Gain From Your Peers Experiences

See how your competition and the market has cut costs and become more efficient in this endless downturn:

We are wading through the longest recession since 1930. We know it feels longer than that for you but are you interested in knowing how your peers coping with this down trend to reduce costs. What you can learn from their experiences. Find out more from the survey VA research conducted...

Since the start of the recession a year and half ago we have had everyone talking about costs. Our Vantage Agora consulting team has during this period talked to several decision makers in different companies. Here is what they are thinking in terms of cost savings and some of the good and bad that...Read more

About the Author

As the founder of Vantage Agora (VA), Harsha has been instrumental in the growth of the company since its inception. Harsha has over 20+ years of experience in consulting, Enterprise Social Networking, Business Intelligence,  and Process improvement. His work with companies such as Fidelity, American Airlines, I2 Technologies, etc, has made him an Expert in Business intelligence and Process improvement. 

Harsha has developed a patent pending 'Enterprise Social Network – VA Club', Harsha also has 4 process improvement patents.

Harsha graduated MBA from southern Methodist University (SMU) Dallas, a masters in Computer Science from Louisiana State University (LSU) Baton Rouge, and a Bachelors in Engineering from Bangalore University (BU).

About Vantage Agora

Vantage Agora (VA) is a global provider of back-office solutions, custom IT services and consulting services for companies in the insurance, finance, and healthcare sectors. As a SSAE 16 Type II audited company, Vantage Agora utilizes advanced data processing and quality control systems on a secured network to ensure efficient, comprehensive management of back-office functions such as insurance, accounting, financial and administrative tasks. Founded in 2004, Vantage Agora has offices in Cleveland and Dallas.

Know more about Harsha and Vantage Agora.

Need For The Expert

"To become better than the best in today’s world of cut-throat competition & where time is money, requirement of an expert becomes a very essential asset, to gain a competitive advantage". Does your company have the experts & their expertise to give you that competitive advantage?  Want to learn how to use an expert’s expertise to achieve your business goals then read on, in this edition of Agora Times we look at the importance of “the need for an expert”.

If you look up a dictionary for the meaning of an expert, you would probably find that an expert is generally, a person with extensive knowledge or ability based on research, experience, or occupation and in a particular area of study. This is the kind of expertise...Read more

About the Author

As the founder of Vantage Agora (VA), Harsha has been instrumental in the growth of the company since its inception. Harsha has over 20+ years of experience in consulting, Enterprise Social Networking, Business Intelligence,  and Process improvement. His work with companies such as Fidelity, American Airlines, I2 Technologies, etc, has made him an Expert in Business intelligence and Process improvement. 

Harsha has developed a patent pending 'Enterprise Social Network – VA Club', Harsha also has 4 process improvement patents.

Harsha graduated MBA from southern Methodist University (SMU) Dallas, a masters in Computer Science from Louisiana State University (LSU) Baton Rouge, and a Bachelors in Engineering from Bangalore University (BU).

About Vantage Agora

Vantage Agora (VA) is a global provider of back-office solutions, custom IT services and consulting services for companies in the insurance, finance, and healthcare sectors. As a SSAE 16 Type II audited company, Vantage Agora utilizes advanced data processing and quality control systems on a secured network to ensure efficient, comprehensive management of back-office functions such as insurance, accounting, financial and administrative tasks. Founded in 2004, Vantage Agora has offices in Cleveland and Dallas.

Know more about Harsha and Vantage Agora.

Does YOUR Business Have The Back-Office Advantage?

Firstly the question arises “Why is there a need for a back-office expert?" The need for the expert arises when there is an opportunity. Do you know what this opportunity is for your organization?

A back-office expert helps you gain having worked in a focus area. Vantage Agora is also an expert in providing outsourced back office solutions for small and medium size companies to get the advantages that were previously available only to larger companies. As most of our focus is in the insurance sector we have identified that the trend “Vertical Separation” applies very well to our...Read more

About the Author

As the founder of Vantage Agora (VA), Harsha has been instrumental in the growth of the company since its inception. Harsha has over 20+ years of experience in consulting, Enterprise Social Networking, Business Intelligence,  and Process improvement. His work with companies such as Fidelity, American Airlines, I2 Technologies, etc, has made him an Expert in Business intelligence and Process improvement. 

