“Robotic process automation doesn’t have quite the sizzle that AI does in conversations. But we’ve actually made quicker inroads through RPA than with AI initially.”
Those were the words of Mark Nixon (pictured), chief operating officer at Hylant, who said that transformation in employee benefits is less about adopting the latest buzzwords and more about addressing practical inefficiencies.
RPA has allowed Hylant to automate labor-intensive reporting tasks that had historically taken hours and were prone to error. “A lot of what is expected by our clients, especially larger self-funded employers, is monthly reporting and data analytics,” Nixon said. “The bot will go out and pull the reports, and then our data analytics team simply looks at it for quality and accuracy. That frees us to give the client insights, rather than just a report.”
The technology has also improved billing and enrollment processes. After open enrollment, RPA pulls invoices and compares them to benefits enrollment reports, ensuring accuracy and identifying employees inadvertently left off plans. “Processes that were very manual in the past, or not done at all, are now completed in minutes instead of hours,” Nixon said. “That leads to better reporting, more accurate billing, and fewer disruptions for members.”
Beyond RPA, Nixon said Hylant is exploring AI applications in document comparison and front-end client support. AI tools are used to compare annual contracts and certificates of coverage to prior-year documents or quoted proposals, flagging inconsistencies automatically.
“We also use AI integrated in our agency management system to help with client questions,” he said. “If a client asks whether a voluntary life insurance benefit is portable or convertible, AI can scan the relevant documents and provide an answer immediately. Tasks that once took significant research are now almost instantaneous.”
Sourcing and implementing AI has not been without challenges. Nixon said the firm has struggled to identify providers that serve both employee benefits and property/casualty lines while integrating efficiently with its Epic agency management system.
“AI companies have generally built solutions that are either benefits-focused or property-casualty-focused,” he said. “We haven’t seen anyone doing it well on both sides, so we’re prioritizing where we can get the most efficiency for the client and our teams.”
The risk of fragmented technology, Nixon said, is creating a “junk drawer” of applications that deliver limited value if not managed carefully. “We’re trying to be thoughtful because we don’t want to bring in 10, 12, 15 different AI applications that each have narrow capabilities,” he said.
Nixon emphasized that Hylant’s leadership supports technology adoption, but not at the expense of employee experience.
“Our CEO asks: is this initiative going to make our employees’ lives more difficult, or better?” Nixon said. “Sometimes the answer is short-term pain for long-term benefit. Implementing new systems or cleansing data can be painful initially, but it clears the path to bring technology to bear that wasn’t possible before.”
