Revolutionizing IT Services

Although the emergence of insurtech has made it imperative for the insurance industry to adopt newer technologies, it can also learn from those who made mistakes, moving forward with less fear of instability and negative impact on customers.

Insurance companies and startups are developing new solutions that are improving the customer experience by minimizing fraud, maximizing transparency and simplifying processes. Digital and app-driven solutions are making it faster and more secure for customers to purchase policies and process insurance claims. Along with new innovations in cloud computing, customer portals, self-service and continuous availability, the insurance industry is now maturing quickly.

3. As a technology veteran, you have worked in many organizations; how do the IT services differ in each of the organizations and what improvements are necessary to achieve the next level?

While I have noticed that quality teams and focus are the keys to providing innovative, secure and stable technology services, motivation for team advancement and culture are the differentiating factors in each organization’s success. It is important for organizations to focus on the root causes of issues, enabling them to stop firefighting and instead invest in long-term innovative changes for customers.

4. Where do you see the future of IT Services headed? How will technology play a key factor in shaping the marketing space?

The focus has moved from rebuilding core functionality to innovation, as IT departments and companies work to build microservices that can be reused for different customer and business needs. Reusable services allow for faster reaction time to changing market demands with less development impact to organizations.

New technology is improving every link in the insurance value chain, including marketing. Email marketing systems and social media marketing platforms are making it easier for companies to connect and build relationships with customers. Marketing clouds are allowing companies to gather and analyze consumer data.

5. Are there any other interesting insights you would like to share with us?

Future success in technology services will require finding the balance between speed to market changes and new processes that improve security and stability for customers and companies. Continued investments in innovation for stabilization and security will enhance an organization’s ability to keep up with the fast pace of customer demands while focusing on lowering costs.

Nicole Chesmore, assistant vice president infrastructure and operations at Grinnell Mutual, received a Bachelor of Arts from The University of Iowa and is certified in ITIL V3; ITIL Planning, Protection and Optimization; ITIL Intermediate Operation Support and Analysis; ITIL Release, Control and Validation, TOGAF level 1, 2; and Continuous Quality Assurance.