Harsha has developed a patent pending 'Enterprise Social Network – VA Club', Harsha also has 4 process improvement patents.

Harsha graduated MBA from southern Methodist University (SMU) Dallas, a masters in Computer Science from Louisiana State University (LSU) Baton Rouge, and a Bachelors in Engineering from Bangalore University (BU).

About Vantage Agora

Vantage Agora (VA) is a global provider of back-office solutions, custom IT services and consulting services for companies in the insurance, finance, and healthcare sectors. As a SSAE 16 Type II audited company, Vantage Agora utilizes advanced data processing and quality control systems on a secured network to ensure efficient, comprehensive management of back-office functions such as insurance, accounting, financial and administrative tasks. Founded in 2004, Vantage Agora has offices in Cleveland and Dallas.

Know more about Harsha and Vantage Agora.

Insurance Visibility

My Father was back from Church, on a pleasant Sunday Morning. The educative look on his face indicated that he might have found or learnt something new from the teachings. He walked in straight towards mom, who was busy preparing breakfast for us, carried her around the house with a huge smile, put her back on the ground and carried on with his work. Needless to say we got the best breakfast that morning!  Surprised I asked my father "What was that?" My father looked at me and replied "Son, God said smile and carry your own challenges, all will be fine."

Visibility: My dad carrying mom around the house
Result: Made my mom happy! Added benefit, a lesson that we would remember for the rest of our lives.

Can apply this to our insurance vertical?

Now in our business we have exactly the same challenges. Our agents, reinsurers, customers & vendors all need visibility on how they can...Read more

About the Author

As the founder of Vantage Agora (VA), Harsha has been instrumental in the growth of the company since its inception. Harsha has over 20+ years of experience in consulting, Enterprise Social Networking, Business Intelligence,  and Process improvement. His work with companies such as Fidelity, American Airlines, I2 Technologies, etc, has made him an Expert in Business intelligence and Process improvement. 

Harsha has developed a patent pending 'Enterprise Social Network – VA Club', Harsha also has 4 process improvement patents.

Harsha graduated MBA from southern Methodist University (SMU) Dallas, a masters in Computer Science from Louisiana State University (LSU) Baton Rouge, and a Bachelors in Engineering from Bangalore University (BU).

About Vantage Agora

Vantage Agora (VA) is a global provider of back-office solutions, custom IT services and consulting services for companies in the insurance, finance, and healthcare sectors. As a SSAE 16 Type II audited company, Vantage Agora utilizes advanced data processing and quality control systems on a secured network to ensure efficient, comprehensive management of back-office functions such as insurance, accounting, financial and administrative tasks. Founded in 2004, Vantage Agora has offices in Cleveland and Dallas.

Know more about Harsha and Vantage Agora.

IT As A Strategic Tool

We have all heard the phrase information is power. When we heard this phrase in B-Schools or business magazines or in a business discussion we all nod our heads in agreements. Let us face it. This is far from the truth when it comes to IT department in our own companies.

Really in most companies IT department is doing nothing than a lip service. Most CxOs use IT as though it is a necessary evil. Most “C” and “V” level people invest in IT as though they invest in paper. “We have to invest 2% of our revenue...Read more

About the Author

As the founder of Vantage Agora (VA), Harsha has been instrumental in the growth of the company since its inception. Harsha has over 20+ years of experience in consulting, Enterprise Social Networking, Business Intelligence,  and Process improvement. His work with companies such as Fidelity, American Airlines, I2 Technologies, etc, has made him an Expert in Business intelligence and Process improvement. 

Harsha has developed a patent pending 'Enterprise Social Network – VA Club', Harsha also has 4 process improvement patents.

Harsha graduated MBA from southern Methodist University (SMU) Dallas, a masters in Computer Science from Louisiana State University (LSU) Baton Rouge, and a Bachelors in Engineering from Bangalore University (BU).

About Vantage Agora

Vantage Agora (VA) is a global provider of back-office solutions, custom IT services and consulting services for companies in the insurance, finance, and healthcare sectors. As a SSAE 16 Type II audited company, Vantage Agora utilizes advanced data processing and quality control systems on a secured network to ensure efficient, comprehensive management of back-office functions such as insurance, accounting, financial and administrative tasks. Founded in 2004, Vantage Agora has offices in Cleveland and Dallas.

