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I have a prospective new client that is a carrier referral, that has been obnoxious, obtuse and claimed that she had trouble understanding my Southern ...
I have a prospective new client that is a carrier referral, that has been obnoxious, obtuse and claimed that she had trouble understanding my Southern accent, claimed that she was joking, then made the same statement two more times while we were talking.
I've never had this happen before, and frankly, I have a lot of Northern clients, that have never made this claim, and have been a great source of referrals. In fact, most of my business is referrals.
I would like to tell her to find someone else, but this is a carrier referral. If I let on that I am not interested in her business, she is going straight back to them, I just know it.
How would you handle it?
Thanks
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No Government can be long secure without a formidable Opposition.
My opinion: Only you can decide if it's worth it or not. She may go back to the carrier, or you can just refer her to someone else that is a Northerner. If it's a good quality and likely sale, I would suck it up and grin through it. If she's buying a $20 term, I would just tell her that I couldn't help her leave it at that. End of the day, it's just up to how much you want the sale.
Sometimes people are just obnoxious because they have a set of hoops they enjoy putting people through. Perhaps this is the case.
What I would do is transition the conversation into something legal (drama, lawsuit, whatever), if she's a lawsuit -happy individual then you already know the answer. IMHO.
Ms. Jones... I can understand that you are having trouble understanding my southern accent, I'm also having a little difficulty understanding your accent. We'll just have to work thru this together (said with a smile).
If she's just a yankee b-itch.....Ms. Jones we can't help everybody, hope you have a good day. Hang up. You don't need to be her whipping boy.
Ms. Jones... I can understand that you are having trouble understanding my southern accent, I'm also having a little difficulty understanding your accent. We'll just have to work thru this together (said with a smile).
If she's just a yankee b-itch.....Ms. Jones we can't help everybody, hope you have a good day. Hang up. You don't need to be her whipping boy.
Had a guy come to a seminar. He was a total jerk, made us jump through hoops to put $4,500 into an annuity in his IRA which translated to us making about minimum wage on the deal. And then he canceled during his free look period causing me a chargeback.
This was one of the most obnoxious people I have ever seen and the other agent with me swore that he came a hair close to jumping across the table and choking the guy to death.
A few months later the guy referred a friend to me that has done $500k in annuity business.
Moral: apparently the guy did not dislike us as much as we disliked him.
Had a guy come to a seminar. He was a total jerk, made us jump through hoops to put $4,500 into an annuity in his IRA which translated to us making about minimum wage on the deal. And then he canceled during his free look period causing me a chargeback.
This was one of the most obnoxious people I have ever seen and the other agent with me swore that he came a hair close to jumping across the table and choking the guy to death.
A few months later the guy referred a friend to me that has done $500k in annuity business.
Moral: apparently the guy did not dislike us as much as we disliked him.
I've seen 2 kinds of obnoxious a-hole prospects:
One - they are just being themselves.
The other - they are testing you and will write a big check once you pass.
Great stories. I guess this is one of the major reasons I've decided to get into the industry... to work with who I want to work with and let someone else work with the asshats.
The other - they are testing you and will write a big check once you pass.
Just a personal observation.
Absolutely true. One of the best clients I ever had had an absolutely gruff exterior. I had second thought about working with him but once I gained his trust he thought I was the only one who could help him.
I always follow up on carrier referrals and report back. All too often the people never answer their phone, never return phone calls or respond to email. In the past year or so I have written two, but not with the referring carrier.
Once I got details and pre-screened, that carrier would have rejected their app.
Most of the ones where I do make contact are uninsurable, or just checking prices.
Got a Humana referral a couple of weeks ago. Came in on Wednesday. I called within 30 minutes of getting the lead in my mailbox.
Called several times over the next few days. Sent a couple of emails. No response.
This came from their regional guy who wanted me to test out their new lead system, so I was a bit more diligent than normal. One last try, about a week after receiving the lead, I called, but did not leave a message.
10 minutes later the lady called back. A quick conversation discovered she had bought from Humana.
I followed up with my rep and discovered she had purchased direct from Humana two days before the date on the lead.
Makes me wonder if Humana is getting Prospect Zone leads . . .
I think the others are right more times then not the clients are testing you, and I geuss they do have a right.
I know with myself I have to hate you to LIKE you.
I dont suggest taking on a nagging difficult client whos gonna make you miserable but 1 little comment hear and there doesnt sound to bad, there are worse things someone could say.
Who knows next year this could be your biggest client.
Well, good stories and comments. At the time that I made the post, the lady wasn't finished with me and I knew it.
She called back and demanded that I see her that evening, when she got off of work. I politely told her that I had a previous engagement but could see her Friday morning.
She called back and told me that she found another agent. I let her know how happy, that I was for her, and my only interest was in her getting the assistance that she needed. She heard the mirth in my voice, which really angered her, she thanked me and hung up.
She will probably call the carrier and complain about me, but really, there was nothing that I could do for her.
I had to take off Friday to see the dentist and recover from the day.
The Dentist that owned the practice, who I had never met, sent one of his employees to get me, once the procedure was finished.
He told me that he was dissatisfied with his agent, introduced me to his admisitrative asst., who gave me all of their group health info, then asked me to become the AOR on the policy. It's a 20 man group with a good carrier.
I would make a joke out of it. Find a way to laugh about it.
Don't take it as an insult and keep on truckin.
But some people can drive you crazy and we all have our breaking point.
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Mark Rosenthal aka markingriffin
IMO/Ins Agent/Agent Trainer/Free Advice markcrosenthal@aol.comwww.realfastservice.com
Please visit mywebsite to learn more about me.
Email me for my Free Prospecting MP3 Tapes.
I had to take off Friday to see the dentist and recover from the day.
The Dentist that owned the practice, who I had never met, sent one of his employees to get me, once the procedure was finished.
He told me that he was dissatisfied with his agent, introduced me to his admisitrative asst., who gave me all of their group health info, then asked me to become the AOR on the policy. It's a 20 man group with a good carrier.
That sure sounds like a fish tale, but I am willing to give you the benefit of the doubt.
That sure sounds like a fish tale, but I am willing to give you the benefit of the doubt.
Yes, I agree. However, I called today to let the lady know that I was sending the AOR letter, and she said that they were excited about the change and would send it back to me asap.
There's a lesson here for new and used agents. I went to the dentist with shorts and a tee shirt. I spoke to the guy in charge with a numb mouth and somewhat dazed.
Now, recreate this scenario for yourself and go write some new group business, before they take it all away.
I have a prospective new client that is a carrier referral, that has been obnoxious, obtuse and claimed that she had trouble understanding my Southern accent, claimed that she was joking, then made the same statement two more times while we were talking.
I've never had this happen before, and frankly, I have a lot of Northern clients, that have never made this claim, and have been a great source of referrals. In fact, most of my business is referrals.
I would like to tell her to find someone else, but this is a carrier referral. If I let on that I am not interested in her business, she is going straight back to them, I just know it.
How would you handle it?
Thanks
OMG...suck it up and right the deal...keep it profes.
If a Prospective Client is Insulting
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