Too often we are pulled in different directions — in our personal lives and work lives. Many times, there’s just too much to do, too many people to do it for, and too little time. In too many situations, we are not able to treat all personal issues or business issues with the time and dedication they deserve.
Why does that have to be the case? Just like calling a plumber, electrician, landscaper, or painter to help with a lengthy to-do list, why not call in an experienced professional for help with a client list — particularly smaller customers, who may not be getting the attention they deserve?
Almost all benefit professionals have some small group business. Unfortunately, larger clients tend to take up most of a broker’s time and likely provide a greater return than the smaller clients on their own. However, these smaller clients can’t be ignored. They deserve adequate attention and quality service from their brokers and they notice when they don’t get it. Not to mention, these smaller group life, health, and employee benefit programs also contribute significantly to an agent’s total commission dollars.
So what’s the answer for an agent who can’t be everywhere at once? Consider partnering with a knowledgeable and experienced benefits broker and outsource that smaller business to them.
Sharing the workload with the right partner can be a valuable tool for efficiently managing a broker’s office time while ensuring that his or her small group customers get the attention they deserve and would receive if other business didn’t interfere. Outsourcing to the right vendor can free up a broker’s time so he or she can tend to other business issues, and allocate his or her time to those activities that provide the greatest return, while ensuring that their smallest clients are still receiving optimal attention and service.
What to look for in an outsourcing partner
A good outsourcing program will allow an agent to rely on an external partner for the management of smaller group life, health, and employee benefit programs, and ensure they won’t have to forfeit any commission dollars.
With the right partner, brokers should be able to administer small group with a 40% or more profit margin while reducing their workload. Brokers should be able to enroll one client at a time or as a block. A qualified partner should offer a variety of services to small group customers including:
- Carrier negotiation
- Quotation and proposal development
- Carrier enrollment assistance
- Renewal services
By sharing the workload with a knowledgeable partner, brokers can focus more of their time courting prospective and servicing larger more profitable clients without having to provide an inferior level of service to their smaller clients. Further, with the right partner, brokers can be assured that their smaller clients are working with benefit experts who specialize in small group markets in their particular areas of business.
Let’s face it - brokers can’t be everywhere at once. Why not consider outsourcing smaller group business to a trusted partner? Smaller clients will receive the quality service and time commitment they deserve, while brokers can free up their time to focus on the parts of their business that need them most.
Fleet is president of AmWINS Group Benefits, a wholesale broker of comprehensive group insurance programs and administrative services. He can be reached at asksam@amwins.com.
