Managing emails with clients

I can bang out a 200 word email in a manner of minutes.

Same message by text could take me 30 minutes or longer. PLUS I have several "form" emails that take a few seconds to send.

I totally agree that long form communication is better used in E-mail vs Text. However, if I have a quick communication to relay to the client or get (what's your sisters dob? For the hh discount) or (hey your application is approved, your effective date is X, you need to call your provider and cancel your current plan for X date) is completely reasonable to me.

I'm not in front ofy CRM or computer 24 hours a day, so I use text. If you don't, that's obviously your choice.
 
As for using G suite and the CRM, I agree that using G suite is relatively inexpensive and has a lot of power in it's punch.

I keep documents (applications, communication, etc in my CRM) for each client. I have a soft conversion, that let's me trigger an email campaign for both my ebook and if they request a quote.

Everyone is different, and if your way works, it works. I give out my cell phone. People text me and email me... But my phone is often on silent anyway, so it doesn't interrupt me.

(I hate the sound of a phone ringing.. I'm weird.)
 
Being a solo agent, at what point would you need to abandon GSuite for a CRM?

You mean, the tools in Gsuite and your preferred CRM?

GSuite could be used as a simple CRM. However, GSuite is essentially the core of your business communications.

For something like $15/m it includes:
- professional email address
- google voice (voip phone number with your choice of area code)
- unlimited cloud storage (all storage is unlimited)
- google docs (spreadsheet, powerpoint, word, forms)
- g calendar
- g tasks
- g contacts

This does act as a very basic and simple CRM in a way... the same way outlook does in a way, just with a lot more features. There are also tons of add-ons and extensions you can add to create even more functionality and features. (from 3rd party developers, many have free versions)

But a true CRM just piggybacks off your existing communication systems. It brings together everything listed above in one place and usually adds a lot of other functionality to those things. It often has a system to track cases/leads/etc. (which is something GSuite does not do well other than creating a "lead" category for Contacts)

So GSuite acts as the core of your communications, the CRM layers on top of it to provide even more features.

There are lots of CRMs that integrate right into GSuite. So you can manage the CRM from your email in GSuite. Others you have to manage the mail from the CRM (to use the CRM for mail), others can do both. Same for calendar functions.

GSuite gives you a free trial still I think. Most CRMs give a free trial as well.

* the reason I said for a solo agent, is because its only $15, which is way less than you will pay for most any 2nd phone line, be it land or cell. And I think it makes sense for many small offices, medium offices, or even a large offices. Its a "per user" price set up, so at some point it could not make sense vs. other systems, idk, Ive never compared it at that level. But as a solo guy, I love it.
 
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I only deal with business owners, so if they aren't adult and organized enough to respond to emails, then I probably don't want them as clients. My main issue today isn't finding clients, it's staying efficient and figuring out who NOT to write insurance for.
 
I only deal with business owners, so if they aren't adult and organized enough to respond to emails, then I probably don't want them as clients. My main issue today isn't finding clients, it's staying efficient and figuring out who NOT to write insurance for.

I wouldn't argue "adult" or not...

The world is changing... If you don't feel the need to change with it.. that's your call (and totally not something you need to justify.)
 
I wouldn't argue "adult" or not...

The world is changing... If you don't feel the need to change with it.. that's your call (and totally not something you need to justify.)

Well, that's why I said adult or organized. If you can't respond to business correspondence, however it comes in, you're probably not a good client.

I just finished chewing out a client because we had to mail him once, email him twice, and call him 5 times just to get ahold of him to get him to pay his bill. I basically told him if he doesn't put on his big boy pants, and act like an adult, I won't treat him like an adult and his policy is going to cancel next time without me helping him. Usually I just let people like that get cancelled or I fire them.
 
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Well, that's why I said adult or organized. If you can't respond to business correspondence, however it comes in, you're probably not a good client.

I just finished chewing out a client because we had to mail him once, email him twice, and call him 5 times just to get ahold of him to get him to pay his bill. I basically told him if he doesn't put on his big boy pants, and act like an adult, I won't treat him like an adult and his policy is going to cancel next time without me helping him. Usually I just let people like that get cancelled or I fire them.

Again, using text doesn't mean people aren't adults, unprofessional, or disorganized.

I'm not saying you shouldn't run your business your way, at all.. nor am I saying having a direct conversation with clients is wrong.

However, communication has changed. It doesn't meant YOU have to adapt, but I'd disagree with your overall statement.

While not specifical on topic. I had to do something similar Friday. This woman keeps calling me because she screws up her MA plan and wants me to call Humana for her. The first time I did it because it wasn't a big deal, but then she keeps playing this game about not wanting to talk about her insurance plan.

She did the same thing and called me again. I had to tell her directly that I'm not her agent. We've spoken previously and she doesn't want to make changes to have an agent that will help her with these things. She can call me when she does, but here's the number for Humana.
 
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