UCCU Insurance Services partners with borrowedtyme for more than Salesforce FSC expertise.

UCCU Insurance Services (left to right) Jonathan Shumway, Tony Frustaci, Caden Madsen

Jonathan Shumway President of UCCU

Jonathan Shumway is the President and one of the owners of UCCU Insurance Services. His persistence and sharp business acumen speak to a deep commitment to hard work and doing good for his clients and employees. Jon’s success isn’t limited to business, it’s reflected in the intentional way he approaches all areas of life. He’s the kind of leader people are eager to work for, knowing each day will be driven by a purpose greater than oneself and more rewarding than just another day on the job.

Caden Madsen wears many hats at UCCU Insurance Services, so many, in fact, that settling on a single title proved challenging. Jon ultimately landed on VP, Insurance Systems and Ops, with the added recognition of his roles as Integration Specialist and Technology Expert. However you define it, one thing is clear, Caden is key to the company’s growth and innovation. He is also the kind of person you want by your side. His brilliance and heart are a rare blend.

What makes UCCU's work model so effective and their team so exceptional? Simply put, they are intentional. Jon, Caden, and the team at UCCU Insurance Services live in a way that prioritizes relationships, compassion, and genuine respect for others. They share a deep passion for what is good.

Caden shares “When you truly care about your people, it sets you on the right path. Jon has shown that kind of care for both his coworkers and the business. In return, his team cares deeply too, and together, they get the work done and keep moving forward.”

Caden Madsen, VP Insurance Systems and Ops at UCCU

Why btcore?  UCCU signed on with btcore in September 2024. “btcore just shined as the clear winner above all the others. It's a managed product over Salesforce Finanical Services Cloud (FSC), and along with the personal relationship, they told us they shared ideas, shared experiences, and shared success. They have provided that 100%.”

Jon vividly recalls the frustration of working with companies that simply didn’t offer real solutions. “If you’d just come and see us at our office, you’d know what we need.” he remembers pleading. Then, he was sitting in a meeting with a group of insurance professionals and a Salesforce representative chimed in: “I know you are struggling. You should to talk to the team at borrowedtyme. I don’t know all the details, but the folks at borrowedtyme know what they’re doing.” 

“Let me be clear,” Caden adds.  “We didn’t just land on btcore out of nowhere. I went through seven or eight demos. Jon had done just as many the year before. We were thorough in our research, and once we found them, btcore emerged as the obvious choice.”

Jon emphasizes what made the biggest difference: “What other companies wouldn’t do, borrowedtyme did. They came to meet with us, they put in the work, and they still operate as an extension of our team. The partnership is huge and makes all the difference.”

Borrowedtyme didn’t hand over a one-size-fits-all product. “A lot of companies wanted to do that,” Caden says. “But borrowedtyme gave us the core capabilities on the FSC platform, and that was the beauty of it. We could say, ‘This is how we work today,’ and build from there with btcore. Other systems came with rigid workflows and our work is way too complex for that...we needed a platform offering to scale the operations on, and btcore delivered the capabilities and flexibility to do just that.”

Caden clarifies “what set borrowedtyme apart was more than technical skill. Their humility is off the charts. They’re not in it for the credit. They tell the truth, take in ideas from others, and always give credit where it’s due. I’m sure they come up with a lot of great ideas, but what they really do is come up with solutions. That willingness to collaborate and be open, that’s what we love.”

Kevin Rall, CEO of borrowedtyme says the leadership team of UCCU makes all the difference. "Jon, Tony (Frustaci), and Caden have a vision for their organization and they are building it with character and integrity. We continue to be inspired by their leadership and we are grateful for their partnership. They make all of us better and that makes for a special kind of relationship between the two organizations."

At the heart of it all is a shared perspective on purpose. “We always say, this is just insurance,” Jon explains. “There’s more to life than making money and selling policies. Of course, we all need jobs to provide for our families, but we believe there’s a greater reason we’re here. It’s not just about profit. And the borrowedtyme team gets that.”

Mentors Challenge.

“You won’t ever change it.”

In 2004, I was in the middle of a company-wide system implementation project for a regional mutual insurance company. It ended up being one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my career for many reasons, mostly because I was surrounded by some of the best leaders in the business who had a vision and knew how to assemble a team and culture to achieve it.

