Dealing with Customers who Are Mean

[paige23]

For no other reason other than they are freaking mean.
I have this one guy who I signed up for a nice policy , but he was going out of town that same day we signed and there has been some lag time with delivery of policy which we finally were able to connect about 2 weeks ago..
OK, he calls and leaves me a nasty message tonight at 9:30 PM
all mad because he really was not paying attention to what we were doing and I carefully explained to him about bank drafts coming out automatically. So , I fixed it( about 2 weeks ago when he called to rant) and got a confirmation that it would not happen again and he also got a copy of the letter, too. I also left him three professional messages asking him to call me to let me know he got the message, but he does not bother to call me back until now.
I really do not want a charge back... But , I also do not want to kiss his ass either as I am doing what I said and so is company.
Any suggestions??? Can I have the ins. company call him?
Also, I really have a serious problem with people who both smoke in the house and say they can't afford it.

 

[Indy007]

Try to smooth it over, but if he's really like that its time to fire your client. Take the chargeback and move on, it's not worth the effort.

 

[jdeasy]

Wait a minute!!! There are some that aren't mean???

 

[TDFnCali]

Wait a minute!!! There are some that aren't mean???

No waaaaayyyyyyy, not in the FE market!!

 

[WinoBlues]

Try to smooth it over, but if he's really like that its time to fire your client. Take the chargeback and move on, it's not worth the effort.

There is a lot of freedom in the ability to do that. Fisrt time I filled out a surrender form as some dude was chewing on me I felt great. He decided to not sign it. But I never called him again anyway.

I agree, try to fix it, then move on. With him or with out him.

 

[Todd King]

You have to be gentle, yet firm. Make them understand that if they have a problem you are there to help. At the same time though, let them know that in order to help them, they have to listen to you. Let them know if they are not willing to listen, then you can't help them. In other words, let them know you're in this together, but you can't steer the ship while they are trying to grab the wheel.

 

[paige23]

Good morning guys! Thanks for all the feed back . Like the new little thumbs up feature ..very facebookish. Anyway, I think one of the things I am learning here is to have a lot of people to see and fuhget about the ones who suck.

 

[russelltw]

Early on in your career, you feel like you have to take any client you can get. As you build up a book of business, take the time to weed out the ones who are disrespectful to you. Sometimes the offer to let them seek insurance elsewhere is enough to rattle them and get them in line.

I have keep the few letters I have received from "angry" clients. One wrote a letter to me because she had to wait on the phone too long for her tastes. Another made some ridiculous requests. A third did not understand who insurance works (company pays out $40k in claims for her 18 yr old daughter and jacks the rate up). They used to bother me because I tried to make everyone happy, then another agent told me "if you don't piss of at least 1 or 2 a year, you aren't seeing enough people."

 

[paige23]

Early on in your career, you feel like you have to take any client you can get. As you build up a book of business, take the time to weed out the ones who are disrespectful to you. Sometimes the offer to let them seek insurance elsewhere is enough to rattle them and get them in line.

I have keep the few letters I have received from "angry" clients. One wrote a letter to me because she had to wait on the phone too long for her tastes. Another made some ridiculous requests. A third did not understand who insurance works (company pays out $40k in claims for her 18 yr old daughter and jacks the rate up). They used to bother me because I tried to make everyone happy, then another agent told me "if you don't piss of at least 1 or 2 a year, you aren't seeing enough people."

Exactly, I was thinking about that too. I was getting in lead poverty mentality and I know that the answer is in more people to see and saying, "Next" while also being myself which is that I am a sweet , fun person so I will do evertything I can to help these people..but not be afraid to move on

 

[Newby]

Exactly, I was thinking about that too. I was getting in lead poverty mentality and I know that the answer is in more people to see and saying, "Next" while also being myself which is that I am a sweet , fun person so I will do evertything I can to help these people..but not be afraid to move on

That's the right attitude. Think of them as a good thing. They are the "agent killers" who thin out the herd of agents who aren't able to shake them off.