Working with "Consultants"

[ABC]

I had some dealings with the consultant and realized real fast that he had no clue.

I told the group that I would not work with him and they could replace me. I hate to lose the whopping $30 a month comp I was making but there is no way I am going to train a consultant.

 

[adisonclay]

Make the consultant a client

 

[ABC]

Make the consultant a client

That was the orginal reason I agreed to work with him but then I realized something. I did not like him. If you don't like someone you can't trust them.

 

[HRExpert]

OK so I am a human resources consultant. We work with small businesses and act as their HR dept. And yes - insurance agents have to be careful of consultants. But my experience working with insurance agents has been either hot or cold - nothing in the middle. We are looking out for the best interest of our clients while many insurance agents are looking for the short term commissions.

Example - agent pushing a group plan with one carrier when the identical plan with another was $50 per employee per month less and the agent did not present the less expensive option. In another, and this happened a few years ago when the broker would not support an HSA option as no one would sign up for it. I told him to get out of the way and I would do the presentation. 40% of the employees signed up for it and the company of 250 employees saved over$90,000 in insurance costs.

So the brokers looking for long term stable relationships work best with us. You are correct when you say that many consultants have their own agendas.

We only take money from our clients and do not get into any revenue sharing for bringing others into the mix. The brokers we work well with know that we make their jobs easier. The ones that don't get fired.

 

[brooks]

What do you pay a "consultant"?

They charge by the hour?

The task?

 

[HRExpert]

We charge our clients a flat fee per month to be their outsourced HR department. Others we charge by the hour and by the project for some.

For those who are on a flat fee, we do everything an HR dept does in the larger companies including benefits admin, open enrollment and a host of other responsibilities. Some brokers hate it, but most like working with us.

 

[ABC]

This is an example of a weak broker. I am sure that broker had some type of relationship in place with the owner or decision maker. With a 250 life group I could see where bringing in a 3rd party to look at the HR has value especially if the current HR is not good.

In this situation the fact that the broker is still there shows how strong the relationship is.

You being a consultant I would be interested in hear your claims experience. With a group of 250 lives I would like to hear which direction you took the client? Self funded using a TPA, ASO or full insured?

OK so I am a human resources consultant. We work with small businesses and act as their HR dept. And yes - insurance agents have to be careful of consultants. But my experience working with insurance agents has been either hot or cold - nothing in the middle. We are looking out for the best interest of our clients while many insurance agents are looking for the short term commissions.

Example - agent pushing a group plan with one carrier when the identical plan with another was $50 per employee per month less and the agent did not present the less expensive option. In another, and this happened a few years ago when the broker would not support an HSA option as no one would sign up for it. I told him to get out of the way and I would do the presentation. 40% of the employees signed up for it and the company of 250 employees saved over$90,000 in insurance costs.

So the brokers looking for long term stable relationships work best with us. You are correct when you say that many consultants have their own agendas.

We only take money from our clients and do not get into any revenue sharing for bringing others into the mix. The brokers we work well with know that we make their jobs easier. The ones that don't get fired.

 

[HRExpert]

ABC,

The client is fully insured and the claims experience has been continually going down after implementing an HSA a few years ago. To get started, the company contributed 50% of the deductible the first year, 25% the second year and will be contributing $500 for new employees and $250 for current employees into their HSA accounts moving forward.

As for the strong relationship with the broker, it's a Jacksonville, FL thing where the ties go back generations.

When we started working with the client, the broker was kicking and screaming not wanting to work with us. Since that time, we have both seen the value of working together on additional deals.

 

[ABC]

It sound like you are helping the client but on the health insurance side these are the things the broker should be doing.

If I was bidding on that a case I would be presenting a self funded plan or some type of partially self funded vehicle.

I am always trying to get into the door of cases like this and I usually lose out to the relationship in place.

ABC,

The client is fully insured and the claims experience has been continually going down after implementing an HSA a few years ago. To get started, the company contributed 50% of the deductible the first year, 25% the second year and will be contributing $500 for new employees and $250 for current employees into their HSA accounts moving forward.

As for the strong relationship with the broker, it's a Jacksonville, FL thing where the ties go back generations.

When we started working with the client, the broker was kicking and screaming not wanting to work with us. Since that time, we have both seen the value of working together on additional deals.