Screwed by client... hurt and angry. That OK?Go to Top
I'm so angry I could spit.
Cold-called a small mom-pop civil engineering firm early in May. She said she had group health coverage and wanted to get some options as they were thinking of going to retire. I asked who the broker was and they said they had not heard from him in a long time... and he was in Santa Barbara... 500 miles from here.
I gave them lots of quotes... both group and individual... and I gave them a lot of good advice... pros and cons. She called back a few times to ask questions.... email too. I spent 'quality time' with her going over lots of options.
Today I called back to follow up (as I did each week) and she says they spoke to their Santa Barbara broker on Friday, had a long talk with him and decided to change plans but stay with same carrier.
I put in a lot of time with her, and I'm sure she used much of the information I provided her in her talks with her broker. I feel hurt and angry.... and used. Is it OK to feel that way?
I don't think I will ever succeed in this business because I expect people to abide by the same ethical standards I hold myself to... and obviously it's just not going to happen. I would never do what she did.
I really want to write her a letter and tell her to %$#@ herself... but instead I'll write and tell her I worked hard for her and that maybe she might find it in her heart to send me a referral.
Well, maybe stuff like this is what makes the biz interesting. Do you think some corporate drone working in some corporate cube has these kinds of ups and downs?
I just hate losing. I just don't know what I should have done differently in order to win.
Did you try and get an agreement for a broker of record change?
No. I was under the impression that she no longer wanted to use the broker again. Getting a broker change in CA is simple... she just faxes a letter. I didn't press for that until we decided what she was going to do. I was pretty sure she was going to drop group and go with two individual plans instead... a lot cheaper.
I would never take up a salesperson's time and resources and then give the biz to someone else. It's just not right. She should be told... but what purpose would it serve?
Al
PS: Sorry for the duplicate post. Not sure what the system did to cause it.
Cold-called a small mom-pop civil engineering firm early in May. She said she had group health coverage and wanted to get some options as they were thinking of going to retire. I asked who the broker was and they said they had not heard from him in a long time... and he was in Santa Barbara... 500 miles from here.
I gave them lots of quotes... both group and individual... and I gave them a lot of good advice... pros and cons. She called back a few times to ask questions.... email too. I spent 'quality time' with her going over lots of options.
Today I called back to follow up (as I did each week) and she says they spoke to their Santa Barbara broker on Friday, had a long talk with him and decided to change plans but stay with same carrier.
I put in a lot of time with her, and I'm sure she used much of the information I provided her in her talks with her broker. I feel hurt and angry.... and used. Is it OK to feel that way?
I don't think I will ever succeed in this business because I expect people to abide by the same ethical standards I hold myself to... and obviously it's just not going to happen. I would never do what she did.
I really want to write her a letter and tell her to %$#@ herself... but instead I'll write and tell her I worked hard for her and that maybe she might find it in her heart to send me a referral.
Well, maybe stuff like this is what makes the biz interesting. Do you think some corporate drone working in some corporate cube has these kinds of ups and downs?
I just hate losing. I just don't know what I should have done differently in order to win.
Al
These are the same people when I sold cars who I'd spend a week with and more than 10 or so hours finding the perfect car and negotiating price. They'd drag me on 6 different test drives and end up with a $100 below invoice price. Then they walk into a competing dealership and say:
"I already know the exact car I want and if you can beat this price by $100 I'll buy."
------------------------------------ Health Insurance Agents: Training, Support, Discounts, E&O for $440 www.ihiaa.com
It goes with the job. You can be bitter or you can forget it and go to the next case. There are times you do everything right and still lose the business. I ALWAYS, get a "gentlemean's agreement" upfront before I do any work that if they decide to use my ideas and if I can provide the product on a competitive basis I get the business. They must agree before I start work. Most people honor that agreement.
As far as referrals, why would you want one, they didn't use you, they aren't clients, a referral is useless from these folks. Learn from it and move forward, this won't be the last time it happens to you.
I think that the same thing happens to all of us at one time or another. It sucks. Did you ask her "why" they decided to use the same broker that has not provided any type of service to them after all this time.
Let her know not to call you with new questions after they sign with the "absent broker" - she can use him/her since that is the person being paid.
That is unless you can get the broker of record change. People like that are A holes!
It goes with the job. You can be bitter or you can forget it and go to the next case. There are times you do everything right and still lose the business. I ALWAYS, get a "gentlemean's agreement" upfront before I do any work that if they decide to use my ideas and if I can provide the product on a competitive basis I get the business. They must agree before I start work. Most people honor that agreement.
As far as referrals, why would you want one, they didn't use you, they aren't clients, a referral is useless from these folks. Learn from it and move forward, this won't be the last time it happens to you.
Agreed. I ask everybody a simple "Can I earn your business if XXXXXXXX" and get a commitment. The same thing happened to me , which is why I now get an agent of record before I spend too much time when a group is involved.
