So how do you take a restaurant group, a law firm, a staffing agency, and a municipality and put them all onto the same technology platform? Starting to seem more ridiculous now, right? All these groups have different needs and diverse workforces. You can't make the client fit the technology — the technology has to fit the client. Now, I'm not saying you have to go out there and evaluate every system on the market so you have an arsenal at your disposal. What you should be doing, however, is evaluating several solutions, identifying how they differ, and determining where they might fit your particular book of business and prospects.

As a technology aggregator, we have evaluated so many different solutions on the market and sat through countless demos. Every time I turn around, there seems to be a new system. As a benefits consultant, you learn to dig deep into the weeds and evaluate carriers, networks, products, and all the nuances that come with the complexity of the industry. So why would you not do the same with the technology you are going to recommend to your valuable clients, the clients that trust in you for sound advice?

Right now, many of you are thinking, “I barely made it out of Q4 2015 learning PPACA, and now you want me to become a technology expert?” This is where partnering comes into play. Just like you may have a strategic partnership with an HR consulting firm or a CPA for PPACA-related questions, you can have a partner for technology questions. Continue doing what you know best — delivering solid benefit advice — and align yourself with someone who can assist you with the complexities of benefits administration.

With so much to consider, it is vital that the technology your client works with aligns with their specific needs and runs parallel with the plan you have in place as their advisor. Knowing when recommendation technology will play a role or whether defined contribution may come into play are important things to consider. How involved are you as the broker with this technology? Can you support it in-house? What happens if the person supporting your technology finds a job somewhere else? How does that impact you? Can you send data to carriers electronically? Do you need to populate carrier applications or provide signatures? Can the system handle your client's PPACA tracking needs? Will it also eFile and fulfill forms to the employees?

This is just a small sample of questions you should be considering. These are things many brokers often don't think about until they have signed a contract and are stuck with a technology they have to pay for. So then what do you do? You try to make the glove fit — and no one wants to be forced into anything. So why force your clients?

If you want to learn the answers to all the questions above and more, make sure you attend the 2016 Benefits Selling Expo and catch my session on “Evaluating Benefits Administration and Private Exchanges for Mid-Market Clients.”