Questions That Lead to Better Recommendations 

Let’s face it: no two clients are exactly alike. A tech startup with remote workers? Not the same as a manufacturing plant with shift workers. A healthcare group navigating complex compliance? Definitely not the same as a small business trying to stretch every benefits dollar. 

That’s why a one-size-fits-all benefits strategy just doesn’t cut it anymore. To deliver real value as a broker, you need to dig deeper—to ask the right questions that uncover each client’s unique needs, challenges, and goals. 

Think of it as your benefits blueprint—a set of discovery questions that guide your recommendations and set your clients (and yourself) up for long-term success. Let’s break down the key areas to explore and how they lead to stronger strategies. 

1. Understanding Business Goals: What’s the Big Picture? 

Start with the basics. Every client’s benefits strategy should connect to their larger business objectives. Are they trying to control costs? Attract top talent? Improve retention? Expand into new markets? 

Key questions to ask: 

• What are your top priorities for the next 1–3 years? 
• Are you focused more on cost containment or competitive attraction? 
• How do benefits fit into your overall employer brand and employee value proposition? 

These insights help you frame benefits recommendations in a way that aligns with the client’s bigger goals—whether that’s adding voluntary benefits, exploring self-funding, or upgrading their admin platform to handle more complexity. 

2. Who Makes Up Your Workforce? (And What Do They Really Need?) 

Benefits that resonate with employees are benefits that get used. But that means understanding the workforce—who they are, where they are, and what they value. 

Questions to explore: 

• What’s the age range and family status breakdown of your workforce? 
• Are most employees working remotely, in the field, or on-site? 
• What feedback have you received about your current benefits offerings? 

You’ll also want to ask about generational preferences, lifestyle needs, and any patterns in benefits utilization. For example, if many employees are asking about mental health resources or financial wellness programs, it might be time to expand those offerings. 

3. What’s Working—and What’s a Headache? 

This is where you uncover the “pain points” that a better benefits strategy (and the right platform) can solve. 

Ask: 

• What benefits-related challenges are you facing right now? 
• Where do you feel stretched thin—compliance, reporting, employee engagement? 
• Are your current systems and processes supporting your needs, or creating bottlenecks? 

If clients mention issues like manual processes, missed compliance deadlines, or employee frustration with the platform, that’s your cue to talk technology. Selerix, for instance, is designed to solve many of these challenges—like streamlining enrollment, automating compliance, and giving employees an intuitive, self-service experience. But even if Selerix isn’t the answer for every client, the goal is to identify what needs fixing so you can recommend the right solution. 

4. Are Employees Engaged with Their Benefits? 

The best benefits in the world don’t matter if no one knows how to use them. That’s why you need to ask: 

• What tools and processes are in place currently to communicate benefits information to employees? 
• How do you communicate benefits information to employees? 
• Do employees have tools or support to make informed decisions? 
• Are you seeing good engagement during and after open enrollment? 
• What is the workforce like? Are there deskless workers, unions, remote workers, etc? 

Low engagement could signal a need for better communication strategies—or a platform that supports year-round benefits education. Selerix, for example, offers features like decision support and targeted communications that keep benefits top-of-mind all year. 

5. How Well Does Your Current Admin Platform Support Your Strategy? 

Finally, bring it home. The platform is the engine behind the benefits plan. If it’s sputtering, everything else struggles. 

Ask: 

• Does your current system make benefits administration easier or harder? 
• What areas of the current platform are making you more efficient? 
• Where are the areas of opportunity within the current platform? 
• Has there been an attempt in the last 3-5 years to make a tech change? If so, what drove that change? 
• Can it scale as your company grows? 
• How confident are you in its compliance capabilities? 
• Does it integrate seamlessly with payroll, HRIS, and carriers? 
• How does the technology support—or hinder—the benefits experience? 

This is where brokers can offer serious value—by identifying gaps in technology and recommending platforms that align with the client’s unique needs. (Like Selerix—just saying!) 

It All Starts with the Right Questions 

Strong recommendations don’t happen by accident. They’re built on a solid foundation of understanding, and that starts with asking the right questions. 

As a broker, your role is more than just presenting options. It’s helping clients see the bigger picture—and crafting solutions that align with their goals, support their workforce, and streamline their operations. 

Ready to sharpen your discovery process even further? Download The Broker’s Guide to Recommending Benefits for more strategies, tools, and frameworks to set you apart as a broker, helping you deliver real value to every client you serve.