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CrankWheel Urges Insurance Agencies to Eliminate Sales Technology Friction Ahead of Open Enrollment

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Streamlining the digital sales process to maintain momentum and boost conversions during peak season

Key Takeaways

CrankWheel urges insurance agencies to evaluate and optimize their sales technology before the open enrollment period to prevent technical friction from causing lost enrollments during high-volume periods.Standard collaboration tools like Zoom and Microsoft Teams can hinder insurance sales because they often require software downloads or scheduled meetings, which interrupts the flow of spontaneous sales conversations.Research from Owl Labs indicates that 72% of workers lose time to technical difficulties and that even minor video glitches can negatively impact a consumer’s trust in a salesperson.The CrankWheel platform allows agents to share their screens instantly during an existing phone call by sending a link via text or email, compatible with smartphones, tablets, and computers without requiring downloads.CrankWheel’s COO, Birta Bjargardóttir, argues that insurance agencies that remove technical hurdles and scheduling delays will be better positioned to maintain sales momentum and convert more conversations into completed enrollments.

REYKJAVIK, Iceland, Aug. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — CrankWheel, a browser-based screen sharing platform built for sales teams, is urging insurance agencies to evaluate their sales technology now before open enrollment volume peaks. Open enrollment is one of the most demanding sales periods of the year for insurance agencies. Agencies that fail to remove sales technology friction risk losing enrollments at the very moment a prospect is ready to act.

Open enrollment compresses an enormous amount of sales activity into a short window. Agents handle back-to-back conversations with consumers comparing plans, reviewing benefits, and completing applications.

A five- or ten-minute technology delay does not just affect one customer, it pushes every subsequent appointment behind schedule, reducing the total number of people an agent can help in a day. Agencies that identify and resolve these friction points before call volumes surge will be far better positioned to maintain momentum throughout the season.

“Open enrollment puts enormous pressure on insurance teams to move quickly, but speed means very little if customers get stuck navigating the technology,” said Birta Bjargardóttir, COO at CrankWheel. “When someone is ready to compare plans, review coverage, or complete an application, agents should be able to show them exactly what they need to see in that moment. The agencies that prepare now to remove downloads, scheduling delays, and unnecessary technical hurdles will be in a much better position to turn more conversations into completed enrollments.”

A core challenge for many agencies is that their current collaboration tools were not designed for insurance sales. Video conferencing and team collaboration platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams were built around scheduled corporate meetings and internal collaboration. Insurance sales conversations operate differently.

A consumer may already be speaking with an agent by phone when a question arises about a plan, a quote, or an application. Requiring that customer to switch communication channels, download software, or join a separate scheduled meeting introduces unnecessary interruption. And during open enrollment, those interruptions are especially costly.

Research supports the urgency of this issue. According to the Owl Labs 2024 State of Hybrid Work report, 72% of workers have lost time due to technical difficulties during virtual meetings. Separately, research published in the journal Nature found that even brief video glitches can negatively affect a viewer’s willingness to work with a salesperson. For insurance agents trying to build trust with consumers making complex, high-consideration decisions, technical problems introduce exactly the wrong kind of friction at exactly the wrong moment.

CrankWheel is purpose-built for situations where a salesperson is already on a call and needs to show something immediately. Agents can initiate a screen share during an existing phone conversation and deliver a viewing link by text or email in seconds.

Customers open the link instantly in their browser—no software downloads, no account creation, no scheduling a follow-up meeting. CrankWheel works across smartphones, tablets, and computers, including iOS devices such as iPhones and iPads. Agents can walk customers through quotes, plan comparisons, and enrollment forms in real time, and can enable remote control when a customer needs hands-on assistance completing an application.

The business case is straightforward. Every additional touchpoint between the initial conversation and a completed enrollment creates an opportunity for the process to stall. With CrankWheel’s instant screen sharing, an agent can discuss a plan, visually walk through the options, answer questions, and help complete the application.

As digital enrollment experiences become a growing competitive differentiator, agencies that reduce unnecessary steps will convert more conversations into completed applications.

