Has anyone had an issue selling Medicare?

[rousemark]

Jennifer, I moved from commercial P&C (35+ years) to Medicare 7 years ago and there was a learning curve for working with seniors. Many are isolated and are lonely and just want to talk, and now it's even worse for them due to the virus. I found that listening really helped me build a little bridge and through that conversation I was able to indirectly get answers; you may just spend the time building trust so the next time you call they may be willing to talk about their Medicare or schedule an appointment. Also, you may live in an area that is over run by Medicare agents that are dialing from home like you are, and these seniors are so tired of being interrupted all day long and after a while it becomes frustrating. Perhaps F2F might work well for you to build your book. BTW, my first year I thought I made a really bad decision switching to Medicare, but as I learned the products and developed my own spiel, it became easier. Now I cannot imagine a better way to work my way through my 60s. To answer your question, yes there are some that are incredibly rude but they are few and far between. Best of luck.

 

[sshafran]

Wow. The OP sounds like a peach.

 

[Rearden]

Record your next sales call, email it to me, and I will review it on my YouTube channel.

I will be happy to edit out all the personal info.

 

[Newby]

I've been in health insurance for about 8 years and sales for over 20. I've sold to people under 65. Sales and people are generally ok and pretty nice. This is my first time selling Medicare. At first it was ok and the clients weren't that bad but now almost every old person I talk to is extremely rude hostile negative towards me. I'm very nice professional and polite. Many talk over me insult my voice and are so negative and mean. I can't even do my job as an agent. Every old person has something horrible and rude to say. They directly insult me and act as if I'm speaking gibberish. I speak clearly and articulately. It is difficult to even chat with these rude weird people. It might be the leads bc they telemarket to these people but the level of rudeness they show is unheard of.

I'm floored and in shock. I fear gettign on the phone because every person is so angry and rude. Some aren't awful but most are just bad. I've never encountered people this mean even going door to door. Many elderly people say they can't hear me but they repeat what I say and can. Many are just hostile and mean for no reason and purposely want to insult me. I have a nice voice and project well. They want to be very negative to me and it's just too much. These people are not idiots and know what they are doing. They want to treat me like crap and bring me down. Is this normal when dealing with seniors? I have yet to encounter a kind sweet senior. Is there something wrong with these elderly people

The only people who respond to telemarketers these days are the crazies. Buy direct mail leads or even Facebook leads and get a better mix of personalities.

 

[Higru]

Jennifer, great post! I believe the reason being if you doing phone call solicitations, many of these individuals are being hounded by other people trying to sell like you as well. Many of our customers tell of these horror stories and bring the massive mailings to our office just to vent. I would recommend doing seminars like another post suggested. The prospects get to know you and you have a chance to build great relationships. You will have one or two who like to tell their stories or tell what they know based on their research. You have to be prepared. Wish you all the best!

 

[DecisionMan]

Can we have some specifics please?

• What ages are you calling? Are you on a T65 list?
• Are these phone transfers?
• What kind of leads are you calling?
• Are you on a script, or are you permitted to roll with the conversation?
• What time of day are you calling?
• Do you leave voice mails?
• What is your company/agency making you do?
• What is your company/agency advertising?

T65s get bombarded with calls and mail.

With COVID restrictions, there are lot more robocalls to seniors than in the recent past. Many seniors still have their numbers listed and get creamed with calls.

Scripts (IMO - others will disagree) can sound like scripts. Don't sound sales-y and you'll get further.

Seniors love to talk to anyone, and complain to get it out of their system. Lots of listening, agreeing, using words like "really," "is that so?" "Wow, tell me more!" "I don't know how you do it!" "I'm so sorry . . . " "my Mom says the same thing." "I'll pray for you." "I hope you get better."

Let them burn themselves out before you try to tell them anything. Sometimes an opener like "I work with many seniors on Medicare, but given everything going on I thought I'd just check in on you and see how you're getting along, if everything's all right. Are you getting through this pandemic ok?" Then listen, agree, sympathize, then roll to "Is there anything I can do for you?" They'll say no, then roll to "Well, I don't know if this may be of any help, but, in my last conversation I helped a (tell a story - "72 year old grandmother who lives on her own get better Medicare coverage for less money. Is that of any interest to you?)