During that time, I had the opportunity to visit various independent insurance agencies in the distribution channel to understand better how they were using technology to grow and operate their agency. After every visit, I felt defeated and disappointed. It was clear that the distribution channel was being left behind in the adoption and utilization of technology. 

One morning, after returning from some agency visits, I expressed disappointment with our CIO about what I had witnessed. I was adamant that there had to be a better way and began ideating about value-added solutions we could offer independent agents. After much rambling, he said, “You won’t ever change it.”

Now, the CIO was a mentor to me, and he was always encouraging, especially when we were trying to solve for a better outcome that aligned with our mission, vision, and values. So I was more than surprised when I heard “You won’t ever…” come out of his mouth. To this day, I don’t know if he said those words to challenge and inspire me or if he was simply trying to keep my focus on implementing the full-suite policy administration system project on time and within budget. Probably both. The CIO was Todd Albert, and while he’s no longer with us, I know he would be smiling while reading this post. He taught me a great deal and believed in me like no other. 

Ironically, it’s 2025, and those “You won’t ever…” words still inspire me in a slightly different way. 

As we meet with agencies and brokers, we hear statements from like…

• “I just hope I can retire before implementing a new AMS.” 

• “I fear that my employee of 15 years will leave me if we change systems.”

• “We know we have to do something, but…”

The doubt and fears of adopting new technology are as strong as ever. But here is the good news…some agencies are doing what others say can’t be done, and it's working for them, and others are noticing. Our industry is evolving, and agencies are proving they can transform processes, people, and technology to serve clients better. They are raising the bar for others.

So, if you need inspiration to combat the “You won’t ever…” moments in your agency, just let me know. I’d love to introduce you to the agencies that now say, “Yes, you can.”

Regardless of what you do with technology, maybe the best takeaway is to mentor someone in our industry and challenge them to achieve what they think can’t be done.

Kevin Rall

Co-Founder, borrowedtyme

The Power of Alignment

www.borrowedtyme.com

In the book Leaders Eat Last, Simon Sinek explores why some teams pull together and some pull apart.  He reminded us that confronting the threats we face in the world is best done together, and he used a storytelling approach to explain the crucial role leadership plays in creating a culture of trust that results in more pull-together moments.

Over the past few years at borrowedtyme, we’ve had the opportunity to watch how technology is helping agency principals streamline operations, improve team collaborations, and align teams to achieve results. 

In this article, we seek to highlight some of the “pulling together” benefits that agency principals have realized by taking the leap in simplifying their technology stack and aligning their operations around a single platform.  The following outcomes not only bring agency teams together, but it allows agency principals to scale operations, drive efficiency, enhance teamwork, and increase revenue per employee.

1. Bringing Sales and Service Teams Together

The traditional silos between sales and service teams in insurance agencies can be a significant barrier to achieving optimal performance. Sales teams are focused on acquiring new business, while service teams are focused on managing existing client relationships. This division, although necessary at times, can lead to inefficiencies and missed opportunities for better customer experiences.

By consolidating both sales and service functions into a single platform, agencies can bridge this gap. When both teams have access to the same client data and tools in real time, they can collaborate more effectively. Sales leaders can quickly see client interactions, claims history, and policy changes that impact their ability to know their clients and increase trust. Similarly, service teams can view opportunities for upselling or cross-selling during customer service calls. This collaborative approach fosters a unified strategy, where everyone is working towards the same goals of enhancing the customer journey and driving growth.

2. Improved Data Integrity: The Benefits of Unified Financial Accounting

One of the most critical aspects of an insurance agency’s success is maintaining accurate and up-to-date financial data. However, when financial accounting systems are disconnected from client management or sales platforms, it can lead to discrepancies, inefficiencies, and costly errors. Whether it’s duplicate data entry, missed transactions, or mismatched invoices, managing your financials on a separate system creates room for costly mistakes.

Aligning your sales, service, and financial accounting functions within a single platform resolves these issues. With all teams working from the same source of truth, data integrity is dramatically improved. Payment processing, commissions, and policy renewals are accurately tracked and updated in real time. This ensures that financial reporting is accurate, transactions are seamless, and your team doesn’t waste time reconciling data across multiple systems. The end result is a smoother workflow, less risk for errors, and improved cash flow management.

