FAQ

About eAgent

What is eAgent?
eAgent is a customizable web-based agency and document management tool designed to help insurance agents and agencies grow their business through flexible, real-time reporting options, robust xDate and to-do features, and more. Built by and for insurance agents, eAgent features the tools that can help any agency grow and meet goals.scanner

How can eAgent benefit me?
eAgent offers a suite of services to help insurance agents eliminate the repetitious and time-consuming nature of maintaining and growing a book of business. From automated xDate and to-do reminders to individual and agency-wide reports that refresh every 60 seconds, eAgent makes it easier to prospect, follow up with clients, re-quote, renew policies, and move into new lines of business.

Can my agency grow with eAgent?
eAgent is built specifically with the growing insurance agency in mind. We offer four different tiers of service depending on your budget, production level, and book of business size. We serve the small, one-agent shop as well as large, multi-location agencies.

System requirements

What kind of software or installation is required for eAgent?
eAgent is a web-based solution, which means there’s no software to order, ship, install, or update. You can access the system from any computer with an Internet connection.

What are eAgent’s minimum system requirements?

· Pentium 4, 1 GHz or higher

· 1GB memory

· High-speed Internet connection

· Internet Explorer 8.0 or higher

· Google Chrome 10.0 or higher

· Mozilla Firefox 3.0 or higher

Recommended

· 1280x1024 resolution or higher monitor

· Internet Explorer 9.0

· Google Chrome 12.0

· Mozilla Firefox 8

How do we access our eAgent system?
Because eAgent is a web-based solution, you can log onto your account from any location at any time. All you need is your username and password, and you’ll be able to view your entire database and perform actions in the same manner as you would in the office.

Signing up and choosing a package

What are the terms for signing up for eAgent?
You’re not bound to a contract with eAgent. The billing cycle runs every 30 days, and begins on day 31 of your using the service, thanks to the 30-day free trial period for tiers 1-3. We bill ahead for one month of service, and you’ll be billed on the same date every month. If at any point you’d like to cancel, you can do so without incurring any further charges.

How many users can I have on eAgent?
The number of users you can register on eAgent depends upon the package you’ve chosen. You can have anywhere from three users to an unlimited number of users – our offerings are designed to be scalable to your particular agency and your needs.

Are there limits to the number of policies I can store in eAgent?
Each eAgent package has a different policy limit. Depending on your agency’s needs, you can choose a 1,500 policy limit, 3,000 policies, 5,000 policies, or an unlimited number of policies.

What happens when I reach my policy limit?
When you reach or exceed your policy limit, you will no longer be able to add new policies into the system. If you would like to increase your policy limit, someone with admin privileges can upgrade to the next version of eAgent from the Setup page.

What is considered a “policy” for billing purposes?
All policies stored in eAgent are counted toward your billable policy count – active, terminated, etc. The only way to decrease your policy count is to delete a policy and its history from within the system.

Is there a trial version of eAgent so I can give the system a test run?
Yes! Our Lite, Basic, and Plus packages each offer a 30-day trial so you can become acquainted with the system and decide if it’s right for you. During the trial period, however, you will not be able to order backup data discs or save reports. If you choose to cancel anytime during those 30 days, you won’t be billed.

Reports

How can I use eAgent to monitor my agency’s productivity and growth?
We offer many types of reports, two of which are located on the eAgent Dashboard: marketing reports and business reports. These two reports refresh every 60 seconds, so you can get real-time updates from within the program without having to log out and back in.

How can I use eAgent to cross-sell policies?
We have a report specifically for cross selling, which allows you to search for customer that have certain policies with you, but not others. Our email tool allows you to email multiple customer from each report, making cross-selling a snap.

Can I customize the reporting tool?
Most reports can be customized with filters for the exact criteria you are searching for within eAgent. It is important to enter as much data as possible into eAgent because the reports can only return results based on the information in the system.

Document Imaging

Can I scan and view images in eAgent?
Our two top-tier packages – eAgent Plus and eAgent Pro –support scanning. All of our packages allow you to import documents and images and retrieve them from within the system. In addition, the Plus and Pro versions include a document-recognition print driver that pulls information from any electronic document to automatically associate it with a customer record.

