Most clients don’t decide to reevaluate their benefits technology because something suddenly breaks. The frustrations usually build over time.
A manual process gets added here. A workaround becomes standard practice there. HR takes on responsibilities the technology was supposed to simplify. Eventually, the technology that worked when it was implemented starts creating more work than it solves.
As clients prepare for open enrollment, brokers have a natural opportunity to ask whether their current technology is still doing what they need it to do.
1. HR is still doing too much manually
Benefits technology is supposed to make HR’s job easier. If the team is still relying on manual processes to keep things moving, it’s worth finding out where the technology is falling short.
If HR is regularly entering the same information into multiple systems, updating eligibility by hand, correcting payroll deductions, or maintaining spreadsheets outside of the benefits administration system, those processes can quickly become part of the normal routine.
Those extra steps become harder to ignore as the organization grows. More employees mean more transactions, more changes to process, and more chances for something to go wrong. A process that was manageable for 300 employees may look very different at 800.
2. The systems around benefits administration aren’t working together
Benefits administration relies on several systems exchanging information throughout the year, from payroll and HR technology to insurance carriers and other benefits partners.
When those connections don’t work as expected, HR is usually left filling in the gaps.
That can mean manually updating information, reviewing files for discrepancies, correcting data between systems, or following up when an enrollment change doesn’t reach the right destination.
Brokers should look beyond whether an integration is available and ask what it’s actually doing for the client. How often does HR still have to step in?
3. Employees need HR to navigate the enrollment experience
Open enrollment is often where the employee experience receives the most attention, but employees interact with their benefits throughout the year.
They add dependents, experience qualifying life events, review coverage, update elections, and look for answers when they don’t understand their benefits. When the technology is difficult to navigate or information isn’t easy to find, many of those questions make their way back to HR.
Employees should be able to complete routine benefits tasks and find basic information without calling HR every time they need help.
If HR has become the help desk for the benefits platform, there’s probably room to improve the employee experience.
4. Getting useful information out of the system is harder than it should be
Employers already have valuable benefits data in their system. The problem is often getting it out in a useful format.
Reporting limitations become particularly noticeable when HR, finance, leadership, or a broker needs information quickly. If every report requires multiple exports, spreadsheet cleanup, or a request to the technology provider, HR isn’t getting easy access to its own data.
The ability to access and use benefits data is increasingly important. Reporting shouldn’t be an afterthought when evaluating whether a solution still meets a client’s needs.
5. The support model no longer meets the client’s expectations
Even strong technology can become frustrating when the support behind it falls short.
Even the best technology needs knowledgeable people behind it. Throughout the year, HR will need help with everything from plan changes and integrations to employee issues that require someone to dig a little deeper.
The quality of that support can shape how HR feels about the entire solution.
Long response times, unclear ownership, frequent handoffs, or an HR team that feels responsible for troubleshooting the system itself are all reasons to question whether the current support model is working.
A platform can check every box on paper and still be the wrong solution if HR can’t get the support it needs.
The right technology should evolve with the client
When these issues have become part of HR’s day-to-day routine, brokers should start asking why.
A lot can change after a benefits platform is implemented. The company grows, its benefits strategy evolves, new systems enter the picture, and HR takes on more responsibility. Technology that was a strong fit several years ago may not be the right fit today.
Brokers don’t have to wait for a client to complain about its technology to start this conversation. Regularly checking in on what’s working, and what HR has learned to work around, can surface issues much earlier.
Open enrollment tends to put more pressure on every part of benefits administration. Finding out where the cracks are now gives clients a chance to address them before that pressure hits.