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[COLOR=#000066]"Tell me and I will forget. Show me and I will remember. Involve me and I will understand." Confucius
Real Estate Agents
Insurance Agents
Car Salesmen
Best Buy and Circuit City Employees
Dry Cleaners
Home Depot salespeople
A Suggestion:
Since I am not fee-based, whenever I hear, "We don't even know our agent anymore/he never comes around", I respond with,
"Mr. Jones, whenever I hear that, I wind up doing all the work, and then you put a call into this agent, who you haven't seen in years. You get the plan you want, they get the commission, and I do the work for free.
If you want me to work with you, in finding a plan that fits your needs, please feel free to shoot me an e-mail to that effect. This means that, if you select a plan I suggest, I am the agent of record. If you find something somewhere else, that's fine.
Take care"
This way, you kinda have it in writing. While that won't eliminate this from happening again, it will drastically reduce the amount of times it happens. What they are thinking is that, since it's in black and white, it's a commitment. Now, you and I know that won't hold up in court, but they don't know that.
Real estate agents try to solve this problem with buy/sell agreements. Basically after you sign that contract you can buy a house from any agent and they still get the commish. They can actually sue you for the commission if you blow off to another agent. It stops you from dragging an agent around for 2 months, then finding the perfect house you want and going behind your agent's back to find another one willing to take less in commish.
Simple to fix....did you ask her what her current broker was switching them to....(could be a dog with fleas).....ask her why the switch(to save money)....great that will save some prem's til we get you at the lowest on indy plan's.....its worth a shot.....
If you're emotionally upset, leave the phone work alone today. something in your voice will convey negativity....I would definitely not handle calls unless someone calls in to buy TODAY. You don't want to burn thru good leads.
CLIENTS AND PROSPECTS disappoint.... you have to be thick-skinned in this business, and have enough new activity so you don't depend on any one sale to come thru. I find it hard to "roll with the punches" and know how you feel.
Tie-downs don't always work, but show you the quality of the folk you're dealing with. We used to ask 2 questions: 1....if i can show you a plan that you like and afford, any reason why we can't do business? And the other is..2...if you like the plan and get involved, would you refer me to 2 or 3 of your friends who could use this also?
Back when I was on leads I spent around a week going over quotes with my clients, they she dropped off the planet. I finally got in touch with her and she told me she signed up with the plan I recommended but signed up right through the company's website "so she could save money since I'm on commission." I informed her that the rate was exactly the same. She disagreed saying "actually it was lower" and hung up on me.
Tie-downs don't always work, but show you the quality of the folk you're dealing with.
Exactly. Some people think that the tie-downs put too much pressure on an individual, but I think it shows mutual respect and appreciation between both parties once all the facts are on the table. The "If I could, would ya" line does work and tells you precisely the caliber of client you are dealing with. The only people who balk at that line are people who don't value your time and services, or are simply shopping. If it is the latter, your website is the tool they need vs. you putting in a great deal of time and energy and not being compensated for your time.
We used to ask 2 questions: 1....if i can show you a plan that you like and afford, any reason why we can't do business? And the other is..2...if you like the plan and get involved, would you refer me to 2 or 3 of your friends who could use this also?
Better to get referrals than leads. Referrals are sold on you, but not the product. Leads are sold on the product, but not on you.
Go visit a Center Of Influence (Atty, CPA, Financial Planner), and give them a mini-presentation on Health. You do that enough, and you will get a steady stream of referrals, not leads.
Move on. It happens. Let it go.
Go to the gym
Go to an Ice Cream Store
Go to Best Buy, and listen to a CD you like
Back when I was on leads I spent around a week going over quotes with my clients, they she dropped off the planet. I finally got in touch with her and she told me she signed up with the plan I recommended but signed up right through the company's website "so she could save money since I'm on commission." I informed her that the rate was exactly the same. She disagreed saying "actually it was lower" and hung up on me.
This happens in life insurance too. The rates are the same but when people go online they always assume that they qualify for "best available" health status just because they are feeling okay today. So that is what they input into the quote engine. I had a gal last month who had been quoted a preferred rate by someone and I advised that she should look at standard rates just to have the right expectations based on a couple health hits that she had. Turns out she was declined. She had forgotten to mention the Hepatitus C.
It took me almost 2 years to realize that it is what it is. Some will value my services, some will not. It doesn't take long in the indie market to figure out that 4 good deals a week is fantastic pay. Forget about the rest.
Interesting. The key is to get the commitment up front and get the broker out of the deal. I can't tell you how many times I found out "after the fact" myself that it was the prospect's college buddy, former boss who got into the business, brother-in-law, whatever. You've got to lead them to closing the deal before you do the work!
Screwed by client... hurt and angry. That OK?
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