10 Tips for Crafting a Successful Guidewire Implementation Project!

OpenTeQ Admin | Updated: Jul 5,2024
10 Tips for Crafting a Successful Guidewire Implementation Project!

Insurance providers can enable their agents to be more productive and effective while also giving their policyholders a better customer experience by implementing digital applications and processes like automated underwriting, digital claims, and claims management software. This is demonstrated by the P&C insurance industry's digital transformation in the digital age. Without a well-thought-out software deployment strategy, businesses investing in these new apps and technologies shouldn't anticipate reaping the full rewards of these digital transformation initiatives.  

Your agents' work will get harder without a well-organized Guidewire implementation process because of incorrect data mapping or modeling, misconfiguration, inadequate onboarding and training, and a lack of application performance support. If your business is thinking about deploying Guidewire, think about why you want to spend money on a new P&C workflow system and make sure your goals match those needs. Prior to implementation, someone will also need to oversee it and train your staff on the product. With the correct direction and base, you may create a cutting-edge solution that gives your insurers quick access to all the data they require on dependable, safe software, making their life easier.  

Here at OpenTeQ, a leading provider of Guidewire Implementation Services in USA , we've compiled 10 tips to ensure your project's success:

1. Engage stakeholders and collect input from all areas of your company 

Overcommunicating is a fundamental element of any successful change management initiative. All too frequently, leaders and executives will make decisions without consulting the different end users that their choices would affect on a daily basis. 

Any kind of business going through a change project or digital transformation can reduce resistance to change by developing a change management communication strategy ahead of the implementation rollout. This helps prevent opposition to change from spreading throughout the organization. 

Additionally, it offers tailored and comprehensive input on how different departments and roles have used a certain process or technology, what is currently effective, what may be improved, and where agents and staff will require additional assistance during the onboarding rollout.  

2. Identify your company's objectives  

You'll approach the process knowing more clearly what you hope to gain from Guidewire when you have a clear idea of your goals.  

For instance, your purpose might be to configure Guidewire so your insurance agents can easily access all your client data if your implementation goal is to reduce policyholder disputes. Your staff will be more likely to meet your expectations if they are aware of the priorities.  

How could you accomplish that? For goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound apply the SMART technique. 

S: Move all your data to Guidewire from your legacy servers 

M: All data needs to be moved (100%)  

A: It is feasible to transfer all the data within the allotted time  

R: It is relevant because transferring all the data will allow us to use Guidewire  

T: Finishing this goal in six months. 

Educating your staff about Guidewire in advance of its implementation could be one of your goals.

3.Select the Perfect Guidewire Partner 

Experience is key. Choose a Guidewire Services provider in USA with a proven track record and a team of certified Guidewire Implementation Experts like OpenTeQ. Foster a collaborative environment where your team and the Guidewire consultants work together seamlessly to address challenges and ensure everyone is on the same page. 

4. Make a training and onboarding schedule

Your deployment may involve more work than some stakeholders may expect because Guidewire is a sophisticated P&C software product and utilizing its features to their maximum needs an expert skill set. To ensure that the individuals you know will be working with Guidewire know how to use the new system before it goes live, you might want to consider investing in training programs or certifications while the installation is still in progress. 

 As an alternative, you can develop in-app guided content to assist with onboarding and application support using OpenTeQ, the official digital adoption partner of Guidewire. Agents, end users, and policyholders can all become experts on Guidewire with OpenTeQ's in-app training materials, which include guided walkthroughs, task lists, tooltips, and more. 

Guidewire is powerful, but it's not a one-size-fits-all solution. Our Guidewire Development Services in USA can customize the platform to fit your specific needs and workflows.

5. Minimize the use of outdated servers. 

Adding functionality is challenging for systems that are outdated and ancient. They don't work with newly released integrations or tools. Moreover, their lack of scalability limits your potential to grow your company. Additionally, inadequate security features expose you to possible cyberattacks.  

It's possible that you spent years battling an antiquated system just to keep your company operating. The old servers served their purpose, but now that you're rolling out a new system, you need your employees to really use Guidewire. This entails minimizing the use of outdated software and servers by your team with the goal of doing away with them completely in the future. Establishing an end-of-service date that is unambiguous is the greatest method to guarantee a seamless transition as one of your long-term goals. 

You don't want to quit utilizing your legacy servers suddenly though, as this could cause major short-term difficulties. In an ideal world, there would be a mechanism to revert to the initial setup if something went terribly wrong, which is a very possible scenario. Because 83% of migrations fail (or go over budget or schedule), you want to be confident that you are copying your original data and not erasing any information from your old system while transferring it.  

Using a phased strategy like trickle migration is one method to reduce downtime and guarantee accurate data transfer. Data will be transferred and Guidewire will be gradually implemented; however, you will instantly cease training for the previous system and begin using Guidewire.

6. Organize your data and remove out-of-date content

Get rid of as much repetitive, inconsistent, or outdated data as you can before moving data from your old server to your Guidewire system. Examples of this kind of data include old billing statements and clientele. This is referred to as cleanup in data migration.  

Make sure your data quality is up to grade because it can have a significant impact on how effective your system is. To maximize its value, data must be precise, comprehensive, and pertinent. 

The feasibility of manually cleaning your data may be limited by the age and scale of your existing systems. You can clean up your data using a variety of technologies, such Segment and Amplitude.  

Your system will operate more efficiently if your database contains only pertinent data when migrating accounts from legacy servers. This will save time and storage space. Most significantly, since your database only has up-to-date, accurate information, you'll get rid of errors in billing, claims, and reporting. 

7. Upload your information to the Guidewire Cloud

Your data needs to be appropriately prepared for its new database home, mapped, and organized (configured) once it has been simplified. After that, the information can be moved to the Guidewire Cloud and deduplicated. 

"Configuration is possibly the most essential skill set developers should master to be proficient with Guidewire," states the Guidewire Developer Guide.  

This step is often handled by the technical team, but Guidewire advises including your business users early in the migration process to ensure that the final product better meets their expectations.

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8. Move your files over to the Guidewire Cloud  

Once your data has been reduced in size, it needs to be mapped, appropriately formatted for its new database home, and organized (configured). Once deduplicated, the data can be moved to the Guidewire Cloud. 

As per the Guidewire Developer Guide, "developers should probably master configuration as the most essential skillset to be proficient with Guidewire."  

Usually, the technical team oversees this step; however, Guidewire advises involving your business users early in the migration process to ensure that the final product better meets their expectations.  

9. Provide your Guidewire users with on-demand application assistance

Depending on how big your business is, how you want to move the data, and how long it takes, it could take you up to a year to move all your data from old servers to Guidewire Cloud. Remember that certain tasks require more time than others. Usually, the full procedure takes six months.  

You must import data into Guidewire using an "import session," where each piece of data is transmitted into a new table to be stored in the new database, if you decide to use the big bang data migration approach, which transfers data all at once. Both manpower and time are greatly expended in the procedure. It's quite demanding and lengthy.  

10.Embrace Continuous Improvement

The Guidewire implementation journey doesn't end with go-live. Partner with OpenTeQ to leverage our ongoing support and expertise to optimize your Guidewire system and keep pace with industry advancements. 

By following these tips and partnering with OpenTeQ's team of Guidewire Implementation Experts in the USA, you can ensure a successful Guidewire implementation project that delivers lasting value to your insurance business. Contact OpenTeQ today to discuss your Guidewire needs and embark on your journey towards a more streamlined and efficient future!

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