Consultant/Broker Selection Process

We have prepared the following information to assist you in your Consultant/Broker selection process. Below we have answered the questions we would ask if we were selecting a new Consultant/Broker.

CRITERIA: Knowledge of the industry/marketplace

Our Consultants provide a breadth and depth of experience in a large range of market sectors and client size.

The effective development and management of employee pension and benefit programs require a multi-disciplinary approach. Our competitive advantage includes our ability to speak two languages: human resources and finance.



CRITERIA: Understanding of our business

From our experience, we feel that there are five key issues that have a significant impact on benefit programs and related HR policies. These are:

   1. Attraction and Retention of Employees: In many industry sectors talent management and acquisition are key to success. We recognize this as both a risk and an opportunity. A well designed benefits program can mitigate this risk, and become a significant attraction component of HR policies.

   2. Cost Management: Maintenance of the company's profit margin is vital to organizational health and success. The benefit plan cost envelope must fit within an appropriate financial structure.

   3. Plan Design and Review: Although most programs offer similar benefits, there is a myriad of nuances within each line of benefit. It is important to systematically review programs and employee demographics to ensure the maximum potential and goodwill for dollars spent. As an example, younger employees have different needs and requirements than do employees nearing retirement. Younger employees may feel benefits are less important to them whereas tenured employees are looking for transition assistance from the working environment to retirement. It is important to design a plan that will fit a number of employee profiles.

   4. Communication: There are several layers of communication that are necessary to have the plan operate at peak efficiency. These include but are not limited to:

   • Underwriter interfacing for claims issues
   • Day to day administration assistance
   • Plan design review and annual plan renewal
   • Underwriting Account Managers for plan operation efficiencies

   5. Administration: It is our job to assist in plan set up administration, day to day educational assistance, trouble shooting, contract and claim dispute resolutions.



CRITERIA: Ability to establish rapport

We pride ourselves on our ability to quickly and effectively establish good business rapport with our clients. This ensures that face-to-face meetings and written correspondence will be productive and we will be able to discuss on key areas that are of importance to you.


CRITERIA: Available support - Meetings, availability to answer questions, program review, training

All of our clients are assigned a primary Consultant and a secondary Consultant. This ensures that support is always available to our clients. Our Analysts and administrative support staff are always available to answer calls as needed. In addition we can provide benefit training for your staff. We will also coordinate training from the insurance company(ies) as required.


CRITERIA: Willingness to be held accountable for results

We can prepare a performance standard agreement based on your expectations.



CRITERIA: Scope of Services Provided

The following lists our Consulting and Brokerage Services:

  • Competitive Tendering and Brokerage: specification preparation, competitive analysis, and program implementation
  • Strategic Program Development
  • Flex Plan Design
  • Contract and Document Review
  • Financial Management
  • Benefits Training
  • Benefit Plan Design and Analysis (Health, Protection, Retirement, Perks)
  • Renewal Management: premium rate analysis, financial modeling, and provider negotiation
  • Funding Analysis
  • Provider Management and Negotiation
  • Employee Listening (Surveys)
  • Program Implementation
  • Program Management
  • CAP Guideline Audit and Assessment
  • Investment Committee Meetings
  • Employee Communication Services
  • Employee Transition Arrangements
  • Administrative Support
CRITERIA: Cost of service

We work with clients and can receive remuneration in 3 ways: i) fee for service basis, ii) a commission paid by the insurance company, or iii) a combination of fee and commission. Our preferred choice is to engage with our clients on a commission basis.

We find that a commission provides several advantages to our clients, these are:

   1. A commission arrangement allows the client to amortize the cost of our services over several years. During the first year of our relationship with a new client we are very active, as we work through all the required elements of plan management. During that first year, our internal costs usually outpace the commission revenue. Sometime during the second or third year we begin to approach our breakeven point.

   2. A commission arrangement is also a mechanism for the automatic cost sharing of consulting expenses with employees as the comission is based on a percentage of paid premium. Since employees also benefit from consulting services, many organizations feel cost sharing is appropriate.

   3. A commission arrangement encourages Pointbreak clients to use our services for small issues, (such as a claim problem) before they became large issues. Some clients feel that under a fee basis the meter turns on with the phone call. In order to reduce anticipated expenses, the client does not involve us early in the situation. By the time we become involved, the situation has escalated and significant time and expense is required for a resolution. A commission arrangement seems to prevent this problem.