I Wish My Employer had a Service Like That!

I was on a plane from Charlotte to Chicago sitting beside a gentleman who told me that he worked for a very large corporation. We discussed the pros and cons of working for a Fortune 500 company in contrast to the much smaller service company I represent.  When I told him what we do and how we do it, he exclaimed, “I wish my company had a service like that, nobody understands the benefits maze.”

Over the years, I’ve found that it is not an uncommon response from an employee who doesn’t want to bother HR with their individual questions. Busy family calendars just don’t prioritize time to understand the market or shop for insurance options to meet their needs.

Life Can Change in an Instant

Insurance plans can provide immediate financial relief from the overwhelming expenses of an unexpected event.   What if there is loss of income from an accident? What if a dreaded disease arises requiring expensive treatment? What if there is a loss of life?   Most people want the comfort and benefits of insurance coverage.

We know you have a lot on your plate. That’s why BenefitVision makes voluntary benefit offerings and core benefit enrollment solutions a turnkey process for our clients. With nearly a quarter century of experience, our team knows how to help you deliver innovative employee benefit solutions for the best value.

Employees Just Want Peace of Mind

There can be multiple frustrations when it comes to insurance and finances. Even conscientious employees sometimes must “rob Peter to pay Paul’ to meet their high deductible. What if they are sick and can’t work? As they age, most worry about what would happen if they need long-term care.

Employees want to be responsible and keep the promises they made to their families. Today, more than ever, employees are looking to their employer for solutions that give them peace of mind.

 Making Effective Communication Affordable

To make the process affordable, BenefitVision has developed a creative funding model that not only deals with the cost, but goes further by helping employers enhance their benefits offering.

Income from the optional voluntary benefits pays for the cost of the communication program. The result? Employees love having more options, the employer gets to enhance the benefits package without extra cost, and better communication is provided to all.

This is a real win-win.  Let’s talk.


Are You Afraid to Look at Your Report Card?

Did you hit your open enrollment goals?

On average, studies have found more than 30% of an associate’s compensation is in the form of the schools’ benefits.* If your associates don’t understand their benefits, or aren’t using them at all, the value of those benefits can go to waste.  

How can you increase awareness and raise participation in your strategic benefit initiatives? BenefitVision works closely with your Benefits Administrator to make sure the solutions we provide clearly address the unique issues that matter to you.  We provide tailored messages that engage every associate to make better benefit decisions.  Tax savings are not overlooked because associates don’t understand them.   We help migrate your associates to high deductibles and offer solutions for first dollar, out-of-pocket costs.  Our value added services engage each associate to help them better understand all of your critical benefit messages all-year-round.   

BenefitVision can help you pass every test with flying colors!

You will experience an efficient implementation process that ensures accurate communication and enrollment setup, as well as access to a benefit administration system that is customized to meet your needs without a PEPM that busts your budget.   Outsourcing technology sustains your systems and avoids the costs of upgrades and staff.  

Information is given out. 

Communication is getting through. 

Participation makes it stick.                                                 

 Let’s talk.  

 

 

 

*Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, Bureau of Labor Statistics, March 2017.


RECRUIT, SATISFY, RETAIN

Most organizations find employee turnover frustrating – and expensive. The investment into recruitment and training is one factor. But the cost of lowered customer satisfaction or losing customers from dealing with less experienced personnel is incalculable.

What can be done? One thing is spend a lot of money upping pay and benefits to a point people just won’t leave. But that can be a tough sell in the executive offices.    Two recent studies have suggested there is a better way…a much better way.   

1. Better Benefits Communications

Analyses shared within the Health e(fx) 2018 Insights Report reveal some unique findings on the benefit preferences shown by different generations. The analytics show the average stint for employees who are not enrolled in health benefits is 3.1 years versus 6.7 years for those enrolled in employee-only and 9.7 years for those enrolled in family coverage. The survey found that the length of tenure increases even more with better benefits.

In general, we know that the younger employees are accustomed to immediate gratification. They are more likely to shop for employers who can enable them to live the lifestyle they desire. They will soon dominate the workforce, forcing better benefits which can impact your budget – and the longevity of your employee’s tenure.

Clearly, spending money and effort on communicating and enrolling benefits got more bang for the buck than spending money on the benefits alone.

