The Occasional Test of the Quotes Market

[LGilmore]

Not that this is an important email, but it has my Monday off to a flying start.

On occasion I test the leads systems out there by applying for coverage online and then waiting to see if I am contacted.

From around a year, a year and a half ago. I put out a quote request with the name "Im-an Agent." Guess who got a call this morning from someone who clearly english is a second language?

Five years or so ago I did a Lars Gilmo and I am still contacted on a regular basis by several companies. The reason I went to Im-an Agent was in thought that it would be pretty clear that it is an agent testing the system. I didn't want to hose an agent who uses online leads. I was just checking to see if those quote collectors were coming back to me. No, at least not yet.

It is amazing how much information never leaves this leads circle, no matter how many times you tell them and even write that you're an agent.

I almost feel bad for the guy I spoke with this morning. His broken english was bad enough. I will probably go to hell for having him repeat "Im-an Agent" 6 times while asking him if he felt that was a real person's name.

 

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

You wonder how much he paid for that lead and who sold it to him.

 

[LGilmore]

I try to make it so they know and ask for credit for it. In this guy's case, I don't think he was even in the US. Maybe one of those Phillippine call centers... He couldn't understand english well enough to even have a conversation with me.

I do try and let agents know it's a test. I can't say that everybody else out there does that. I usually get about 6 a year who are licensed agents ( I look them up) in my state who never mention that until I do. That's pretty dickish.