Ventiv Technology

our logo. Now, when we talk about being able to get information from our RMIS, we simply ask, 'Can DataStar do that?' It is a part of our objective of internalizing the risk management lexicon. So, when anybody in our company—from the CEO to a School Director—uses a term, it means the same thing to all of us. Spotlighting the DataStar brand also helps to make risk management less mysterious, more transparent and, we hope, at least slightly more interesting to the common user." As for the most prominent current uses of DataStar, Gehrke points to property management/COPE; managing workers' compensation claim expenses; natural hazard tracking and forecasting ( for example, hurricane, earthquake and tornado probabilities based on region and past experience); and, most recently, a comprehensive analysis of business interruption. Kelly Kuri, the Director of Claims at Learning Care Group, uses DataStar to conduct loss analyses throughout the company to target claim-cost opportunities. Kathy Glodich, Safety and Health Manager, uses the system to identify loss trends and to track and report on safety performance compared to business targets each month. e whole system is overseen by Donna Bewick, the Risk Management Assistant, making sure that all the information in the system is timely and accurate and that management reports are reliable and useful. MOTOR VEHICLES ADOPTS RMIS: MORE TO FOLLOW Another key priority being pursued by Gehrke and supported by CFO VanHees is expanding usage of DataStar by other departments. On the one hand, expanding utilization of the system enhances the value of the investment the company has made. On the other hand, departments moving to DataStar will see the benefit as well. Motor vehicle fleet operations has recently committed to adopting DataStar as its data management source for fleet operations. "We'll load the information on all of our fleet vehicles, all of the leases, lease costs and all of the operating parameters of our entire fleet of vehicles into DataStar, and the motor vehicle department will use the system as the exclusive data management source for efficiently managing the leasing, movement and maintenance of the approximately 1,700 vehicles operated by Learning Care Group." "One of the things that attracted fleet operations to DataStar," Gehrke says, "is its ability to slice and dice data and create ad hoc analytical management reporting, which they cannot do easily in their current system, which is essentially an in-house Excel-based program. ere are also administrative efficiencies to be had, such as dramatic reduction in time needed to enter and track the movement of vehicles from one location or state to another." Gehrke has identified four other departments that he thinks could benefit from adopting DataStar. "And it may not even be a whole department," Gehrke notes. "It may be some specific function, such as loading into DataStar all of the teachers and their certifications and the recertification renewal dates. ere are many potential uses for the system, and we're moving to the point where we can achieve that level of usage of DataStar." "ONE VERSION OF THE TRUTH"; ROI AND LONG-TERM VALUE In terms of return on investment, Gehrke says, "It's our perception that in the first year of use, DataStar was a key factor in saving between 12 and 15 percent on our property insurance premium. Implementation of RiskConsole has easily been a net gain in dollars spent on the system and dollars saved." Learning Care Group's risk management mantra for the first year was "reduce expense, reduce expense, reduce expense," Gehrke notes, and the company did that primarily by improving management of decentralized data and implementing consistent processes across the enterprise. Since that first year, however, Gehrke and his colleagues have been expanding their view of value and ROI and are taking a long view. To that end, one of Gehrke's key goals is establishing "one version of the truth" related to the company's risk and insurance information. "Today, we're a lot more comfortable with the quality of the data we have," Gehrke asserts. "We're able to describe and explain our own risk internally better than we ever have before. And we can do it with confidence that the numbers are correct, and they're supportable by something other than perhaps a dated piece of work from an engineering firm or somebody else. We're confident we won't have to go back and recreate data in the event of a loss." Michele Gramley on + 1 215 255 1967 or email michele.gramley@aon.com for more information Now,whenwetalkabout beingabletogetinforma- tionfromourRMIS,we simplyask,'CanDataStar dothat?' *

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