Mutalik, +1-508-855-3457, smutalik@allmerica.com, or
Todd M. Peckham, +1-508-855-4460, tpeckham@allmerica.com both of Allmerica
Financial Corporation/
(AFC)
CO: Citizens Insurance Company of America; The Hanover Insurance Company;
Allmerica Financial Corporation
ST: Massachusetts
IN: FIN INS
SU: PDT
EO-NJ
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9867 09/09/200415:02 EDThttp://www.prnewswire.com