AIL Threatening to Call Cops on Me....

[DHK]

When did AIL ever reimburse anyone for anything. DHK you have never worked for AIL.

Correct, I never worked for AIL, so I don't have first hand information. That's why I said 'if they reimbursed'.

But I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express!

 

[VolAgent]

I would say this falls into the "Do you want to do the right thing or do you want to be done?" camp.

If the OP wants to do the right thing, read the contract and follow it. Realize that if it allows him to keep the leads that he can expect more petty behavior from the AIL office.

If the OP wants to be done, return the leads and chalk it up as a learning experience. It sucks, but as far as learning experiences go, $100 is pretty cheap.

 

[WinoBlues]

Why not be classy about it?

From their perspective, an agent drops of the face of the earth with no contact. If this guy was treating it as a job, who loses their phone and doesn't contact their work for almost a week? Zero access to any other phone, email, or the ability to drive to the office? The agent is now sitting on a heavily subsidized lead pack?

Josh, as I have stated several times. How I handled it going forward would be determined on how they did.

Do I think we are getting the whole story from a one time bitch'n post? No. But based on what we have I stand by my post. How many leads are in a lead pack? What is their value?

I am not about to debate my ethics with you. To my knowledge I have never been accused of cheating or ripping anyone off.

Classy? While I freely admit that I can bracket up to match or surpass any perceived attack. I have read enough of your past postings to find that a little funny. You (like me I am sure) have kept arguments going no real reason. Have answered a BB gun with a bazooka.

 

[Josh]

Josh, as I have stated several times. How I handled it going forward would be determined on how they did.

I am not about to debate my ethics with you. To my knowledge I have never been accused of cheating or ripping anyone off.

My apologies if I left you with the impression I was questioning your ethics, my point to you was more that I wouldn't think it the best course of action to mirror their level of professionalism.

But based on what we have I stand by my post. How many leads are in a lead pack? What is their value?

Let's talk more about these leads. These aren't some agency paying for a mail drop or buying some aged leads, AIL leverages their relationships with unions to do affinity mailings. AIL gives the union members each a 1k ad&d cert along with another perk or two in exchange for what is basically an opportunity to sell them more insurance. The plans are more expensive than other plans, but help make life and accident insurance more accessible to union members who otherwise might never sit down and get life insurance taken care of. These leads are the culmination of a great deal of effort in building the relationships, not just simply a direct mail piece in a targeted area. This isn't even like the NAA pieces or any other shop, they actually build large group relationships to do mailings with an implied (or explicit) endorsement.

 

[Norwayguy]

I've never questioned that AIL generates the lead and will even say that thier lead generation could be considered proprietary. I believe the real issue is if an agency as part of a way of boosting profits charges for the lead pack it changes the dynamic of who's property the lead is....Would you agree with that statement?

I bet what we would find is if the $100 charge is true that it is an agency further lining its pockets and then has the audacity of trying to hold up the AIL contract stating the items must be returned even though the AIL contract does not touch on the fact the agency in essense sold the lead.

 

[Josh]

I've never questioned that AIL generates the lead and will even say that thier lead generation could be considered proprietary. I believe the real issue is if an agency as part of a way of boosting profits charges for the lead pack it changes the dynamic of who's property the lead is....Would you agree with that statement?

I bet what we would find is if the $100 charge is true that it is an agency further lining its pockets and then has the audacity of trying to hold up the AIL contract stating the items must be returned even though the AIL contract does not touch on the fact the agency in essense sold the lead.

I'm not even close to agreeing with your statement. It's not even a "lining its pockets" situation. *If* they charged, it's likely only to try to help the agent realize the value of the leads.

If these were leads from an outside vendor that the agent paid for directly, OK, fine, it's the agents lead. If the agent had gone to work for an Allstate office, then went to netquote and bought some leads then wanted to leave with them after paying out of their own pocket the full retail price, sure. That's not even close to the same situation.

 

[Norwayguy]

I'm not even close to agreeing with your statement. It's not even a "lining its pockets" situation. *If* they charged, it's likely only to try to help the agent realize the value of the leads.

If these were leads from an outside vendor that the agent paid for directly, OK, fine, it's the agents lead. If the agent had gone to work for an Allstate office, then went to netquote and bought some leads then wanted to leave with them after paying out of their own pocket the full retail price, sure. That's not even close to the same situation.

Then we will have to disagree. Personally though making someone pay to value the leads but charging less than they are worth doesn't make sense the lead pack now to me has a defined worth what ever they are charging and I bought them its now my lead.

 

[xrac]

I would say this falls into the "Do you want to do the right thing or do you want to be done?" camp.

If the OP wants to do the right thing, read the contract and follow it. Realize that if it allows him to keep the leads that he can expect more petty behavior from the AIL office.

If the OP wants to be done, return the leads and chalk it up as a learning experience. It sucks, but as far as learning experiences go, $100 is pretty cheap.

Good post. That makes it as clear as anything posted.

 

[Josh]

Then we will have to disagree.

Nothing wrong with disagreeing

 

[djs]

If I go to the store and buy something off the clearance rack at less than what the store paid for it, the item is still mine. Once you sell it, its sold (contract terms may change this concept).

Almost.

I'm sure AIL kept a copy of these leads, therefore, returning them is actually a moot point. In fact, I'm willing to bet AIL has reassigned them to someone else already (disclaimer, I'm making this assumption, I have no idea how AIL does business).

If they want him to return the leads he bought, then I assume they will refund his money?

Josh - you make the point about skin in the game, I have no problem with that. But if they took money for the leads, they can't really go demanding them back afterwards. Or if they do, they should offer to refund the money spent on buying them.

You muddy the waters when there is skin in the game.

Dan