Open enrollment is approaching. Agencies that remove unnecessary technology barriers now will be better positioned to keep agents productive, maintain sales momentum, and close more enrollments. Insurance leaders can learn more about CrankWheel and start a free trial at crankwheel.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is CrankWheel urging insurance agencies to review their sales technology before open enrollment?

CrankWheel says insurance agencies should evaluate sales technology now because open enrollment creates a short, high-volume sales window. According to CrankWheel’s COO, Birta Bjargardóttir, removing downloads, scheduling delays, and other technical hurdles can help agents turn more conversations into completed enrollments.

Why are video conferencing tools like Zoom and Microsoft Teams not ideal for insurance sales conversations?

CrankWheel says tools such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams were built for scheduled corporate meetings and internal collaboration, not for live insurance sales calls. In the source content, that mismatch can force customers to switch channels, download software, or join a separate meeting, which adds interruption during open enrollment.

How does CrankWheel support insurance agents during enrollment conversations?

CrankWheel lets agents start screen sharing during an existing phone call and send a viewing link by text or email in seconds. Customers open the link in a browser on smartphones, tablets, computers, or iOS devices, and agents can walk them through quotes, plan comparisons, enrollment forms, and remote control when needed.

Why is reducing enrollment friction valuable for insurance agencies?

Every extra touchpoint between the first conversation and a completed enrollment creates another opportunity for the process to stall. Reducing friction helps agents review plans, answer questions, and guide customers through applications in the same conversation, which can shorten the sales cycle and improve completion rates.

About CrankWheel
CrankWheel provides instant, no-download screen sharing and sales enablement tools built for inside sales and telesales teams. Reps can share their screen with any prospect in seconds (regardless of device or technical skill) then guide, capture consent, record, and follow up from one simple workflow. Trusted by more than 50,000 users across industries including insurance, solar, home services, and digital agencies, CrankWheel helps phone-based teams close more deals on the first call. To learn more, visit http://crankwheel.com.

Media Contact:
Birta Bjargardóttir, COO
birta@crankwheel.com

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Waterdrop Inc. to Report Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results on September 8, 2026

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BEIJING, Aug. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Waterdrop Inc. (NYSE: WDH) (“Waterdrop” or the “Company”), a leading technology platform dedicated to insurance and healthcare services with a positive social impact, today announced that it will report its unaudited financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2026, before U.S. markets open on Tuesday, September 8, 2026.

Waterdrop’s management team will hold a conference call on September 8, 2026 at 8:00 AM U.S. Eastern Time (8:00 PM Beijing/Hong Kong Time on the same day) to discuss the financial results. Dial-in details for the earnings conference call are as follows:

International:

1-412-317-6061

United States Toll Free:

1-888-317-6003

Hong Kong:

852-58081995

Mainland China:

4001-206115

Entry Number:

5895694

Please dial in 15 minutes before the call is scheduled to begin and provide the Elite Entry Number to join the call.

Telephone replays will be accessible two hours after the conclusion of the conference call through September 15, 2026 by dialing the following numbers:

United States Toll Free:

1-855-669-9658

International Toll:

1-412-317-0088

Replay Access Code:

6264481

Additionally, live and archived webcasts of the conference call will be available at the Company’s investor relations website at http://ir.waterdrop-inc.com/.

About Waterdrop Inc.

Waterdrop Inc. (NYSE: WDH) is a leading technology platform dedicated to insurance and healthcare services with a positive social impact. Founded in 2016, with the comprehensive coverage of Waterdrop Insurance Marketplace and Waterdrop Medical Crowdfunding, Waterdrop aims to bring insurance and healthcare services to billions through technology. For more information, please visit www.waterdrop-inc.com.

