 A Special Section Sponsored by Alliance for Productive Technology, Inc.
A Message From the President
Unfortunately, a small but influential group does not share this view. Instead, they contend that agents are willing to accept proprietary alternatives from the fewer and larger surviving carriers, and that somehow the Internet will magically make these proprietary user interfaces alike. These contentions contradict some obvious facts. First and foremost, more and more agents are concluding that proprietary offerings pose a threat to their independence and their ability to compete. Faced with persistent competition and armed with the knowledge that excellent desktop and browser-based SEMCI software offerings are now available, many agents are rejecting proprietary relationships. And as for the Internet by itself being a magical cure-all is concerned, anyone who has tried proprietary interface inside a browser knows that each insurer's user interface remains unique---precisely what a SEMCI solution avoids. Using browsers to mask these differences will merely return the industry to the interactive interface model of the 1970s, albeit with a prettier appearance. All of us at APT are confident that the value of SEMCI will become even more apparent during the coming year, and we are eager to do our part to make it the industry's first choice. By continuing to work together, the Alliance's agents and carriers will enter the next millennium equipped with the very best industry-standard software that insurance know-how and technology have to offer. As the accompanying articles amply demonstrate--the future is SEMCI!
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As the second millennium fades into history and agents grapple with the impact of the Internet and yet another round of carrier mergers, it is becoming increasingly clear that the need for single entry, multiple company interface (SEMCI) is greater than ever.
