Tips to Reboot your Organization

By Kitty Ambers, CIC, CPIA, CISR, Chief Operating Officer at AVYST January is a month for growth and renewal. While it can be challenging to regroup after the chaos of the holidays, there is no better time to stop, take a deep breath, and evaluate what’s working well and what may be creating challenges. To…

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Great Consultative Selling Qualities…From my Contractor

Group of 3 people reading architect plans

Kitty Ambers, COO/AVYST I am a master of the ‘task’ list. Several years ago I read David Allen’s very helpful book – ‘Getting Things Done’. Practicing the concepts Allen outlines has reduced my stress level by keeping things organized electronically. One thing Mr. Allen recommends is keeping an ongoing long-term project list at hand. Finally,…

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Small Changes Lead to Big Results

21 days, title page

by Kitty Ambers, COO, AVYST I attended an industry meeting where the concept of the “21-day challenge” for embracing change was discussed. We all agreed on the idea that it takes 21 days of consistent action to begin to create a new habit and is a great place to start.  Diet, exercise, and stop-smoking programs…

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Agents Should Remember to Sell the Sizzle

Title photo, word sizzle with a flame for the "i"

by Kitty Ambers, COO/AVYST An article I read in Daniel Burrus’s TechoTrends newsletter titled, Continuously De-Commoditize, made me think about the concept of product/service de-commoditization as it may relate to the typical insurance agency.  Burrus says, “Look at every product and service you have and ask, ‘Why is this item a commodity?’  Then ask, ‘What…

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Business Basics, Lest We Forget!

Title, Business Basics on chalkboard

by Kitty Ambers, COO, AVYST Several years ago, I had a wonderful week working with a dynamic group of new producers. I facilitated the Certified Professional Insurance Agent (CPIA) designation program as part of an insurance company’s 3-week producer training curriculum, and this was the first week. I was extremely impressed with the caliber, background,…

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Baseball Concepts for Business

Title page "Baseball Concepts for Business" with baseball sitting on a field

I love baseball season! Although the status of Major League baseball was iffy for a while, Opening Day has finally arrived! Each year as the season gets underway, I’m reminded of some parallels between baseball and business. The following are a few ideas that come to mind: Conditioning – Inevitably, at the start of each…

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Insurance Technology and E & O Claims:  What’s the Connection? (Part 1 of 4)

Image of pointing hand and digital elements floating in space

Part 1:  Understanding the Digital Ecosystem Kitty Ambers, CIC, CPIA, CISR Chief Operating Officer, AVYST Independent insurance agencies are striving to deploy technology that offers the promise of providing consumers with a convenient, engaging, and meaningful digital experience.  As part of selecting and implementing new technology, it’s critical for agency leaders to consider the impact…

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