The digital age for the Employee Benefits industry is here to stay. Whether you’re an established Agency or just starting out, embracing a digital transformation can mean big opportunities for growth and success. But digital transformation isn’t just about jumping on the latest technology bandwagon. It’s about taking a deep and honest look at your current reality and considering new ways to meet your goals.
“A digital transformation is a complete business transformation…it’s not just about updating IT systems and apps. It’s a cultural shift, and a reimagining of all your company’s processes and ways of doing things.” – Salesforce
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Signs It’s Time for a Digital Transformation
- You are a new Agency and have control, readiness and time to get it right the first time!
- You have been successful and want to continue that success, but you’ve hit a threshold of volume and can’t add more business without either adopting new technology or hiring more employees.
- You want to expand into new markets, but again, you’ve hit a wall with your current processes and procedures that are no longer working effectively.
- You are losing business to larger Agencies with more resources.
- You’re hearing complaints across departments about the lack of collaboration and information sharing.
- Your Benefits department feels like the “odd man out” and has to adapt their processes to other, more profitable departments.
- Your technology systems feel old…you have a million applications that don’t talk to each other.
What’s the common denominator here? When Agencies dig into the root causes underlying these issues, most realize that they don’t have the proper visibility into business data that’s absolutely crucial to making good decisions. You need business data that’s accessible, accurate and working for you.
Map Your Digital Transformation
So how do you get started? Keep reading for step-by-step directions on how to craft a digital strategy that’s right for your Agency. First, look inward to identify your Agency’s short and long-term goals, plus any areas that could use improvement
Ask yourself:
What is the key to survival?
What is the key to success?
What is the key to greater opportunities?
At a basic level, you’ll need customers and sales to succeed. Work backwards from that goal to build your roap map for getting there. And remember that you are building for the future, not for today. Flexibility and the ability to stay nimble should be baked into your strategy, so you can navigate unexpected industry disruptions.
Collaborate with others in your Agency.
Don’t make decisions in a vacuum. These changes are meant to empower employees, not burden them. Determine who will be affected and get them involved early and often, and allow them to participate in the final decisions. They are your “boots on the ground” when it comes to processes and workflows, which means they will bring a fresh and much needed perspective to the table.
Avoid mistakes.
Technology integration is essential. Do you have a “junk drawer” of hodgepodge technologies that don’t talk to each other? Let’s get real — if your disconnected systems create more work for your team, they’ll quickly fall to the wayside.
Systems that seamlessly connect sales, service and operations will boost productivity, reduce admin time and provide valuable insight into your business data, to help you work towards that crucial goal of growing your customers and sales.
Stay focused on your future.
Make sure your digital tools work for you now AND can grow with you in the future. If you focus only on what you need today, you may find yourself outgrowing systems, fast.
The good news is that the best digital tools are flexible and adaptable, so you can scale your capabilities as your Agency grows.
Walk before you run.
You don’t have to change everything overnight. Make a plan, set goals for change and make the changes in phases. Know your optimum time for implementation so your employees have time to learn and embrace the changes. 4th Quarter probably isn’t an ideal time for your Agency overhaul.
Once you’ve connected your data, employees and customers, you’ll have the space to step back and see your Agency anew with the benefit of new insights and tools. That fresh perspective is truly what digital transformation is all about.
Ready to make a change?
Across the industry, a digital transformation is driving higher engagement, greater health and financial results, and stronger client relationships. The right agency management solution can help you retain your clients, upsell new solutions to increase your revenue and win new business.
Unmatched in the Benefits industry, Benelinx has harnessed the power of Salesforce’s database and customized it for Employee Benefits to guarantee long term sustainability, continued prosperity and additional opportunity.
All this is available at a reasonable price, with plans starting at $95/mo. Use our ROI calculator to find out what your first year of Benelinx will cost, and how to recoup on your investment.
Sign up for a personalized demonstration or contact Sales at 888-227-1602.