Stretch out their complaint with a question for everything they say. "I'm so tired of all these call!" "Yes, I get them too! How many would you say you get in a day?" Eventually they'll give you useful information you can pivot on.

You mention door-knocking. I love door-knocking. Maybe try that instead, or for a break from the phone.

 

[Jennifer9922]

Oh ok. This is all interesting for sure. Thanks for your feedback. And yes insurance Queen that's true its not really sales it's more about relationships and even if someone qualifies. Thanks for the tips. I've just found the people I talk to to be unbearable and most are just rude obnoxious lack respect and if they're talking or venting it's fine I've had customers start crying and they were upset and that's totally fine if they want to vent or talk. Some of those people were very nice and not crazy or jerks.

Most are rude immature juvenile and unbearable to interact with. They behave in the craziest ways possible. They purposely want to harass you and hang up and reject you in the rudest way possible or just talk and talk rudely and be energy vampires or start yelling at you. Many have no manners or respect and I'm super polite and nice. Chatting with these people is a nightmare and it's the worst experience I've ever had in any position. Ive done in person sales, customer service the worst phone sales, anything you can imagine. Nothing compares to these rude mean people. They also insult my voice and find any reason to put me down. They are all rude in different ways. Many will start screaming rudely "I CANT HEAR YOU I CANT UNDERSTAND WHAT UR SAYING." these are the rudest meanest weirdest people out there. Every phone call almost is a nightmare. I feel sorry for professions where people have to deal w these people on a constant basis. Seniors are the rudest most awful people on the planet.

ok def dont want this thread to continue with some of the immature comments and didn't want to deal with that so will reply here. It's not my headset because I got sales from the start and didn't have people yelling at me at first. But now lately people are getting ruder and worse. I speak far more clearly and better than any of the people I talk to. These people just talk over you and many want to drain your energy or just be rude Or put you down. That's how older people are it seems. They just want to be jerks and put you down. Some are nice. They also are not stupid and know what they are doing. They also can hear me the ones saying they can't bc they repeat what I say. They're not incompetent old people just ranting they're aware of their behaviors. The rude ones are just rude in ways u can't imagine. Many times people reject u just to be mean and bring u down. I've accepted the older people on the phone to be really rude and just dealing with it now.

 

[sshafran]

Oh ok. This is all interesting for sure. And yes insurance Queen that's true its not really sales it's more about relationships and even if someone qualifies. Thanks for the tips. I've just found the people I talk to to be unbearable and most are just rude needy and if they're talking or venting it's fine I've had customers start crying and they were upset and that's totally fine if they want to vent or talk. Some of those people were very nice and not crazy or jerks.

Most are rude immature juvenile and unbearable to interact with. They behave in the craziest ways possible. They purposely want to harass you and hang up and reject you in the rudest way possible or just talk and talk rudely and be energy vampires or start yelling at you. Many have no manners or respect and I'm super polite and nice. Chatting with these people is a nightmare and it's the worst experience I've ever had in any position. Ive done in person sales, customer service the worst phone sales, anything you can imagine. Nothing compares to these rude mean people. They also insult my voice and find any reason to put me down. They are all rude in different ways. Many will start screaming rudely "I CANT HEAR YOU I CANT UNDERSTAND WHAT UR SAYING." these are the rudest meanest weirdest people out there. I regret going to work because of these nasty awful people. Its a hell I can't describe. I don't look forward to dealing with them it's really difficult. I feel sorry for professions where people have to deal w these people on a constant basis.

I can't hear you. I can't understand what you are saying.

I'm convinced this Jennifer person is just a troll. If not, she certainly has no business selling insurance to people on Medicare...

 

[DecisionMan]

Jennifer is like shampoo. Rinse and Repeat.

Same comment over and over.

Bye Felicia.

 

[sshafran]

Jennifer is like shampoo. Rinse and Repeat.

Same comment over and over.

Bye Felicia.

She and Karen are one.