iBoomerang Development Team

Last week, we released the today button which quickly centers the calendar on today (or this week, or this month if you are in those views.) Tomorrow, on Wednesday, July 27, we’ll be releasing the recurring event feature.

The recurring event feature allows an event to occur over and over again. For this design, we opted for a very simple interface. When creating a new recurring event, simply select your frequency from the following list: “Daily”, “Weekly”, “Monthly – Same day of month”, “Monthly – Same week of month”. The system will figure out what you want to do based on the start date and time.

• Daily: Create an event every day at the time selected
• Weekly: Create an event on the same day of the week, every week at the selected time
• Monthly – Same day of month: Create an event on the same numbered day of every month. For example, the 23rd of every month.
• Monthly – Same week of month: Create an event on the same day of the week, in the same week of each month. For example, the 3rd Tuesday of every month.

We also cleaned up the navigation on events, by only showing you options that make sense for the step you are in. For example, we removed the “New Event” option from the “Edit Event” screen. Also, we changed the “Follow Up” menu item to “Calendar”.

I hope you find these features and changes useful and easy to use.

We’ve made some recent additions to the calendar on the power dialer.

A few weeks ago, we added the ability to create custom events. You can mark each event as complete, making the event item useful as a task list. From the day view, you can get a quick summary of completed events. This week, we added a delete button so you can delete those events.

Coming soon, you’ll have a today button which will center the calendar on Today. For example, if you’ve navigated to December, and quickly want to jump back to July, you will be able to hit the Today button and jump back to July (or this week or today, depending on which view you’re using.)

Finally, we’re working on recurring events. You will be able to add a event that can occur on a regular basis (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.).

The Email Template tool has received an update! The history page has been re-made. You can now search your emails but you can now search the WHOLE database instead of the single page like before. On the Sent Emails page, you can search LIVE by typing in the box provided and results provided below without pressing enter.

The search has been updated as well. You can now search by the recipient’s name or email. Before it was just email only – but now it’s email, name, or lists! That’s right folks, you can ALSO search by List!

We hope these changes are more convenient for your stay.

Thanks for using iBoomerang!

We’ve just added a new feature to all Agency in a Box sites! All agent websites now have a “Customer Satisfaction Survey” link on the left-hand margin of their site. The survey is six questions long and may only be taken once per computer.

Results of the surveys will be accessible to the agency administrator through the Agency Back Office.

Just wanted to let everyone know that I just finished an addition to the Training Sessions section. You can now display Training Events on your Agency Calendar.

When you create (or edit) a training event, there is a new option asking if you want to display the training on your calendar. If you select “Yes” it will show up on your agency calendar along with a link for agents to enroll for trainings (if they’re logged in to the system at the time).

Here is another Agency In A Box feature that has been out for a while that not many people know about: “Training Sessions”

Training Sessions offer agencies the ability to organize and maintain continuing education for their agents.  Be it “New Agent Orientation” or “Sales Tips,” agents are able to create and schedule trainings for their agents to attend.

Here are some key terms to familiarize yourself with:

• A training set is group of classes, normally centered around a theme.  For example, “iBoomerang Sales Tools” is a set of classes about iBoomerang Sales Tools and how they can increase your sales.
• A training class is a recurring training about a topic.  For example, “iBoomerang 101″ is a class about the iBoomerang Back Office and the Web Conference Tool.
• A training event is a specific occurrence of a training class.  For example, “iBoomerang 101″ occurs every other Monday at 3:00 pm EST, so one training event for “iBoomerang 101″ would be Monday, May 10, 2010 @ 3:00 pm EST and the next event would be Monday, May 24, 2010 @ 3:00 pm EST.
• A training code is a randomly generated code assigned to each training event.  The host of the training event will give out this code during the training.  Once the training is complete, agents have a limited time frame to enter their training code in their back office to mark their attendance to the training.

This is a simple way for agencies to keep their agents going strong and to make sure all of them are getting the information they need.

Agency administrators have the option of including the “iBoomerang Sales Tools” trainings in their agency trainings in the administration area.

If you have any questions over this addition to the Agency In A Box system, or any other of its features, give us a call at 1-888-370-3609.

Regards,
Charley

This portion of the Agency In A Box system has actually been finished for a while now, but I’m finding that not many users know about it.  So let me formally introduce you to “Agency Resources.”

Merriam-Webster defines a resource as “a source of supply or support : an available means.”  As you expand your business online, it becomes increasingly easy for agents to feel isolated or “left behind” by their agencies.  Agents feel confused about where to go or what to do, while Agencies are feeling equally confused about how to supply information to their ever-growing agent-base.

Enter Agency In A Box Resources.

Agency Administrators can now supply resources all throughout their Agency In A Box System.  Have a recording of a helpful Web Conference training? Pop it up under the Training Resources in your Back Office.  Found an interesting article on increasing sales you want to share to your Managers? Post it on your managers’ “My Downline” pages.  Those are two basic examples but the possibilities are endless.  If you have an item you need to share with multiple agents, Agency In A Box Resources are the way to go.

And they aren’t just for Administrators.  If an agent finds a helpful resource, they may upload it to their Administrators for consideration!

As always, if you have any questions feel free to contact our support team at 1-888-370-3609.

Regards,
Charley

Stop sending e-mail from UrInsuranceGuy16334@aol.com!  No one wants to open that!

Earlier this week, I wrapped up code on a new addition to the Agency In A Box system that allows for e-mail hosting and administrative controls over who gets a mailbox (better known as an “e-mail address”).

Let iBoomerang host your e-mail and here’s what you’ll get:

• Expand your agency brand to your agent e-mail addresses
• Receive up to 1 e-mail address per active agent account, PLUS 10 additional “freebie” mailboxes.
• Access your e-mail from any internet-connected computer via our WebMail system.

Call iBoomerang for more information about using E-Mail with Agency In A Box at 1-888-370-3609.

Regards,
Charley

We’ve expanded the scope of “Agency In A Box” to now include Master General Agencies!

What does that mean to the existing Agency In A Box user? …not much.  In fact, if your agency belongs to an MGA, you probably won’t even notice a change to your system.  However, MGAs now have the ability to join the iBoomerang team and bring all of their sub-agencies under one roof using the Agency In A Box system!

If you have any questions on these changes, feel free to call our sales and support staff at 1-888-370-3609.

Regards,
Charley

P.S., More upgrade announcements that WILL mean a lot to you existing users are on their way.  Stay tuned!

If you haven’t noticed the Agency In A Box progressive incentive page, called “Agency Milestones,” check it out right away!  It’s in your Back Office under A.V. Tracker™ > Agency Milestones.  This is your one-stop spot for agent recognition and they are updated on a nightly-basis.

Here’s what you can expect to find there:

• Top 5 Weeks in Production of All-Time
• Agents currently on a “Beat The Bar” Streak
• Agents currently on a Sales Streak
• Recent First Sales
• Recent Personal Best Weeks
• Upcoming Birthdays
• and the current months Agent Anniversaries

All of these are based on production entered in the A.V. Tracker™ except for “Birthdays” and “Agent Anniversaries”.  You may enter your birthday and enrollment date under My Profile in your agency Back Office.  Don’t worry,  we won’t disclose your age!  Only the date you can expect to receive gifts from your fellow agents!