Empowering carriers, brokers, MGAs and other key players within the insurance sector has been a fundamental goal at Gerent since our founding in 2008. However, this year marks the beginning of a new and promising chapter in our company’s evolution as we scout top-tier industry talent, execute new strategies, and launch a slate of tailored Salesforce offerings for our insurance clientele.
In May, Gerent was proud to welcome Kal Shah, a veteran sales and transformation leader with a proven record of delivering successful outcomes to Salesforce customers in and beyond the insurance industry, as our Insurance practice’s new strategic leader. Upon stepping into his role, Kal set out to answer two critical questions: first, which market segments remain underserved by core insurance software, and second, how could Gerent’s consultants leverage their extensive industry and Salesforce expertise to drive value for customers in those areas?
Our insurance team conducted extensive analysis of the addressable market to find answers, defined potential commercial and early-enterprise plays, and noted any solutioning gaps they saw. Ultimately, this work allowed us to identify three high-potential target segments: Broker Experience, Insurance Quote-to-Bind and Mid-office Transformations.
“Salesforce has historically focused on large carriers like Farmers Insurance, State Farm, GEICO, and Prudential, to name a few. While Gerent can certainly help the same carriers, we wanted to target regional carriers and large brokers/MGAs that, nevertheless, had an equal need for digital enablement,” said Kal.
All three high-potential segments have historically received less attention than the large carriers, albeit for different reasons. For example, regional brokers, despite being well-entrenched, are often passed over due to their size. Yet, Gerent firmly believes that such brokerages represent high-potential — and largely untapped — opportunities for new-logo transformations.
“These customers need turnkey solutions,” Kal asserted. “Right now, carriers, brokers and MGAs are making do with the limited tools they have at their disposal. Few have the appetite to invest in a platform that takes months to customize and may not deliver business value. There’s an industry gap — and we intend to close it.”
Now, Gerent is proud to announce the launch of two bespoke Salesforce solutions for brokers and regional carriers, respectively; a third offering for the mid-office is currently in development and will be announced later.
Purpose-built Accelerators for Brokers & Regional Carriers
Gerent’s Insurance practice approached solutioning knowing that target customers would require affordable, functional, and, above all else, turnkey solutions. Regional carriers, Specialty insurers, and brokers are disinclined to invest in major customization projects; as such, it fell to our team to provide solutions that would resolve common pain points and provide value-added functionality out-of-the-box.
To that end, the Insurance practice developed multiple Salesforce Accelerators: preconfigured solutions designed to address specific use cases and jump-start Salesforce implementation. Our consultants leveraged their extensive industry knowledge and technical acumen to craft offerings that empower customers to resolve critical pain points, overcome operational challenges, and achieve their goals. Currently, Gerent has two industry accelerators: Insurance Quote-to-Bind and Broker Experience.
“When we designed these solutions, we knew we wanted to meet our customers where they were,” Kal noted. “Brokers, for example, typically have a hodgepodge of systems and processes that they use to sell as well as build relationships within their community. We’re not trying to replace those core systems — instead, we wanted to create an engagement layer that would lie on top of their existing footprint.”
“With our Broker Desktop accelerator, our aim is for brokers to facilitate ~80% of their actions and activities through a Salesforce engagement layer,” he continued. "You can have complete visibility into your book of business, understand your top priorities for the day, and have complete transparency into your commissions.”
Gerent’s accelerators, “Broker Desktop” and “Quote-to-Bind,” provide a strong foundation for our customers to build upon, setting the stage for future enhancements while facilitating informed, efficient, and differentiated operations in the present.
Solution Highlights: Broker Desktop Accelerator
Built atop Salesforce Financial Services Cloud, the Broker Desktop Accelerator is designed to help brokers achieve an unparalleled view into their book of business, action information, and drive exceptional customer outcomes. Key capabilities include:
- Holistic Book of Business (BoB) Visibility — See your entire BoB via an interactive and actionable 360-view within Salesforce.
- Intelligent Lead Conversion — Grow your BoB with AI-driven lead scoring and automated nurturing.
- Quick Quote Process — Seamlessly create a quote supported by integrations to external ratings engines.
- Commission Analytics — Perform analytics on commissions (supported by AMS integration) within Salesforce.
- Full-Service Broker — Generate contextual cross-sell/upsell recommendations during customer interactions.
Solution Highlights: Quote-to-Bind Accelerator
Designed to provide a configurable, capable, and flexible Salesforce framework, Gerent’s Quote-to-Bind accelerator empowers insurers across all verticals to overcome current operational challenges and scale unencumbered. Key features targeted include:
- Plug & Play Functionality —Tailor your solution with a dynamic library of components and workflows (all compliant with ACORD standards).
- Bind Policy — Use a configurable Quote-to-Bind flow equipped with payment and signature capture capabilities.
- Underwriter Workbench — Empower underwriters to view, update, and approve applications easily.
- In-Context Cross-Sell Component — Surface and assign referrals to the right producers
- Easy Campaign Builder Component — Seamlessly market new products or offers.
Gerent Accelerates Achievement in Insurance
We’re proud to say that these product launches are only the first step in our efforts to empower historically underserved insurance markets. Gerent’s insurance practice is currently hard at work engaging specialty insurers and regional brokers and driving new-logo conversations; we also look forward to announcing our solution for mid-office operators later this year.
“We’re committed to advancing outcomes for customers within our target segments, and I think I speak for the entire practice when I say that we stand behind the quality and value of our accelerators and delivery capabilities. We’re committed to empowering our customers to meet their goals and succeed.”
For more information on our Insurance capabilities and solution offerings, please visit our practice microsite — or contact us directly to start a personalized conversation.