The First Meeting-group Health

kaplanINS · 10-05-2009, 01:56 PM

Do you try and get the prospect's census and do any fact finding before you meet for the first time, so you could potentially come in with a quote?

Just wondering which you felt was the better way

ABC · 10-05-2009, 02:21 PM

Great question

There is never anything wrong with meeting with the client to see what they are currently doing. Now going this route make dam sure you have an agenda to discuss. This type of meeting can be great for fact finding.

If you do have a census going with a handful of proposals can be a good starting point. Without health information you are quoting in the dark unless you are in a state that GI for small group.

kaplanINS · 10-05-2009, 03:59 PM

So going in without a census or knowledge about their benefit program, you would have to introduce your company, do a fact find, and collect any materials needed to quote. Am I missing anything?

Labman · 10-05-2009, 05:58 PM

When I go in, I want to know a lot about what they currently have, participation levels, etc. etc. But the bottom line is my goal is to get a census form either filled out on the spot or have it faxed as soon as possible.

When you cold call someone all you want is an appointment. When I show up for that appointment my main goal is to walk away with a census form, otherwise I lost. Nine times out of 10 I get a completed census form.

kaplanINS · 10-05-2009, 06:39 PM

Great replies! thanks for the help,

Paul

Full Throttle · 10-05-2009, 07:53 PM

I prefer going into the first meeting without plan information or a census. If I have it ahead of time, they are likely expecting a proposal which makes it difficult to transition to the AOR route if that's the appropriate track.

My sales process for small group is fairly simple:

1. Set initial meeting: "Let's get together, ask each other some questions, and then at the end of the meeting, decide if it makes sense for us to talk further."

2. Send pre-meeting survey for discussion points to get the meeting started.

3. Initial meeting: search for hot buttons (price, education, benefit design, lack of service from current agent, ect.), then decide how to proceed: AOR or application route. When appropriate, I get the census, participation, and plan information.

4. Run quotes at my office.

5. Test phone call if this is going the application route (non AOR situation): "Jim, I took a look, for a similar plan it looks we could potentially save around $X, but it all comes back to underwriting. The next step would be for us to put in applications to the carriers to see what we get for an offer, then we can select the plan design after the fact if we get anything to work with. Would it make sense for us to find a time to get the applications completed?"

6. Complete applications, wait for underwriting.

7. Stop out, run through plan options, select plan, collect check, and gain a new client (assuming favorable underwriting).

I use to just go for the census and plan information, then get to work on finding options. Not anymore, I need to know the hot buttons and whether I have a fair shot at the business if I can help them.

ABC · 10-06-2009, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by kaplanINS

so going in without a census or knowledge about their benefit program, you would have to introduce your company, do a fact find, and collect any materials needed to quote. Am I missing anything?

I would say you are right on.

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