Hi Guys,
Thanks for your input and questions. Sorry for not going into too much detail on my original post, I was just curious to see what the initial reaction to this idea would be in general terms.
The idea:
I'd like to build an online adjuster school that focuses on the technology side of the trade. If any of you have ever used lynda.com to learn a specific piece of software, that's the best analogy I can think of at this point.
At first I'd like the three major courses to be Xactimate, Simsol and Symbility. From what I know, those are the most common applications being used by adjusters. Each course would consist of a comprehensive set of instructional videos broken down into logical sections. You could watch an entire course from beginning to end or pick and choose certain topics for each piece of software.
These courses would be updated as the software gets updated to ensure that they are always current. There would probably be a few weeks of lag between the updates being released and the videos being produced. The course creators would need a little time to learn the new features and create new videos.
Once those three major courses are up and running, I'd probably want to explore adding other software that you guys use during a CAT or even for every day claims. FileTrac, Disto (hardware), Eagleview, and even tools such as Dropbox and Google Docs that I know many adjusters have taken to using for claims work. Any courses on non-industry related tools would show how these tools can be used from the adjuster's view point to increase productivity.
Finally, I've got access to a video production team. I'd like to create a video course that basically details "a day in the life of an adjuster." A series of videos for those who might just be starting out and would like to get an idea what the life of a "typical" claim is like from the adjuster's eyes. (Before you reply, yes, I get it...there's no such thing as a typical claim.) However, every claim does have its milestones and I'd like these videos to cover those. Receiving the file, making contact with the insured, inspections, forms, advance payments, scoping, supplements, closing the file..etc. Think of it as a "best practices" type of course for the independent adjuster.
Participation:
Finally, one of the more important parts of the site would be you. I'd like course content to be dictated by what adjusters feel truly needs to be covered. Course creators would be adjusters first and tech people second. A course on software is not as effective if it's not applying real world scenarios and workflow. This would probably include a user forum or instant course feedback options to let us know what you would like to see.
CE Credits:
I've looked into the option of providing CE Credits, but I'm confident this wouldn't be included in the initial release. The approval process and upfront cost of getting certified would slow down the development and release of the site considerably. Maybe it would be added later if you guys really wanted it.
The Price:
A definitive price is not set for this, but I'm pretty confident it wouldn't exceed $20/month. If it did, it wouldn't be by much. You would be able to cancel at any time, no contracts or obligations. I know that the insurance industry is quite a lucrative one, but independent adjusters don't need to be bilked like I'm used to seeing. I think knowledge should be readily accessible to all. Build a quality experience and they will come.
Thoughts:
My question to you guys at this point is: Do the major 3 pieces of software already offer a good set of instructional videos that you have access to by owning a license? If so, is this idea moot? Or do you think this would be a valuable service as long as the videos are well produced and are helpful?
Any feedback would be great! Thanks.
CS