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In this episode of the Benefits Broker Boost Podcast, Adam Smith, the CMO at Plansight, sits down with Michelle Jukoski, EVP of Technology Strategy at Hub International. With a career spanning 27 years, Michelle has witnessed the industry’s transition from manual faxing and paper applications to sophisticated, AI-driven platforms. The conversation centers on how agencies can choose the right AI and technology by focusing on outcomes over features. Michelle shares her blueprint for successful implementation, emphasizing the “human in the loop” approach and the importance of change management in scaling a modern brokerage.
Michelle recalls the early days of 1994 when she and her colleagues stood around a single desk to be introduced to the World Wide Web. “I still remember the day, it was 1994, and we all stood around our marketing director’s desk and got introduced to the World Wide Web,” Michelle says. From the first generation of online enrollment in the early 2000s to the “integration era” where Ben Admin systems finally started talking to payroll and HRIS, each shift has moved the broker away from transactional work.
“I really saw that it was going to transform us from being a transactional broker to really being a strategic advisor for our clients,” Michelle explains. By moving beyond the spreadsheet, brokers can focus on high-level relationships and understanding a client’s business rather than manual data entry.
One of the most common mistakes Michelle sees is agencies buying for features instead of outcomes. It is easy to fall in love with a slick demo, but Michelle argues that rigorous requirements gathering must happen before the first line of code is ever tested.
“The number one big mistake I see is brokers buying for features instead of outcomes. So they fall in love with the demo. Everything’s really slick, the interface, everyone’s very excited. And the agency signs on with not really… doing their homework,” Michelle advises.
Adam agrees, noting that technology is only as valuable as the workflows it makes easier. “This workflow that takes a long time now takes half the time, or this workflow that took 15 people now takes seven people, right? So you have to evaluate it,” Adam says. This mindset is essential for scaling smarter with AI and ensuring a return on investment that goes beyond just “having” a tool.
While AI is the current “it” phrase in InsurTech, Michelle cautions against treating it as a total replacement for expertise. She advocates for “human-centered AI delivery” to ensure accuracy and prevent the spread of misinformation.
“The tools are fantastic, but you still need the human objective look at things. You need to ensure accuracy,” Michelle notes. She warns against relying solely on bots like ChatGPT for complex technology decisions without a subject matter expert involved. “If you don’t know how to use AI correctly, and you don’t know how to frame questions correctly, you know, you are going to get a lot of regurgitated information back,” Michelle warns.
For large, multi-region agencies like Hub International, the challenge lies in legacy diversity. Michelle suggests a “technology governance framework” rather than a strict mandate. By piloting technology regionally, often for 8 to 12 weeks, and letting success stories drive adoption, agencies avoid ruffling feathers while still achieving standardization.
“Standardize some of the functions and things that we do at an enterprise level to become more efficient and really eradicate those redundancies that exist,” Michelle says.
The future of the benefits industry belongs to those who remain curious. As Michelle puts it: “Just continue to be curious, right? Be curious about what’s new and be open to change”. By automating the mundane, brokers can finally step into the role of digital stewards for their clients.
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At the end of the day, Plansight is more than just software. It is a partner built with brokerages and their benefits teams in mind. Plansight is the only end-to-end benefits marketing platform that uses AI and automation to ensure every renewal and RFP is consistent, accurate, and fast.
From SmartSheetingAI™ to RFP automation to side-by-side comparisons to the intelligence of PlansightAI, everything we create is designed to lighten the load, reduce risk, and elevate your client relationships. Your team is your greatest asset, and Plansight is here to make sure they have the tools, insights, and support to shine.
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