Benefits pros, but not tech pros
Our readers share some of their biggest mistakes--and lessons learned--when it comes to technology.
We asked our readers, what are the biggest technology mistakes you’ve made in your career? What tips and advice do you have for your peers to avoid those same mistakes?
Virtually unmissable
I will say that I invested heavily in virtual self-serve enrollment capabilities in 2018, before COVID made them kewl! With that said, my biggest tech mistake was not seeing the rise of virtual education and employee engagement years earlier. Thus, I moved too slowly because I was brainwashed in my former life as a carrier rep to believe that 1-on-1 in-person enrollments were the only way to have success. Boy, was I wrong!
Related: The intersection of benefits and technology: How brokers can position themselves as true partners
Now that I’ve been a “recovering carrier rep” for so many years, we’ve moved our entire business model to 100% self-serve enrollments. We use customized communication and employee engagement campaigns tailored specifically for each unique employer group – all centered around the “remote control” of everyone’s life in 2022: their smartphone.
Eric Silverman, founder, Voluntary Disruption
It’s not about you
It is easy to tell an employer what technology solution they should put in place based on what works best for us; however, I find it much easier to exceed expectations when we truly consult an employer on technology. Find out the employer’s needs, challenges and budget, then provide at least a couple of options for the employer to choose from.
I often find there are pain points or needed integrations that I did not originally consider. If the technology implementation is going to require a big commitment from a time and cost perspective, I recommend partnering with an outside technology expert who can guide the employer. The other trap I have fallen into is putting in too much technology. Sometimes, great technology can be overshadowed by the hassle of having to learn another system.
Jessica Du Bois, vice president of business development, Risk Strategies Company
How not to text
A few years ago after a career transition, I was driving home from the office and came up with an idea to combine an idea utilizing a client’s text message technology with my goal for benefits education. I thought it was a fantastic idea, so I got the client on board and quickly taught myself how to use the technology to send text messages to people via the platform. It was a great way to get in front of new HR people looking for a new, cool way to appeal to the younger population.
While the idea was there and the delivery actually worked quite nicely, there were some factors I wasn’t prepared for.
After almost immediately setting up several clients and prospective clients after rolling this idea out, I realized that text messaging is just as two-way as two regular human beings chatting. There were three main problems I had to deal with, which definitely turned into facepalm moments for me.
Consent—Not only did we not get consent from the employees to send messages, we completely neglected to add in the required “reply STOP to opt out.” So while most employees were happy to receive a text from the employer, several were automatically opted in and felt as though their privacy was violated.
Two-way communications—My firm was small at the time and it was just me working on the backend of this tech. With all the traveling I was doing, I’d schedule a text and move on to the next thing. Basic “set it and forget it” mentality. I’d log back in after several days, only to be greeted with hundreds of responses asking more questions. And of course it caused more confusion because employees couldn’t text back and get a response.
Budget—Since we didn’t think about employees responding, we also didn’t consider the fact that responses also cost money. Although cheaper, the model we had still charged; therefore I was blowing through my already very small budget very quickly.
In hindsight, I realize that my need to be “quick to market” here ended up failing several employers. We’ve since completely revamped and fixed this and it’s working very well now… but not without some growing pains!
Ed Ligonde, executive vice president, Nielsen Benefits Group
Don’t overthink it
Over the years, I’ve probably made too many technology mistakes to list. But the biggest mistake I and many others continue to make is trying to find the perfect solution. Seven years ago, I spent more than two and a half years working on a start-up and trying to develop the perfect eligibility/enrollment solution—countless hours and money wasted. We never implemented this solution; instead, we ended up implementing a solution that we had looked at previously. In the end, the perfect solution wasn’t attainable or even what the market needed. Our solution, which we still use today and are very happy with, was the best all along.
My advice based on this and many years of experience is to find a solution that can improve your operations and efficiency between 20% and 40%. Shoot for the stars if you can, but not at the expense of major productivity gains. If you’re searching to solve all of your agency problems, your search could end up like mine: two and a- alf years later, having spent buckets of money, only to find out the best solution for my clients and agency was right in front of me all along.
Tom Avery, founder & CEO, Signal Sync
Use it or lose it
One of my biggest mistakes usually boils down to taking on a product I feel we need and later not using it to its maximum potential. I typically don’t have enough time to fully take on all the training or participate as much as I should in the implementation process, so I end up missing pretty essential things. I love the new car but hate reading the manual.
Elsa Glorioso, vice president, insurance services, PeopleStrategy, Inc.
Goldilocks syndrome
Our biggest tech mistakes have been around ensuring the technology investment fits the end need. Early on, we purchased a large robust system that had so many bells and whistles we would never need or use. Basically, we overbought. So we learned to look at multiple options to make sure we chose the right solution for our current needs. At the same time, we had to be cognizant of our future needs. While a tech solution might work well for us now, can it grow with us, or will we have to start all over with a different solution later? We learned to navigate the classic Goldilocks syndrome with two layers: 1) Is the tech too big, too small, or just right; and 2) Will it work for us now and later?
Heidi Rasmussen, co-founder, freshbenies
Worth the investment
The biggest technology mistake I have ever made in my life is to give up on encouraging a former boss to make investments in keeping systems upgraded and adding new technologies.
I am an avid believer in the positive effects of technology and its ability to change lives – making them easier, more efficient and effective. But not everyone feels this way. Some see technology as more of a negative for multiple reasons, including costs, possible elimination of jobs and a general fear of technology. These excuses are just that: excuses.
Technology can be expensive, and just like a vehicle, the value can depreciate and upgrades are needed regularly. While technology can and has eliminated the need for humans in some cases and is most certainly daunting when first introduced, it does reduce the amount of time humans spend on tasks and becomes second nature with practice. If we look at PCs and cell phones, we can see how far technology has come—and how much they have become a part of our daily lives.
An annual expense line item for new or upgraded technology is a must for any business. The benefits that technology brings to a company are numerous. With the use of technology, businesses can be more efficient, service clients faster, and produce efficiencies in the workflow, allowing workers to focus their time on the most important tasks. In the end, companies can reap the rewards of new technologies through the cost savings it brings.
Bobbi Kloss, director, human capital management services, Benefit Advisors Network
Workaround runaround
The biggest technology mistakes I’ve made have been trusting that the smooth process and simple user interface that you see on the demo when the software sales rep is walking you through is what you actually get. I’ve learned to ask questions about what the practical application is for certain functions and my own need for internal workflow automation. As soon as I hear, “we have a workaround for that” I run away as fast as I can!
Chris Wolpert, founder, Group Benefit Solutions
Think bigger
Even as technology progresses, we still tend to default to what has been the status quo (email, app-based solutions). However, there are many opportunities to take advantage of and more options that allow for transparency and better integration when it comes to broker/client interaction. For instance, Microsoft Teams, CRM systems and myriad other programs allow for more interoffice connectivity. By capitalizing on technology and utilizing it correctly, we can enhance organization and accountability throughout sales/service teams. It is also a means to justify compensation with clients, especially considering the Broker Compensation Disclosure under the CAA.
Technology can be leveraged in our industry in multiple ways, from helping to highlight those who are underproductive or overtasked, increasing visibility to drive cross-selling opportunities, and ensuring that client requests and needs are tended to. Workload, accountability, and customer service are core to the benefits arena and technology is one way to streamline the processes, measure efficiency, and improve profitability. These values are at the forefront of our industry and something we can evolve toward in order to elevate the quality of care for our clients and their employees.
Robyn Tikia, regional director of employee benefit operations, Risk Strategies Company
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