“Voluntary”

My quick answer would be “voluntary,” as in voluntary benefits. The word doesn't make sense anymore. Employees elect, voluntarily, whether they want a medical plan, dental plan, term life, etc. Why when we get to another plan—universal life, critical illness, accident—would we suddenly call them voluntary plans? Maybe “additional plans” or even just “employee benefit plans” makes more sense to me.

Ron Kleiman, CEO, BenefitVision

“Your rates are below the benchmark for others in your area and industry”

I have distaste for this phrase because it holds employers back. It keeps them believing a broken model is their only option. What employers should be doing with forward-thinking benefits advisors is moving towards “award-winning” health and welfare plans that have completely transparent pricing, better access and benefits for employees, and that do not come with yearly, ill-explained increases.

Niko J. Caparisos, principal, Prosperity Benefits, LLC

“One-stop-shop approach”

Less a word or phrase and more of a concept, let's do away with the one-stop-shop approach to benefits consulting. In this ever more complex benefits landscape, we see true value in specialization and have built our business around a couple of dedicated focuses—disability, life, leave, voluntary benefits. That said, we openly welcome outsourcing, co-brokering or subcontracting those areas outside of our expertise. Whether working alongside a core benefits consultancy, a self-funding medical expert, an investment advisory, etc., we stick to what we do best—always staying in our own lane and always playing nice in the sandbox.

Kevin Kennedy, benefits consultant, TriBen Insurance

“Leaving money on the table”

The products we provide to our group clients follow a solution-based strategy for them to help our ultimate policyholders, their employees. I don't think using this statement is professional, nor will it get you far in this industry. Build a strategy around your solution and share that story.

Heather Garbers, VP voluntary benefits & technology, HUB International Insurance Services Inc.

“Broker”

A “broker” brings buyers and sellers together. While this is still incredibly important, our role with our clients has become much more meaningful. Our role is more of a 365-day-a-year business relationship that supports our clients and their strategic plans. It moves into areas such as policies, payroll, wellness, compliance, risk management, human resources—all areas that are addressed throughout the year. No one can afford to be simply a “broker” any longer.

Steve Kickham, consultant, Cornerstone Insurance Group

“Ancillary/Voluntary”

(I can live with “worksite” and “supplemental” if I have to, but don't like those either!)

Why? The term “enhanced” is a much more powerful and descriptive way to speak of our industry. The fact is that all benefits are voluntary, but for some reason, the stigma of “voluntary” has been placed on our industry with respect to the products that are not employer funded. Have you ever looked up the definition of ancillary? “Providing something additional to a main part or function. Supplementary.” If you're struggling with getting your clients to understand the need and value of a properly designed and installed enhanced benefits package, perhaps it's your wording that is stymieing your ability to garner client interest.

Eric Silverman, principal and owner, Silverman Benefits Group

“I'm a broker! I'm an agent! I'm a consultant!”

How about, “I'm in the risk-management business”?

Karen Kirkpatrick, owner, On Your Mark Consulting

“Status Quo”

Hopefully in the upcoming year, it will become a thing of the past!

Rachel Miner, employee benefits strategist, Employee Benefit Advisors of the Carolinas

“Limited network”

I'd like to see “limited network” replaced when it refers to a network that reflects quality/cost providers, as opposed to an ACA-like “limited network” which means “any provider who accepts Medicaid-level reimbursement.” A term like “high-quality network,” “high-performance network” or “best-outcomes network” doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, but it's more reflective of the benefit that it delivers than the term “limited network,” with its multiple—and very different—applications.

William G. Stuart, director of strategy and compliance, Benefit Strategies LLC

“Disruption”

Replace “disruption” with “just doing your job.” And once brokers become health care supply chain managers, benefits managers will become benefits optimizers.

Andy Neary, health care strategist, Captivated Health

“To be honest”

No need to add anything.

Michael Causey, sales representative, Arizona Benefits Plans, Inc.

