The best way to build acompetitive edge is still to understand our customers'needs.

I'm not sure whether any of you have been following this columnsince 2004, when I first started contributing. At that time, thetitle was "Competitive edge," and most of my early columnsattempted to answer the question, "How does a person in thebenefits business gain a competitive edge?" This month, we'll goback and discuss how (and whether) gaining a competitive edge inour business has changed over the past 16 years.

The ideas discussed in those early columns turned out to be moretimeless than I expected. The very first column I could find (Ilost copies of some old columns years ago in a flood) discussedgaining an edge by choosing the right critical illness product. Itanalyzed why CI products meet an important need for employees andtheir dependents. That certainly seems contemporary, doesn'tit?

Marty Traynor is anOmaha-based consultant in the benefits field.

(Check out the oldest article we could find fromMarty in our digital archives.)

The next handful of columns also covered topics still vitaltoday, including:

• "Why would my employees buy your products?"analyzed why voluntary products represent the best financialsecurity solution for most workers. The closing paragraph stated:"The answer to why would employees buy voluntary benefits is: Theyneed the coverage, and they are not getting answers to their needselsewhere. Market studies have consistently indicated thatemployees like the triple convenience of access to products at theworkplace, simple underwriting, and the relatively painless processof paying premiums via payroll deduction."
• "What's in it for the employer?" discussed thebenefits employers realize by offering voluntary plans, includingemployee satisfaction, filling gaps in employer-provided plans, andincluding value-added services to help employers communicate.
• "Why should I give you my business?" focusedon the employer's decision-making process. The most effectivetechnique is to present comparisons of value that go beyond productspecifics like features and price. The most useful comparisons tellhow the program is going to be administered, including thesupporting technology, methods of paper-free employee communicationand enrollment, billing support and claims processes.
• "Create success through ethics" covered do'sand don'ts of preparing presentations. Ethical sales behavior is agreat way to build customer loyalty. Putting customers' bestinterests first and making ethical presentations is among today'sbiggest issues.

My favorite article from that first year, though, was probablyone that espoused using analytics, as described in "Moneyball," togain a better understanding of the factors which drive success inthe benefits market. And of course, today's ability to collect andorganize data is a very contemporary topic.

My memory of those early columns was that much of the focus wason product design and features. I expected this would lead into adiscussion of how the market has become more customer-focused.Instead, I found that the topics covered then remain vitaltoday.

The best way to build a competitive edge is still to understandour customers' needs. Once we have established those needs and whythey are important, we can present the products that best answertheir needs. We then need to explain the process that supportsbenefit plans. This includes the technology used to administerplans and the communications campaigns that support enrollment anduse of the products.

Read more: 

• Four golden rules to gain a competitiveedge
• Open enrollment: Then and now
• Brokers' roles evolving,expanding