technology In short, the portal allows The Hartford to bring products and functions from a variety of sources into one convenient online environment. N ew technology tools made The Hartford Experience— customer solutions, ease of doing business and extraordinary service—more real than ever for our cus- tomers in 2001.  Hartford Investor has two strategic objectives: One, deepen current intermediaries’ loyalty to The Hartford by extending The Hartford Experience right to their desktops. Two, expand the network of intermedi- aries by giving them the technological support they need to grow their businesses. It was a year that saw the debut of life operations’ Hartford Investor Web portal, expanded Web portals for group benefits administrators, and enhancements to technology for The Hartford’s property-casualty agents and customers. Hartford Investor is both a versatile personal assistant and an aid in wholesaling, especially for the independent financial planner channel. Broker-dealers and financial advisors can use it to research The Hartford’s full complement of individual life and invest- ment products, update their books of business in  seconds, track daily fund performance, run financial- planning models, receive online product training,  produce customized presentations and even submit business electronically.  More than 153,000 licensed intermediaries—from solo advisors to members of large financial institu- tions—are appointed to sell The Hartford’s products. Yet fewer than 60,000 actively write business for the company. The untapped potential is vast, especially among independents, the fastest-growing distribution channel and the only one in which The Hartford doesn’t hold the largest market share. That’s bound to change. With Hartford Investor available on their desktops, intermediaries will have far  21