In an industry where partnerships—with agents, brokers, and other distributors—fuel both growth and customer reach, one global insurer found itself struggling to keep up. Their manual onboarding, inconsistent data tracking, and siloed systems were bogging down even the most basic partner interactions.
By teaming up with RST and leveraging the OutSystems low-code platform, they discovered a new world of automation, collaboration, and operational excellence.
In this case study, we’ll walk through the challenges, the approach, and the remarkable outcomes that helped transform how this insurer manages its global partner ecosystem.
The Challenges
- Disjointed Partner Onboarding
- Onboarding new agents and brokers required manual paperwork, numerous email exchanges, and back-office validation.
- Different regions followed different processes, causing lengthy delays and confusion among operational teams.
- Siloed Data and Limited Visibility
- Each regional office maintained its own spreadsheets and databases.
- Leadership lacked a unified dashboard to monitor partner performance or address compliance issues proactively.
- Inefficient Commission Tracking
- Calculating and disbursing commissions across multiple markets involved frequent manual reconciliations.
- Partners often raised disputes over late or inaccurate payments, eroding trust.
- Compliance Risks
- With partners spanning multiple countries, licensing and regulatory requirements were vast and varied.
- Missing documentation or expired licenses frequently went unnoticed until audits revealed inconsistencies.
Key Takeaway: The insurer’s reliance on manual workflows and scattered data not only hurt partner relationships but also posed significant compliance and operational risks.
The RST Approach
1 Collaborative Discovery
We started by interviewing stakeholders across the insurer’s regional offices, legal and compliance units, IT teams, and a select group of partners. This comprehensive approach revealed critical pain points, from onboarding bottlenecks to compliance blind spots.
Key Activities:
- Mapping Current Processes: We charted out every step of partner onboarding, commission calculation, and performance monitoring to identify redundancies and manual interventions.
- Goal Setting: Working with senior management, we defined measurable targets, such as reducing onboarding time by 60% and lowering partner complaints by 40%.
2 Low-Code Solution Design with OutSystems
With a clear picture of the challenges and objectives, we designed a centralized Partners Management Portal on the OutSystems platform. The portal included:
- Automated Workflows: Self-service onboarding forms, role-based approvals, and automated reminders for missing documents.
- Unified Data Repository: Integration with existing CRM, policy admin systems, and finance tools via API connectors.
- Commission Engine: A flexible, rule-based component for dynamic commission calculations, supporting tiered, flat, or bonus-based structures.
- Compliance Hub: License tracking, automated expiration alerts, and built-in audit logs to prove regulatory adherence.
3 Phased Implementation
To minimize risk and disruption, we rolled out the solution in phases:
- Pilot Region: Tested the new portal in one regional office handling a moderate partner base. Gathered feedback and made iterative refinements.
- Global Rollout: Gradually extended to other regions—EMEA, APAC, Americas—incorporating localized compliance rules and language support.
Key Takeaway: Our phased approach ensured continuous improvements based on real-world usage, smoothing the transition for both internal teams and external partners.
The Results
1 Dramatic Onboarding Acceleration
- 60% Reduction in Onboarding Time: Automated forms and e-signature capabilities cut weeks from the process, allowing new agents to start selling faster.
- Elimination of 80% of Manual Data Entry: Integration with policy admin and CRM systems led to a unified, real-time data flow.
2 Enhanced Partner Satisfaction
- 40% Fewer Complaints: Timely commission payments and transparent tracking dashboards resolved many common frustrations.
- Improved Communication: In-portal messaging and automated alerts replaced email chains, keeping agents informed of status changes or needed documents.
3 Data-Driven Decision Making
- Single Source of Truth: Consolidated partner data enabled leadership to view performance metrics (e.g., sales volume, renewal rates) at a global scale.
- Proactive Compliance Management: Automated license and regulation checks alerted teams well before any lapses, reducing compliance gaps significantly.
4 Streamlined Commission and Revenue Growth
- 50% Fewer Commission Errors: Rule-based calculations eliminated discrepancies and reduced disputes.
- Accelerated Revenue: Faster onboarding and improved partner engagement resulted in quicker policy issuance and higher overall sales.
Key Takeaway: By unifying their partner workflows on OutSystems, the insurer witnessed faster growth, reduced overhead, and a significant rise in partner loyalty—all while staying on top of compliance.
Critical Success Factors
- Executive Alignment: Support from top management ensured quick decision-making, resource allocation, and a clear roadmap for global rollout.
- Change Management: Early and frequent communication with regional teams and partners minimized resistance, helping them embrace the new portal.
- Iterative Development: OutSystems’ low-code approach allowed us to prototype quickly, gather real-time feedback, and refine features without lengthy coding cycles.
- Robust Training and Support: Comprehensive tutorials and helpdesk services ensured partners and staff fully adopted the system.
Lessons Learned
- Start Small, Scale Fast: A pilot phase builds confidence and lets you refine user experiences before a company-wide deployment.
- Prioritize User Experience: Easy-to-use forms, dashboards, and automated alerts are key to driving partner adoption.
- Continuous Improvement: Even after a successful launch, keep an eye on metrics and user feedback to further enhance workflows and features.
Key Takeaway: A clear strategy, user-centric design, and a low-code mindset can dramatically reshape partner relationships in a global insurance context.
Conclusion: Setting the Stage for Ongoing Success
Through a combination of collaborative discovery, low-code innovation with OutSystems, and strategic phased rollout, this global insurer transformed its approach to partner management—leading to speedier onboarding, stronger relationships, and a major boost in operational efficiency. Their journey serves as a blueprint for any insurer aiming to streamline multi-regional partner ecosystems without compromising on compliance or user experience.
Ready to Optimize Your Partner Relationships?
At RST, we specialize in OutSystems-based solutions tailored to the insurance industry. Whether you’re focusing on onboarding, compliance, commission structures, or global coordination, our team can help you design, implement, and refine partner-centric portals and workflows that drive tangible, bottom-line results.
Contact us today to discover how we can replicate these success stories in your organization—ensuring you stay competitive, agile, and ready for the next wave of insurance innovation.
