First Connect
Case Study
Reduction in Average Handle Time
Multilingual Customer Support
Saved Monthly via AI Support Agent
"The speed Strada moves at is best in class. Being able to ingest information and deploy agents in nearly the same day is something I haven't seen elsewhere."
First Connect
First Connect is a modern insurance marketplace, connecting 150+ partners with independent agents across the US
Type
Marketplace
Lines
Multi-Line
Geographies
United States
Website
firstconnectinsurance.com
Carriers, MGAs, and brokers scale operations with Strada's AI platform.
Background
First Connect is a modern insurance marketplace connecting independent agents with 150+ partners. As the company grew, so did the volume of inbound support requests and outbound agency outreach, placing increasing pressure on a relatively small support team responsible for both.
To keep response times fast while continuing to scale, the team began exploring how automation could absorb a large share of these interactions – faster response times, more consistent outreach, and a support operation that could grow alongside the company without a proportional increase in overhead.
Challenges
"We were seeing longer hold times on transactional requests that could have been handled via self-service. We wanted to operate more efficiently and set ourselves up to scale without growing headcount at the same pace.”
As First Connect continued to grow, two dynamics became harder to ignore.
On the inbound side, a growing share of support calls were routine requests, like appointment status checks and general platform questions, that were consuming team capacity and contributing to longer hold times.
On the outbound side, staying in touch with agencies at key moments – whether following up with unconverted leads, checking in with newly appointed agents, or collecting appointment feedback – required consistent, high-volume outreach that was difficult to run reliably through manual processes alone. Without automation, the support function would need to grow in proportion, adding overhead rather than efficiency.
Finding the right partner to solve this proved harder than expected. First Connect evaluated five agentic AI vendors and came away unconvinced – most fell short on voice quality, integration depth, or complex workflow capabilities. Strada was the first vendor that cleared all three bars, and the first that felt credible enough to put in front of their agency partners.
Strada's Solution
Strada deployed two initial use cases at First Connect, focused on the highest-volume and most repetitive workflows in the service operation. The first AI agents went live in three weeks, working closely with the Strada team to design and launch the initial workflows.
Automating agency outreach
First Connect's outbound operation covers multiple touchpoints across the agency lifecycle – from following up with unconverted leads to checking in with agents at key milestones, such as when they've been newly appointed to a carrier and can start writing policies.
Strada deployed outbound AI agents to handle these high-frequency outreach workflows, replacing manual call campaigns with consistent, automated interactions. Agents are contacted at the right moment, with the right message, and outcomes are logged automatically – giving the team full visibility without the manual overhead.
Automating inbound support
Strada also introduced AI agents to handle routine outbound support. Calls that previously required a live representative – such as appointment status checks or general platform questions – can now be resolved automatically.
By handling these high-frequency requests, Strada AI agents reduce inbound volume reaching the support team while ensuring agencies get answers quickly. This allows First Connect’s team to focus on more complex interactions that require human expertise while maintaining fast response times as the network grows.
Results Achieved in First 60 Days
"The core pillars of a good partnership are quality, culture, and value. Strada brings all three.”
Within a few months of deployment, Strada drove measurable improvements across both inbound and outbound operations:
70% reduction in average handle time, enabling the team to address significantly more requests.
24/7 multilingual customer support, with Strada agents managing every interaction.
152 hours saved monthly thanks to Strada’s AI agents.
What’s Next
As First Connect continues to grow, the team plans to expand automation into additional workflows across the agency lifecycle – particularly in the sales funnel. New AI agents will support onboarding, follow-ups, and proactive check-ins to help agencies engage more quickly on the platform, running across both phone and email.
