4 Powerful Ways an Upgraded AMS Can Keep Your Agency Competitive

• June 18, 2025

By Brenna Johnson

Independent agents wear a lot of hats. One moment, you’re updating a long-time client’s policy; the next, you’re onboarding a new customer, managing carrier relationships or following up on renewal deadlines. The demands are constant, but there are tools designed to ease your manual workload, boost efficiency and relieve pressure on your agency.

Investing in a modern agency management system (AMS) with next-gen capabilities frees your team from time-consuming tasks and gives your agency the competitive edge it needs to thrive.

Whether you’re a two-person shop or a large team, here are four practical ways to upgrade your AMS and elevate your agency:

1) Say goodbye to repetitive tasks. Without automated triggers or reminders, keeping up with tasks like renewals can quickly take over your day. Manually tracking tasks demands constant attention and too much time spent copying over data. Just one small mistake can lead to a missed renewal and ultimately, lost business.

Agencies who use automated workflows can significantly cut documentation time. With automated renewal technology, there’s no need to dig through client files, reenter data across carrier portals or manually compare quotes.

Further, these tools can automatically identify at-risk accounts, generate alternative quotes and present them to you to review and share with clients, helping you stay ahead and retain more business.

2) Create proposals that pop. When it’s time to share remarketed rates with your clients, static email messages often fall short. They’re not engaging, can easily get lost in inboxes and rarely convey the full picture. This can lead to time-consuming back-and-forth messages and emails with clients to explain coverage details and answer questions. A modern AMS is equipped with tools that change that.

AMS technology increasingly allows users to create interactive, visual quote proposals and deliver remarketed options to clients through secure customer portals. Even better, you can attach personalized explainer videos that walk clients through specific types of coverage.

3) Give your agency the boost it deserves. It’s easy to get so focused on serving clients and managing policies that promoting your agency takes a back seat. But in today’s digital world, online reviews are essential for business growth. When browsing for local businesses, 29% of consumers always read online reviews and 42% regularly read them, according to the BrightLocal “Local Consumer Review Survey 2025.”

Manually requesting reviews can be time-consuming, but automation makes it simple. Use your AMS to automatically send Google review requests to clients after key client interactions, such as new policies or renewals. This not only boosts your agency’s online reputation and visibility but also ensures a steady flow of client feedback with minimal effort.

4) Get a leg up on the competition. A modern AMS provides a clear, real-time view of your company’s performance and overall health. From sales pipelines and customer counts to written policies and premiums, these platforms centralize key data across accounting, sales and revenue. With everything in one system, agents can make faster, more informed decisions, spot growth opportunities and address issues quickly—without bouncing between separate tools or chasing down documents.

Some systems even benchmark your agency against industry peers, offering valuable context on where you stand in the market. This allows you to focus on areas that need improvement while doubling down on where you excel, helping you hone your competitive advantage and make smarter, data-driven decisions for your agency.

Brenna Johnson is vice president of product management at EZLynx.