“Affordable”

John Clay, benefits advisor, Better Source Benefits

“Selling plans across state lines”

This concept will not reduce the cost of health insurance, because the access to care is local. It doesn't help to buy a plan out of another state that does not have access to a local network. Also, the cost of living is not the same in every state, so the cost of health care is not the same. The cost of an MRI is higher in California than it is in Missouri. If you can purchase a plan from a different state, it does not change the local cost of health care. Finally, carriers like UnitedHealth, Cigna, and “the Blues” have networks all over the country and are already “selling across state lines.” Some states have even passed laws allowing the purchase across state lines, but no insurer has offered an out-of-state policy. If we really want to reduce the cost of health insurance, we need to reduce the cost of health care, and the only way to head in that direction is to move away from first dollar PPO plan and embrace HSA qualified plans.

Brad Snitzer, REBC, RHU, consultant, Cornerstone Insurance Group

“Click here for a free quote”

Put on websites as an enticement to prospects. Really?! That prospect is there because they have a problem/challenge and they are looking for help. They're looking to determine how this agency may be different from the one they already have. Why are agencies so insistent on having that prospect evaluate them on the one thing that makes them just like everyone else?! And…

“This is a relationship business”

(Sorry, I had to add another.) Advisors are not in the relationship business, they are in the advice and results business. Prospects aren't looking for new friends; they are looking for help.

It is only a relationship business for those who don't have more to offer, or as a tie-breaker when everything else is equal. But, everything else is almost never equal.

The ironic part is that those advisors who are able to give the right advice and deliver meaningful results find themselves with the strongest client relationships of all.

Kevin Trokey, founding partner, coach, Q4intelligence

“Cheaper”

In general, I would like to eliminate from the universe the following phrases: “awesome sauce,” “totes adorbs,” “cray cray.” As for the health care industry, I'd like to eliminate the word “cheaper.” And because I'm not a whiner who just brings problems, my solution is to replace it with the term “better value.”

Let me tell you a story: I recently received a LinkedIn connection request from the CEO of a company. He was reaching out to connect because he “thought we could both benefit.” When I responded and thanked him, he asked if my company offered medical benefits. Strange. So, I looked at his profile a little closer. Turns out he was a competitor to one of the services we provide—seems he was randomly connecting to sell direct to employers. So, I quickly explained that we were in similar businesses, gave a quick overview of what we did, our differentiator, and thanked him again. His response floored me: “I wish you were selling our service instead and then your prices could be much lower.” AKA, cheaper. While that was officially the end of our conversation, it continued on in my head all day! “Who does this guy think he is? He doesn't know jack about my business. Is price the only way he can sell his product?” In the “Little Red Book of Selling,” Jeffrey Gittomer says, “…figure out where your value proposition lies and how to communicate it in a way that the customer will get it and be so compelling in your proof statements or your testimonials that the customer will both emotionally and logically make the decision to buy from you.”.

I get that with health insurance, every dollar counts. I get that employers are constantly looking to save a buck on their benefits costs. But, is it really the only metric that matters? As industry leaders, what advice, tools, strategies, products, ideas do you offer that bring true value to your clients—extras that aren't commodities and can't be measured in a side-by-side bid?

Heidi Rasmussen, co-founder & COO, freshbenies

“The problem is…”

I think it's better to be positive than negative, so if running the phrase “the problem is” through a wood chipper—in a positive way—is something that would make our industry better, I'm all for it. I just think it's better to start things off with something like, “let's solve for” rather than “the problem (which is your fault, not ours) is.” In my experience, keeping the focus on the possibilities instead of the barriers keeps people in a creative state and leads to better solutions.

Chad Schneider, director of channel sales, Jellyvision

“High-Deductible health plan”

Ever since I started in the industry a decade ago, “high-deductible health plan” has been a constant reminder to me of how hapless we can be at marketing. “What should we name these new plans?” “How about we call them by their worst attribute?” “Sold!” And we wonder why it's taken nearly 15 years to even approach 50 percent market penetration. PPO, HMO and even CDHP aren't much better, and it all signals how far we are from truly acting like consumer-friendly organizations. If I were the King of All Health Insurance for a Day, I would forbid actuaries from naming plans and forbid marketers from messing with plan designs, in hopes that we would get something far simpler for consumers to manage and far more appealing for consumers to select. And once we get that snowball rolling downhill, maybe it will pick up steam and simplify some of the rest of health care, too.

Shandon Fowler, founder and principal, Four8 Insights