Scout InsurTech Rising with E.O.X. Vantage

Charlie Hanna is the Chief Revenue Officer, and Travis Roe is Senior Director of Product at E.O.X. Vantage, a managed services and technology provider that helps companies streamline and automate business operations using a combination of outsourcing, AI/RPA, and a unified software platform. Charlie and Travis were interviewed by Michael Fiedel, Co-Founder at Scout InsurTech and Co-Founder at PolicyFly, Inc.

Charlie, how would you describe the company’s long-term vision, and how do your recent moves reflect a commitment to the next 20 years?

Charlie: “It’s interesting when people ask me about EOX, I often say the first 20 years were defined by grit and tenacity. Through that, we built an organization of over 600 people. Now, as part of our global expansion, including adding redundancy to our India centers, we’re pivoting from a heavy focus on staffing toward a more technology-forward approach.

While our platform offering is a big part of our strategy, in reality, our success comes from combining people, technology, and automation. Most of my career has been in selling technology, and typically, I could solve 80% of a customer’s problems with a single piece of IP. But with our three pillars of people, automation and platform, we can usually address 100% of the challenge.”

Travis, what has surprised or impressed you most about the company’s approach to product development and delivery, and how are you driving velocity and innovation today?

Travis: “I’ll break this into three parts. First, what impressed me most was how far along EOX already was in its use of AI and machine learning, both for customer solutions and internally. I’m a big advocate of these technologies, but I hadn’t worked with many organizations that had evolved so quickly. Here, whether it’s the teams using the tools or those building them, the level of understanding is so advanced that when something new is announced, they’ve often already started researching it by the next day.

Second, on product development and delivery, Charlie’s point resonates with me. The first 20 years were about grit, but the next phase is about focus. I’m helping bring in best practices to evolve into a product and platform-driven organization, enabling scale and repeatability.

Finally, on velocity and innovation, there’s been a remarkable give-and-take. I’ve challenged our engineers to push in certain directions, and they’ve done the same with me, sharing patterns, ideas, and things they hope to improve. That open dialogue has been critical to quickly meshing as a team.”

How does your major rollout with Hub International involving fleet telematics and driver safety analytics illustrate EOX’s role in reshaping insurance operations?

Charlie: “This has been one of the most collaborative engagements I’ve seen. When you’re delivering a solution, you’re always working together, but this was different: two organizations co-developing an idea to solve a problem for a third.

By combining telematics and other capabilities, we delivered a real-time solution that enables management of large fleets at a level of granularity I don’t think is happening anywhere else. It really demonstrates the breadth and flexibility of our platform.”

Travis: “I’d add that while the platform is important, the real differentiator was the partnership itself. Technology only has impact when it isn’t built in a vacuum. In this project, Hub International and E.O.X. were in constant dialogue, collaborating, innovating, and challenging each other. Early on, the vision was clear, which isn’t always the case with major initiatives.

Of course, the platform’s flexibility was critical, but equally vital were our collaborations with external technology experts. By tapping into a broader ecosystem of innovation, we were able to accelerate delivery, scale securely, and introduce new capabilities. This solution is already substantial in size, and we see opportunities to roll out similar offerings more broadly over time.”

What’s driving your strategic shift from historically serving the MGA space to moving upstream into carrier markets, and how are you ensuring the same service ethos and tech value as you scale?

Charlie: “Great question. It’s true; we’re expanding into the carrier space, but we’re not abandoning our MGA roots, which continue to grow.

When I looked closely at what we were doing for MGAs, it was clear we weren’t simply providing outsourcing. We were delivering end-to-end processing of complex commercial risks, essentially the same work that carriers handle in their own offices.

Given that depth, the move to carriers felt natural, especially as they face even greater challenges, like the aging workforce and redundancy issues. Coupled with our technology profile, this shift was a no-brainer as we expand our offerings.

Travis: “From a technology perspective, MGAs and carriers are getting closer. Through acquihires or spin-outs, you see a lot of convergence.

Our platform was never designed solely for insurance or MGAs. By intention, it’s flexible enough to serve a small agency, a major carrier or even clients outside insurance. That adaptability is part of our ethos: we partner with organizations first, then apply technology solutions to their problems.”

One unique differentiator you’ve mentioned is your onshore U.S.-based client services team handling complex insurance-focused support. Why has EOX chosen to invest in this model, and how does it complement your technology and global operations?

Charlie: “This capability started with a client need. We worked with MGAs serving coastal properties heavily impacted by weather events, and they needed to scale quickly during catastrophic scenarios.

We began by supporting one client and gradually built a team that today serves many. These onshore professionals function much like their offshore counterparts but focus entirely on insurance. They can handle inbound calls, resolve up to 70% on the first touch, and escalate as needed.

With the growing frequency of catastrophic weather, this need has only expanded. And there’s a comfort in speaking with someone who sounds familiar when you’re in a stressful situation. That’s why this part of our business is accelerating: it fills an essential gap in the industry.”