Accolade : Top 5 tips from a former mid-market broker

Being a mid-market broker comes with nuances, stressors and struggles - especially when almost eight in 10 mid-market business owners are worried about making it through the economic downturn, according to Nationwide. [1] Many of these owners are now reevaluating their insurance needs and exploring integrated healthcare solutions to monitor their bottom line.

We consulted our mid-market regional sales executive, Justin Kaipus, who prior to joining Accolade was a mid-market broker for a total of nine years. He shared his top five tips to satisfy your clients' needs, including protecting their bottom line - even if they are reevaluating integrated healthcare solutions.

Put your clients' interests first

It can be easy to first and foremost think about your business, but it's imperative to prioritize your clients' needs. By doing so, you can:

• Build long-lasting, trusting relationships with your clients - which in turn can provide you with referral business

• Provide your customers with the right tools they need most to care for their teams

• Understand your clients better, which can help you grow your book of business in the future

According to a research study completed by Nationwide, mid-market business owners are taking proactive measures to protect their bottom line. By putting the needs of your clients first, you are in fact supporting and growing your business as well as providing them with integrated healthcare solutions.

Utilize all resources available

"The two most helpful resources while I was a broker were our underwriters and ERISA attorneys," shared Kaipus.

"When guiding your clients, you have to be very accurate. Your legal team is there to ensure you provide sound advice. Lean into them for support. Additionally, underwriters do a great job projecting costs and providing the information needed to negotiate with carriers on your behalf, so you can focus on other parts of the buyer's experience."

Your office is there to support you. Utilize all available resources to ensure you grow your book of business and provide a great experience for your clients.

Clients experience similar issues, but everyone is different

It's all about the client - and every client is different. "You can have a 200 life group that experiences the same issues as a 10,000 life group. They both can have trouble navigating through the system and controlling cost," shared Kaipus.

Listen to your client and understand their population as best as you can. At the end of the day, it will help your client and their employees, which is the ultimate goal.

Build strong relationships with carriers and point solution companies to provide integrated healthcare solutions

Carriers and point solution companies can help you create a better, more integrated healthcare solution for your client. Recommend providers, like Accolade, who can offer your customers a personalized experience to make sure they are getting the best care when they need it most - while also saving your clients money.

Work at the regional level

Being a broker naturally puts you in the middle of the relationship between carriers and clients. Help speed up the process by working at the carrier's local or regional level. This should help you get answers to questions quicker than trying to work at the national level, and help you provide a better and more timely experience for your clients.

This can be a trying time for brokers with many uncertainties, but with these five tips, it is possible to grow your business, put your clients' needs first and provide them with customized healthcare solutions to best support their employees - even if they are reevaluating their solution needs.

Learn more about the integrated healthcare solutionsavailable with Accolade. Schedule a demo today!

[1] https://news.nationwide.com/090320-middle-market-customers-are-reassessing-their-insurance-needs/