Our manager of sales, AJ Underwood, participated in an interview for the insurance podcast, Foresight with Forsythe to talk about insurance agency auto dialer, Call Logic. A transcript of the podcast is below.
Chris Forsythe:
Welcome to the Foresight with Forsythe podcast, the podcast where we discuss life’s challenges, embrace them, and conquer. Welcome to today’s show. So we come to you today [with] AJ Underwood. He is a sales manager for Double A Solutions. Good afternoon, AJ, how are you today?
AJ Underwood:
I’m very good, Chris. Thank you for asking. And thanks for the opportunity.
Chris Forsythe:
Absolutely. How’s the weather out there on the East Coast?
AJ Underwood:
It’s freezing cold.
Chris Forsythe:
Is it really?
AJ Underwood:
I think we hit 16 degrees today.
Chris Forsythe:
Oh, dang.
AJ Underwood:
So next week, though, [it’s] supposed to be in the 40s. So t-shirt and shorts weather.
Chris Forsythe:
For Christmas? Yeah. So we’re, we’re right in the 50s. Today we’ve been experiencing kind of the same temperatures, but we’re in the 50s today. So it’s actually a heatwave for the Midwest.
AJ Underwood:
Okay, so then we’re not the only one that has weird weather.
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Chris Forsythe:
Right? Yeah. Well, so thank you for coming on the podcast. The main reason for this podcast is to discuss things and put things out there [to] hopefully help the listeners. And so today, our main reason [for the show] is to discuss Call Logic’s platform. I know I love it, [my] office is an avid user of it. But I also want to take a step back and really talk about Double A Solutions. Kind of what all you offer in your portfolio. I know you offer the Aline phone services, Blitz Sales Software, and Janitorial Manager and then Call Logic. So A.J., do you wanna spend a little time just kind of talking through your portfolio and what you do there at Double A [Solutions]?
AJ Underwood:
Sure. Yeah. And again, thank you for having me. I got a chance to listen to some previous episodes of yours. I’m a big fan. So, thanks again for having me on.
Chris Forsythe:
Thank you.
AJ Underwood:
Just to kind of give you a stepped back view of Double A Solutions. Our flagship software is the Blitz video software: customer relationship management tool, management tool, [and] prospect management tool. That’s kind of where it all started years and years ago. Our owner, Archie, built the program. And it’s evolved to this day and it’s a great product. We have a voiceover internet phone system, Aline phone systems, and that speaks directly to your current internet connection. So, [Aline is] just kind of a new name in the phone business. But, the way that things are trending is that we’re kind of getting away from the archaic copper wiring, and the old landline and the operator. We’re moving away from all of that, and the future is going to be, you know, phone systems that run through the internet superhighway. And then, of course, kind of the reason why we’re talking today [is because of] Call Logic, our amazing insurance agency auto dialer.
Chris Forsythe:
True. Yeah, and I’ve been able to experience it. And [I’ve been] having really good results, and I can talk to those in a little bit. But yeah, so you [have] Aline phone services. Basically, where’s your customer base? Is it more national [for Aline]?
AJ Underwood:
A little bit of both, a little bit of all the above, really. So we have a national reach because, as you know, we have some partnerships with the insurance industry across the country. And a lot of insurance folks have found great use out of our CRM, and [couple that CRM] with our voiceover internet phone system. And then obviously, [add] the insurance agency auto dialer [into] the mix. But we’re based out of Northwest Ohio here in Toledo. And there [are] basically two main phone providers in this area, and everybody seems to despise them.
Chris Forsythe:
Okay.
AJ Underwood:
We try to capitalize on that. We’re trying to broaden our horizons from a regional standpoint. And then, obviously, still focus on our partnerships and a national view as well.
Chris Forsythe:
Okay. Okay, that makes sense. And that helps kind of explain that service. Then, [as I’m] kind of looking through everything, Janitorial Manager?
AJ Underwood:
The Janitorial Manager piece is something that we’re very proud of and is growing so rapidly because it can appeal to so many different markets. It can appeal to the mom and pop cleaning shops. [And] it can appeal to the in-house providers at football stadiums, at airports, at hospitals. The ability to have a 30,000-foot view of your cleaning operation with work orders [and] employee timekeeping and management. There’s just so many features– [like] inventory– so many features that can help any company that’s in the janitorial business. Again, from large to small.
Chris Forsythe:
Okay. Basically, like you said, [Janitorial Manager helps] the mom and pops to… what’s your largest? I mean, what’s an average customer [of Janitorial Manager]?
