Insurance Agent Forum

[L5tc]

Or investors union which is the parent company. Don't be a schmuck like me. They "book" appointments but brow beat old people to say yes and once they say yes you're charged. These are not quality appointments. I'm not saying they should guarantee annuities are there or how much or will there be a sale.

It's a very clever scam which works for them. They could book an appointmen with a golden retriever if it sound like the dog barked "yes" for and proposed appointment date.

[policy doctor]

Never heard of them but thanks for the ALERT!!

Are you selling annuities now? I just got an email that Conseco has a 4 yr fixed paying 5%/yr for all 4 years. Not bad, considering tax-deferral and short surrender time. Also a good way to get people introduced to annuitites.

Going back to your appts....telemktg is hard work and usually a temp job for many. So they will ram appts since they (co)bonus for volume, or quantity of set appts. Hard to get people to pick up the phone anymore.

I just ran an "inquiry" type lead that for almost a month would not answer the phone, or return my follow-up phone call. (med advantage) I just stopped by on my return home, and heck she was home and i wrote her up. She admitted she never picks up until people start talking, (screen) or gets a message from a known.

[honestagent]

I almost hired them to do my MAs back in October; I had talked to somebody and I was apprehensive so I did not do it.

Thanks for the post.

To this day, I firmly believe, nobody's going to set you up the way you set yourself up. Bottom line guys, nobody will clean your house the way you clean your house no matter how much you pay him/her.

[L5tc]

I was referred to them by an agent! I needed to jump start some stuff that this guy touted them highly.

It's ruse - they send out a card in your designated area that tells people "you may have an annuity that has come due." It's blue collar ruse because anyone who knows anything about finance would throw the card out.

What happens? Most people make the appt with CS because they think you FOUND them money. I had another old lady who thought that her annuity expired and was wigging. Then there are the ones who think you have personnal information and want to make the appointment to scream at you!

Don't say it - I know I'm a schmuck, as they say in NY. Yes I sell annuities and call me stupid on this but I won't replace an annuity with a 4K penalty for an 81 year old lady.

I was incredibly expensive and with hindsight I could have hired a telemarketer and done something like this better for myself.

I don't believe I should make my living scaring the s&&t out of old people who bought annuities in savings banks.

[planner22]

Did you close any appointments that you went on and how many appointments do you get for 3000 bucks?

[L5tc]

I got 45 appointments with some promotion they had on. I have 11 left I got to see about 8? out of more than 30 calls and I'm not bad on the phone! It is an absolute cold call for me when it's supposed to be a booked appointment.

The people Cold Solutions/investors union books appointments with THINK that the company has found them money but they're too embarrased to ask the "call center" so they accept an appointment. By the time an agent calls these people realize what's happenening and they are fired up for bear - or they're embarrased and come up with the dumbest excuses not to meet. WHAT'S THIS ABOUT!!!! that's what I always get. I saw one 81 year old who thought her annuity was going to expire!! I spent the whole appointment calming her down! She got me into talk to her senior center so it wasn't a total loss. I can review annuities without scaring the beejeezuz out of these people.

On a certain level it works. Just send out a card that says "Your annuity may have come due and you need to call our center to find out."

Put in a phone # asking them to call "The Annuity Service Center" hold your nose and pretend you're an operator - then switch the call back to yourself to try to book the appointment! You can't do any worse.

[NHB_MMA]

Originally Posted by L5tc

Put in a phone # asking them to call "The Annuity Service Center" hold your nose and pretend you're an operator - then switch the call back to yourself to try to book the appointment! You can't do any worse.

[L5tc]

Thanks for the smile... I was cracking up when I wrote it, at least I'm laughing about it now.

[janetpetri]

In response to your dissatiffaction. I will tell you the Cold Solutions program has been a blessing to me. I question someone who has had more than 40 appointments and couldn't sell one.

I sell almost half of every appointment set for me. I have used their program for more than 3 years and not every appointment is great but all in all they are a great program for someone that wants to grow their business.

The Cold Solutions appointments people I see absolutely have assets. I would highly recommend this program to anyone. I have talked to many other Cold Solutions agents that feel the way I do and we discuss some of the issues with clients and I have had clients thank us for helping them. This seems to be the only program that does work. Not all marketing programs work for everyone.

[Mr. Bill]

Janet, I completely disagree. Nice post of yours but I don't believe a word of it. I have NEVER met an agent that had a positive experience, and Cold Solutions/Investors Union has been shut down in many states, which really speaks for itself.

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

"I sell almost half of every appointment set for me."

