Why Sidle Insurance & Risk Management Invests in Virtual Assistants

How Account Managers Broke Out of the Back-Office

“Patra made a huge difference in our agency for the better.”

President David Sidle, CIC, CPIA

About Sidle Insurance & Risk Management

Sidle Insurance & Risk Management, an independent insurance agency, has served the diverse needs of businesses, farms, and families in New York for over 50 years.

The Challenge

Growth. It’s on every insurance agency’s agenda. But the insurance industry’s talent crisis makes it difficult to seize even the most promising opportunities. Sidle Insurance & Risk Management knows firsthand the challenges created by a tight supply of skilled workers. “The entire staff was overwhelmed,” said agency President David Sidle, CIC, CPIA. Account managers spent more time in the back office than servicing the book of business, which motivated Sidle to learn more about Patra Assist.

The Solution

Patra consulted with Sidle to learn about the agency’s needs, such as managing policy documents, processing claims, and conducting research. Patra recruited and selected a full-time virtual assistant to seamlessly integrate into Sidle’s environment and operate as an extension of the agency’s team. Patra managed the assistant’s training and onboarding, too. While most new internal hires require 90 days to master an insurance agency’s customer values, management systems, or workflows, a Patra virtual insurance assistant ramps up in as little as two weeks.

Client Profile:

  • Retail Agency
  • New York

Challenges:

  • Industry-wide talent shortage
  • Account managers overtasked with manual, back-office work
  • Poor policyholder experience and retention
  • Reduced growth and profitability

Requirements:

  • Highly-skilled knowledgeable insurance assistants
  • Streamlined talent sourcing, hiring and onboarding
  • Accelerated staff ramp-up time

Patra Solution:

Positive Outcomes:

  • Eliminated office backlog in two weeks
  • Increased account manager productivity
  • Improved policyholder satisfaction and retention
  • Profitable, growing book of business

Results

Sidle saw an immediate, positive impact in 14 days. Patra Assist eliminated office backlog, enabling Sidle’s account managers to the capacity to craft bespoke insurance strategies for its diverse clientele. “My staff could focus on serving our book, reviewing renewals, and writing new business. Our policy and customer retention improved, and new business numbers improved as well,” he said. The assistant’s insurance experience, quality, work ethic and professionalism played a significant role in the agency’s success. As Sidle’s book of business grew, the agency invested in a second virtual assistant. “Patra made a huge difference in our agency for the better,” Sidle confirmed.

Conclusion

The talent crisis is forcing even the most successful agencies like Sidle Insurance & Risk Management to achieve more with fewer resources. That’s why agencies use Patra Assist to achieve their business and operational goals, without the burden of administrative or human resources costs associated with hiring full-time staff. Patra’s virtual assistants help with a variety of insurance back-office and client-facing support, so agencies can focus on business growth and delivering policy holder value.

Businesswoman Smiling

Short on Time & Talent?

Get matched with a Patra Virtual Assistant today.

Patra's Virtual Assistants can perform hundreds of unique insurance-related tasks.

Find Your Match Now