2. Put Voluntary Benefits Work to Work for You

The second salvo in the war on turnover comes from a recent study done by our firm, that specializes in benefit communication and enrollment. Typically, we include voluntary benefits when enrolling benefits for clients. Looking at the one-year persistency of enrollment in voluntary benefits and comparing it to the overall turnover for each group, we found a positive link between enrollment in voluntary benefits and lower turnover.

In looking at turnover data for one of their clients, an auto parts retailer with employees in every state, BenefitVision found that after two years, 76% of the employees who signed up for voluntary benefits were still employed at the company versus 52% of employees over all.

For another client, a nationwide household goods retailer, the numbers showed that 83% of the employees who signed up for voluntary benefits were still on the job at the end of the year versus 70% for the employees in general.

In both of these cases the results are absolutely clear, employees enrolled in voluntary benefits are significantly more likely to stay on the job than those not enrolled.

The Benefits Manager notes, “This is terrific. Turnover is expensive. The cost of replacing employees directly impacts our bottom line both in direct cost and in customer satisfaction. The combination of better benefit communication and voluntary benefits obviously has an impact.”


Doubling the Firepower

BenefitVision has a unique approach that not only boosts an organization’s benefit communication success and provides voluntary benefits; we do not charge the employer. The process doubles the employers’ benefit investment by substantially reducing turnover, without added expense to the executive suite.

Funding for this process comes by offering voluntary benefits as part of the menu of benefits already available to the employees. By using this approach, BenefitVision provides an outstanding level of personalized communication, more choices for employees to consider, and considerably lowers costs for the employer.

Turnover Turned Over     

The power of voluntary benefits to act as ‘golden handcuffs’ works across the board with essentially all of our clients,” states Ron Kleiman, BenefitVision, Chief Executive Officer. “Offering voluntary benefits that provide employees more options, combined with the impact of better communication, as evidenced by the Health e(fx) 2018 Insights Report, is a great opportunity to turn an organization’s turnover numbers right around.”


STREAMLINE, ONBOARD, GUIDE

BACKGROUND

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg employs about 3,000 employees. In 2017 they had 430 new hires. Actually, almost 89% of the employees who were there at the beginning of the year were there at the end of the year, but even 430 new hires represent a lot of work.

They wanted help streamlining their onboarding process to include 130 locations, and to establish a centralized support system to assist in explaining and communicating the value of their benefits to different classes of employees, and to introduce new benefits.

Their methodology had utilizing Principals or Priests to hand out the information to their individual employees. The staff of the Benefits Department manually input the data for each benefit election, or status change directly into the carrier website to enroll or cancel coverage. Every year, the HR Director would travel on a “road show” to specific locations to communicate changes, copays, deductibles and rates for Open Enrollment.

Different classes of employees received different benefit structures and offerings. They had huge challenges onboarding their large group of newly hired teachers in August.

GUIDED ENROLLMENT SERVICES HELP EMPLOYEES ALL YEAR ROUND

BenefitVision helps the Diocese get critical messages across to all of their locations. Our Creative Department deploys every communication tool available to spread the word about the new enrollment methods.

All employees just pick up the phone, at their convenience, and talk to a Benefits Representative. New hires are given a complete benefit orientation. Every employee can follow along in an Enrollment Workbook as the Benefit Representative guides them through their benefit options, answering all their questions as they go. The Benefit Representative simply enters the employee’s decisions into the benefits administration system, which is the Database of Record for their vendors and Human Resources. The calls are recorded and stored for seven years if a verification is necessary.

We introduce a permanent Life Insurance policy with Long Term Care benefits as well as a Term Life policy. Both have guaranteed issue underwriting. Additionally, an Accident Plan for families, and a Critical Illness Insurance plan are offered. Employees appreciate the personalized attention they get. The organization is delighted to have the features of the core and voluntary benefits explained and enrolled with electronic signatures. There was an even higher retention rate among those employees who enrolled for voluntary benefits.


IMPROVE, EMPOWER, IMPLEMENT

BenefitVision facilitates the enrollment of INTERNATIONAL SHOE MANUFACTURER with multiple groups of employees and varying benefits and costs.

PROVIDER
BenefitVision is responsible for customized benefit communication, enrollment, and administration utilizing innovative methodologies. This client used our Tele-Enrollment System to educate their growing population. Employees call into our Benefits Representatives who act as an extension of the client’s HR department.

The employee follows along in an Enrollment Workbook as the Benefits Rep guides them through their benefit options, answering questions as they go. At the end of the call, the Benefits  Representative enters the decisions and sends the data to our client (and often vendors). An electronic signature is taken and a Confirmation Statement is sent to the employee.

