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May 20, 2004 at 08:00 PM
User group president cites concern about obsolescence as technology advances
by Ara C. Trembly
While the AMS Users’ Group national conference in Indianapolis last month saw multiple technology introductions from AMS Services, the group’s newly elected president said her membership needs to overcome old fears in order to take advantage of technology advances.
“The challenge in the coming year is to get our members involved with the new tools,” said Martha Williamson, new president of the user group, in an interview with National Underwriter. AMSUG agents, she said, “need to be motivated. Everyone’s afraid of changes.”
In particular, agents are afraid of having jobs become “obsolete” due to technology and automation, said Ms. Williamson, personal lines manager of the ONB Insurance Group in Terre aute, Ind. She argued, however, that “with change, our jobs are going to grow. My job has changed dramatically.”
Ms. Williamson noted that she began her career at what is now ONB in 1982 as an accountant, later taking on responsibility for the agency management system as well as staff training. To understand the customer service representative’s function, she became licensed in insurance and took on a small book of commercial lines business. At the same time, she became involved with her local AMS Users’ Group chapter.