AJ Underwood:
We’re actually doing business with universities all across the country. So really large [customers] that have, you know, millions of cleanable square feet. And then we do business with the startups, the little mom and pop startups that are focused regionally or locally. Again, the beauty of the software, Janitorial Manager, is that it [appeals] to any size [organization] within the industry.
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Chris Forsythe:
Okay. My wheels are spinning right now because being in the insurance industry and insuring these [types of] folks, I can see some benefit [to them using] you all [as a resource]. So that’s interesting.
AJ Underwood:
You’re a salesperson [too].
Chris Forsythe:
Right?
AJ Underwood:
Yeah, the wheels are always spinning.
Chris Forsythe:
Yeah. Okay. And see, I don’t know if we spoke much on the Blitz Sales Software.
AJ Underwood:
Yeah, so again, kind of our flagship program and what ultimately got our foot in the door in the insurance industry. The ability to manage your leads and your prospects all in a kind of one-stop-shop program. Conversations that are had [as well as] phone calls [and] emails, are time-stamped [and] dated. You probably know it better than anybody else. You can have multiple leads [and] multiple prospects. It’s difficult at times, to keep, you know, certain conversations straight. [For example], I have a difficult time remembering what I had for dinner last night, let alone what I talked to [with] a potential prospect a week and a half ago. But with Blitz, we can take that off your plate, make sure all [of] those conversations are forever entrenched [in the software]. [With] the lead management tool, we have a completely automated system that can work on your behalf [by sending] out emails [and scheduling] reminders based on renewal dates and based on a number of different things. The Blitz Sales Software is a program that is so robust, but it’s robust on the back end, right? With the automation and the workflow allowing anybody who’s using it, anyone who’s in sales, specifically, to focus on the important things; and that’s expanding their reach and building their brand.
Chris Forsythe:
Okay. Okay. Very interesting. And yes, you’re absolutely right [about] the sales portion of that. And going back [to] when I first got into insurance, and I thought I [could] remember all [of] those conversations and all that follow up. Well, I learned really quick that it’s priceless to have that information in front of you because it opened up the door to so many more conversations with those folks when I do my follow up that I was missing before.
AJ Underwood:
Yeah, exactly. It’s that personal touch, right? Remembering what you spoke to them about two weeks ago. Which, odds are, they’ve forgotten what they spoke to you about two weeks ago [too]. But remembering, ‘Hey, you told me two weeks ago that your wife was sick with the flu, how’s she feeling?’ You know, [saying], ‘Did she get to feeling better?’ And they’re like, ‘Oh, wow! Thank you so much for asking.’ And so it’s that personal touch. Obviously, we’re salespeople. But we’re also establishing connections and building relationships. So with Blitz, you have the opportunity to do things like that.
Chris Forsythe:
Awesome. And then to move onto Call Logic, which is kind of what the podcast is [about] today. And, [as] I said, it’s something we use [daily] in the office, between my CSR and myself and my marketing person. But do you mind expanding a little bit on Call Logic and what it is, a cloud-based system, and all that?
AJ Underwood:
Sure. Yes, so first and foremost, thank you for using Call Logic.
Chris Forsythe:
Absolutely.
AJ Underwood:
And yes, secondly, so Call Logic is kind of neat. We actually had been partners with Call Logic for years, and it was integrated with Blitz and we used it. And then in 2017, our company, Double A solutions, acquired Call Logic. So this allowed us to further integrate with our products, really to perfection. The acquisition gave our development team an opportunity to tailor Call Logic to not only meet our needs but more importantly, the needs of our partners and their specific needs. So simply put, Call Logic is an amazing insurance agency auto dialer. Why do you need a dialing assistant? Well, simple mathematics. With Call Logic, you can increase the [number] of contacts that you’re able to reach on a daily basis by three times. You can triple the [number] of people that you can reach. So simple mathematics would tell you, if you’re tripling your reach, you can ultimately increase your success rate.
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Chris Forsythe:
Yes. And just to kind of add a little bit to that, when I pull my leads, and… I do a lot of pre-quoting and such. [So] when I find my niche, my target market, [I develop] my own [campaign in] Call Logic. I split up my campaigns that way so that I can identify my niche market [and] my different zip codes. I mean there’s so much I can do within Call Logic, and we’re still learning some of the stuff that we can do. Taking call notes, like you said earlier, [and] dropping voicemails. I haven’t used the email portion. Is there an email portion with it as well right now?
