PEO Insider: How Selling Services Has Evolved in a Regulatory World

Selling professional employer organization (PEO) services to small and mid-sized businesses has evolved over the past two decades, writes G&A Partners’ Sandra Osborn, vice president of sales in Colorado in PEO Insider’s September issue.

In the article “Beyond Benefits Savings: The Evolution of Selling PEO,” Osborn says that business owners once sought PEOs primarily for the potential employee benefits savings they could realize. The catalyst that changed the sales process for PEOs was the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010.

“The dynamics related to healthcare changed, as did the complexity of medical benefits,” writes Osborn. “Small businesses were tasked with navigating one of the most complex laws ever passed, despite having limited resources and time.”

Discussions with prospects evolved, with business owners focused more on finding expertise and a “trustworthy partner who could see the bigger regulatory picture.”

“They began to realize that a PEO partner could help untangle this complex web of government regulations,” says Osborn.

Another key shift in selling PEOs is recognizing that not all prospective clients are a good fit.

“One of our core values at G&A is to put people first, and we believe client retention improves when we support clients that share this same value,” writes Osborn. “Therefore, a prospective client that is employee-centric is more likely to be a good fit for us. Why? Because, like G&A, employee-centric employers view their employees as a valuable asset, and they strive to provide excellent care for their employees.”

Read the full article in the September issue of PEO Insider or online here.