How Accel Group Streamlined Benefits Planning and Boosted Client Success  

Designing Employee Benefit plans that meet diverse employee needs is one of the most important and challenging tasks for brokers. Multiple Benefits offerings, shifting demographics, and rising expectations for clarity can make delivering a comprehensive Benefits package time-consuming and error-prone.

The Accel Group's traditional manual processes slowed workflows and created inconsistencies in client deliverables. Applied Benefits Designer, integrated with Applied Epic® and Employee Navigator, enabled the agency to transform its approach to Benefits program design, improving efficiency, accuracy, and employee satisfaction.

Manual Benefits Plan Design and Inconsistent Client Deliverables

Spreadsheets and Word documents once served as The Accel Group’s primary tools for designing and presenting Benefits packages. Each producer used their own method, leading to inconsistencies across proposals and unnecessary duplication of work.

“Each producer had their own way of putting together proposals, and it wasn’t consistent for our clients,” said Kara Roeder, Director of Benefit Operations. “We knew there had to be a better way to streamline our work while maintaining quality.”

The team faced the dual challenge of creating customized Employee Benefit plans that met unique client employee needs while maintaining accuracy and branding standards, all without an efficient digital process.

Integrated Benefits Technology to the Rescue

The Accel Group implemented Applied Benefits Designer alongside Applied Epic and Employee Navigator, creating a fully integrated workflow for Benefits plan design.

This integration allows The Accel Group’s brokers to:

• Pull plan data automatically from multiple systems, reducing repetitive data entry.
• Create branded, consistent proposals for each client.
• Analyze employee demographics to tailor Benefits offerings effectively.
• Manage and track health insurance and other Benefits programs in a single platform.

“Applied Benefits Designer has really made our process more efficient. It reduced the amount of data that we had to input across multiple systems,” Kara added. “It really reduced the redundancies that we saw in our work process. We put the data in once in Applied Benefits Designer and we were able to output that into Applied Epic and now into Employee Navigator.”

By streamlining data flow and automating repetitive tasks, The Accel Group can now focus on designing benefits packages that truly meet client goals and improve employee retention.

Faster, Accurate, Employee-Centered Benefits Plans

The Accel Group has made measurable improvements in its Employee Benefit plan design process since adopting Applied’s integrated platform:

1. Reduced Redundancy: Data is entered once and flows across systems, eliminating repetitive tasks and minimizing errors so the team can focus on client strategy rather than administration.
2. Consistent, Branded Proposals: Every Benefits plan now reflects a unified brand and professional standard, creating a more consistent and polished experience for clients.
3. Better Employee Insights: Clear visibility into employee demographics enables more thoughtful Benefits offerings that align with workforce needs and support smarter plan design decisions.
4. Improved Retention and Client Satisfaction: Stronger Benefits programs help clients attract and retain talent while reinforcing The Accel Group’s role as a trusted, long-term advisor.

“We now have a much more visible and accurate view of our clients’ Benefits programs,” said Kara. “It’s made it easier for our team to advise clients and deliver proposals we’re proud of.”

Integrated systems mean that The Accel Group team can spend less time on administrative tasks and more time customizing Employee Benefit plans that support both employers and employees.

Why Modern Employee Benefit Plan Design Matters

The experience of The Accel Group demonstrates a broader trend in the insurance industry: agencies that adopt digital Benefits plan design tools can streamline workflows, reduce errors, and create employee-focused Benefits programs that improve engagement and retention.

“The integration between our systems has been a game-changer. We’re able to manage the full lifecycle of Employee Benefit plans with minimal manual effort, which benefits both our team and our clients,” Kara noted.

Leveraging technology to understand employee demographics and tailor Benefits offerings allows brokers to position themselves as strategic partners rather than administrative vendors.

Elevate Your Benefits Plan Design

Integrated digital solutions like Applied Benefits Designer are essential for brokers seeking to modernize their approach to Employee Benefit plan design. Agencies can reduce redundancies, improve proposal accuracy, and design comprehensive Benefits packages that meet client and employee needs, all while enhancing productivity and client trust.

“Applied Benefits Designer helps us provide consistent, accurate, and client-focused Benefits plans,” Kara said. “It’s transformed how we approach Benefits plan design and strengthened our relationships with clients.”

Discover how Applied Benefits Designer can help your agency streamline Employee Benefit plan design and deliver stronger, employee-centered Benefits programs.