AJ Underwood:
There is with Call Logic. I’m not sure if there’s an email specific [section] with the Farmers [Insurance] [version]. But you know, our, our original entity, Call Logic, yes [there is an email part]. Now with Farmers, [Call Logic is] called Agency Dialer. So kind of referring back to our development team and being able to tailor it specifically to our partners’ needs with Farmers [Insurance], you have a version of Call Logic known as Agency Dialer. But yeah, [when you use the software], you create your calling campaigns. And during that calling campaign, what happens if you reach an answering machine? Well, that’s not a problem, right? Because you can click, ‘leave voicemail’. And you can leave a pre-recorded industry-specific voicemail, or in your case, a pre-recorded customer-specific voicemail. And meanwhile, you’ve already moved on to your next call. So it’s a huge time-saving. I’ve said this a number of times with Call Logic. It’s one of those things that you might not know [you need]. Or you might not have known you needed [it] until you have it. And then you realize you can’t live without it.
Chris Forsythe:
Yes. And it’s very true. And I sometimes work from home, we cover a pretty good region, and sometimes I’ll work from home and [it’s] no problem. [Because of] the cloud-based system, I dial in from my cell phone from home, and I continue my work no matter where I’m at. I could be on vacation and do the same thing. So yeah, it’s very beneficial and crucial. The more data we enter into [Call Logic], I’m noticing, the more vital it is to our business because that’s where all of our information [is] stored. [Call Logic stores] all that follow up and it pins down our dials to the minute [and lets us know] when [is] the last time I contacted this person?
AJ Underwood:
Right, right, yeah, the reporting metrics are great. Like you [mentioned] too, the smart caller ID. Whether you’re calling locally, regionally, or nationally, with Call Logic, you can input your phone number and have a local presence. So you’re increasing your reachability. And then another huge part [of Call Logic] is the real-time scrubbing. Call Logic is going to keep you [TCPA] compliant. [That means] we’re going to keep you compliant on national and state do not call lists. TCPA full compliance. And the [call] scrubbing happens microseconds before each call. So ultimately, it’s going to keep your business protected. And in addition to that, it’s going to allow you to focus on the more important things instead of worrying about manually scrubbing phone numbers.
Chris Forsythe:
Exactly. And that’s huge. Between Farmers and us and the relationship we have with you, [scrubbing is] one of the big things. And I know my manager is always stressing the scrubbing and making sure we’re compliant, so yeah, definitely. And one other thing I wanted to touch on the portion [about] follow up and kind of to piggyback off what you said earlier [about] the call notes. I like how I can bring up the [call notes] instantly when I call a potential client and it tells me the last time I called them. So say it was August, August 1, and I’ll say, you know, ‘Back on August 1, I spoke with you and we talked about your insurance premium.’ And generally, they’re shocked that I can remember that. And then I can pinpoint what they said [and] what I said. And the more I improve as a salesperson, you know, I’ve been in this for about two to three years, and the more I improve, the more beneficial I see those call notes are. So I can’t [say] enough for what it does and what it’s doing for our agency overall. And I can tell there [are] some email benefits that are there that we could [speak about]. I know it’s not something we have [with] Farmers [Agency Dialer], but is there more there that we could be doing with the platform as far as the emailing?
AJ Underwood:
Yes, so the Call Logic platform, specifically, does have an email function. But, kind of referring back to what we were talking to earlier, with a CRM like Blitz, that’s where where the emailing stuff comes in handy a lot. But with the Farmers version of Agency Dialer, I don’t believe that there’s an email function. However, the beauty of Call Logic is that it can integrate and talk to Blitz or really any CRM, right? So then, the two systems can talk to each other. [Then] you can use Call Logic to its fullest extent.
Chris Forsythe:
Yep. And we just hired another marketer. About a month ago. And of course, we trained her in the office on different procedures in the office. But the really quick thing is [that] part of her job was going to be telemarketing. And the learning curve, just learning the Call Logic system and what our expectations were, because you can upload scripts to Call Logic, it didn’t take long to get her up to speed on the insurance agency auto dialer and how to handle that. And then not only that but all the notes that I’ve been saving. Every dial she made, she [could look at] those notes from earlier in the year. So, very beneficial there too, something we don’t really think of, but the fact that information [can transfer] not only to me but to my employees as well.
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AJ Underwood:
Yeah, absolutely. And I’m really glad that you brought up the training piece. With Call Logic, we also have a function called whisper coaching. As a manager, you’re simply just one click away from answering questions [and] providing coaching to a team member on a live call without the prospect hearing you. And in addition to [the whisper coaching], whether it’s telemarketing or you’re just calling a calling campaign, sometimes between phone calls, that phone can feel a little heavy, right? But with Call Logic, it removes that from the process. So, you know, you’re on a call, you get a chance to update the notes, like you said, so that the next time you reach out to that person, you’ve got that personal feel. They’re flattered that you remember that 30 days ago, they told you something, right? That’s pretty impressive. But again, by the time you’re done with that call, you make your notes, you’re already onto the next call. So we’re removing that phone feeling heavy process, especially for someone who’s new and maybe a little gun shy. With Call Logic, we remove that piece, and you’re just [doing] one call after another. Again, increasing your opportunities.