Know more about Harsha and Vantage Agora.

Logical And Physical Separation

In the latter half of 2009 while we were in the process of acquiring our first new customer for the BPO operations of Vantage Agora other than our first customer we went through and discussed and put together systems and procedures that will make sure that there is no infringement of data or otherwise happens from one customer to another. This document lists out all the areas that we have considered to ensure that there is logical and physical separation.

Introduction

In this document we have segregated the efforts into three main sections

People: That deals with how we are allocating people to different projects without having access or skills to other projects or customers.

Process: Here we will address how systems, access and training are separated from one customer to another and thereby making sure that separation in processes.

Projects: All projects have separate reporting and SOP for which we have created SOP of interaction for each customer. This is attached as an appendix to this document in the form links to make sure...Read more

About the Author

As the founder of Vantage Agora (VA), Harsha has been instrumental in the growth of the company since its inception. Harsha has over 20+ years of experience in consulting, Enterprise Social Networking, Business Intelligence,  and Process improvement. His work with companies such as Fidelity, American Airlines, I2 Technologies, etc, has made him an Expert in Business intelligence and Process improvement. 

Harsha has developed a patent pending 'Enterprise Social Network – VA Club', Harsha also has 4 process improvement patents.

Harsha graduated MBA from southern Methodist University (SMU) Dallas, a masters in Computer Science from Louisiana State University (LSU) Baton Rouge, and a Bachelors in Engineering from Bangalore University (BU).

About Vantage Agora

Vantage Agora (VA) is a global provider of back-office solutions, custom IT services and consulting services for companies in the insurance, finance, and healthcare sectors. As a SSAE 16 Type II audited company, Vantage Agora utilizes advanced data processing and quality control systems on a secured network to ensure efficient, comprehensive management of back-office functions such as insurance, accounting, financial and administrative tasks. Founded in 2004, Vantage Agora has offices in Cleveland and Dallas.

Know more about Harsha and Vantage Agora.

Implementing Strategies To success. Is There A Way Out At All?

For a long time I have wondered how to effectively manage organizations. I was disgruntled as a manager. While I put on a brave face, I know I was not happy with the way my team and company operated. One problem always escaped me. The problem was simple. We have been told to Manage By Objective(MBO) (Refer to Kaplan’s Balance Score Card, a must read, wonderful book for all managers. The gist of the book is...Read more

About the Author

As the founder of Vantage Agora (VA), Harsha has been instrumental in the growth of the company since its inception. Harsha has over 20+ years of experience in consulting, Enterprise Social Networking, Business Intelligence,  and Process improvement. His work with companies such as Fidelity, American Airlines, I2 Technologies, etc, has made him an Expert in Business intelligence and Process improvement. 

Harsha has developed a patent pending 'Enterprise Social Network – VA Club', Harsha also has 4 process improvement patents.

Harsha graduated MBA from southern Methodist University (SMU) Dallas, a masters in Computer Science from Louisiana State University (LSU) Baton Rouge, and a Bachelors in Engineering from Bangalore University (BU).

About Vantage Agora

Vantage Agora (VA) is a global provider of back-office solutions, custom IT services and consulting services for companies in the insurance, finance, and healthcare sectors. As a SSAE 16 Type II audited company, Vantage Agora utilizes advanced data processing and quality control systems on a secured network to ensure efficient, comprehensive management of back-office functions such as insurance, accounting, financial and administrative tasks. Founded in 2004, Vantage Agora has offices in Cleveland and Dallas.

Know more about Harsha and Vantage Agora.

The External Auditors Are Coming…

New federal regulations and taking on external auditors

With new federal regulations you will have to deal with external audits… TODAY!!! Are you ready?

The new federal regulation/external audits can be a nightmare and potentially can kill your business overnight if not addressed properly. In this article we have provided information to help you know what these regulations are, how to get your business to the next level and come out ahead of your competition.

