Health Benefits Direct...BEWARE!

[Guest]

A couple of thing:

I think retention varies on the quality of the sales person as well. I've have only sold internet leads and supposedly I have better than average retention (I'm told by my carrier reps).


I also agree with Bill 100%, I said it once before, if my job is to sell, should I spend 90% of my time selling or most of it prospecting, traveling, stopping for gas, coffee and getting lunch away from my point of operation?

You put two people side by side, same skill set, knowledge, etc. and undoubtedly the phone guy destroys the face to face guy on sales numbers. Remember, I said same skill set, if possible.

if you have the ability to offer both, that's fine, but time is way more valuable than money.

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

You put two people side by side, same skill set, knowledge, etc. and undoubtedly the phone guy destroys the face to face guy on sales numbers. Remember, I said same skill set, if possible.

Technological advances also make this much more possible than it used to be.

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

...almost as sad as I get when I imagine a weekend with Jessica Alba and Rachel Bilson and lots of Patron.

I don't know what it is, but Alyssa Milano is makin' me crazy lately...with OR without the Patron...

A cupcake.

 

[Guest]

Technological advances also make this much more possible than it used to be.

Yes and it's headed even further in that direction.

BTW, Alyssa is soooo hot!! Always loved her!

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

Closed their NYC call-center to try to save money. Just got a 5 million capital infusion, but had to totally give up control to get it. Balance sheet very thin - no more room for capital infusions! Three CEOs in a little over a year.

The over/under is 8 months. I've got the under...

Looks like the OVER won (10 months), but not by much...no mas...looks like they've finally thrown in the towel:

Health Benefits Direct to Partner With eHealth, Inc.: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

Indeed - HBD's call centers are toast - closed up. Amazingly, having untrained CSR's slamming people into plans didn't pan out too well. Who would have guessed.

 

[HealthGuy]

Honestly, how can this be true? I thought other large producers like AHCP had business that was UP like 15 to20% recently? Is there something here I am missing with this merger? Why did HBD have to sell out to eHealth? Thought the biz was booming recently for EVERYBODY?

 

[YouGotMyMoney]

HBD is broke, no more money and they had nothing left to trade with for more money. Charge backs are a pita at call centers. I know of one phone room in Pompano Beach, FL that pushed just GR, HPA, and discount plans...their agents never actually make commissions after all the chargebacks eat their checks up, even though the top agents there submit 25 apps a week. They live on their $500 week salary and daily spiff checks.