CHALLENGE

The employee groups included corporate salaried, corporate hourly, retail managers, retail hourly, union warehouse, manufacturing, non-union manufacturing, and sales.  Additionally, the union group not only had different benefits offered, the waiting period for some benefits was different from others.

SOLUTION

Year 1 & 2 – Communications required four distinct booklets to ensure the employees only heard about the appropriate benefits and costs.  Midway through first year, the client acquired a second company, with completely different benefit offerings and costs. This required a fifth booklet.

A table with waiting periods had to be developed to allow a single enrollment call to cover all benefits, including those with a six month to one year waiting periods. Special coding was necessary for the payroll files.

Year 3 – Starting their third year with us, the decision was taken to harmonize benefits between the two different companies. We needed to provide them with a table of differences so they could determine what steps to take to begin the process.

Discussions were held to determine what benefits could be immediately merged, and what ones would take longer. Partial harmonization was completed by the beginning of the open enrollment period. Books were reduced from five to four.

Year 4 – Their fourth year with us, harmonization between the two original companies was continued. Benefit offerings were merged, though costs were still very different. Books were reduced to three.

Year 5 – Their fifth year, the harmonization was completed. Similar groups within the companies were offered similar benefits at the same costs. Books were reduced to two, Union and Non-Union.

Result
Our client is highly satisfied with our attention to details and our quick response time. We were able to reduce costs with fewer Enrollment Workbooks.

Although difficult to quantify, our experienced IT department of 34 saved the client’s staff significant time and effort. HIPAA compliance, hardware upgrades, telephony, and additional staff were not a strain on the HR budget.  All with NO PEPM charge.

Employees like their personalized attention and have a better understanding of their benefits and feel confident they have made the best choices for their families.

“I’m very proud of our team. Technology is ever-changing; the need to depend on it is not. We never lose sight of the fact that everything we do is for and about people. Whether it’s the employees being covered, the HR staff with whom we interact, or the carriers and vendors we deal with every day on their behalf… all of us go the extra mile to make sure we’re delivering the data, service and support our clients need to get the results they want.” ~ Ron Kleiman, Chief Executive Officer


Give Your Employees a Wow

In business, we have to make hard decisions. Our CFO asks if we can cut costs here? Can we keep up with the competition? Can we afford the best talent? Is our pricing, right? Can we be the biggest, or the best? At BenefitVision, we envision the best and offer “Concierge Level Service” that employees can get excited about.

Self-service based benefit enrollment can offer convenience for employers and employees alike, however the process can be intimidating and often frustrating for employees who know their family’s wellbeing is based on the decisions they make. Questions like “what’s the difference between the two plans?” and “Exactly how much will this cost me when I use it?” typically go unanswered. Employees want to talk to someone. They want an expert that can guide them through their best options.

We provide a professional Benefits Representative who presents benefits plans, verifies and updates employee and dependent data, answers questions, explains the various options available and even models the out-of-pocket expenses so every employee can make an informed decision about their benefit needs and costs. Elections are recorded then uploaded at the end of the session, and employees are given a confirmation statement for their records.

The reality in business is that as professionals we have to make decisions. One of the hardest is whether to be the biggest or the best. Do you offer good service or great service?

You will hear about avatar solutions, or how self-service is what this or that generation prefers. They want to be able to do things themselves. You may hear that talking to a person is “old school.” We believe that “old school” is caring, and service is really going above and beyond to provide your employees with the best enrollment experience possible.

Give employees a “wow.” Help them appreciate the value of the benefit offerings you provide. Discover the BenefitVision advantage.


BenefitVision Attends Convocation in Niagara Falls, New York

Long Grove, IL – May 2, 2018 – BenefitVision, a leading provider of employee benefit communication, and proprietary enrollment technology systems, participated in the National Association of Church Personnel Administrators (NACPA) Annual Convocation in Niagara Falls, New York.

According to Janet Flores, Vice President, BenefitVision, “This was a highly rewarding experience. Throughout the conference, we had the opportunity to build new relationships and understand many of the key enrollment challenges the dioceses face today. They echoed that many employees prefer to seek personal guidance from a professional with their best interests in mind. It also gave us the opportunity to share best practices and offer a case study from our client, one of the larger dioceses, which prompted discussion about the value we bring to over 3,500 employees.”

