Opinions: What's the Hardest Part About this Business?

[sales_Wolf]

I'm just a bit curious after reading endless posts about the daily obstacles life insurance agents face daily. I personally run a call center style insurance company. And in my opinion the biggest challenge we face daily is "enough leads, qualified leads) carriers seem to not be an issue, nor does the underwriting. But keeping the dialer feed and agents pitching, plus the never ending churning of switching lead providers. I'd love some insight, and even good tips on how face face to agents solicit and drum up prospects.

Regards! S-W

 

[DHK]

The hardest part is the 6" between your ears and working through all the mental baggage and misinformation that prevents sales success.

Once the mindset is good, everything gets easy.

 

[KidsGotHeart]

I'm just a bit curious after reading endless posts about the daily obstacles life insurance agents face daily. I personally run a call center style insurance company. And in my opinion the biggest challenge we face daily is "enough leads, qualified leads) carriers seem to not be an issue, nor does the underwriting. But keeping the dialer feed and agents pitching, plus the never ending churning of switching lead providers. I'd love some insight, and even good tips on how face face to agents solicit and drum up prospects.

Regards! S-W

I'm going with- finding enough folks.

 

[Cash]

I'm just a bit curious after reading endless posts about the daily obstacles life insurance agents face daily. I personally run a call center style insurance company. And in my opinion the biggest challenge we face daily is "enough leads, qualified leads) carriers seem to not be an issue, nor does the underwriting. But keeping the dialer feed and agents pitching, plus the never ending churning of switching lead providers. I'd love some insight, and even good tips on how face face to agents solicit and drum up prospects.

Regards! S-W

What kind of leads are you working? Aged?

Getting or developing leads is hard for most types of insurance sales. I would think with a call center you would develop your own leads.

 

[sales_Wolf]

What kind of leads are you working? Aged?

Getting or developing leads is hard for most types of insurance sales. I would think with a call center you would develop your own leads.

I've been trying several models, Fronter closer on cold calls, Aged data with a dialer, Warm transfers and referrals. What has been working well is the cold calls fronter closer angle. Plus we have an online presence that were slowly getting up to par. It's just allocating some time dealing with marketing companies or doing it in house is a pain. Plus i'm about to give Matt L leads a whirl here soon.

 

[Cash]

I've been trying several models, Fronter closer on cold calls, Aged data with a dialer, Warm transfers and referrals. What has been working well is the cold calls fronter closer angle. Plus we have an online presence that were slowly getting up to par. It's just allocating some time dealing with marketing companies or doing it in house is a pain. Plus i'm about to give Matt L leads a whirl here soon.

Yeah you have a lot of options when you have a call center. I would be interested in hearing about it.

I do a good amount of calling but it is just me for now. How are your scripts? Can the "average" person make you money off of your scripts? That is the important thing I would think in a call center; that you know you process and that it works. If someone isn't making YOU money then it is them.... not your process.

That being said, you can only expect so much out of a call center agent. So keep the process super easy.... which it sounds like you are doing. You can pay someone $10 an hour to read a script but closing should be TO'd to someone like you who has more ability.

I only worked aged leads once, and that was because they were free and I didn't have anything else going on but from what I hear, it is a lot harder to work aged leads now than it was a few years ago. Mainly because of call centers.

How many callers do you have?

 

[sales_Wolf]

Yeah you have a lot of options when you have a call center. I would be interested in hearing about it.

I do a good amount of calling but it is just me for now. How are your scripts? Can the "average" person make you money off of your scripts? That is the important thing I would think in a call center; that you know you process and that it works. If someone isn't making YOU money then it is them.... not your process.

That being said, you can only expect so much out of a call center agent. So keep the process super easy.... which it sounds like you are doing. You can pay someone $10 an hour to read a script but closing should be TO'd to someone like you who has more ability.

I only worked aged leads once, and that was because they were free and I didn't have anything else going on but from what I hear, it is a lot harder to work aged leads now than it was a few years ago. Mainly because of call centers.

How many callers do you have?

I have 6 direct producers. I have written numerous scripts for outbound, inbound and fronter closer. They are effective for the agents who don't over analyze the product and under analyze the client. That's a huge problem day in and day out. A big problem is trying to sell on price and not based on needs/wants. And I mainly focus on the sales process and not so much the product. We keep it simple to 4 life carriers, critical illness product and guaranteed final expense. All online etc.. But for the senior agents and financial planners we have a bunch of tools. But not geared for the call center model. "Not yet at least"

Regards! S-W

 

[Cash]

I have 6 direct producers. I have written numerous scripts for outbound, inbound and fronter closer. They are effective for the agents who don't over analyze the product and under analyze the client. That's a huge problem day in and day out. A big problem is trying to sell on price and not based on needs/wants. And I mainly focus on the sales process and not so much the product. We keep it simple to 4 life carriers, critical illness product and guaranteed final expense. All online etc.. But for the senior agents and financial planners we have a bunch of tools. But not geared for the call center model. "Not yet at least"

Regards! S-W

Are you paying your agents per hour? If not then it can be harder to get them to do what you tell them.

Are you all in the same location? It is tough making a virtual call center work; real tough actually.

The product matters in as much as who you are targeting. It sounds like you are selling final expense products. It certainly can be done, people do it here, but it is tough. You have to have a really good business: in hiring, training, accountability, quality control, etc.

Price matters in FE just because these people are being hit up all the time and a F2f agent can offer lower prices a lot of time then a phone agent.

 

[sales_Wolf]

Are you paying your agents per hour? If not then it can be harder to get them to do what you tell them.

Are you all in the same location? It is tough making a virtual call center work; real tough actually.

The product matters in as much as who you are targeting. It sounds like you are selling final expense products. It certainly can be done, people do it here, but it is tough. You have to have a really good business: in hiring, training, accountability, quality control, etc.

Price matters in FE just because these people are being hit up all the time and a F2f agent can offer lower prices a lot of time then a phone agent.

My agents are all in house, I have a call center room. They get a base and commission split. From my experience in keeping the sale geared towards the consumer needs/wants I stay away from price until the benefits outweigh the "expense" and surprisingly enough we sell more critical illness on a 10 yr life chassis than anything. Obama care has created a solid need for it plus the commission levels are great. But we do sell final expense but try to target more local clientele. And use the dial-er for appointment setting for large life case and closer model. But I consider our model effective. Agents are making money, happy and worry free**