Identify Proactive Health Benefits Advisors: 3 Qualities to Look For

BY RYAN SPENCER

We recently met with a prospect who was sick of benefits advisors. In the past, he had worked with a litany of advisors who promised incredible results but delivered the same vanilla services and lackluster performance as everyone else. Most years, he felt like his advisor forgot about his existence until he complained about his plan. After years of enduring subpar service, He felt like he couldn’t trust anyone. The trust he was missing is a critical factor in any business relationship, but it is especially important when the health of your employees is at stake. When it comes to your health benefits plan, demand results. Don’t settle for the status quo. Find a proactive benefits advisor who can deliver on the promises they make during their sales pitch and are willing to explore new ideas with you and your company.

How to Identify a Proactive Advisor

You shouldn’t have to push your advisor along to get better results. A proactive advisor implements multiple strategies to deliver better service for your company and employees. Here’s how you can spot a proactive advisor who’s ready to serve your company with new ideas and optimized performance: 1. Proactive advisors work to understand the big picture. Your advisor should dig deep into your company details to truly understand your unique needs. They should understand your financial goals, employee pain points, and every other factor that influences your health benefits plan. As they gain deeper insight into your company and employees, they should feel like more than a partner. A great advisor is so invested in your company’s success, they feel like an employee. 2. Proactive advisors are willing to explore new ideas. Our prospect was upset because every advisor he’d work with was content with the status quo. He knew that the only way to improve his company plan was to explore new ideas that could create additional financial and strategic opportunities, but past advisors weren’t willing to examine those options with him. A proactive advisor should regularly review new plan possibilities for your business to ensure you always have the best deal. 3. Proactive advisors continue conversations and evaluations year-round. Many advisors are content with leaving their clients alone throughout the year until it’s time to sign the renewal paperwork again. If your advisor doesn’t regularly check in with you and evaluate your plan for potential improvements, they’re not working proactively on your behalf. Instead of pitching new plan opportunities at the end of each year, a proactive advisor regularly recommends optimizations to support your evolving business and its changing needs. When we work with clients, we hold a meeting after each renewal to develop our strategic plan for the year. In that meeting, we develop a timeline for our goals over the next twelve months. We regularly check in on that timeline throughout the year to ensure we’re progressing. When your advisor takes the appropriate steps on behalf of your company, they deliver better support for your business.

Demand Performance

You shouldn’t have to manage your benefits advisor for better performance. Instead, they should work just as hard throughout the year as they do in their sales pitch to win your business. If your advisor is comfortable with the status quo, demand more. Make your objectives clear. If your advisor continues to let your plan stagnate as your company’s needs evolve, it’s time to search for a new partner.

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