1. What is this new bill proposing? First and foremost understand what you are on the hook for as a company with the new regulations. "The Bill"

2. Know your enemy: Know who can request for an audit on your organization. In most cases it can be your prospects, customers, the government (sometimes influenced by your competition) that can request for an audit...Read more

About the Author

As the founder of Vantage Agora (VA), Harsha has been instrumental in the growth of the company since its inception. Harsha has over 20+ years of experience in consulting, Enterprise Social Networking, Business Intelligence,  and Process improvement. His work with companies such as Fidelity, American Airlines, I2 Technologies, etc, has made him an Expert in Business intelligence and Process improvement. 

Harsha has developed a patent pending 'Enterprise Social Network – VA Club', Harsha also has 4 process improvement patents.

Harsha graduated MBA from southern Methodist University (SMU) Dallas, a masters in Computer Science from Louisiana State University (LSU) Baton Rouge, and a Bachelors in Engineering from Bangalore University (BU).

About Vantage Agora

Vantage Agora (VA) is a global provider of back-office solutions, custom IT services and consulting services for companies in the insurance, finance, and healthcare sectors. As a SSAE 16 Type II audited company, Vantage Agora utilizes advanced data processing and quality control systems on a secured network to ensure efficient, comprehensive management of back-office functions such as insurance, accounting, financial and administrative tasks. Founded in 2004, Vantage Agora has offices in Cleveland and Dallas.

Know more about Harsha and Vantage Agora.

Getting The Best Out Of The BOSS

Health insurance companies are rapidly learning how outsourcing business processes allows them to address key issues without worrying about routine back-office functions. Companies that implement back office support services (BOSS) can grow their enterprises by focusing on core competencies including customer service, innovative plans, provider relations, underwriting and building networks.

BOSS leverages service providers to provide and manage an organization’s business processes and applications, such as data entry, billing and claims adjudication, to name a few. Partnering with a service provider delivers benefits that help health plans succeed in the marketplace. These benefits include the ability to reduce transaction costs; improve service levels; speed membership growth without adding infrastructure; and focus on core competencies and lines of business.

Many health insurance companies have determined this partnering model and engaging all or a portion of the administrative workload is the most economical and strategic...Read more

About the Author

As the founder of Vantage Agora (VA), Harsha has been instrumental in the growth of the company since its inception. Harsha has over 20+ years of experience in consulting, Enterprise Social Networking, Business Intelligence,  and Process improvement. His work with companies such as Fidelity, American Airlines, I2 Technologies, etc, has made him an Expert in Business intelligence and Process improvement. 

Harsha has developed a patent pending 'Enterprise Social Network – VA Club', Harsha also has 4 process improvement patents.

Harsha graduated MBA from southern Methodist University (SMU) Dallas, a masters in Computer Science from Louisiana State University (LSU) Baton Rouge, and a Bachelors in Engineering from Bangalore University (BU).

About Vantage Agora

Vantage Agora (VA) is a global provider of back-office solutions, custom IT services and consulting services for companies in the insurance, finance, and healthcare sectors. As a SSAE 16 Type II audited company, Vantage Agora utilizes advanced data processing and quality control systems on a secured network to ensure efficient, comprehensive management of back-office functions such as insurance, accounting, financial and administrative tasks. Founded in 2004, Vantage Agora has offices in Cleveland and Dallas.

Know more about Harsha and Vantage Agora.

Why a Producer’s Understanding Of Risk Securitization Is Important

In today’s insurance market, the wholesaler or agent’s production role has remained traditional: prospect, service and understand the needs of existing clients, and perform the necessary due diligence to verify that the policy issued by the insurer is the one intended originally by the client. These activities are undertaken in an environment that is always being perturbed, from technological advances that permit producers to spend more time to write more business, to the current state of the insurance cycle to changes in the legal environment that alter affect how policy language should be interpreted. 

A rising wave that we believe will be enduring is risk securitization and its impact on insurance markets is now being forecast. In this note, we call upon the recent work of J. David Cummins of Temple University and the Wharton School along with Philippe Trainar of SCOR in Paris, entitled “Securitization, Insurance and Reinsurance,” published in a September 2009 article in the Journal of Risk and Insurance, and give some...Read more

About the Author

As the founder of Vantage Agora (VA), Harsha has been instrumental in the growth of the company since its inception. Harsha has over 20+ years of experience in consulting, Enterprise Social Networking, Business Intelligence,  and Process improvement. His work with companies such as Fidelity, American Airlines, I2 Technologies, etc, has made him an Expert in Business intelligence and Process improvement. 