What types of scanners are supported?
eAgent will work with any TWAIN-compliant scanner. If you are interested in purchasing a scanner from eBridge, please email us at eAgent@eAgent.net.

Email

Can I email customers from within eAgent?
Yes – each customer record features an email icon beside each email address. When you click on that icon, a popup will appear so that you can compose a message to your customer from within the program. This is especially useful when you have a to-do or xDate associated with that customer. You can also email multiple customers from within any marketing report.

Can I use unique email signatures for each user?
Yes – each user within your agency can create their own eAgent email signature for more streamlined communications.

Can I send documents with my emails?
eAgent allows you to attach up to three documents with every email. You can also email a document directly by clicking on the email icon next to it.

How else can I use eAgent’s email function to market?
eAgent allows Pro users to create drip campaigns. You select the trigger date and the customers to send to, select a frequency, choose a template, and activate the drip campaign. eAgent will automatically send messages using the timing and templates you’ve chosen.

We also preload several templates, with the ability for Plus and Pro users to create custom templates to further tailor the program to their needs.

VoIP

What is VoIP?
VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol, is a communication technology that delivers voice communications over the Internet and other such networks.

What VoIP providers do you work with?
We are currently integrated with:

Blue Ocean Technologies - Allstate Only

Blue Ocean Technologies - Everyone else

Fonality

Lightspeed Voice

Vocalocity

These are third-party VoIP systems that integrate with eAgent by displaying the customer record of the customer currently calling into your agency. This eliminates the need for you or your staff to try to locate a customer record while on the phone, and makes it easier for you to log notes and comments in the appropriate record.

For information on Blue Ocean Technologies, email eAgent@blueotech.net or call 205-776-6907.

For information on Fonality, contact Landan “Todd” Kellner at 512-513-0499 or landan_keller@dell.com.

For information on Lightspeed Voice, please contact Tiffany Fuller at 877-97-VOICE, extension 335 or email eagent@lightspeedvoice.com.

For information on Vocalocity, please visit http://eagent.vocalocity.com/.

How do I set up VoIP?
If you currently have accounts with either Blue Ocean, Fonality or Vocalocity, you can configure your integration from within the eAgent setup section.

What if my VoIP provider isn’t listed?
We’re always adding new providers to our integration list; simply contact your provider and have them email us at eAgent@eAgent.net to see if integration would be possible.

Data security and backup

How secure is my customer’s information in eAgent?
eAgent is powered by eBridge, a web-based document management solutions provider with more than 10 years of service and 1,700+ customers. Our core business is in the insurance industry, and we have taken every measure possible to ensure that your agency and customer information is safe and sound. Among our security precautions:

· All customer data is backed up in real time to separate data centers in separate states.

· We use Secure-Socket Layer (SSL) technology, an industry standard security protocol for encoding sensitive information. This ensures that anybody intercepting information will not be able to scramble or unscramble it.

· No outside parties have access to our data centers, which are guarded 24 hours a day.

· To ensure data security, we store all customer data AES 256 Block CBC encrypted, which meets FIPS 197 standards. This includes backup discs sent to customers. All files have unique keys known only to the customer.

What if I want a backup of all the data I put into eAgent?
We do offer cumulative backup discs of all your eAgent database information. Each backup disc you order is a one-time fee of $250. In addition, this data is protected by an encrypted password that you choose when you place your backup disc order. The only way to view the data on the disc is by entering this password, selected by you. Backup discs will include any uploaded images and eAgent data.

eAgent training and support

What are my options for support if I have a question or issue?
There are three separate tiers of support for the eAgent system, based upon the package you have chosen. eAgent Lite offers email support, while eAgent Basic and eAgent Plus feature email and, in the future, online chat support. Our largest package, eAgent Pro, offers email and phone support, with online chat coming soon. In addition, the program includes an extensive support FAQ designed to answer the most common questions and issues you’ll run into with the system.

What if I want to speak with a sales account rep?
Detailed demos and direct sales support is available with our top-tier product, eAgent Pro. Please send us an email at sales@eBridge.com for more information on eAgent Pro.

