At first, most insurance agents struggle with financial limitations. The average person doesn't become an agent with an unlimited budget. Everything from marketing to office supplies costs money. For better or worse, agents need to spend money to earn money. These same agents need to keep their costs down wherever possible, though. A budget that creeps ever higher too soon can crush brand new agents.One thing insurance agents can do is take advantage of free Customer Relationship Management (CRM). CRM systems allow agents to manage their entire book of business within a single platform. Through a given CRM, the agent can add customers or prospects and track individual interactions with them. Sales and service tasks are handled and logged here to improve overall efficiency and results.
A variety of free and paid CRM solutions are available today. Many free solutions come with limited features or lack certain features altogether. Then again, not all premium CRM solutions provide much more value compared to the expenses involved. Large insurance agents or agencies might not find a suitable free CRM platform to take advantage of nowadays.
Nonetheless, newcomers to the insurance industry shouldn't hesitate to consider free CRM. Agents can always change platforms as they grow, and their CRM needs expand. Most CRM platforms cost a few hundred to a few thousand dollars per year. If an agent can find a free alternative that meets their needs, then they'll save a hefty sum of money the first year or two.
Agents need to exercise caution in choosing a CRM, especially a free solution. The right CRM should come from a reputable provider that prioritizes data security. For the CRM itself, an adequate number of tools and features should be included as well. A clean user interface without intrusive ads is always recommended and desirable.
If a free CRM makes it easy to manage a book of business, then it's recommended. Likewise, platforms that throw in useful features are always desirable. A handful of excellent free platforms are available today, and some are almost comparable to premium options. Agents with a barebone budget shouldn't hesitate to choose these platforms.
In the end, they need to be willing to research individual platforms and find the best solution. The problem isn't that free CRM is always inferior to premium paid options. It's just more challenging to find an excellent free solution due to the sheer number of them available. By finding the right solution, new insurance agents can reduce their expenses until their book grows enough to warrant the purchase of a paid CRM.