ImageNow Provides Enterprise-Wide Efficiencies for Polk County Mutual Insurance Company

Shawnee, KS, July 11, 2006 --(PR.com)-- Perceptive Software, Inc., today announced that Polk County Mutual Insurance Company (PCMIC), a multi-site insurance provider based in Bolivar, Mo., uses ImageNow® integrated document management, imaging and workflow software to enhance customer service, maintain data integrity and eliminate the time and cost inefficiencies of paper processes.

When retaining hard copies of applications, claims and other paperwork, manually sorting, archiving and retrieving documents diverted PCMIC staff members away from other key job responsibilities. The organization stored its documents in heavy fireproof boxes, and adding more of these would have required costly structural reinforcement.

PCMIC managers searched for an electronic document management product that would sidestep these inefficiencies and provide a direct connection between employees and the documents they need to efficiently manage policies and claims. After evaluating several applications, PCMIC selected ImageNow.

"Ease of use and the ability to integrate with any host application made ImageNow the right fit for our company," said Justin Lear, company manager/vice president. "It was also the best value, because comparable products we evaluated cost three times more than ImageNow."

Using patented LearnMode™ technology, ImageNow seamlessly integrated with PCMIC's IMT Computer Services APPS application, as part of a timely implementation process. Rapid deployment minimized set up costs and provided an immediate return on investment.

"Perceptive Software's implementation consultant was here for just two days," Lear said. "The hands-on training he provided prepared us to use and manage the system independently."

Perceptive Software gives PCMIC freedom to determine the timing and extent of technical assistance. If PCMIC managers have questions about ImageNow, they contact Perceptive Software's support team by phone or via the 24-7 online ImageNow Support Portal.

"Perceptive Software delivers everything we need," Lear said. "The company's sales, professional services and support staff are professional, knowledgeable and responsive."

ImageNow workflow enables PCMIC to quickly exchange documents with a third party claims adjuster without the hassles of processing hard copies. Both companies enter claims into the IMT Computer Services APPS system and scan supporting documents into ImageNow. Reports for claims that exceed a set dollar amount are automatically routed from claims adjusters to PCMIC. After processing, PCMIC sends a notification e-mail to the adjuster and an additional copy is retained in the ImageNow repository.

"In the insurance industry it's extremely important to have trustworthy and reliable reproduction of policy documents – and ImageNow delivers this," Lear said. "It allows us to quickly locate and view files from any location."

PCMIC customers often call the organization to ask questions about changes to their insurance policies. Prior to ImageNow implementation, the PCMIC associate who answered such a call left their desk, went to the storage area, searched through thousands of files to locate the document and called the customer back once it was found. With ImageNow, any page of any document is just a click away.

"We used to dig through file drawers and then sort through multiple pages to find the information customers needed," Lear said. "Now, we go into ImageNow and immediately pull up the policy change form, allowing us to answer the customer's questions without delay."

PCMIC's headquarters is located in an area where tornadoes often strike, and although the company stored files in fireproof boxes, these hard copies were still vulnerable to damage. Retaining electronic document images on an ImageNow server ensures PMIC would have access to pertinent documents in the event of a natural disaster.

"ImageNow is an important part of our catastrophe plan," Lear said. "If a tornado hit our building, every document would be protected, enabling us to continue serving our customers."

Many document management products are department-specific, but Polk County finds that ImageNow delivers time and cost savings in every business area.

"The whole ImageNow package is outstanding, and is worth every dime we spent on it," Lear said. "It's proven to be effective throughout our company."

Learn more about the ImageNow for insurance at http://www.imagenow.com/insurance

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