“Why?”

 

Why is “why” such a powerful word?  The answer is actually quite simple.  It challenges a person to think.  It challenges a person, whether in their personal life or business life, to look at things a little deeper.  One little word can actually push someone to challenge their routine – to look for something better.  It drives us toward continual improvement.  I ask you this: why do we not ask this simple question more often?  Are we afraid of the answer?  Are we afraid of what we will be challenged to do at that point?  I know in my career, this question needs to be asked: Why are you using your current broker?

 

I think the normal answers are clear.  “They always take care of us.” “They always add and delete the employees from the appropriate plans when we ask.” “When renewal comes around, they always show up with all of the plans and carriers priced and on a spreadsheet so we can clearly see the pricing structure.” “They do all of this and we do not pay any more for our products.” “Heck, they even take us to lunch or a ballgame sometimes.”  This all sounds great.  It sounds like your broker does what they are required to do.  Let me ask you this question: why should you pay your broker for minimum expectations?  This answer is also simple.  You shouldn’t.  You should be asking the question again.  Why are you using your current broker?

 

My firm looked at this question for months.  Not only did we look at the question for months, we also debated the question for months.  We challenged ourselves.  We determined what many of you have already discovered.  The broker was being paid to deliver the norm.  It became clear that this was not going to be acceptable now or in the future.  We needed to deliver something that set us apart, and gave the clients what they need.  We needed to help our clients improve their margins on the income statement, while at the same time, improving their place amidst their competition – we wanted to help them be the employer of choice.  To do this, we knew we had to invest heavily on technology and staff.  We knew we had to bring in highly skilled individuals to deliver this to our clients.  We knew that just saying we had a HRIS system was not good enough.  We knew we had to deliver the end product.  We knew the clients deserved this.  Our clients deserve a level of service and attention they have been desiring for years, and we knew it was time to step up and deliver beyond what we are paid to do.

 

So I leave you with this: Why are you using your current broker?

 

For humor, you can check out our older post on bad broker traits

Mike Davis

Mike Davis

Consultant

 About the author:  Mike has a passion for people. That's why he is at AG Insurance.  Mike has the kind of talent and passion that you want on your team and in your corner. It doesn't hurt that he also has a very strong accounting background as well as having spent time in a CFO & leadership role in his previous company.  With Tax and Accounting practices having a bigger and bigger impact on his clients--so does Mike.  And not to be forgotten,  Mike is also a Baseball Guy and a Rangers Fan--which goes a long way in our culture.

About AG Insurance: AG Insurance (www.agiainc.com) helps employers and their employees with solutions focused on positive organizational impact and improved employee experiences.

Share This