By: Deborah Curtin

Research, research, research all day long. At Benefits Administrators, we are always focused on details, educating ourselves and others about retirement plan options.

As with any organization, there are many moving parts to make a machine work properly. We are no different. We have our chief executive officer, chief operating officer, retirement plan coordinators, data coordinators, executive assistants, and office managers. Everyone plays a crucial role in making day-to-day activities run smoothly.

As data coordinators, we often assist retirement plan coordinators with their workflow. This kind of team interaction is crucial when you are dealing with a diverse list of clients. We want what is best for each client, and that might be different for each one based on individual planning.

Research and making updates also are instrumental in our business. It is interesting to think back to days when the word “research” meant digging out an encyclopedia, dictionary, or walking to your local library to flip through archives. In the world of retirement plans, deadlines, requirements, provisions and census data change frequently. It’s our responsibility to stay on top of those for clients. It is amazing to think about how our society has changed and technology has made information available at our finger tips.

However, many of us still like the old pen and paper and a personalized phone call. Data coordinators probably spend more time on the phone than anyone else in our office. It is a great way for us to educate plan participants about the details of their benefits packages and gain more information about their situations.

At Benefits Administrators, we value new technology and any other resource we have to keep up with the changes and make adjustments, if needed, for our clients. However, sometimes those personal touches are the ones that last the longest and are most important to our clients.