Harsha has developed a patent pending 'Enterprise Social Network – VA Club', Harsha also has 4 process improvement patents.

Harsha graduated MBA from southern Methodist University (SMU) Dallas, a masters in Computer Science from Louisiana State University (LSU) Baton Rouge, and a Bachelors in Engineering from Bangalore University (BU).

About Vantage Agora

Vantage Agora (VA) is a global provider of back-office solutions, custom IT services and consulting services for companies in the insurance, finance, and healthcare sectors. As a SSAE 16 Type II audited company, Vantage Agora utilizes advanced data processing and quality control systems on a secured network to ensure efficient, comprehensive management of back-office functions such as insurance, accounting, financial and administrative tasks. Founded in 2004, Vantage Agora has offices in Cleveland and Dallas.

Know more about Harsha and Vantage Agora.

Technology's Effect On Property-Casualty Insurance Operations

Synopsis: 

The post Glass-Steagall era has presented insurers with new opportunities and risks during a

time when information flows and business processes are being impacted by changing technology.  In this paper, the author explores how insurers use and perceive current technology to carry out their operations by reporting results from a sample of insurers that includes some of the nation’s largest property & casualty insurers.   

Among insurers in the sample an on-line channel is having a significant impact on customer retention and revenue enhancement, but a lesser impact on cost...Read more

About the Author

As the founder of Vantage Agora (VA), Harsha has been instrumental in the growth of the company since its inception. Harsha has over 20+ years of experience in consulting, Enterprise Social Networking, Business Intelligence,  and Process improvement. His work with companies such as Fidelity, American Airlines, I2 Technologies, etc, has made him an Expert in Business intelligence and Process improvement. 

Harsha has developed a patent pending 'Enterprise Social Network – VA Club', Harsha also has 4 process improvement patents.

Harsha graduated MBA from southern Methodist University (SMU) Dallas, a masters in Computer Science from Louisiana State University (LSU) Baton Rouge, and a Bachelors in Engineering from Bangalore University (BU).

About Vantage Agora

Vantage Agora (VA) is a global provider of back-office solutions, custom IT services and consulting services for companies in the insurance, finance, and healthcare sectors. As a SSAE 16 Type II audited company, Vantage Agora utilizes advanced data processing and quality control systems on a secured network to ensure efficient, comprehensive management of back-office functions such as insurance, accounting, financial and administrative tasks. Founded in 2004, Vantage Agora has offices in Cleveland and Dallas.

Know more about Harsha and Vantage Agora.

How Do You Stay Alive In This Economy?

We have all heard of the phrase “If you don’t grow you Die”! Seems ominous, but history has proved this statement to be true time and time again. Sadly, it seems to be true even in down markets. Some of you must be saying, “What??!! Are you kidding me? We are trying to survive here and you are telling me that I should grow”. Well, there is a way out! Some of our customers and prospects (VA partners) are already beginning to take advantage of this process. In this article I am going to talk about three basic steps that VA partners have followed and successfully come out ahead in this soft market. But before we start I must say that for this strategy to succeed one must be ‘consistent to the purpose’, meaning, one...Read more About the Author As the founder of Vantage Agora (VA), Harsha has been instrumental in the growth of the company since its inception. Harsha has over 20+ years of experience in consulting, Enterprise Social Networking, Business Intelligence,  and Process improvement. His work with companies such as Fidelity, American Airlines, I2 Technologies, etc, has made him an Expert in Business intelligence and Process improvement.  Harsha has developed a patent pending 'Enterprise Social Network – VA Club', Harsha also has 4 process improvement patents. Harsha graduated MBA from southern Methodist University (SMU) Dallas, a masters in Computer Science from Louisiana State University (LSU) Baton Rouge, and a Bachelors in Engineering from Bangalore University (BU). About Vantage Agora Vantage Agora (VA) is a global provider of back-office solutions, custom IT services and consulting services for companies in the insurance, finance, and healthcare sectors. As a SSAE 16 Type II audited company, Vantage Agora utilizes advanced data processing and quality control systems on a secured network to ensure efficient, comprehensive management of back-office functions such as insurance, accounting, financial and administrative tasks. Founded in 2004, Vantage Agora has offices in Cleveland and Dallas. Know more about Harsha and Vantage Agora.