Looking Forward to IASA: Aite Group’s Stephen Applebaum

Hot topics discussed at the conference include business innovation and agile process transformation; the management and analysis of “big data”; a focus on customer-centricity; and evolving mobile and portal solutions for insurance distribution.

IASA 2012 will bring together about 2,500 insurance industry participants as carrier, analyst, press and vendor representatives meet at the San Diego Convention Center, noted Chicago-based Aite Group senior analyst Stephen Applebaum, who specializes in the P&C insurance segment, in a conversation we had related to our efforts to meet at the show. Steve noted the more than 200 exhibitors and almost 100 educational sessions. I might add that the registration list suggests that an encouraging number of senior insurance technology officers will be in attendance.

Among some of the hot topics Applebaum expects to see discussed at the conference are business innovation and agile process transformation; the management and analysis of “big data”; a focus on customer-centricity; and evolving mobile and portal solutions for insurance distribution. I can corroborate the latter as moderator of session 371, Ease of Doing Business: Distribution Channel Collaboration, Automation & Portals, scheduled for Tuesday, June 5th, from 9:45 am to 10:45 am.

[For more on innovation in insurance distribution see: Agency Management Systems vs. Carrier Portals: The Battle for Insurance Agents' Desktops.]

Applebaum expects to see activities on the show floor and in the sessions reflecting heightened competition between both established and new vendors, along with pitches reflecting the increasing roster of vendors offering integrated core systems suites. He added:

In the exhibit hall, this interest will extend to robust software suites and add-ons that can provide a single view of the customer and greater customer engagement across the enterprise and also enable and support mobility — B2B and B2C. A growing number of smaller, early stage vendors with scalable solutions will begin to appear and they will attract interest from not only carriers but larger, more mature technology vendors seeking strategic alliances or simply scoping their own next product enhancements. On another front, watch for traditional outsource service vendors to introduce new and more innovative business models, including outcome-based pricing and gain sharing to better align vendor/client interests.

Anthony O'Donnell has covered technology in the insurance industry since 2000, when he joined the editorial staff of Insurance & Technology. As an editor and reporter for I&T and the InformationWeek Financial Services of TechWeb he has written on all areas of information ... View Full Bio