Voluntary Benefits
Published by Frank Morang on March 3rd, 2020
In today’s world, it seems like we can self-serve anything from online shopping to fast food kiosks. Self-service options bring convenience and efficiency, but should everything become self-service? Or are there instances where one-on-one communication and human interaction is still the better option? When it comes to voluntary benefits enrollment, the answer falls somewhere in the middle – self-service has its place, but one-on-one communication still matters.
Where do we draw the self-service line?
Generally, simple tasks are better for self-service, but there are opportunities to strike a balance. Take the case of dentist appointments – we’re all familiar with dental care , but that doesn’t mean we should perform our own root canal. However, most of us would be comfortable scheduling our dentist appointment online. In these cases, self-service combined with professional one-on-one service creates a successful experience.
Self-service is reaching every corner of our society and the voluntary benefits industry is no exception. Many employers conduct enrollment solely through a self-serve online platform; but enrollment and benefits can be complicated for employees to navigate. Only 7 percent of employees said they could define four basic health insurance concepts: plan premium, deductible, co-insurance and out-of-pocket maximum. And their employers don’t have much faith either; only 19 percent considered their employees to have a “high level” of understanding of their benefits.1 Remember, self-service can be ideal for simple tasks, but for an important annual enrollment with so many nuanced details, self-service alone isn’t the best option.
When employees were asked about their communication preference, 2/3 said they prefer self-service over speaking to a representative. However, 40 percent still contact a call center when they have questions about the self-service platform.2 Why is this? Likely because selecting voluntary benefits is more complicated than ordering a cheeseburger or shopping online.
How to bring the two together
In the case of voluntary enrollment, self-service does have its place. It can be great for scheduling appointments with a counselor and useful for employees to educate themselves prior to enrollment. However, since most employees don’t understand their benefits options or may need help with self-enrolled technology systems, there can be a lot of questions and confusion.
This goes back to striking a balance between self-service and one-on-one communication. One-on-one enrollments can complement self-service tools rather than fully replacing them. In a one-on-one setting, counselors can answer questions about the self-serve tool and provide guidance on how to use it most effectively.
Statistics show that one-on-one voluntary enrollment does have its own merits aside from complementing self-service; 90 percent of employees who enroll one-on-one with a benefits counselor express high levels of enrollment satisfaction and are more likely to recommend their employer.3 With a more personalized approach, counselors can educate employees on the benefits that are in front of them in real time. By conducting enrollment in person, counselors can also ensure that employees look at all their benefits and help drive the employer’s initiatives more effectively.
What if the employer insists on self-serve enrollment only?
Some employers will insist on only offering self-serve enrollment, but there are ways to help them see the value of one-on-one enrollment as well. Below are some common arguments employers make and how to counter them:
At the end of the day, employers can offer valuable self-service tools but still need a one-on-one communication component to help answer questions and provide clear, effective guidance for employees. Including personalized communication as a part of the enrollment equation creates a better experience for employees, employers and brokers. With the right balance, self-service and one-on-one enrollment can be a winning combination.
1“Half Of Employees Don’t Understand Their Benefits, Study Shows”. Hill Chesson & Woody. 2017.
2LIMRA Life Insurance Service Channels. 2017
3Trustmark and Customer Benefits Analytics, “Who Buys Voluntary and Why: 2017 Enrollment Study.”
4Trustmark Book of Business. 2019.
Where do we draw the self-service line?
Generally, simple tasks are better for self-service, but there are opportunities to strike a balance. Take the case of dentist appointments – we’re all familiar with dental care , but that doesn’t mean we should perform our own root canal. However, most of us would be comfortable scheduling our dentist appointment online. In these cases, self-service combined with professional one-on-one service creates a successful experience.
Self-service is reaching every corner of our society and the voluntary benefits industry is no exception. Many employers conduct enrollment solely through a self-serve online platform; but enrollment and benefits can be complicated for employees to navigate. Only 7 percent of employees said they could define four basic health insurance concepts: plan premium, deductible, co-insurance and out-of-pocket maximum. And their employers don’t have much faith either; only 19 percent considered their employees to have a “high level” of understanding of their benefits.1 Remember, self-service can be ideal for simple tasks, but for an important annual enrollment with so many nuanced details, self-service alone isn’t the best option.
When employees were asked about their communication preference, 2/3 said they prefer self-service over speaking to a representative. However, 40 percent still contact a call center when they have questions about the self-service platform.2 Why is this? Likely because selecting voluntary benefits is more complicated than ordering a cheeseburger or shopping online.
How to bring the two together
In the case of voluntary enrollment, self-service does have its place. It can be great for scheduling appointments with a counselor and useful for employees to educate themselves prior to enrollment. However, since most employees don’t understand their benefits options or may need help with self-enrolled technology systems, there can be a lot of questions and confusion.
This goes back to striking a balance between self-service and one-on-one communication. One-on-one enrollments can complement self-service tools rather than fully replacing them. In a one-on-one setting, counselors can answer questions about the self-serve tool and provide guidance on how to use it most effectively.
Statistics show that one-on-one voluntary enrollment does have its own merits aside from complementing self-service; 90 percent of employees who enroll one-on-one with a benefits counselor express high levels of enrollment satisfaction and are more likely to recommend their employer.3 With a more personalized approach, counselors can educate employees on the benefits that are in front of them in real time. By conducting enrollment in person, counselors can also ensure that employees look at all their benefits and help drive the employer’s initiatives more effectively.
What if the employer insists on self-serve enrollment only?
Some employers will insist on only offering self-serve enrollment, but there are ways to help them see the value of one-on-one enrollment as well. Below are some common arguments employers make and how to counter them:
- “One-on-one communication takes too much time.”
- Counterpoints:
- You invest the time and energy into benefits, so you need to maximize on the opportunity.
- One-on-one will actually save time because employees will be guided through the process.
- Counterpoints:
- My employees prefer the ease of self-service.
- Counterpoints:
- It might be “easier”, but it’s not as effective.
- Satisfaction rates and take-up rates are higher with a one-on-one component.
- Employees, generally, don’t understand benefits and do need help.
- Counterpoints:
- “My employees understand their benefits already.”
- Counterpoints:
- When was the last time you made a change to benefits?
- How many new employees haven’t been exposed?
- Can you trust self-serve to address those needs?
- Counterpoints:
At the end of the day, employers can offer valuable self-service tools but still need a one-on-one communication component to help answer questions and provide clear, effective guidance for employees. Including personalized communication as a part of the enrollment equation creates a better experience for employees, employers and brokers. With the right balance, self-service and one-on-one enrollment can be a winning combination.
1“Half Of Employees Don’t Understand Their Benefits, Study Shows”. Hill Chesson & Woody. 2017.
2LIMRA Life Insurance Service Channels. 2017
3Trustmark and Customer Benefits Analytics, “Who Buys Voluntary and Why: 2017 Enrollment Study.”
4Trustmark Book of Business. 2019.
Share
Author
Written by Frank Morang
Senior Regional Sales Director, Empire Region
Topics