Since early March, our lives havebeen dominated by the disruptions created by COVID-19. We've shifted to working remotely,we've learned the right songs to hum to make sure we're washing ourhands long enough, we're supporting local businesses in any ways wecan, and we're doing our very best to flattenthe curve and keepourselves and our families safe.

Clearly, we're a long way frombusiness as usual. But there's still plenty of business to do.Right this minute, your clients need help figuring out how torespond (or not respond) to the changes that have already happened,and the ones on the horizon. Guide them through this turbulentperiod well, and they're likely to reward you with their trust —and their business — for years to come. Here are a few suggestionson making that happen:

Listen, listen, listen

The game plan you and yourclients had in mind for 2020 may still apply — but most likely itwon't.

The best first step in figuringout how to pivot is to set up a virtual check-in meeting with yourclients simply to hear about their latest concerns. Your role inthis meeting is very simple: Ask questions that get to the heart ofwhat they're struggling with right now, listen, and takenotes. 

Are they anticipating layoffs(and then possible re-hires later in the year)? Do they suddenlyneed a way to virtually onboard new hires, or run open enrollment,or communicate benefits in general? Do they need help explainingall the relevant info from the new $2 trillion stimulus package totheir workforce?

Related: 10 questions employers have aboutCOVID-19

This is your chance to find outwhat your clients are thinking, gauge their risk tolerance, and beempathetic to their unique situation.

Be prescriptive about the what, the how, and thewhen

Once you have a clear sense ofyour clients' new normal, pivot quickly to making recommendations.Better to err on the side of being prescriptive than being passiveor reactive — especially now, when so many employers are unsureabout next steps.

As you're making recommendations,be upfront about the pros and cons of your game plan versusalternatives to your plan, or alternatives to the tools you'rerecommending. The more proof you provide of doing your duediligence, the more reassured your clients will feel. Also, asgreat as your pitch might be, your clients are also inevitablygoing to want to do some online research themselves. Help them bygathering and sharing the URLs of the sources they'd likely turnto; they'll appreciate that you're being transparent and savingthem time.

Next, once you and your clientare aligned, take the lead on creating a mutual action plan. Pointout possible potholes, wrong turns or detours that could happen andmake suggestions on how to avoid them. Communicate any insiderknowledge you might have about how long a contract for X mightreally take to get signed, or how long implementation for tool Yactually takes, according to your other clients.

Also: COVID-19 and the workforce: Employers must take along-range view

Leverage the expertise of theother people in your office, whenever and however possible. Besuper-organized on a micro level, too: send a simple agenda inadvance of meetings, be sure to sum up next steps and make clearwho's responsible for what, by when, at every step.

Oh, and a bonus tip: Talkingabout ROI and showing data to support your vision is obviouslyimportant; but you're more likely to get your client to buy in ifyou pair data with a powerful story. So craft a simple narrativeabout the potential year ahead, with a beginning, middle and anend. 

Describe the relief your clientand employees will likely feel, and the pain they'll likely avoid.The better you're able to do this, the more likely your client willremain positive about your game plan throughout theyear.

Benefits education strategies that deliver sneakysavings

It goes without saying that yourclients will be looking for even more ways to pinch pennies thisyear. Negotiating the best plan rates and migrating employees intolower cost alternatives are all great ways to impact the bottomline. But there's more than you can — and should — be doing,especially on the benefits decision support front, to help yourclients achieve better financial outcomes. For example:

Proactively suggest healthcare consumerism tools

Obviously, there's been a recentspike in interest in telemedicine tools, so be prepared to offerthoughtful advice on that front. Also, be on the lookout forsolutions that encourage employees to become savvier health careshoppers by going to urgent care centers instead of ERs fornon-emergencies, using genericdrugs, and being morevigilant about preventative care.

Suggest your clients rebrandtheir open enrollment as an important financialcrossroads

Bad decisions employees makeduring open enrollment can cost them and their employers thousandsof dollars. Help your clients create open enrollment messagingthat's focused on the bottom-line benefit of each medical plan andtax-advantaged account, using specific dollar amounts whenpossible. Provide a way for their employees to compare planseasily, playing out low-risk and high-risk scenarios. Suggestmessaging that speaks bluntly about the financial benefits ofbenefits: For example, that the average employee saves $19.65 intaxes for every $100 they put in a pre-tax account for health carecosts (likean HSA or FSA). Or thatnot taking advantage of the 401(k) match is like turning downthousands of dollars in free money every year.

Ask vendors to help coverbenefits technology costs

Insurance carriers are oftenwilling to offer technology, communication or marketing credits tobrokers (payable in a lump sum or monthly installments) to helpcover the cost of new benefits communications technology. So askevery single carrier you work with to pitch in — medical carriers,dental carriers, critical illness carriers, you name it. It's intheir best interest to support benefits communication that willeducate employees about their products — and possibly boostenrollment in those products.

Share smart strategies fortrigger-based benefits communications

The key to engaging employees andgetting them to take action is to reach out when they're alreadyprimed to receive your message. With this in mind, suggest thatyour clients:

• Sendemployees messages about making 401(k) and HSA contributions afteryearly pay increases or promotions, as well as during tax season,when finances are front of mind.
• Automatically send a reminder about using FSAdollars by the March deadline early in the year
• Remindemployees to re-assess how much money they've put into their HSAsin June, when the year is halfway over
• Diligently promote telemedicine, EAPs, and othermental health resources right now–and communicate the importance ofgetting an annual physical, once COVID-restrictionsease

Keep nudging your clients towards digital solutions

Investing in solutions that allowemployees to learn about, choose, and use their benefitsconveniently online was a growing trend even before this pandemichit. Now, with social distancing measures and work-from-homepolicies in place, and in-person meetings and paper enrollment nolonger an option, virtual benefits education and enrollment willbecome a "must-have" for many companies, in the short-term andpossibly longer.

If you're not a student of thelatest, greatest digital benefits technology on the market, now'sthe time to become one.

Conclusion

There's no perfect formula formeeting the varied and urgent needs of your clients right now. Butif you lead with empathy, confidence, and transparency — and makeit a priority to educate yourself about new strategies andtechnologies — you'll be well on your way to having the best 2020you can, all things considered.

Chad Schneider is Jellyvision's VP ofstrategic alliances.