It's a mess, let's clean it up. It's time for brokers with good software to shout about it.
Broker software needn't be expensive, outdated and non-integrated, the competition is hotting up.
What I find surprising about the broker software market is how difficult it seems to be to: find a good broker system; and change suppliers if you are not happy with the one you're with.
As a marketing manager for bespoke software supplier Whitespace, I would like to share some of our 2002 research findings with you.
Bordengate Insurance is currently using Misys, but finds that it is "too expensive and old with no real integration". Misys is also "inflexible and prone to not keeping its promises". Bordengate was talking to Brokersoft regarding a new broker system, "delivered over web as a bureau system", but was expecting teething problems after witnessing many bugs and feature gaps in the initial showings of the software.
Trillium managing director David Baker looked at Misys three years ago and also decided not to buy due to "cost, age of technology and lack of integration". Instead he decided to opt for Software Solution Partners with its Electra M3 Windows based product - so far it looks relatively easy to use.
Stackhouse Poland uses Sirius and CDL; it now finds Sirius stable "as it is being developed on a continuous basis". It finds CDL "difficult to extract data from".
Truman Lincoln director Paul Bryant uses The Agency Manager, and with the UK rights to the software now controlled by InsurE.com, it is becoming a rapidly developing product in the industry.
Emma Jones
Marketing manager
Whitespace
London
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