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Open enrollment season is upon us. It’s busy. It’s exciting. And for many people, it’s a real headache. After all, this is the season when you’re swamped – providing plan designs, negotiating premiums and offering expert guidance. Your clients are drowning in paperwork and can’t catch their breath because they’re dealing with endless employee questions. In fact, employees are so confused they sometimes just choose a plan by asking what their cubicle neighbor picked. (Seriously, I know too many people who do this.) But, never fear. Where there is chaos, there is opportunity.

Customers are smarter than ever.

And they’re paying more attention than ever to the level of customer service you’re providing. That’s why marketers are so concerned with the concept of the “user experience” – a buzzword that’s making everybody nervous about connecting with customers. Truth is: It’s a real game-changer when it comes to increasing sales and keeping customers loyal. This approach doesn’t exclude those of us in the B2B space. In fact, in a 2015 Accenture study, ninety percent of B2B execs expressed their intention to maintain or increase their spending on customer experience. (How often do you see 90 percent of people agreeing on anything, especially when it comes to health care?)

So many experiences, so little time…

The problem many companies run into when trying to provide an ideal user experience, however, is the availability of resources. This is an even bigger pain point for benefits brokers because there’s so many unique customer experiences to be had along the benefits journey. Executives are concerned about ROI and engagement. HR professionals are looking for a smooth enrollment experience for both them and their employees. Employees just want a simple way to choose benefits that fit their needs and budget.

The tech solution.

This is where partnering with a streamlined, tech solution comes in to play. In fact, many brokers are choosing to turn to technology to help their clients automate and simplify experiences, especially during the chaotic open enrollment season. In fact, a survey conducted by Maestro Health™ in 2015 found that 53 percent of brokers agreed that success is tied to innovation through technology solutions.

The right tech partnership helps ease all customer experiences. The lower costs and increased HR productivity is a much needed relief for executives. The administrative workload is lightened and the data analytics are increased for HR professionals. A sense of security is felt when employees select and manage their benefits.

Looking beyond the open enrollment experience.

Today there’s really no shortage of tech vendors looking to partner with brokers. Of course, not all vendors are created equal. Some offer a benefits marketplace/private exchange that is solely devoted to open enrollment season, offering zero support during the remaining 364 days of the year. If you’re looking to enhance the entire user experience, this simply won’t cut it. In that same 2015 Accenture study, they spoke with a number of customer experience leaders. Of these leaders, six out of 10 agreed on the importance of the service provided post-sale and throughout the customer lifecycle.

The ideal tech partner understands that the other 364 days of the year are just as important as the day someone enrolls in a plan. To ensure the optimal customer experience, it’s key to ensure they have access to:

- Licensed call centers and live chat – Handles employee questions & provides HR work load relief
- Dedicated relationship managers – Takes the burden off of you & provides a supportive experience for HR professionals
- Compliance guidance – Ensures HR professionals are provided with ACA support
- Year-round portal – Provides HR professionals & employees with valuable tools and information.
- People who actually care – Guarantees that benefits are people-friendly

Best. Experience. Ever.

Becoming an early adopter of the right tech solutions will not only help lessen the universal migraine that is currently open enrollment, it will help you reach new clients and drive commissions.

Instant Insights /

How to improve the benefit customer experience (for all)

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