In or Out? Independent Medicare Insurance Agent

[PeninsulaHL]

I have been approached about staffing a UHC Kiosk for medicare AEP - No cost to me -(except time of course). The Kiosk will be in at a pharmacy/drugstore. In the past I have avoided doing this. That said, this Year will be the first year that UHC will have a MAPD Product in this Rural'ish county - What's more, it will kill the competition on Premium -

Would you (as a solo independent agent) be "IN" or "OUT" ???

 

[timeflies]

Do they want you to "man" the kiosk 15 hrs/week? If so, what else do you have planned marketing during AEP? Most agents say they don't have a lot of sales from the Kiosk, but your situation maybe different with the new plan and all. I guess it depends on your overall marketing plan for AEP and how good their specific plan will be in your area.

 

[Chazm]

I have been approached about staffing a UHC Kiosk for medicare AEP - No cost to me -(except time of course). The Kiosk will be in at a pharmacy/drugstore. In the past I have avoided doing this. That said, this Year will be the first year that UHC will have a MAPD Product in this Rural'ish county - What's more, it will kill the competition on Premium -

Would you (as a solo independent agent) be "IN" or "OUT" ???

How new are you to Medicare?
I did a kiosk my second AEP I think, with 4 other guys. I had wednesdays and I had about 8 sales while no one else had a sale at all. We think it was because of their SS checks hitting on Wednesday's. Which was my day.

That said, I would never do it again but if I were brand new I would. Who else are you selling?

 

[Matthew King]

May be a decent way to get your "feet wet" for your first year in AEP. Will most likely not be a "huge money maker" but let us know how it pans out!

 

[Todd King]

It may very well be a good way to get your feet wet, but I'm yet to talk with an agent that knocked it out of the ballpark with a kiosk. Most of the agents I've talked with that have done it will never do it again.

 

[keese]

It's not a compete waste of time if you use it as a time to get paper work done while still maybe getting 1-2 sales per week.

 

[BADTROUT]

Two sides of this...

1. It's an opportunity for you to get business you may not otherwise would have.
2. It's an opportunity for them to skirt around the minimum wage laws by offering you commission, yet get you to work for them manning their booth essentially for free.

I know there are many that may think this is a silly argument, but honestly what IS your time worth... Divide that by the amount of time projected to be there and you will be able to compare with the expected commission you will earn and see what is the more equitable choice. Most of the time in a kiosk where you cant sell ALL of your expertise and ALL of your products... you would be better off taking the family to the mall, and look at the lonely sap sitting there in what would have been your booth... And at that moment you'll likely thank me for this post, then hug your family, and go eat some food court taco's.

 

[Matthew King]

I have been approached about staffing a UHC Kiosk for medicare AEP - No cost to me -(except time of course). The Kiosk will be in at a pharmacy/drugstore. In the past I have avoided doing this. That said, this Year will be the first year that UHC will have a MAPD Product in this Rural'ish county - What's more, it will kill the competition on Premium -

Would you (as a solo independent agent) be "IN" or "OUT" ???

You got any updates on if you decided to be "IN" or "OUT" ? Share your experience!

 

[bpenn9]

It may very well be a good way to get your feet wet, but I'm yet to talk with an agent that knocked it out of the ballpark with a kiosk. Most of the agents I've talked with that have done it will never do it again.

Hey now, I was writing 13 a day in 2006. And that was just from 9 am to 1 pm.

 

[somarco]

You got any updates on if you decided to be "IN" or "OUT" ? Share your experience!

Your signature is longer than your post.

How is that working for you?

Hey now, I was writing 13 a day in 2006. And that was just from 9 am to 1 pm.

In 2006 you didn't have much competition. You were probably in better shape then too.

When I think about what I could do in 2006 that I can't do now . . . .