Crafting a boutique AR experience with BBN

Crafting a boutique AR experience with BBN | Insurance Business Australia

Insurance News

Crafting a boutique AR experience with BBN

“We don’t want anyone to feel like just a number.”

Insurance News

By
Bennett Richardson

In an industry where authorized representatives (ARs) are sometimes treated like just another cog in a vast machine, a new player aims to rewrite the rules.

With a focus on personalised service and genuine partnership, Better Broker Network (BBN) was founded by Gurnaik Tiyur and his business partner Ryan Passagne, partly in response to the challenges they themselves faced as brokers in an AR network.

“We don’t want anyone to feel like just a number. I don’t think anyone who becomes an AR wants to be seen as just making up the numbers,” Tiyur told Insurance Business.

“Each one is a valuable partner that we are trying to grow so that they can reap the rewards.”

This firsthand understanding shapes BBN’s commitment to offering tailored support, transparent guidance, and resources that empower brokers to grow their businesses confidently. By prioritising quality over quantity, BBN is creating a boutique network where each AR is seen as a valuable partner, not merely another addition to the roster.

While many networks prioritise rapid expansion, BBN is taking a measured approach to growth.

“We’re looking to reach about 50 to 60 ARs within the next four years,” Tiyur explains. “That’s like eight ARs a year. We think that’s the only way we can offer the services we want to offer and give the right attention.”

This commitment to quality over quantity underscores BBN’s positioning as a boutique offering in a crowded market.

Tiyur brings 16 years of brokerage experience to the table as director of BBN. He sees a gap in the market for a network that truly understands the challenges faced by growing brokerages.

“We’ve been there. We’ve seen the obstacles, we’ve hit the ceilings that we then have to try and break through,” Tiyur explains. “We feel that there’s a lot of ARs who would have gone through similar experiences, and we’ve created this network based on that vision to really help brokers.”

This insider perspective shapes BBN’s offerings, focusing on practical solutions to common pain points experienced by brokers transitioning from sole operators to successful business owners.

Bridging the business owner gap

Tiyur emphasises a crucial insight that many brokers overlook: “Just because you’re a good broker doesn’t mean you’re a good business owner.”

This realisation forms the cornerstone of BBN’s approach. The network provides guidance on various aspects of business growth, including valuation, marketing, staffing, and resource management.

“A lot of brokers we have met are very good brokers, but don’t have the skill set or the guidance on how to grow a business,” Tiyur observes. “We’re trying to help them create a business they own, not one that solely relies on them, because then it’s not really a business.”

One of BBN’s key offerings is its role as a knowledge bank for market information and underwriter connections.

“We wasted so many hours and days ringing insurers, asking ‘Do you do this risk?'” Tiyur recalls. “Now, if someone rings us about a risk, we can streamline it. That efficiency process is something we wished we had at the time.”

This approach allows brokers to focus on client relationships and business development, rather than getting bogged down in time-consuming research.

A helping hand for support services

Understanding the resource constraints faced by small brokerages, BBN offers practical support services to its members.

“We offer a claims and admin support service to our network, giving them four hours a month free,” Tiyur explains. “They can use us to lodge claims, help with renewals, or follow up on payments.”

This service can be extended on an hourly basis, allowing brokers to scale their support as needed without the overhead of full-time staff.

BBN also has an innovative holiday support program.

“We offer one week of holiday leave support,” Tiyur says. “We’ll look after your book, handle any urgent claims or endorsements, so you can switch off for a week and come back refreshed.”

This focus on work-life balance sets BBN apart in an industry often characterised by constant availability and burnout. Many people try to take a break but end up glued to their phones while away, defeating the purpose of taking time off in the first place.

Technology, education and transparency

While BBN leverages existing industry platforms through its Steadfast affiliation, the network is also developing its own educational tools.

“We created an app called CPD Anytime a few years ago,” Tiyur reveals. “It’s something we intend to bring back, where brokers can listen to podcasts and get their CPD points on their phone.”

This initiative demonstrates BBN’s commitment to making continuing education accessible and convenient for busy professionals. It’s an on-demand program that can be accessed when the broker has a bit of free time.

While many AR networks obscure their fee structures – even to their own ARs it can sometimes seem – BBN prioritises transparency.

“We’ve got a pretty strong fee structure, but it’s also transparent,” Tiyur emphasises. “We can tell brokers that in five years, if you grow this much, this is how much you’ll pay.”

This clarity, combined with efficiency-boosting support services, aims to help brokers navigate challenging economic conditions and focus on growth. This philosophy reflects BBN’s understanding that insurance can be a highly rewarding industry, but many brokers struggle to reach the next level of success.

“Insurance is very rewarding,” Tiyur notes. “But some people just can’t get past that next level, or don’t know how to. That’s what we’re trying to help them achieve.”

As the insurance broking landscape continues to evolve, networks like BBN are reimagining the AR model. By focusing on personalised support, practical business guidance, and a shared vision of professionalism, they’re ensuring each AR feels valued and supported in their growth journey – and making it easier for them to grow in the first place.

Better Broker Network is revolutionising the support system for Authorised Representatives (ARs) in the insurance industry. Founded by experienced insurance brokers with over 16 years of success, the network provides a comprehensive suite of services, including claims support, admin services, transparent pricing, and practice management. Better Broker Network is committed to empowering brokers to fuel their growth, achieve business success, and elevate their operations to the next level. With a focus on productivity, efficiency, and profitability, they offer a reliable partnership tailored to meet the evolving needs of modern insurance brokers.

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