Streamlining Your New Business Pipeline: The Power of Technology and Automation in Agency Operations

In a recent webinar, I walked through the importance of building an efficient new business pipeline using AgencyZoom, RiskAdvisor, and automation. The goal? Eliminate duplicate entry, streamline intake, and make life easier for agencies and referral partners.

The reality is that many agencies invest in technology but never fully adopt it. They buy software, let it sit on the shelf, and tell themselves, “I’ll get to it later.” That “later” often turns into never, and before you know it, they’re stuck doing things the old way—costing themselves time, money, and efficiency. That’s not a technology problem. That’s a process problem.

The 3 Lead Sources Driving Our New Business Intake 

At my agency, we’ve designed a system where all leads flow into a single source—RiskAdvisor—so that there’s one place for clean data intake. Here’s how we do it:

1. Website Inquiries – Giving Clients Self-Service Options

• Clients can request a personal lines quote through our website. 

They have two choices:

• Fill out a form manually.

• Import their insurance details by sharing their dec pages (using RiskAdvisor’s embedded import tool).

This intake process bridges into AgencyZoom automatically, triggering automations and assigning the lead to the appropriate producer.

2. Inbound Phone Calls – How Our Virtual Employees Handle Intake

• When a client calls for a quote, our Virtual Employees in Colombia answer.

• If the request is for home insurance, they send the client a RiskAdvisor customer-facing form to complete.

• Once submitted, automations kick off, and producers get notified—ready to quote without re-entering data.

3. Referral Partners – Making Their Process Easier

• We work with real estate agents and other referral partners who send us business.

• Instead of back-and-forth emails or missing info, we provide them with a custom referral form that collects 5-6 required data points needed for a homeowners insurance quote.

• As soon as the form is submitted, the lead flows directly into RiskAdvisor, just like any other inquiry.

Three lead sources. One intake system. No duplicate data entry.

The Biggest Agency Mistake: Buying Tech Without Using It 

Adopting technology may feel like a long, tough process, but if you fully commit to using it the right way, it saves time, increases efficiency, and drives more business. Agencies that treat tech as an afterthought are just wasting money. The tools exist to make your life easier—you just have to use them.

By implementing a fully integrated, automated intake process, we’ve been able to:

• Eliminate duplicate entry (gone for over 8 months now).

• Save time by doing it right from the start.

• Make referrals easier for partners, increasing inbound business.

• Ensure all data flows into one system, reducing errors and improving tracking.

The key takeaway? Doing things the right way from the beginning is king. If you invest the time and effort into building a streamlined process, your agency will run smoother, your referral partners will love you, and your business will scale faster.

Is Your Agency Stuck in the Old Way of Doing Things? 

If you’re still manually entering the same data into multiple systems, it’s time to change. Technology isn’t the enemy—it’s the fastest way to free up your time so you can focus on growing your book of business instead of wrestling with inefficient processes.

The agencies that win are the ones that adapt. Are you ready? 

Click this link to schedule a one-on-one demo with Davie Holt.