Chris Forsythe:
Definitely and [for] some of the [Call Logic] options, you have the ‘Make Appointment’ option, ‘Not Interested’– I’m just kind of rolling through them here– ‘Provide Information’ and what did they provide? ‘Do Not Call’ so when they scream at [me] for some reason and say, ‘Don’t call me again,’ instantly I put them on the Do Not Call and remove them from our system. So a couple [of] really valuable things as far as that goes. And I had one more thing [about the] script and the voicemails. So there’s the option to add multiple voicemails, and I get to select what voicemail I’m dropping. And I, personally, I have a real brief one that’s a little bit more or less professional. And then I have my Farmers professional voicemail that we drop too. So [many] different options there.
AJ Underwood:
Yeah, exactly. Yes. Thank you for mentioning that again. Yeah, [Call Logic gives you the] ability to leave pre-recorded voicemails and, [as] you said, they can be tailored, they can be the short and sweet one, they can be the more professional one. But again, that’s already being dropped into the individual’s voicemail box. And you’ve moved onto the next call already.
Chris Forsythe:
Yeah, well, definitely. So I definitely want to give listeners a way to reach out to you. But before that I’d like to [ask], how long have you been with Double A [Solutions], AJ?
AJ Underwood:
I’ve been with Double A [Solutions] for about four months now. I’ve been in business for a long, long time. I’ve been in the corporate world for about 20 years. Prior to coming aboard with Double A, I ran an airline ground handling company. I was in the aviation industry. And so that’s my previous work life, but I’ve kind of been in sales for a long, long time. When I was a kid, my dad would tell me that I could sell ice to an Eskimo. I’ve been in sales for a long, long time, but I’m really excited and really happy to be a part of Double A Solutions.
Chris Forsythe:
Awesome. Well, it’s been great talking to you and if people have questions about any of the businesses in your portfolio, what’s the best way to reach you?
AJ Underwood:
Again, we’re Double A Solutions and we have a number of products that we sell and that we’re proud of. And they can actually call us directly at (419)469-6250. We have an amazing customer service team that can get them to any product that they’re looking for. Every one of our products [is] available via the web [and] you can just simply find us online. Since we were talking about Call Logic today, [you] can simply just find us at Call Logic.com, nice and simple. Before we part ways, I’d love to just tell you very briefly what I love about Double A Solutions.
Chris Forsythe:
Absolutely.
AJ Underwood:
At the risk of sounding cliche, I’ll just break it down into three different talking points. First and foremost, our owner, Archie. He’s one of those guys that truly cares about his employees. We’re more than just employee numbers. He cares about us. He cares about our families. And from the moment you walk in the door, you really feel like you’re part of the team. Number two, the people. We have a really tight-knit community here in the office, but we’re not so tight-knit that we don’t welcome new people with open arms. And then lastly, number three, whether it’s our sales team, our account management team, or customer service team, we’re all product experts. And that’s because every product that we sell, including Call Logic, we use in-house every day. There’s not a chef in the world that would put anything on a platter before tasting his recipe. And that’s kind of similar to what we do here. Again, everything that we sell, everything that we’re passionate about, everything we that we care about, we use it day in and day out. So I’m really happy to hear, Chris, that Call Logic has worked for you. And it continues to benefit you and hopefully will benefit others. Because that’s what we’re passionate about, the products that we use every single day.
Chris Forsythe:
Absolutely. And I want to say something, anytime I’ve reached out to your company, you’re right, everyone’s been professional. And I can tell that it’s a relationship business, similar to what we’re doing here in the Midwest, [that is], building relationships with folks. And that’s what you’re all doing too. And it’s definitely noticed anytime I chat or call in or email. Whatever it is, I get a great response from your team. So I want to thank them for that. And you as well, it’s been great talking to you today, too.
AJ Underwood:
It’s been a real pleasure and a privilege and I again, thank you for the invite. And I sincerely thank you for the kind words.
Chris Forsythe:
Absolutely. And I appreciate your time today. I know it’s been busy wrapping up things for the year. We’re all busy this time of year, but I appreciate all your time.
AJ Underwood:
Thanks again, Chris.
Chris Forsythe:
All right, and hey, AJ, have a great, I guess it’s evening now or mid-afternoon, so… Hey, thank you. Bye.
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