“Online, or by phone, teachers, priests, nuns, administrative individuals and other staff have a knowledgeable Benefits Representative to guide them through the enrollment process. Employees can evaluate the diocese’s benefits, so they feel confident that they have made the best decisions for their family’s future needs. And we save our clients a lot of money in the process.” Alan Braslow, Senior Vice President, added.

About BenefitVision
Founded in 1994, BenefitVision offers a full range of employee benefit enrollment, administration, and communication services. The company’s primary focus is centered on effective communication of plan benefits, features, and choices to employees. BenefitVision offers fully customizable programs that help employers control rising healthcare costs while retaining satisfied employees.
BenefitVision delivers its services through offices in Los Angeles, an Enrollment Center in Harrisburg, PA, and now through BVI-PR located in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Contact for journalists:
Virginia Eanes
BenefitVision, Inc.
2690 Commerce Drive, Suite 200
Harrisburg, PA 17110
800.810.2200 Ext 1115


BenefitVision Adds Territory Manager for the South-Central Region

Harrisburg, PA May 3, 2018 — Kim Black joined BenefitVision in 2018 as a Territory Manager with new business development focus for the South-Central Region. Kim partners with insurance carriers, employee benefits brokers, unions, and private organizations, to provide BenefitVision’s innovative enrollment solutions to help ease the burden of benefit communication challenges and increase overall employee satisfaction.

Before her employment at BenefitVision, Kim spent the last 10 years in key roles with organizations that are national leaders in corporate health management, wellness, and healthcare advocacy. She successfully partnered with both Fortune 500 and 1000 companies to help deliver sustainable solutions, create efficiencies, and develop consultative planning that effectively cultivated organization growth and promoted health awareness on a social and cultural platform.

Preceding her tenure in the health management industry, Kim spent over 10 years in the employee benefits and payroll/HR industry with companies such as Aetna U.S. Healthcare and ADP. Over the years, she has received numerous accolades for outstanding performance recognized by both clients and colleagues.

Kim has traveled all over the world. She enjoys experiencing new cultures and learning about the unique stories of those with whom her path crosses. She works from her office in Richardson, TX.


BenefitVision Adds Territory Manager for the New England States

Harrisburg, PA February 27, 2018 — As BenefitVision continues to grow so does the business development team. Jonathan Thibault has joined BenefitVision as of January 2018. He is responsible for working directly with prospective companies, and in partnership with brokers, insurance carriers, and others in the New England Territory.

Alan Braslow, Senior Vice President commented, “Jonathan is a very experienced salesman. His previous work as Director of Sales and his time as Regional Manager of a mortgage company make him an excellent addition to the sales team. He is the right person to manage the New England Territory.”

Prior to BenefitVision Jonathan spent many years in the banking industry, where his primary focus was managing an office in New York City. During his time in banking he worked closely with lenders and big-name banks on a daily basis. After his work with financial institutions, Jonathan ventured into the private jet charter where he maintained the title of Director of Sales with Sentient Private Jet Group.

Throughout his time as Director of Private Jet Sales Jonathan developed many relationships with the biggest companies who travel private in the United States. Following Sentient, Jonathan joined Paychex, where he built relationships with business owners by providing them with Human Capital Management Solutions in order to help run their business more effectively.

Jonathan completed a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of Rhode Island. He works from his office in Jamestown, Rhode Island.


BenefitVision Adds Territory Manager for the Mid-Atlantic States

Harrisburg, PA January 25, 2018 — BenefitVision’s goals for growth call for new territory management. The BenefitVision Team is proud to welcome Tishaun Dennis. He is responsible for business development with insurance carriers, brokers and prospective clients in the Mid-Atlantic Territory.

Alan Braslow, Senior Vice President commented, “Tishaun’s people skills make him very personable and easy to connect with brokers and customers alike. He will have no trouble leading the Mid-Atlantic Territory division. I already see the potential strengths his communication skills will bring to BenefitVision.”

Prior to joining the BenefitVision Team, Tishaun worked for Aerotek as a Sales Manager. His responsibilities included business development and account management in the staffing industry. He dedicated his time and skills to meet competitive sales goals, managed a team of recruiters, and doubled his new account revenue growth year after year. During his time with the company, Tishaun earned the Guiding Principles Award and the Aerotek Experience Award.

Preceding his tenure at Aerotek, in 2014 he completed his Bachelors’ Degree in Business Administration at Old Dominion University. While at Old Dominion Tishaun also achieved academic accolades including the Old Dominion University Leadership Award and the Old Dominion Diversity Institute Program Award.


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