Reference no: EM133446868
1. Describe the problems facing the Fruitvale branch. Would you like to be Bill Pippin?
2. Who are Manzana's customers? Who are the consumers? How do the customers choose an insurance carrier?
3. Exhibit 7 shows that the total number of policies in force at the Fruitvale branch has declined from 5,201 (1989) to 3,946 (1991). Given this, why have gross premiums remained essentially constant (Exhibits 5 or 7)? What can you infer about the policies or policy holders in 1991?
4. The TAT calculations in Exhibit 3 are incorrect. Requests in queue are counted several times. What is the effect of this error on actual job-lateness performance? Recalculate Exhibit 3 to find the expected TAT for the week ending September 6, 1991.
5. How has Manzana applied the production-line approach and the "Service-Driven Service Company"?
6. Compare the Mean (average) Standard Completion Times in Exhibit 4 and the Average (actual) processing times in Exhibit 6. Is actual performance measuring up to the standard?
7. Why are 45 percent of the renewals late (page 1)?
8. Why is the renewal loss rate 47 percent (page 1)?
9. Is the six-day turnaround time (TAT) the result of inadequate capacity?
10. Evaluate Manzana's system of dedicating underwriting teams to a particular set of originating agents. Do you expect this system to increase or decrease average capacity utilization and turnaround times as compared to a system where underwriting teams are not dedicated to particular agents?
11. Why has financial performance deteriorated to a net loss in 1991 (Exhibit 5)? Be sure to relate your answer back to financial performance. (How does your answer change something on the income statement?)
12. Why are Ordinary Insured Losses (Exhibit 5) increasing?
13. Evaluate the "salary/plus" incentive plan for underwriters.
14. Evaluate the policies prescribed at the Fruitvale branch for setting request due dates and priorities. How do underwriters, raters, and policy writers actually set priorities?
15. Evaluate the commission rates and bonuses Manzana pays to its independent agents for new policies and renewals.
16. Evaluate the underwriting process shown in Exhibit 2. How might this process be reengineered to reduce TAT?