During this year’s InsurTech conference, one panel took aim at a common trap agency owners fall into: the urge to “build everything” in-house.

“Success doesn’t come from writing software. It comes from managing it well, aligning it with your goals, and staying agile as AI reshapes the industry.”

If you’ve ever spent hours fiddling with automations, trying to connect systems, or hiring developers to “custom-build” your CRM—you already know the pain. Building your own system feels like control. But too often, it becomes a distraction from what really matters: growth, sales, and client service.

This panel gave us a powerful framework for deciding when to build and when to buy—and it couldn’t be more relevant for today’s insurance agents.

Opportunity Cost Is the Real Cost

Every minute you spend trying to build a tech tool is a minute you’re not:

• Closing deals

• Nurturing relationships

• Training your team

• Recruiting agents

• Expanding your book

The panel made it clear: the smartest move isn’t to build custom solutions—it’s to leverage pre-built tools like Agent CRM that are already optimized for your industry.

“Use tools that are already built to solve the exact problems you’re facing.”

New: Introducing the “Regret Index”

One of the most insightful ideas from the panel was the concept of the “Regret Index.” In short, the pain of building something that doesn’t deliver is far greater than the pain of buying something that falls short. When you build in-house, you invest time, money, team energy, and leadership focus—only to risk ending up with a solution that’s hard to scale or maintain. That’s a high Regret Index. But if a tool you buy doesn’t measure up, you can cancel, pivot, or replace it quickly—with far less sunk cost. For agents and agency owners, this underscores why buying proven, ready-to-deploy tools like Agent CRM is often the smarter, safer move.

AI Isn’t Replacing You—It’s Expanding You

The fear of AI replacing human agents was quickly dismissed. Instead, the panel emphasized that AI will expand what agents can do, not replace them.

What will make the biggest difference?
Agents who learn to manage and use AI—not compete with it.

That means:

• Setting up automation workflows that follow up faster than you could

• Using AI to qualify leads before your first call

• Letting bots handle repetitive service tasks so you can focus on strategy

Agent CRM includes tools like:

• AgentAI (an AI-powered assistant to engage leads)

• Lead scoring

• Smart workflows to handle intake, follow-up, and more

You don’t need to invent these tools. You just need to start using them.

The Rise of Soft Skills in Tech-Driven Agencies

With AI accelerating tasks, the human edge is shifting.

The panel highlighted the growing value of:

• Synthesizing information quickly

• Managing people and systems

• Communicating clearly and effectively

• Making fast decisions with imperfect info

In short, the future belongs to agents who can lead both people and machines.

So instead of building tech, build your team’s skills. Train them to work alongside tools like Agent CRM—to read, act, and adapt faster.

Long-Term Tech Projects Are Out. Fast, Iterative Sprints Are In.

One of the strongest takeaways from the panel:

“Ten-year roadmaps are dead. Think in 90-day increments.”

The tech landscape—especially with AI—is moving too fast to plan a rigid five-year transformation.

Instead, choose platforms that let you make fast changes and small bets. Add features. Test workflows. Try campaigns. Refine.

That’s exactly how Agent CRM is built.
Every user has access to:

• Monthly feature updates

• Live support via Zoom

• A growing library of Branning Bundles and automations

• A customizable, scalable CRM that adapts to your business

Action Items for Insurance Agents (from the Panel)

Here’s what you should start doing now:

✅ 1. Don’t Overbuild Your Tech Stack

You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Agent CRM gives you pre-built automations, forms, funnels, and follow-ups that work right out of the box.

✅ 2. Focus on Opportunity Cost

The more time you spend “setting up,” the less time you spend selling. Use tools that are already integrated and ready to launch.

✅ 3. Invest in Soft Skills

Train your team to read, respond, and lead faster. Make adaptability your superpower—not complexity.

✅ 4. Be AI-Ready

Start with tools you can use today:

• AI lead engagement (AgentAI)

• Workflow automations

• Lead scoring

• Smart follow-up triggers

You don’t need a custom chatbot coded from scratch. Use the ones that are already inside Agent CRM.

✅ 5. Stay Flexible

Pick systems that evolve with you. The future is unpredictable—your tech should be ready for it.

Final Thoughts: Don’t Build What You Can Buy

You didn’t get into insurance to become a software company.

You got into this business to help people, grow your income, and make an impact.
And that means your time is best spent on conversations and conversions—not code.

The smartest agents are already moving away from “custom builds” and into scalable, flexible, AI-powered platforms like Agent CRM.

👉 Ready to stop building and start scaling?
Start your 14-day free trial of Agent CRM today at www.agent-crm.com

Let us handle the tech—so you can focus on what you do best.