Quite clearly...one or more of the following is true about this poster (their first post, I might add):

*We will never hear from them again

*They work for Cold Solutions

*They are delusional and thought this was an easy way to win the lottery

*It is not a person that posted the message. But rather a Clingon, being chased through cyberspace by James T. Kirk.

[STIBROKER@AUSTIN.RR.COM]

Originally Posted by janetpetri

In response to your dissatiffaction. I will tell you the Cold Solutions program has been a blessing to me. I question someone who has had more than 40 appointments and couldn't sell one.

I sell almost half of every appointment set for me. I have used their program for more than 3 years and not every appointment is great but all in all they are a great program for someone that wants to grow their business.

The Cold Solutions appointments people I see absolutely have assets. I would highly recommend this program to anyone. I have talked to many other Cold Solutions agents that feel the way I do and we discuss some of the issues with clients and I have had clients thank us for helping them. This seems to be the only program that does work. Not all marketing programs work for everyone.

[senior-advisor-indiana]

My FMO was recommending them about a year ago. I asked them about cold solutions about 2 months ago and they said they stopped recommending them because ALOT of agents, if not all were unhappy with them.

I am sure an agent is going to sell one every once in a while but that is just how insurance works. I ran a medicare lead one time and the lady bought an annuity the next week from me. You are always going to fall into something.

[2112Greg]

I've been pursued by these guys and glad I hadn't pulled the trigger on anything. I don't want appointments to be set for me anyhow. I use telemarketed leads and have good success with them. They discover a need and then I follow up with a phone call...and if needed, set up something in person.

Something about this outfit made me cautious, though. And what do they say, even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes...

[hubie337]

The truth about Cold Solutions.

I signed up about a year and a half ago for the 40 set appointments.

Of the 40 appointments, I lost 15 or so when I called to confirm. Someone stated that the mailer is deceiving and it is(was?). Most, actually all of the people thought I worked for the company their annuity was with and when I told them I did not most became less "responsive".

Five of the appointments were no shows. I drove out to their place and they were not home or were hiding.

The other 20 ran the gamut from good to scary.

Some had old fixed annuities that were earning nothing. I did a little business with them, just enough to cover the cost of the program.

Some had VAs, equities and mutual funds (I am a series 7) and thought I was there to perform a portfolio update. It was a very uncomfortable experience explaining to them that I was not their rep.

The best two.

I show up at some run down house and meet some woman at 11 am in her pajamas (nasty). She thinks I work for the annuity company that her recently deceased father has annuities with and wants me to search her attic for more annuities. When I tell her I don't, she calls up Cold Solutions and demands they tell her where her fathers annuties are.

The other was meeting an old lady out on a farm and having her son show up and accuse me of trying to rip off mom. We are talking Billy Bob in overalls missing teeth son. They had called the insurance company that morning and of course did not know me from Adam.

After about 34 quick initial set appointments the appointments came 1 every 2 months for about a year.

Basically, yes you can make money with this program but I am an ethical person and did not like deceiving people. When I finally got a copy of what these people were receiving I felt very slimey indeed.

[Mr. Bill]

Oh, the 1 every 2 months? Those were appointments that were originally booked with another agent, and for whatever reason, that didn't happen, so they re-booked with you.

Feel like a sucker????

[coldsolutionsSCAM]

I wanted to post a message about cold solutions. This company will get your money and NEVER deliver on what they promise you.

Their customer service staff retention rate is so high, no one is around when you need them. You have to raise hell to get something done.

The lady that runs the company hides behind her mantra of making sure that you don't get into a conversation with the "booked" appointments. Basically, you call, introduce yourself, confirm the appointment before the prospect has a chance to take a breath, and you hang up.

This is VERBATIM as to how they want you to set their "booked" appointments.

100% of the prospects targeted are NOT QUALIFIED. I will never believe that ANYONE who has used this service has made a living on their marketing strategy ALONE.

BUY A LIST AND COLD CALL. OR EMAIL ME AND I WILL SHOW YOU HOW TO DO WHAT THEY DO, IN A COMPLIANT MANNER CONSISTENT WITH YOUR COMPANIES RULES AND REGULATIONS.

FOR FREE

I WILL ALSO SHOW YOU THEIR FLYERS.

I am NOT selling anything. I just want them to close their doors and stop ripping off people.

Just because you are making money in an industry, does not mean that you have a viable business.

I am writing the CA state insurance commission and FINRA alerting them to this scam.

Unless, I get my money back. Then I will just write the CA State Insurance commission. Not FINRA.