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SMARTer Thinking

Insights and practical guidance drawn from real work improving insurance operations through security, cloud technology, automation, and AI. 

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Insurance agency professional working with an AI agent at a laptop, with text: Your next agency employee might be an AI agent. Is your agency ready?

Your Next Agency Employee Might Be an AI Agent. Is Your Agency Ready?

Why insurance agencies need a secure AI foundation before they put agents to work. For years,

Insurance agency leaders reviewing a transition from disorganized paper records to clean digital agency management system data.

Your Agency Management System Is Only as Strong as the Data Inside It

By Jerry Fetty Most insurance agencies depend on their agency management system every day. It holds

Agency data flowing into secure AI insights for independent insurance agencies

Your Agency Data Is Your Future AI Advantage

AI readiness for independent insurance agencies starts with data ownership, vendor clarity, and institutional knowledge.
AI capacity planning calculator for independent insurance agencies

Can AI Help Your Agency Save Time, or Is It Just Another Tool to Manage?

SMART Services built an AI capacity planning tool to help independent insurance agencies estimate where AI
The Top 5 Cybersecurity Risks Facing Insurance Agencies Right Now - SMART Services

The Top 5 Cybersecurity Risks Facing Insurance Agencies Right Now

Insurance agencies are trusted with sensitive client data. Here are five cybersecurity risks agency owners should
Agency management system data foundation graphic for insurance agencies

The System Changes. The Data Follows.

Your Agency Management System should be the trusted source of truth before AI and automation can

Agentic AI Agents Are Here — and RPA Is Becoming the Exception for Agencies

Agentic AI is changing agency automation. Independent agencies should get agent-ready with clean data, least-privilege access,
Microsoft 365 security warning for insurance agencies about Kali365 phishing risk

FBI Warning on Kali365: Why Insurance Agencies Should Review Microsoft 365 Security Now

The FBI warning about Kali365 is a timely reminder for insurance agencies to review Microsoft 365
AI workflow dashboard for an insurance agency, shown larger and centered

Stop Chasing Tools: The 2026 AI Playbook for Independent Agencies

AI is not the strategy. Faster service, better consistency, stronger relationships, clean data, and clear guardrails
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Shadow AI: The Hidden AI Risk Sitting Inside Most Insurance Agencies

Shadow AI is already inside many independent insurance agencies, often through well-meaning employees using unapproved AI
Cloud Apps Security Playbook image

Cloud Apps Don’t Make Your Agency Safe: A Simple Security Playbook for Independent Agencies

If you run an independent agency, you’re probably using cloud apps: AMS, raters, e-signature, CRM, email,

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Did You Just Get a Calendar Invite from a Stranger? It Might Be a Prompt Injection

Have you received a calendar invite lately from someone you never booked with? That meeting invite

AI Insurance Market image

AI Insurance Market to Skyrocket to $4.8B by 2032: Here’s Why It Matters for Your Agency

AI Insurance Market to Skyrocket to $4.8 B by 2032—Here’s Why It Matters for Your Agency

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Is Your 5-Year-Old Computer Costing You a Fortune?

Keeping a five-year-old computer can feel like saving money. In reality, aging hardware often creates hidden

One Cost-Effective Way to Protect Your Small Business

Don't let a cybersecurity attack financially ruin your small business. Learn how outsourcing your security is

Lessons from a Talking Dinosaur (Just Not the One You’re Thinking Of)

If a talking toy can expose 50,000 private chats, what is your business AI hiding? We

The 3 Biggest Disasters Your Business Faces (And What to Do About Them)

Your business isn’t immune to issues. Here are three you need to be prepared for.

Boost Business Collaboration with the Right Communication Tools

Is your team drowning in emails? Discover the essential communication tools for 2026 that streamline collaboration

Major Vulnerability Found in Bluetooth Headsets with Fast Pair Technology

Is your Bluetooth "Fast Pair" leaving you vulnerable? Discover how the WhisperPair exploit allows hackers to

Four Decades Later, We’re Looking Back to 1986’s Business IT

We’re looking back to see how radical business IT was in the 80s… and how fresh

How to Cut Printing Costs by 40 Percent Using Technology

Stop wasting 1-to-3 percent of your annual revenue on printing. Discover strategic digital transformation tactics, from

Should You Pay Your Vendors and Bills with Crypto?

Is 2026 the year your IT firm accepts crypto payments? We break down the pros and

New to Managed Services? Here Are 3 No-Brainers to Consider

Stop the costly "break-fix" IT cycle! Discover 3 essential managed services—cybersecurity, network care, and disaster recovery—your

Want to Make Security Training Easier? Embrace Micro-Learning

Stop wasting time on annual security videos. Learn how micro-learning helps your team become a human

Why Percussive Maintenance is Killing Your Technology

Stop hitting your devices! Learn why "percussive maintenance" is secretly killing your modern tech and discover

AI Doesn’t Need to Replace Workers

Is AI a threat to your career? Learn why job displacement is only part of the

Your 3-Step Plan to Avoid the Invisible Tax

Stop paying the "Invisible Tax" on your payroll. Discover the hidden costs of tech "Micro-Friction" and

3 Types of Data You’ll Need to Dominate In 2026

Is your business ready to dominate in 2026? Learn how collecting zero-party data, monitoring intent data,

No, It Isn’t Just You… Technology is Getting Worse Over Time

Is your business tech getting worse while costing more? Don't let your tech rot—discover a proactive

You Need to Start Training Against Your Worst Enemy

Find out the 3 crucial reasons why you should conduct simulated phishing attacks to test your

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