We have discussed the dangers faced by brokers who have not developed meaningful value-added, consultancy-based services for their employer clients. Those whose value propositions still revolve around shopping for products and services are simply waiting to be disintermediated. They will be disrupted as surely as Uber is disrupting the taxi industry. Shopping services involve collecting, compiling, and presenting data, tasks that can be accomplished in many different ways.

Employers agree. In one Eastbridge study, only 6 percent of employers described their benefits broker's key attribute as being a "trusted advisor" while 38 percent said their broker's key attribute was "comparison shopping" and they (the employer) did the due diligence and made all the decisions. Employers who consider their broker a "shopper" are likely to consider other ways to get that task accomplished.

BV (before voluntary), things were simple. Life insurance was life insurance, and it was very different than disability, which was different than medical. Selling success revolved around shopping tasks and relationship building skills. Today, the benefit landscape is different. Benefits are more intertwined, related, and strategic. Shopping may still be important, and relationship-building will always be important, but now knowledge and consulting skills have joined the list of requirements.