What kind of training is available?
All users have access to a growing library of online video tutorials, as well as regularly scheduled webinars. Pro users may also access one-on-one training with a support or sales rep.

Downloads

How can I get my customer data into eAgent?
There are four ways for you to bring customer and policy data into your eAgent account: Automatic nightly downloads through IVANS, automatic nightly downloads through TEAM-UP, monthly policy-in-force reports from Ivantage, and book-of-business imports.

How exactly do downloads work?
A download is customer or policy information sent from an insurance carrier into eAgent through a third party – usually either IVANS or TEAM-UP. Every company will send different information, but some of the most commonly sent information includes new business, endorsements, cancellations, and renewals.

Downloads can be an excellent tool for many situations, but they will not eliminate all maintenance of the eAgent database. eAgent can only update and collect the information sent from the carriers, which may occasionally be incorrect or amended. We strongly recommend that you or another staff member reviews the incoming downloads for a few minutes a day for any inconsistencies.

Which insurance companies do you get nightly downloads from?
Currently, eAgent accepts nightly downloads from these companies.

In addition, Ivantage is a network of broker-dealers representing more than 160 carriers. With an Ivantage account, the network will send monthly reports of policies-in-force from these carriers. eAgent currently accepts Ivantage monthly reports from these companies.

Do I need my own IVANS or Team-Up account?
Yes. For IVANS, you will need to have an IVANS Y Account and user ID issued to you by a carrier. Once you have a Y Account, you can request that downloads are sent to that Y Account for all carriers that have approved eAgent for downloads.

For TEAM-UP, you must contact your carrier to start your TEAM-UP downloads. The carrier will send you a registration e-mail, and once you confirm the e-mail, you will be provided with an ID and password. Using that information, eAgent can begin receiving TEAM-UP downloads.

I am an Allstate agent - how do I sign up for Allstate downloads?
First, you can request an IVANS Y-Account from Allstate. IVANS is the vendor that obtains and stores the Allstate BOB information in a mailbox so that eAgent can retrieve the information. Then, you’ll need to complete a download service registration form.

To request an IVANS account from Allstate:

  1. Click “My Settings,” located at the top of the Agency Gateway screen.
  2. Click the “Book of Business Download” link (only available to EAs).
  3. Click the “Request an IVANS Y-Account … information” link to obtain an IVANS request form.
  4. Complete the form.
  5. Save the form to a location that is easily retrievable.
  6. Email the form to allstatedownload@allstate.com.
  7. Within five business days, you should receive an email containing your account information. After you receive this information, you are ready to complete the download service registration.

To complete the download service registration form:

  1. Click “My Settings” located at the top of the Agency Gateway screen.
  2. Click the “Book of Business Download” link (this is only available to EAs).
  3. Click the “Complete the download service registration form” link.
  4. Complete the form with the information provided in the email, including the name of the agency management system (eAgent) that you will be using.
  5. Click the “Complete registration” button.

Your initial BOB download will be available within approximately two weeks of completing the above registration process, and once you have provided eAgent with the Y-Account information. It’s a simple process to set eAgent up to obtain downloads from your Y-Account, and can be done from within your admin Setup screen.

How do I import my books of business into eAgent?
First, you’ll need to request a book-of-business spreadsheet audit from your carrier. Once you have the spreadsheet, email it to eAgent@eAgent.net, and we will load it within five to seven business days.

Before emailing your spreadsheet, please ensure it contains the following information:

  1. First and last name
  2. Mailing address
  3. Policy Number
  4. Policy type/line of business

Upgrading and cancelling

How do I upgrade my eAgent packages?
To upgrade your package for higher policy counts, more users, and additional features, simply visit the “setup” page, and click “upgrade.” The system will take you through the process.

How do I cancel my eAgent account?
While we hope that all our customers have a long and happy experience with eAgent, we understand that sometimes, circumstances arise that might lead to a need to cancel your service. You can easily terminate your eAgent account from within the program; only an admin can terminate the account. All of your information will be permanently deleted – including customer information, policy information, and uploaded documents – so we do suggest purchasing a cumulative backup CD before cancelling.