Cell phones aren’t just used for talking anymore. In a survey conducted by Amplitude Research, buyers of new cell phones look at video capability (33%), music (34%), Internet access (61%), e-mail capabilities (63%), camera (67%), and text messaging (73%) as the most important features. For driving in the car, 62% said they would use Bluetooth, while 51% would use the hands-free microphones. Forty-one percent said they send or check e-mails one … [Read more...]
112 million U.S. Adults Have Broadband at Home
The percentage of U.S. households with broadband Internet connections has grown from 12% in 2002 to 49% today, and 112 million U.S. adults now have high-speed Web access at home, according to a study by Scarborough Research. The study, based on a panel of 220,000 adults 18 and older, found significant regional variation in broadband penetration. San Francisco topped the list, with 62% of adults living in households with broadband Web access, … [Read more...]
80% of Americans Concerned about Identity Theft
Bankrate, Inc. released the findings of a national poll that found that eight out of 10 Americans are concerned about their identity being stolen. Furthermore, more than one-third (34%) of Americans know someone who has been a victim of identity theft. According to the Federal Trade Commission, there were approximately 800,000 consumer complaints filed in 2007. Of those complaints, 32% involved identity theft. The total dollar amount in reported … [Read more...]
Attracting New Talent
It is becoming increasingly important for everyone in the insurance industry to take a hard look at our ability to attract new talent. Of the approximately 78 million Baby Boomers, about 8,000 turn 60 every day. The industry has a long way to go in order to attract and retain enough people to replace retiring Boomers. An edited excerpt from a recent e-mail I received highlights at least part of the problem: Dear Sir, I found your article in the … [Read more...]
Too Much Information
The amount of data people create now exceeds the amount of space available for storage. People sent e-mails, took digital pictures, processed credit cards, and generally did things that collectively created 281 exabytes of data by the end of 2007, according to the research company IDC. (“Exabyte” sounds made up, but it’s a real term meaning 1,000,000,000,000 megabytes.) IDC also added up all the computer drives, backup tapes, CDs, DVDs, … [Read more...]
Notebooks Will Surpass Desktop PCs in 2009
Use of notebook computers is on the rise and is poised to surpass desktop PCs in 2009. Notebook shipments in 2008 will hit 136 million units, up 25.8% from 2007, estimated analyst Alex Yang of Lehman Brothers in a report issued in January. By contrast, desktop shipments will decline about 1.3% from 2007 to reach 143 million units. In general, desktops have been on a path of single-digit growth in unit sales, while notebooks have enjoyed several … [Read more...]
Plan Now for Changing Demographics
The biggest expense in any agency is the staff. Of course, a quality staff is also the most valuable asset. Unfortunately, most agents I meet report that they are having a hard time identifying, recruiting, training, and retaining qualified staff. This problem is not going to go away. In fact, it is going to get worse. Changing demographics are going to have a profound effect on the ability of your agency to remain successful. Here are some … [Read more...]
Driving to Distraction
A survey by Liberty Mutual Group and Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) showed that teens considered sending text messages via cell phones to be their biggest driving distraction. Of the teens surveyed, 37% said that text messaging was extremely or very distracting, while 20% said that they were distracted by their emotional states, and 19% said that having friends in the car was distracting. A January 2007 survey by Nationwide found … [Read more...]
