Location

Holland, MI

Success with

• Broker Briefcase

Insurance Focus

• Employee Benefits
• HR Services
• Compliance Support
• Client Education & Engagement
• Integrated Technology Solutions

“We aren’t a large agency—it’s me and two others. Zywave tools allow our clients and prospects to see us as a much larger company with big backroom capabilities.”

Kurt Buursma, owner of Buursma Agency in Holland, MI, runs a small team of three—but competes like a national firm. After losing a prospect who felt another agency had “more backroom resources,” Kurt began evaluating technology vendors. He ultimately chose Zywave to elevate his agency’s capabilities and perception in the market.

After losing a prospect to a larger competitor, Kurt saw an opportunity to reposition his agency as a tech-enabled partner. With rising client expectations and shrinking commissions, he needed tools that could deliver more value without adding headcount.

Kurt implemented a suite of Zywave tools to support every stage of the client lifecycle:

• Broker Briefcase Benefits Edition (BBBE): Used for prospecting, client retention, and staff training. Kurt sends automated campaigns and builds branded stewardship reports to showcase year-round value.
• HR Hotline (HRH): Offers clients and prospects access to on-demand HR professionals. Kurt uses trial access as a differentiator in sales conversations and keeps a seat for himself to quickly resolve client questions.
• Plan Doc Builder (PDB): Helps create ERISA-compliant documents like SPDs, wrap docs, and SBCs. Kurt also uses PDB in a fee-for-service model, generating ancillary revenue through Section 125 documents.

With a team of just three, Buursma Agency quickly integrated Zywave tools into their daily workflows. Automated campaigns, branded content, and HR support were up and running within weeks—making a big impact with minimal lift.

Broker Briefcase® 

Kurt uses Broker Briefcase Benefits Edition as a cornerstone of both his prospecting and client retention strategies. He sends automated email campaigns and newsletters to over 150 contacts, showcasing his agency’s expertise and value. During renewal season, he builds branded stewardship reports to highlight the services and support provided throughout the year—making the value of his agency tangible. BBBE also serves as a training and education hub for his team, helping them stay sharp in a fast-changing industry. Kurt even uses the platform to self-educate on topics like FMLA, then rebrands and shares those same resources with clients, reinforcing his role as a trusted advisor.

HR Hotline®

Zywave’s HR Hotline has become a powerful differentiator for Kurt’s agency. He offers trial access to prospects during the sales process, giving them a taste of the expert HR support they’d receive by working with him—something he knows competitors aren’t doing. This strategy has helped him win several new accounts. He also keeps a seat for himself, allowing him to quickly get answers to client questions from Zywave’s HR professionals. This responsiveness builds trust and positions him as a knowledgeable, reliable partner. Kurt consistently praises the HR Hotline team for their speed, accuracy, and depth of knowledge.

Plan Doc Builder™ 

Plan Doc Builder helps Kurt deliver ERISA-compliant documents like SPDs, wrap docs, and SBCs in minutes—ensuring his clients are always prepared for DOL audits. Beyond compliance, PDB also supports agency growth. Kurt uses it in a fee-for-service model, charging clients for Section 125 documents and generating additional revenue at a time when commissions are being squeezed. He sees PDB as a critical tool for meeting rising client expectations around compliance while also strengthening the agency’s bottom line.

“There’s no question that I have seen ROI in both winning new business and retention with my Zywave tools. Purchasing Zywave tools was an investment, especially for a small brokerage like mine, but it’s been worth it and I couldn’t be happier.” — Kurt Buursma, Agency Owner