Client communications

Brokers need to change the conversations they are having with clients away from the Affordable Care Act and toward other topics, including voluntary, since little will change with the law until the next presidential inauguration, a carrier rep says.

Commentary: While an employee assistance program may be promoted to employees when it’s launched, it quickly becomes lost in the collection of employee benefits and is rarely utilized. To maximize its value, ask whether your prospective vendor includes some of the following services.

Multiple signs point to growth in voluntary benefits sales, but employers would like to see a change in how their employees sign up for the benefit, according to new LIMRA data, released Tuesday.

If employees are not well prepared for retirement it should be a major concern for both employees and their employers, experts say.

Commentary: At the end of an unsuccessful enrollment campaign, an adviser may wonder why participation was so low after they spent time and money on communications. It’s simple, says David Melton: Brokers employing the same old strategy will not succeed.

Commentary: It is a lot of fun to be able to help employers make sound decisions through benchmarking. Oftentimes, that’s the start of a prosperous relationship, says Zywave’s Dave O’Brien.

Wellness programs have been at the forefront of employers’ minds, and in light of the recent Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s aim to tackle the questions lingering on what plan sponsors can or cannot do, employees are voicing a disconnect in wellness program engagement.

Commentary: Why hasn’t client adoption of enrollment technology met expectations with mid-sized employers during the last two decades? Recently, overall adoption has grown at a much faster pace than we have seen in a long time.

Leverage the changing ways employees access and consume technology to improve benefits communications and “look like a rock star” to your clients.

Generations X and Y prefer an adviser to give retirement information face-to-face rather than searching online, survey finds.

Commentary: More disclosures and transparency is not a bad thing, but how does this ruling truly help make things easier to understand and provide the leadership needed for retirement readiness, asks EBA columnist John Ludwig.

Consumer expectations demand advisers establish an online presence, LIMRA research shows. Financial advisory firms are stepping up to meet the demand, and following 3 critical steps to achieve social media success.

Commentary: The quality of writing that appears on a brokerage’s website, newsletters and even social media needs to improve to represent the industry in a more client-centric, modern and sophisticated way, says Wendy Keneipp.

Commentary: In response to confusion over the IRS’s role in verifying employers are meeting minimum essential coverage and employer shared responsibility requirements, dozens of ACA reporting have entered the market in the last two years. EmployeeTech’s Michael Weiskirch shares how to find the right tracking solution for your clients.

Commentary: A new series from industry veteran Kyle Hodges highlights products designed to improve your bottom line.

Everyone knows healthier employees are more productive employees, and focusing on wellness can help achieve that goal. But there are two things vital to us all missing from the equation: vision and hearing.

Commentary: Distant financial needs are rarely addressed by workers on their own, which is why employers should enhance retirement education to make up the deficit.

Commentary: Six ways to engage customers that are most helpful, according to sales expert John Graham.

Commentary: HR professionals must band together to share how we are handling our ACA reporting responsibilities and to pressure our vendor suppliers for better solutions and continued innovation, says Lockton's Matthew Kaiser.

Commentary: As independent health insurance agents, you can help your clients understand how taxes and health insurance intersect, building your credibility as a knowledgeable agent in the process. These guidelines will help you prepare your clients for a smooth tax season.