For investor inquiries, please contact

Waterdrop Inc.
IR@shuidi-inc.com

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Yoodli named in the 2026 Gartner® Market Overview for B2B Sales AI Role-Play Applications report

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Yoodli sees its inclusion in the first Gartner Market Overview dedicated to sales AI roleplay applications as a signal of the category’s emergence as a distinct market

SEATTLE, Aug. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Yoodli, the AI experiential learning platform for enterprise sales training, manager coaching, and communications development, today announced it has been named as a point solution in the Gartner’s Market Overview for B2B Sales AI Role-Play Applications, published August 7, 2026. Read more about the recognition on the Yoodli blog: https://yoodli.ai/blog/yoodli-named-in-the-2026-gartner-market-overview-for-b2b-sales-ai-role-play-applications-report

Gartner defines sales AI role-play applications as “software that uses AI to simulate realistic business conversations.” Solutions in this category help organizations scale coaching, strengthen seller engagement, and accelerate skill development through personalized, repeatable practice against defined sales methodologies and communication standards.

In Yoodli’s view, the report matters because it treats sales AI roleplay applications as specialized solutions in their own right, separate from broader learning management systems and revenue enablement platforms, at a moment when buyer interest in the category is climbing.

“We believe this report confirms what our customers already know: AI roleplay is not a feature bolted onto an enablement suite, it’s a category of its own,” said Varun Puri, CEO and co-founder of Yoodli. “Enterprises come to Yoodli because their teams need a safe, always-on environment to practice high-stakes conversations before they happen. We’re proud to be recognized as this market takes shape.”

Yoodli’s platform is built around the capabilities that define the category: natural language understanding, customizable AI personas, no-code scenario builders, and automated scoring and feedback on both content and delivery. Admin-defined scoring rubrics grade against an organization’s own sales methodology, buyer personas and personality traits are fully configurable, and enterprise-grade security and governance are built in from day one.

Yoodli is also investing in areas it believes will differentiate vendors as the category matures, including conversation intelligence integration through its recently launched Post-Call Coaching with Gong, multilingual roleplays for global teams, and real-time, in-simulation coaching.

Yoodli is trusted by enterprise teams at organizations including ServiceNow, Databricks, Sky, Lyra Health, and Visiting Media to scale communication skills across sales, customer success, and leadership development.

To learn more about Yoodli or request a demo, visit yoodli.ai.

Gartner, Market Overview for B2B Sales AI Role-Play Applications, Bill Yetman, Rachael Buchler, Shayne Jackson, Doug Bushée, August 7, 2026.

GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved. Gartner does not endorse any company, vendor, product or service depicted in its publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s business and technology insights organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this publication, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About Yoodli

Yoodli is an AI-powered experiential learning platform that helps people practice and improve communication skills through personalized AI roleplays, adaptive coaching, and real-time feedback. Trusted by enterprises worldwide, Yoodli enables learners to build confidence, measure progress, and perform when it matters most. Learn more at yoodli.ai or visit us on LinkedIn.

Media Contact:
Sage Quiamno
press@yoodli.ai
+18082321321

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Stable Sea Expands WisdomTree Relationship With Two New Tokenized Funds for Business Cash

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WTSIX and FLTTX join WTGXX on Stable Sea Terminal, allowing eligible business users access to three tokenized, SEC-registered funds with low minimums via WisdomTree Securities, Inc.

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Stable Sea today announced it is expanding its strategic relationship with WisdomTree (NYSE: WT), a global asset manager with more than $150 billion in assets under management, by adding two new tokenized funds to Stable Sea Terminal: the WisdomTree Short-Duration Income Digital Fund (WTSIX) and the WisdomTree Floating Rate Treasury Digital Fund (FLTTX). The newly added funds build upon current access to the WisdomTree Treasury Money Market Digital Fund (WTGXX) on Stable Sea Terminal that began in April 2026, giving finance teams a choice of tokenized, SEC-registered funds to manage operating cash directly inside their treasury workflow.

The Opportunity: Idle Cash Meets a Fast-Growing Market

US businesses collectively hold more than $5 trillion in cash and cash-equivalent accounts that generate minimal to no interest, even as the infrastructure to deploy that cash has matured significantly. Tokenized real-world assets (RWAs), led by U.S. Treasury and money market products, have grown from roughly $6 billion in early 2025 to more than $31 billion by mid-2026, according to industry tracker RWA.xyz, a more than fivefold increase in about 18 months. Tokenized Treasury and money market products alone now account for more than $15 billion of that total, as industry-leading asset managers, including WisdomTree, bring institutional-grade, SEC-registered products onchain.

