The Value of Field Marketing Organizations

By Tiffany Stiller, SVP Carrier Relations and Individual & Senior Division, BenefitMall

Field Marketing Organizations, referred to as FMOs, provide benefits to agents, carriers, and consumers with the variety of services they provide. Bringing together a myriad of products, educational support, and technology tools, FMOs elevate an agent’s ability to offer choice to their clients while streamlining and simplifying the enrollment process. This applies to all products an FMO might represent but is especially relevant when navigating the complexities of the Medicare space.

Carrier Value

For carriers, FMOs assist in containing costs by taking on several services such as agent education, marketing, certification and agent contracting support as well as enrollment and issue resolution. They assist the carrier in casting a wider net and exposing more agents and their clients to a carrier’s product offering. FMOs only get paid when a sale is completed and without this variable cost support, carriers would have to increase staffing and support driving up costs.

Agent Value

Agents enjoy the support of sales executives within an FMO that help them identify their target market, direct them to the appropriate carriers to partner with for that segment, and introduce them to new and competitive products that can better support their clients and expand their market reach. End Pullquote. These sales executives can also assist in getting a new agent up and running in the senior space, guiding them through all the steps it takes to get ready to sell and working on a strategy with the agent that will help them to penetrate the market and succeed in the marketplace.

Technology Solutions

Technology is an essential part of our business, and for many agents the cost of this technology could be a barrier to entry. FMOs provide access to both proprietary and partner tools often shouldering the cost, allowing the agent to invest in other aspects of their business. Quoting, enrollment, contracting/appointment, provider search, and client management are all examples of the electronic capabilities made available to agents by FMOs. Marketing is also an area where an FMO can assist an agent with business costs. Most will provide co-op dollars helping an agent to promote their services and the products they represent, and many will also provide templates for agents that allow them to create their own marketing campaigns.

Marketing and Business Development/Support

Information is key in this business and an FMO supports their carrier partners in pushing news out to the agent community and giving agents a single source to keep up to date on the market. This ranges from information about new products, new tools, benefit changes and regulatory updates. Several mediums are utilized including email blasts, newsletters, blogs, social media, and in-person educational events. Many FMOs also provide compliance support, helping to navigate the ever-changing world of benefits and legislative updates. At its best, an FMO is a partnership with its carriers and agents and is only successful when they’re successful, making them top priority. The result is a consumer connected with a large variety of options, allowing them to make the best choice for their unique needs--truly a win for our industry and the customers we serve.

About BenefitMall

Headquartered in Dallas, BenefitMall is the largest employee benefits general agency, working with a network of 20,000 brokers to deliver employee benefits to more than 200,000 small and medium-sized businesses. Through its Individual and Senior Division, BenefitMall also provides brokers with access to individual and family life, health and ancillary plans, Medicare Advantage, and Medicare Supplement insurance programs. Founded in 1979, BenefitMall leverages innovative technology backed by human expertise to provide a seamless selling experience for its carriers, brokers, and their clients. BenefitMall is part of CRC Group’s Life, Retirement and Benefits Solutions division, a leading national wholesale distributor of specialty insurance products.

Headquartered in Dallas, BenefitMall is the largest employee benefits general agency, working with a network of 20,000 brokers to deliver employee benefits to more than 200,000 small and medium-sized businesses. Through its Individual and Senior Division, BenefitMall also provides brokers with access to individual and family life, health and ancillary plans, Medicare Advantage, and Medicare Supplement insurance programs. Founded in 1979, BenefitMall leverages innovative technology backed by human expertise to provide a seamless selling experience for its carriers, brokers, and their clients. BenefitMall is part of CRC Group’s Life, Retirement and Benefits Solutions division, a leading national wholesale distributor of specialty insurance products.

Tiffany Stiller has been with the BenefitMall team since 1999. In her current role as Senior Vice President she oversees Carrier Relations, BenefitMall Individual & Senior Division (ISD), Product, Compliance and the Learning & Development team. As part of BenefitMall’s Executive Leadership her focus is on driving both the growth and culture of the organization.

Prior to joining the BenefitMall team, she spent four years as Vice President of Business Development with Secure Dental, where she was responsible for negotiating General Agency contracts, resolving general agency and broker issues, product advertising and promotion, plan design, and monitoring sales and distribution in 17 states. Previously, Stiller was Marketing Director for a large group of orthopedic surgeons in Southern California and Nevada.

Stiller worked on a bachelor of science degree in Health Science at California State University, Northridge, and earned her bachelor of arts degree from Arizona State University (ASU). She is a member of the National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals (NABIP) and The Council. She is Life and Health licensed in all 50 states. Stiller also serves as an advisor for Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity. In her free time, she is a competitive equestrian and devoted dog mum.