Most businesses working within the delegated authority chain will understand the frustrations that come from different systems' data not lining up. Checking, reconciling and adjusting data is a very manual process and it ties up valuable team members.

For so long, this process has – for the most part – been accepted as there weren’t the right solutions to streamline the process. But it doesn’t need to be that way anymore.

What I’ve seen over the past few years with our partners, and across the market more generally, is a shift away from software tools or systems that try to do everything - therefore making data harder to manage - to something much more effective: connected networks of specialist platforms working seamlessly together.

Why different systems play different roles

This way, tools don’t get stretched beyond their strengths and there’s no scope creep.

This clarity is really important because when systems are asked to do too much, they become too complex. I find that this leads users to find their own workarounds and flows that work for them but go against the system. It all leads to wider friction and poses a greater risk to data integrity.

On the other hand, a well-integrated system or ecosystem keeps things simple. Each part of the process has a clear start and endpoint and there’s no confusion.

Tech providers have a tighter focus on making sure their products do one or two things really well rather than giving in to a temptation to add in more and more which leads to bloating in the platform and a less efficient marketplace. With clear, specialist areas, it’s easy for the customer to see and understand the offering and get the mix that’s exactly right for them.

Moving data properly

It used to be that systems didn’t integrate particularly well and so the reality was that adopting a mix of different systems actually meant rekeying the same data multiple times, with the associated risks of error and of delays.

Today, though, the picture is different.

The right integrations, when driven by APIs that truly work, mean systems are actually connected. Once that relationship is established, the systems speak the same language and operations and reporting are more straightforward. Data only needs to be entered once, and it will flow through the process in near real-time.

For me, this sort of integrated data flow has two positives.

Firstly, it removes effort duplication, so teams spend less time rekeying and more time doing value-add work – great for bottom line and cash-flow.

Secondly, it improves confidence in the data itself because when information moves consistently between systems, it reduces the need for it to be manually manipulated.

Ultimately, this consistency leads to increased trust in the data, and this trust underpins the entire delegated authority process.

Cost-effective integration

What makes this sort of multi-partnered integration work are modern APIs that allow different systems to connect and talk with each other without the vast overheads and aggravation.

For integrations to be successful, they DO still need specialists to oversee the process but the increase of APIs makes them more accessible than before.

A single source of truth

Crucially, having such an integrated system where all parties have complete confidence in the data quality, means that it becomes a single source of truth – that view of the business big picture that you can rely on.

From this single source of truth comes best-in-class reporting that draws from all vendors and this trusted truth leads to better, faster business decisions.

Partner networks as power multipliers

Working with an integrated network of specialist systems and providers rather than taking a one-stop shop approach to technology solutions is a practical response to operational friction. It’s more efficient and reliable and leads to stronger compliance and a clearer view of performance. The whole really is greater than the sum of its parts – the collective impact of a network is more than each of the systems taken individually.

I firmly believe that with providers creating specialist platforms that a) work really well in their specialist area but also b) have interoperability and integration at their core, customers get the best of all worlds.

Zoe has decades of London Market experience across delegated authority operations, underwriting and claims. This experience fuels her passion for product development and innovation which has led to her mission at Insurtech Amarillo, to improve data quality across the DA value chain and help operators #GoBeyondBordereaux