Despite that growth, most of the benefit has flowed to large institutions, crypto-native firms, and high-net-worth investors. Businesses that fall outside of these sectors  — those managing payroll, vendor payments, and working capital rather than a trading desk — have largely been left out, limited not by demand but by high investment minimums, multiple account requirements, and manual back-office processes.

“US businesses collectively hold more than $5 trillion in cash and cash equivalent accounts that earn minimal to no interest, and most of them have no simple way to change that,” said Tanner Taddeo, CEO and Co-Founder of Stable Sea. “Adding WTSIX and FLTTX gives finance teams real choice — not just a single yield-bearing option, but a ladder of tokenized funds they can match to the cash flow needs of their business. That’s the same kind of cash segmentation large treasury desks have used for decades, now available to any operator inside one platform.”

WisdomTree Funds Accessible Through Stable Sea Terminal

Stable Sea Terminal gives finance teams a single cash management platform where they can choose to put idle cash to work across various tokenized funds. With this expansion, eligible Terminal users may choose among three tokenized WisdomTree funds, each with different investment objectives and characteristics:

WisdomTree Treasury Money Market Digital Fund (WTGXX)  An SEC-registered money market fund investing in short-term, U.S. Treasury securities, with daily dividend accrual, a 0.25% expense ratio, $1 minimum and SEC yield (7-day) of 3.46%.* WisdomTree Floating Rate Treasury Digital Fund (FLTTX) An SEC-registered fund that seeks to track an index, before expenses, of floating-rate US Treasury obligations, with a 0.05% expense ratio, $25 minimum, and SEC yield (30-day) of 3.75%*. WisdomTree Short-Duration Income Digital Fund (WTSIX) An actively managed fund seeking income consistent with preservation of capital, with a 0.40% expense ratio, $25 minimum, and SEC yield (30-day) of 4.41%.*

“Businesses of every size are looking for ways to put idle cash to work, and onchain yield-generation gives them access to financial products once reserved for institutional treasury desks,” said Will Peck, Head of Digital Assets at WisdomTree. “Bringing WTSIX and FLTTX to the Stable Sea Terminal extends that access to a new audience, in a format built for how finance teams already operate, rather than asking them to adapt to new infrastructure.”

Built To Allow Access for Businesses,  Including those Historically Locked Out

High minimums have long put institutional-grade cash management out of reach for the smallest and least-resourced businesses; a gap that falls hardest on groups that already face steeper barriers to capital. Women-owned businesses, for example, typically start with roughly half the capital of male-owned peers ($75,000 vs. $135,000, on average), and are more likely to rely on personal savings and credit cards rather than a business line of credit to manage cash flow, according to Federal Reserve Small Business Credit Survey data cited by the National Women’s Business Council. Despite this, women-owned businesses now number more than 14 million and generate an estimated $2.7 trillion in annual revenue.

“Women business owners already start with less capital and lean more heavily on personal savings and credit cards just to keep the lights on,” said Corinne Goble, CEO of the Association of Women’s Business Centers. “When institutional-grade cash management tools are gated behind six- and seven-figure minimums, the businesses that could benefit most from a few extra points of yield are the ones locked out of it. Lowering that floor so a $25 balance can potentially earn a similar yield as a $10 million one is a meaningful step toward leveling that playing field for the entrepreneurs our centers serve every day.”

How It Works

Access to WTSIX and FLTTX is made available through the same integrated workflow Stable Sea already uses for WTGXX: eligible Stable Sea Terminal users establish a relationship with WisdomTree Securities, Inc., an SEC-registered broker-dealer, enabling them to place orders to buy or sell funds from the Stable Sea dashboard.

Stable Sea Terminal is available today. Businesses can sign up at stablesea.com to move, manage, and grow treasury capital,  onchain and off,  from a single platform.

