Channel Harvest Research is preparing to field its fifth major project in the Independent Agency System—a comprehensive survey of agents’ attitudes about various aspects of working with insurance carriers.

Despite lingering economic issues and a prolonged soft market, winning insurance carriers in the Independent Agency System are maintaining books of business—and even growing. How are they doing that? In part, these carriers have a keen understanding of what drives placement decisions by their key sales force: independent agents and brokers. They seek out actionable information on agents’ perceptions and priorities. And with that knowledge they can leverage relationships to drive new and renewal business.

Where do insurance companies get authentic information about agent priorities? Internal company surveys are limited: You can’t get the perspective of the broader agency community, and you don’t see your company vis-à-vis your competitors. Plus, respondents typically are more candid when responding to independent, third-party research.

Channel Harvest plans to launch its 2012 survey in February, with analysis and report delivered to clients in the end of March.

This study will dive deeply into specific actions carriers can take to earn more business from agents, by exploring what really matters to them, which carriers are superior in various areas, and exactly what makes them break out from the pack.