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How Carriers Can Elevate Their Value in the Broker Relationship

Written by Brite | May 13, 2025 3:58:16 PM

For decades, carriers have relied on brokers as their frontline salesforce. But the dynamics of that relationship are shifting. In an era of growing competition, digital transformation, and rising client expectations, brokers are no longer satisfied with carriers who merely respond—they’re seeking partners who elevate their value.

Here’s the hard truth: being fast, accurate, and service-minded isn’t enough anymore. If carriers want to maintain broker loyalty, win new business, and grow distribution, they must start acting less like vendors and more like strategic allies.

The Assumption: Good Service = Good Partnership

Carriers have long believed that timely renewals, accurate quoting, and responsive account teams are the core of broker satisfaction. And while those are necessary, they are no longer differentiators—they’re table stakes.

🧠 Key Stat:

  • According to McKinsey, 70% of B2B buyers now expect more consultative, personalized support from their vendors—not just transactional service¹.

In other words, brokers want more than delivery—they want insight. Carriers who can help brokers look good, work smarter, and close deals faster will rise to the top.

The Reality: Strategic Brokers Are Vetting Partners Differently

Top-performing brokers aren’t just comparing networks or rates—they’re evaluating which carriers actively help them grow. Their questions sound like this:

  • Does this carrier give me tools that save time or improve client experience?
  • Can I use their resources to differentiate my service in competitive RFPs?

  • Will they help me educate clients and employees during open enrollment?

  • Do they make my job easier—or harder?

And if the answer is no? They move on.

Where Most Carriers Fall Short

Here’s where carriers often intend to be helpful—but fall short in execution:

1. Outdated Marketing Support

Most carriers offer templated PDFs or one-size-fits-all flyers. But brokers are being asked for modern, mobile-friendly, customized communications—especially for open enrollment. That’s where generic handouts just don’t cut it.

2. No Support for Digital Engagement

Over 80% of employees don’t read the benefits materials they receive². When carriers don’t provide brokers with digital tools to engage employees, it results in poor plan comprehension and low perceived value.

3. No Data or Insights Shared

Carriers sit on a goldmine of data, but rarely share insights about utilization trends, gaps in care, or plan performance. Without those insights, brokers can’t consult effectively.

The Opportunity: What True Partnership Looks Like

So what does it actually look like when a carrier shows up as a strategic partner?

Here’s what leading brokers are looking for:

✅ Modern, Co-Branded Content

Give brokers white-labeled educational materials they can deploy across clients—mobile-friendly, multilingual, and designed to look like their own.

✅ Open Enrollment Tools That Scale

Provide digital platforms that let brokers launch custom open enrollment hubs, track engagement, and update content without chasing down PDFs.

✅ Utilization Insights + Trend Data

Offer anonymized, high-level plan usage data to help brokers spot client needs and guide smarter renewals.

✅ Workflow Efficiency

Support brokers with easier file sharing, real-time status tracking, and smart enrollment documentation to cut down admin drag.

Where Brite Fits In

That’s exactly where Brite comes in. Carriers who partner with Brite give their brokers more than just a plan—they give them a scalable platform to educate, engage, and deliver benefits communication with ease.

With Brite, Carriers Can:

🚀 Enable Brokers at Scale

Equip every broker with a customizable benefits education builder—so they can create polished, client-branded experiences in hours, not weeks.

🧰 Offer Modern OE Tools

Let brokers ditch the paper PDFs and launch digital open enrollment hubs that work on any device, in multiple languages, with video, FAQs, and real-time updates.

📊 Prove Impact

Track guide views, video engagement, and page activity—so brokers can show ROI to their clients, and carriers can identify high-performing partners.

📎 Stay in the Background

Carriers power the platform, but brokers stay front and center—protecting your brand from overstepping while boosting your value.

Final Word: Partnership Is About Empowerment

If you’re a carrier still measuring success by Net Promoter Score or ticket resolution time, it’s time to level up.

The carriers that brokers talk about—and stay loyal to—are the ones that help them:

  • Look more professional

  • Work more efficiently

  • Win more clients

Being that kind of partner doesn’t require reinventing your product. It means reimagining your support model—and giving brokers the tools they need to thrive.

That’s what Brite helps you deliver.

References

  1. McKinsey & Company. “The new B2B growth equation.” 2022.

  2. International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP). “Employee Benefits Survey.” 2023.

  3. LIMRA. “The Evolving Role of the Broker.” 2023.