MyBenefitLink | Binary Studio

The Client

AgencySmart has been a significant player in the US insurance technology sector since 1999, providing cloud-based solutions for brokers and general agents. Their flagship product, AgencySmart™, is a comprehensive CRM system tailored for the insurance industry. It offers functionality for tracking client and prospect renewals, managing service issues, processing commissions, and quoting various insurance plans.

With over two decades of experience, AgencySmart has established a strong market presence. The company has processed and paid out more than $1 billion in commissions, manages over 500,000 clients and prospects, and has tracked and renewed more than 650,000 policies. Their system has also been instrumental in resolving approximately 300,000 service issues.

AgencySmart's product suite includes MyBenefitLink, a solution that completely digitizes the employee onboarding and ongoing benefit administration. The addition of MyBenefitLink has transformed AgencySmart into the only true all-in-one system for running an insurance agency.

We’re most impressed by their professionalism. After dealing with many false starts, it was nice to finally work with a team that quickly delivered the results we wanted.

With Binary Studio, we haven’t had problems with communication or results. They understood everything quickly and delivered exactly what we wanted.

Kirill Safarov

Co-founder, Agency Smart

MyBenefitLink-2 USA

Objectives

AgencySmart approached Binary Studio with a critical mission: to revitalize their MyBenefitLink product, an online management system for group benefits. After several unsuccessful iterations with other partners, AgencySmart saw Binary Studio as their final opportunity to successfully launch this crucial addition to their product suite.

The primary objectives of the collaboration were:

01

Finalize and launch a functional version of MyBenefitLink, employee benefits management software

Complete development of a user-friendly portal integrated with AgencySmart's client management system by finalizing the frontend portion and expanding backend features. Prepare the portal for release, enabling employees to view benefits, enter personal information, elect benefits, and electronically sign forms.
02

Implement ongoing improvements and maintenance

Following the successful initial release, expand the collaboration to include continuous enhancement of the platform. This involves system redesign and regular updates to improve functionality and user experience. AgencySmart chose Binary Studio for our technical expertise and ability to effectively communicate with all stakeholders. This decision was influenced by positive feedback about Ukrainian development teams and the need for better communication than they had experienced with previous outsourced partners.

React

Node.js

TypeScript

Redux

MySQL

Docker

CircleCI

Binary Studio began by thoroughly evaluating MyBenefitLink's existing codebase. We then assembled a dedicated team of engineers to complete the project, working closely with AgencySmart's CTO to plan and implement the remaining features.

Stage 1
Our team made rapid progress, completing the frontend portion of the benefits management platform within just four months - a significant achievement considering the project's history of unsuccessful attempts by previous partners. We adapted seamlessly to AgencySmart's workflow, utilizing Kanban approach for project management, while maintaining clear communication through Slack and daily calls to address issues promptly.
The result was a fully functional product that AgencySmart could finally bring to market. MyBenefitLink's launch was met with positive reception from AgencySmart's customers, marking a crucial milestone for the company and ending a series of failed attempts. This success not only solved a key business challenge for AgencySmart but also enhanced their product offering and opened new revenue opportunities.
Stage 2
Following the initial launch, Binary Studio continued to work on MyBenefitLink, focusing on expanding functionality and developing backend features. This ongoing collaboration has kept the benefits management platform current and responsive to AgencySmart's evolving needs.
MyBenefitLink has grown into a comprehensive online management system for group benefits. The platform allows employees to view and manage various benefits offered by their employer, such as healthcare insurance and employer-matched investment programs. Key features include:
- Enrollment management: 24/7 access for employees, support for open enrollment, new hires, and life events.
- Onboarding tools: Employee information management, offer letter creation, and customizable onboarding tasks.
- Communication tools: Broker and employer message boards, alerts, reminders, and engagement polls.
- Document handling: Unlimited storage, auto-fill forms with electronic signatures, and new hire document management.
- Reporting and analytics: Comprehensive dashboards for enrollment tracking and analysis.
Our work on the platform has involved enhancing the user interface, improving backend performance and scalability, implementing regular bug fixes, and increasing test coverage with backend unit tests and API tests.
Currently, Binary Studio has taken the initiative to offer another redesign, leveraging our UI/UX expertise to give the platform a more modern look and improve its user experience. This proactive approach demonstrates our commitment to MyBenefitLink's long-term success and our dedication to meeting AgencySmart's evolving business needs.
Through our ongoing partnership, Binary Studio has transformed MyBenefitLink from a struggling project into a valuable asset for AgencySmart's business, continually adapting and improving the platform.

Overcoming Challenges in Benefits Software Development

MyBenefitLink has become a key asset for AgencySmart, streamlining employee benefits management. Binary Studio's work transformed a project with a complex history into a successful, user-friendly platform. Our team's technical expertise and commitment to continuous improvement were essential in navigating the intricacies of the existing system and delivering where previous efforts had fallen short. We focused on rebuilding critical components, optimizing performance, and implementing robust testing processes. The result is a product that effectively addresses real industry needs. This partnership has contributed to AgencySmart's business growth and enhanced market position.
The ongoing collaboration between Binary Studio and AgencySmart continues to yield positive results, with regular updates and new features.

About Binary Studio

Binary Studio is a boutique software development company, regularly praised for its unique blend of engineering excellence and product ownership that enables its clients to build robust and scalable software products.
With our development team made up of top 0.5% international tech talent, we build web and mobile platforms using Node.js, .NET, React Native, Flutter, and integrating AI and ML. We also offer full-cycle QA and project management services to ensure the efficient delivery.
Our clients see us as a trusted partner dedicated to turning visions into great products. This is proven by 200+ delivered projects, more than two decades of business excellence, and stellar customer reviews.

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