3. Operational Efficiency: Say Goodbye to Data Merging

In the past, agencies had to rely on exporting, importing, and merging data from multiple platforms to get a full picture of their operations. This often meant navigating between a CRM, marketing systems, AMS software, financial accounting systems, and more. Not only was this time-consuming, but it also left ample room for data inconsistencies, delayed insights, and frustrated employees.

By operating all functions from a unified platform, you eliminate the need to merge data from disparate systems. The platform approach automatically integrates sales, service, accounting, and operational data, providing a single point of access for everyone in your agency. As a result, operational workflows become faster, insights are more readily available, and managers can make informed decisions without waiting for data from multiple sources. This boost in operational efficiency can be a differentiator and enable teams to think differently and focus on growth rather than administrative overhead.

4. Better Insights and Decision-Making

With all your agency’s data on a single platform, you gain a comprehensive view of key metrics—sales performance, customer service trends, financial health, and operational efficiency. This centralized approach to data allows you to spot trends, identify bottlenecks, and make more informed decisions across all levels of your agency. Whether you’re analyzing customer behavior, reviewing agent performance, or planning strategic growth initiatives, you’ll have accurate and up-to-date information at your fingertips.

Advanced reporting tools embedded in a unified platform can even automate the generation of custom reports, saving you valuable time. With data from all areas of your business combined in one place, you can identify opportunities for growth, assess risk, and make data-driven decisions that have a direct impact on your agency’s profitability and customer satisfaction.

5. Enhanced Client Experience

At the heart of every insurance agency is the client. By aligning your entire operation on a single platform, you not only improve internal processes but also elevate the customer experience. Sales and service teams will have a 360-degree view of client interactions, policies, and claims, enabling them to offer faster and more personalized service.

One “pulling together” moment for agencies that move to a single-platform architecture is when their P&C and Employee Benefit divisions have a view into a common customer.  Far too often, these divisions operated separately, and clients were left feeling like they were working with two different organizations.  Not exactly the target experiences the agency was seeking to deliver to their clients.

When your teams have the tools they need to provide timely responses and proactive service, your clients will feel valued and supported. A seamless, connected experience can be a key differentiator for your agency in a crowded market, helping you build stronger relationships and increase client retention.

6. Preparing Your Agency for the Future of AI

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to gain traction in the insurance industry, agencies that align on a single platform are better positioned to harness the full potential of this transformative technology. AI thrives on data, and having your agency’s operations consolidated on one platform ensures that the data AI needs is clean, accurate, and readily available.

For example, AI-powered tools can analyze client data to predict their future needs, helping agents to cross-sell or up-sell products with precision. Additionally, AI can be used to automate routine tasks like claims processing, policy renewals, and customer queries—freeing up your team to focus on more complex, strategic efforts.

When your data is already integrated and aligned, it’s much easier to implement AI solutions that work seamlessly within your agency’s workflow. AI can identify inefficiencies, optimize workflows, and provide actionable insights in real time. As a result, agencies can not only improve operational efficiency but also deliver more personalized and responsive customer service.

In short, aligning your agency on a single platform doesn’t just streamline your operations today—it builds the foundation for a future where AI and automation play a key role in driving growth, innovation, and client satisfaction.

Conclusion: Unlocking the Future of Your Insurance Agency

Aligning your insurance agency on a single platform isn’t just about technology; it’s about transforming the way your team collaborates, operates, and delivers value to clients. By bringing sales, service, and financial accounting together, you create a more efficient, accurate, and cohesive business that’s poised to thrive in a rapidly changing industry.

In today’s competitive environment, the agencies that succeed will be the ones who leverage integrated platforms to streamline operations, improve data integrity, and deliver superior service. As the industry continues to evolve, agencies that embrace digital transformation and pull their teams together will have a distinct advantage in creating a more agile, efficient, and client-centric business model.

Simon Sinek’s advice is more relevant than ever.  Leaders that find ways to bring their teams together will excel and the benefits of pulling together with technology are clear: streamlined processes, better collaboration, fewer errors, and ultimately, more satisfied clients. If you are struggling to pull your teams together, consider starting by simplifying your technology stack.  There is much to gain.