Innovation and Technology

Innovation and Technology Are Priorities. That has been one of the core values at my company, the Altman Insurance Agency, since its beginning in 1991. At that time, I was the first insurance agent I knew of in Olympia, Washington who had a cell phone. It was a huge brick phone with a hard rubber black antenna, but I can still remember the first client I got because I had that phone. A desperate call from someone who needed insurance right away, and if my office phone had not been forwarded I would have missed the call and they would have called someone else.

I was the first insurance agent I knew of who started scanning documents into a PC and storing them in folders on a shared network so they could be accessed from any of the terminals in the office. I also installed a computer fax machine so we could send and receive faxes from every computer as well. Those ideas have probably saved thousands of employee hours over the years and allowed us to service our customers quickly and easily.

I can remember the first time a new client said they had found me on the internet at www.altmanagency.com and wanted to do business with me because they had seen my website. We use the internet to find current information on people we want to do business with as well.

Today I am on Twitter and have started a blog. I have hired an employee I met on Facebook and have new customers I met through Biznik. I am in contact with people in places that would have been impossible just a short time ago.

To core value of making innovation and technology priorities has forced us to stay current. After 17 years in business we have gone through many updates, but the purpose is still the same, to offer quality insurance and provide superior customer service.