Sign up at: stablesea.com

*Yield figures for WTGXX, FLTTX, and WTSIX are as of August 21, 2026, and are variable, not guaranteed, and will change with market conditions, including changes in interest rates and credit ratings.  Performance data shown represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results.  Current performance may be higher or lower than that quoted.  Income and/or dividends are not guaranteed. 

Carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses of each Fund before investing. There are risks associated with investing, including possible loss of principal.

You could lose money by investing in the Funds. Although WTGXX seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Funds is not a bank account and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The Funds’ adviser is not required to reimburse the Funds for losses, and you should not expect that the adviser will provide financial support to the Funds at any time, including during periods of market stress.

WTGXX, FLTTX, and WTSIX are distributed by WisdomTree Securities, Inc., Member FINRA. Blockchain technology is a relatively new and untested technology, with little regulation; potential risks include vulnerability to fraud, theft, or inaccessibility, and future regulatory developments could affect its viability.

About Stable Sea

Stable Sea is the simplest way for global businesses to move, manage, and grow capital onchain and off. Stable Sea Terminal gives finance teams a single place to move capital via stablecoins, earn yield through tokenized real-world assets, and access institutional-grade digital assets — combining onchain efficiency with enterprise-grade controls. For more information, visit stablesea.com.

Stable Sea is not a broker-dealer, does not provide investment advice and does not determine which fund is appropriate for any customer.

About WisdomTree

WisdomTree is a global financial innovator, offering a diverse suite of exchange-traded products (ETPs), models and solutions, private market investments and digital asset-related products. Our offerings empower investors to shape their financial future and equip financial professionals to grow their businesses. Leveraging the latest financial infrastructure, we create products that emphasize access and transparency and provide an enhanced user experience. Building on our heritage of innovation, we offer next-generation digital products and services related to tokenized real-world assets and stablecoins, as well as our institutional platform, WisdomTree Connect™, and blockchain-native digital wallet, WisdomTree Prime®*, and have expanded into private markets through the acquisition of Ceres Partners’ U.S. farmland platform.

* The WisdomTree Connect institutional platform and WisdomTree Prime digital wallet and digital asset services are made available through WisdomTree Digital Movement, Inc., a federally registered money services business, state-licensed money transmitter and financial technology company (NMLS ID: 2372500) or WisdomTree Digital Trust Company, LLC, and may be limited where prohibited by law. WisdomTree Digital Trust Company, LLC is chartered as a limited purpose trust company by the New York State Department of Financial Services to engage in virtual currency business. Visit https://wisdomtreeconnect.com, https://www.wisdomtreeprime.com or the WisdomTree Prime mobile app for more information.

WisdomTree currently has approximately $197.3 billion in assets under management globally, inclusive of assets managed by Ceres Partners, LLC as of the last reportable period.

WisdomTree Securities, Inc. serves as distributor to the Funds and as an application way broker-dealer and it does not provide investment advice and does not determine which fund is appropriate for any customer. For more information about WisdomTree, WisdomTree Connect and WisdomTree Prime, visit: https://www.wisdomtree.com.

Please visit us on X at @WisdomTreeNews.

WisdomTree® is the marketing name for WisdomTree, Inc. and its subsidiaries worldwide.

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES AVAILABLE VIA WISDOMTREE CONNECT AND WISDOMTREE PRIME:

NOT FDIC INSURED | NO BANK GUARANTEE | NOT A BANK DEPOSIT | MAY LOSE VALUE | NOT SIPC PROTECTED | NOT INSURED BY ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY

The products and services available through WisdomTree Connect and the WisdomTree Prime app are not endorsed, indemnified or guaranteed by any regulatory agency.

About the Association of Women’s Business Centers

The Association of Women’s Business Centers (AWBC) is a national 501(c)(3) organization and the leading voice and resource for igniting the economic power of women’s entrepreneurship. AWBC advocates for and supports a network of more than 140 Women’s Business Centers (WBCs) across the United States. Through this network, entrepreneurs receive access to free coaching, networking opportunities, small business resources, training, and other tools to help them start, grow, and succeed.

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