In my career, I’ve worked with many independent agents – from health insurance brokers to real estate agents to financial brokers– and one thing has remained constant: it’s always been about relationship building. Cultivating trust, creating referrals and establishing your knowledge as a valued commodity are large components of your livelihood as an insurance broker.

Then, along came technology, which has shaken up your business model. With the digitalization of consumerism, your clients are moving away from in-person meetings. Their days are busy, their time is limited and their dependency on tech tools is skyrocketing. Your customers still want the same quality and amount of communication from you…but they want it in a different format.

Don’t believe me? Here’s some interesting data from a recent LIMRA study showing this shift:

In 1996, a staggering 80 percent of clients purchasing insurance from an agent favored face-to-face dealings. That number drops to only 50 percent in 2013.

How can you deliver exceptional service, build a rapport with your clients, create value and establish personalized relationships through impersonal technology?

Technology and Insurance: Here are the top five tech tips every insurance broker should tap into:

1) Offer self-service benefit tools for your clients.

Your clients will be able to access the benefits info they want, when they want it, on their time, when it’s most convenient for them. Private exchanges are a great solution, with many offering HR and employee access with robust tools. Offering access to a turn-key system will make their jobs easier and, in turn, make you invaluable.

2) Learn and adapt to their communication preferences.

Do your clients prefer emails? Text messages? Whatever format they prefer, try to deliver communication in that form. It will help them receive the important info they need in a way they want to receive it. Plus, your clients will see you as a partner who understands their unique needs.

3) Keep them informed – digitally.

Insurance is in the news a lot and you are undoubtedly busy trying to keep your clients informed with news, important regulation changes and information impacting their business. Streamline your communication through an automated email system and reach all your clients at once, without it looking like a mass email.

Try email systems like MailChimp or ConstantContact to provide a personalized communication experience while saving you time. Many of these providers offer basic accounts at little to no cost. Plus, they have some pretty nice reporting tools that will show you what emails your clients are opening. Why is that important? It will help you learn what information your customers want to receive so you can deliver them valuable information each and every time.

4)  Have a web presence.

The general consensus for consumers is that a credible business has a website. If you don’t, it’s time to jump into 2014. Not tech savvy? Don’t fret. There are many website providers that can create a professional website for you with minimal maintenance on your end.

If you sell individual products, offering them online is important, too. If you’re looking to create an e-commerce site where customers can shop for products, you’ll need to find an experienced website provider who also knows a bit about search engine optimization (SEO). And if you’re wondering why SEO is important, think of the way you search for information. Chances are that it begins online with a search provider. Creating content that targets the keywords your clients are typing in the search engines (Google, Bing, Yahoo and more) allows your website to appear in the search results. A good SEO writer or website provider will help your site get found on search engines.

5) Be mobile.

As consumers, we want information. Immediately. We are accustomed to Google spitting out answers to all of our questions with the click of a key. Your clients expect you to provide information on their benefits, health care reform, and more just as quickly.

If you are having a face-to-face meeting, bring a laptop or tablet with you containing reports, data, and resources you need to answer their questions. By providing instant responses to their questions, you position yourself as a trusted expert and a broker that possesses all the tools they need to support their employees.

Your ability to create valuable relationships with your clients remains unchanged. What has changed is the way you deliver that personalized experience. With the emergence of technology, you can tap into these tools (and more) to connect with your clients on their terms and become more productive in your day-to-day activities. So go on. Nothing to be afraid of. It’s time to embrace the changes and tap into the advantages of these tech tips.