How Apex Benefits Partners doubled their client capacity with PlanYear

Most brokerage teams are drowning in manual processes. But few have figured out how to break free from the spreadsheet prison.

Whether you're managing 10 clients or 100, you know that renewal season is brutal. It's brutal on your time, brutal on accuracy, and brutal on your ability to deliver the modern experience clients expect.

That is, of course, unless you use PlanYear.

"We're handling twice the case load with the same team size, and our service quality has actually improved. PlanYear doesn't just solve today's problems - it opens up new ways to grow and beat the competition."

Jeff Bastien
Principal & Founder, Apex Benefits Partners

The Challenge: Scale Without Sacrifice

Apex Benefits Partners launched just 9 months ago with a clear mission: disrupt the traditional benefits brokerage model. With only 4 employees managing 35 clients and over $1M in revenue, they needed to deliver enterprise-level service without enterprise-level resources.

Their biggest operational bottleneck was the renewal process. Manual data entry consumed hours, spreadsheets invited errors, and traditional 30-page PDF benefit guides felt like relics from another era. As a brokerage built on innovation, using the same tools as everyone else wasn't an option.

Discovery Through Necessity

Apex discovered PlanYear in the most compelling way possible - through a prospect who refused to switch brokers without it.

"When we saw the demo, the benefits guide website immediately stood out," says Bastien. "But what truly sold us was how the system streamlined the renewal process and directly fed those decisions into the guide. It was a no-brainer."

From Manual to Magical: The Transformation

Before PlanYear:

• Manual data entry nightmare: Every renewal required hours of spreadsheet work
• Error-prone processes: No automation meant constant double-checking
• Static PDF guides: 30-page documents that employees often ignored
• Inconsistent enrollment meetings: No standardized approach across clients
• Previous tools fell short: Zywave required too much manual input and delivered underwhelming output

After PlanYear:

• 95% faster benefit guide creation: What took a week now takes one click
• 75% reduction in manual data entry: AI reads benefit summaries and auto-populates
• 50% faster renewal process: From receipt to client-ready in half the time
• Doubled client capacity: Same 4-person team now handles twice the workload
• Zero compromise on quality: Actually improved service delivery

The Implementation Experience

"We had far more access to the PlanYear team than I expected," notes Bastien. "Monthly check-ins, immediate support, and they actually listen to feedback. They bring in their product team when needed. As an agency whose tagline is 'clients come first,' it's refreshing to work with a partner that treats us the same way."

Beyond the Numbers: Strategic Impact

Elevated Brand Perception

"Clients view us as forward-thinking and organized. Prospects are consistently impressed by how polished and efficient our process is. PlanYear has given us a real competitive edge."

Employee Satisfaction Soars

Fewer questions during open enrollment. Smoother meetings. More confident employees. The web-based guides are accessible year-round, and employees can follow along on their phones during meetings.

System of Record

PlanYear isn't just a tool for Apex - it's become their operational backbone. Everything runs through it. Clients get administrative access. Employees rave about finding their benefits information easily.

Looking Ahead

"I wouldn't say PlanYear has simply influenced our long-term strategy - it's become an integral part of it," says Bastien. "Honestly, while I want to see PlanYear succeed as a business, I secretly hope not too many other brokers discover it - because it's been a real competitive edge for us."

The Bottom Line

In just 9 months, Apex Benefits Partners has built a $1M book of business with only 4 employees. They've doubled their capacity without adding staff. They've transformed their brand perception. And they've done it all by choosing the right technology partner.
For brokers serious about scaling efficiently and standing out from the competition, the message is clear: operational excellence isn't about working harder - it's about working smarter.

Ready to see how PlanYear can transform your brokerage? Schedule a demo