Are there any traits that give them away? I suppose they need to go through some kind of training and get paid for doing the work. How often have you run into them?
The first clue is if they say they got your name and number from the carrier. They may also say they don't remember where they got your name and number.
I was secret shopped very early on when MA plans were still in the early years. I should have known when they called my home instead of my office number. Of course I went on the appointment. Total waste of time. And that is what bothers me most. That the carrier would waste an agent's valuable time. Especially during AEP.
If the prospect calls and says they got my name and number from the carrier or they can't remember how they got my contact info, I let them know my calendar is full and I won't be able to meet with them. My time is too valuable to be wasted by the carrier.
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I believe I am being shopped tomorrow. The Bene wants to meet me in a restaurant. The setting off the appointment questions threw up radar. That's okay, I'll try to cover the checklist. Since this is the first meeting, I think I will shoot for just completing the SOA ;-)
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I think you're assuming the carrier gave your info out specifically. CMS is running the secret shopping, not so much the carriers.
If they ask questions that are odd or about things completely irrelevant, might be a secret shopper. For example, I had one ask me to explain a pffs plan when I was only ever talking about an hmo. Also asked about co-branding when nothing going on was remotely related to it.
Are there any traits that give them away? I suppose they need to go through some kind of training and get paid for doing the work. How often have you run into them?
Do things according to the law and you don't have to worry if they are in the SS corps..
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Do things according to the law and you don't have to worry if they are in the SS corps..
Spot On. Do the right thing because it's the right thing to do...
Do things according to the law and you don't have to worry if they are in the SS corps..
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Still, it would easy to misquoted by a secret shopper who doesn't understand the language.
I've been shopped 3 times that were very obvious to me. Two of them wanted to meet at restaurants. I'm just glad I picked up on it in time to not pick up the check.
One time I really laid it on about how many hours we put in during an AEP. I know she felt guilty for wasting my time and Wellcare sent me a check for $50.
For me, the "tell" is the wording and phrasing they use. It's pretty obvious.
Now....at a booth, it's more difficult because there are so many more shoppers who seem to have been reading and studying up with the campaign literature and using the ambiguous terms CMS comes up with.
Gee.. Didn't know Todd had moved to TX and changed his name..
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Gee.. Didn't know Todd had moved to TX and changed his name..
I don't know if Todd or I are being complimented or something else :-)
How about this...
"Do what you feel in your heart to be right...for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do and damned if you don't."
----Eleanor Roosevelt
