Consider client satisfaction, for example. Like most brokers, you may have a general sense of your customers' satisfaction levels. But do you really know the details? Do you poll your clients in a way that allows you to compare their needs? Conducting client surveys is one way to identify trends occurring in your own backyard.

What about your own systems? Looking at participation through the lens of employee access is one thing. But could you go down another layer? What might we learn from an analysis of product sequencing during enrollment, or from the total number of benefits offered? Understanding these types of statistics can help you tell better stories and get better results. With many employers leaning toward self-service and other more “hands-off” enrollment strategies, helping your client see the outcomes of various enrollment strategies may assist you in keeping or gaining the employee access you need, not to mention helping you earn more commissions.

Keep in mind that it doesn't all have to fall completely on your shoulders. Most producers can't or don't want to spend their nights and weekends cobbling together spreadsheets of information. That's why many of them coordinate this data with their enrollment, benefit administration, payroll or even billing vendors. Lean on these organizations for the information you need to better serve your clients, and consider their insights when choosing your carrier partners.

As data analytics gets more sophisticated in the voluntary industry, remember that you shouldn't be at the bottom of the data food chain. If you take the time to uncover trends in your own business, you'll be more confident in where to focus your efforts and, ultimately, where to achieve greater results and income. The alternative may be to find yourself reacting to the competition instead of surpassing it.