Supercharging Growth for a Direct-to-Consumer Life Insurer a Scalable Captive Partner Operating Model

Industry: Insurance | Services: Business Operations, Data and Analytics, Digital Consulting, Sutherland Connect®, Sutherland ezCLM, Sutherland CX360®

Client Overview

As a leading life insurer with a strong direct-to-consumer presence in the middle market, their portfolio spans a wide range of products designed to meet the evolving needs of diverse customer segments.

Their growth has been fueled by bold nationwide marketing campaigns, innovative sales strategies, and the effective use of licensed agents. With credibility built on scale and innovation, the company continues to expand into new markets — strengthening its position as one of the fastest-growing names in direct-to-consumer insurance.

The Challenge

Building an Operating Model to Scale Growth

The insurer had climbed to a Top 5 position in direct-to-consumer life insurance and Top 2 in guaranteed issue, but growth at that pace came with risks. Without the operational flexibility to scale, the surge in demand threatened to strain customer experience, slow sales performance, and erode profitability. Additionally, staffing was already limited by geography, making it harder to serve policyholders across new markets. 

They needed a way to accelerate their growth. The client needed more than incremental improvements — they required a partner who could help redesign the operating model to scale nationwide, strengthen sales capabilities, and elevate every customer interaction.

Sutherland Solution

Captive Partner Model and Digital Platforms for Life Insurance Transformation

• Captive Partner Operating Model
  Sutherland built a captive partner model with licensed agents dedicated exclusively to the client. Experienced in navigating complex life insurance conversations, these agents focused on boosting sales performance while maintaining empathy and trust with customers. By extending talent beyond the client’s geographic footprint, the model delivered 24/7 coverage across time zones — giving the insurer both scalability and consistency in service.
• Omnichannel Customer Engagement with Sutherland Connect®
  To handle rising volumes and customer expectations, Sutherland deployed its cloud-based omnichannel telephony platform. Sutherland Connect® integrated voice, email, chat, and SMS into a unified system, enabling customers to connect through their preferred channel. This not only improved contact rates but also created a seamless, consistent experience across every touchpoint.
• Lead Management and Campaign Optimization with ezCLM
  Sutherland ezCLM gave agents end-to-end visibility into the customer journey, from initial inquiry to policy purchase. With improved lead tracking, reporting, and management, the insurer could launch more effective digital marketing campaigns and measure their impact. The platform ensured no opportunity was lost and strengthened the connection between sales and marketing.
• Performance Insights with CX360®
  Finally, Sutherland CX360® delivered advanced analytics across 100% of customer interactions. Agents, managers, and business leaders gained actionable insights into sales performance, customer behavior, and growth opportunities. This data-driven visibility created a foundation for continuous optimization, helping the insurer sustain its growth momentum.

The Outcome

Scalable Growth and Higher Close Rates

The new operating model delivered measurable results across sales, efficiency, and customer experience. Close rates improved by 10%, driven by dedicated licensed agents supported through a performance-based commercial model. Contact rates rose as customers gained more flexibility across channels, while average response times fell.

Lead tracking and reporting became sharper and more accurate, improving marketing effectiveness and enabling faster identification of sales opportunities. With analytics embedded into everyday operations, leadership gained visibility into customer interactions and sales performance, enabling continuous optimization.

Overall, the transformation gave the client the capacity to scale direct-to-consumer operations without sacrificing service quality — achieving stronger growth, greater efficiency, and a consistently improved customer experience.