Love Island - the blue print for Benefit Technology

 

I’ll start by saying I appreciate not everyone is a fan of Love Island or reality TV but bear with me. 

 

Love Island has finished and the process of meeting, selecting, getting to know who you vibe with, going exclusive, becoming girlfriend and boyfriend and finally declaring your love, is over for another 6 months. The phrases of being ‘dumped from the island’, ‘Bombshells’, ‘being pulled for a chat’ and ‘my type on paper’ are behind us (for now). 

 

Many have criticised the programme format as being cut and paste each year. A comment supported by the steady decline in viewing numbers; 2023 saw only 1.3m watch the launch show compared to 2m the year before and 3.3m four years earlier. 

But does the format of this show demonstrate how to enter a relationship with our [benefit technology] clients? 

Initially, a client may contact several benefit technology platform providers and advisers. To see which one they want to pair up with, they will make quick choices based on first impressions and what the technology looks like. This could change further down the line but for now they get to know their chosen provider and start moving beyond just looks. 

 

Typically, the technology will be their ‘type on paper’ but they may not fully know what they are looking for. A little more demonstrating and face to face meetings soon leads to a good understanding of what’s on offer. Let’s not forget there are several others who are their type on paper, who are waiting in the wings. Some maybe ‘bombshells’ with something that seems new and shiny. These are usually discussed and eventually dismissed after considering the bigger picture. 

 

The commitment is made to ‘go exclusive’ and the full factfinding and system build commences. We reach launch at which point both parties are ready to publicly declare they are in a relationship. 

 

The final step is to enter that ultimate declaration where all involved announce they love the technology and all the benefit it brings. 

With Love Island the story ends here with some going on to find a deeper relationship and maybe even marriage. For most its 10 minutes of mediocre fame. 

 

For the client this is the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship which, sees regular enhancements, time and money savers and a greater understanding of capability and functionality of the technology. 

 

Unlike Love Island, the relationships we build are not time critical and are not to avoid being dumped. They are there to help the end users; employees, fully understand their benefits and find a simple one-stop place that gives them everything they need for a better understanding of their worth to their employer. For our clients it saves them time on administration and query management as well as a happy workforce who appreciate what they have. 

 

In conclusion, I don’t care much for Love Island, but I care passionately about benefit technology. It is vital that we understand our clients needs and we deliver solutions to meet them. One size never fits all and a lot of new players will start finding this model doesn’t work. Reliable, bespoke yet cost effective technology is the answer. 

 

Would Renny please come to the Diary Room?