Keep Up with Consumers by Improving Digital Connectivity

240 brokers shared their industry views with Insurance Times for the 2025 Digital Adoption Report. According to the responses, only 36% of brokers said they were confident that they could match the growing digital expectations of consumers. So, how can brokers continue to connect with digitally minded consumers in 2025?

For me, it's about extending the value that insurance professionals provide to insurance consumers through online touchpoints. Whether they help customers find the most appropriate product and cover to protect what matters to them the most, professionally manage claims during their time of need, or provide industry-leading advice, insurance brokers are the beating heart of the insurance industry in their role as trusted advisors.

Connectivity is critical to success in this privileged position of consumer trust. Brokers should focus on digital strategies that will enhance their unique value proposition and allow them to continue to deliver customer-centric service above and beyond their competitors.

In this blog post, we’ll explore why brokers need to adopt digital technology that provides a clear, single view of their customers to enable employees to become more efficient. We’ll also look at the importance of providing multiple touchpoints where customers can engage with brokers to receive seamless service.

How Can a Complete View Help Insurance Brokers Compete?

90% of brokers surveyed state they use a broker management system (BMS) to gather data about prospects and clients, but not all systems are created equal. 

Findings from the 2025 Digital Adoption Report show that 44% of respondents say their current broker management system (BMS) does not provide a single view of a customer. 

I think we all know why this is important. When information is scattered among different systems, it’s hard to connect the dots and make informed decisions. Using separate applications to manage different lines of business lacks visibility and a central point of access for key information. This means your agents are left re-keying information and wasting precious time that could be used to service your customers and grow your business.

A single view of a customer provides the broker with a holistic view of prospects and insureds through simple workflows. It also provides real-time access to data from all systems to help businesses understand their customers' needs and wants, providing opportunities for enhanced growth and retention. 

Put simply, using technology that links every phase and stakeholder of the insurance lifecycle makes it easier for the entire team to do their jobs and easier for your clients, prospects, and insurer partners to do business with you.

Case Study: Stanhope Cooper, Petersfield 

Stanhope Cooper operated across multiple disparate systems that didn’t allow for effective reporting or speed in administrative processes due to manual workflows like the re-keying of information between applications. Because of limitations from their previous software provider, Stanhope Cooper had to wait days for a quote and was unable to provide the level of service expected by customer.

Stanhope Cooper chose Applied Systems to manage its entire business. Since implementing Applied Epic software, the brokerage has consolidated all applications into a single, integrated system – policy management, CRM, financial management, insurer relationships – everything's in one place. Hosted in Applied Cloud, Applied Epic® offers greater visibility into Stanhope Cooper’s customers and day-to-day broker operations to reduce time spent on administrative tasks and better respond their customer needs. 

How Can Cloud Insurance Software Help Brokers Provide Better Customer Service?

In an online world where services are available 24/7, customers expect greater flexibility from providers. They also expect high-quality, seamless experiences when purchasing insurance and a smooth, uninterrupted journey throughout the entire buying process.

Customer portals and customer-facing mobile apps are just another way a broker can boost their value proposition to those tech-savvy customers who want to access their insurance information on the go.

42% of respondents are not offering customers access to information via a portal.

68% of respondents say their BMS doesn’t allow them to provide customers with a custom-branded mobile app.

Some brokers hesitate to take on new technology because the change management required to adopt new processes internally and then introduce them to their customers is seen more as burdensome than an investment for future growth. However, a formal and robust change management process will make this process easier, and the long-term growth benefits will outweigh this investment in multiples.

For brokers ready to deliver on customers’ expectations for connectivity, it is important to consider scalability when choosing a broker management system. Cloud-based systems ensure that your software is always up to date and that your data is secure. They also provide increased mobile access to business information, which includes the ability to integrate omnichannel technologies such as a customer portal and mobile app. Our Applied Cloud platform is the only cloud built specifically for the insurance industry. The more open your BMS is, the more your tech stack will be able to grow with your business and allow you to deliver exceptional service across multiple touchpoints.

Read the 2025 Digital Adoption Report

Case Study: Hayes Parsons Insurance Brokers, Bristol

As Hayes Parsons Insurance Brokers strives to become fully digital, Applied Epic gives them peace of mind that their core management system integrates with other technology as needs and trends change. Watch this video case study to see how their complete integration with Applied CSR24® and Applied Mobile® allows their employees access to critical information from anywhere and provides their customers with self-service options.

James Woollam, Managing Director of Hayes Parsons said, “We believe Applied's capabilities allow us to provide better automation for the team.” He also noted, “Clients want some responsibility for their insurance, and the self-service aspects of Applied’s software is something I think they will love.”