How Did Ya'll Handle Your First "disappointed" Customer?

[Jessica Durphy]

I just want to thank all of ya'll for your advice!! Yes I'm still fairly new... 9 months or so...

DS4, training in Hawii sounds awesome, when are we going?? LOL Since you're the 'super genius" agent... maybe you'll fund this trip?? I'm just getting started BTW... Do you want a contract?? You'll just have to let me know how to do that!! lol

stormtracker, I don't know who Al3 is?!?

Paradigm, Mr. Williams, my boss... has had a business of 24 years, there is some folks that he doesn't mind if they go and other's he wants to stay! This lady has everything with us... life, auto and home... I guess he's just wanting to keep the business in good standings with her! I can understand, and YES, he said that the commission will still come to me. He defended me in the fact that he told her I didn't do anything that he wouldn't have done.

G.Gordon... you didn't pay that woman, did you?? LOL.. I know you didn't, I was just teasing.

ins.dave... guess you've given me several scenarios to look forward to!! GEEE THANKS!

 

[Winter_123]

You guys keep wondering how she could have signed up for another plan without knowing anything about it. I havent followed this thread in detail but the client may have signed up for one of AARP drug plans and it booted her out of her mapd. In which case she has no health plan now. Not saying that happened, not saying it didnt either.

I would stay out of it. She signed up with another plan based on her own free choice and through no advice of the agent. I would not interject into it further because every interaction is just going to give her more reason to allege that she relied on your representations if she comes up short with her new plan or lack thereof. If you don't spout, they can't harpoon you.

We all pride ourselves on being able to work with difficult, outaged clients and being able to turn it around into something productive, within reason. However there are guys here and in the business in general who will say "the client did a dump on the front seat of my car and told my neighbors that my wife is a whore but I still got the sale." That is right for them but not for me. I have a huge, huge tolerance for clients who need to unload about things and I take it in stride but they do not wipe their feet on me. That is not allowed. When the flaked out broad started telling you that her whole life had gone downhill since she met you, then I would have done a quick scan in my brain to see that I had done everything I needed to do from a compliance point of view and if I had, then I am done with her. You enrolled her in a plan. She then went on to enroll somewhere else. Fine. When she asks about her new plan then just say "I don't know. Talk to your agent or whomever you enrolled with. I am not able to speculate."

As far as her enrolling next year but with your manager, then fine to that too. Will believe it when I see it. She dangled out the possibility of a sale with him next year because otherwise she has no way to control and manipulate him and get him to grovel as she did with you. That's her gig.

Be careful with the husband too. He has a lot of pressure on him at home to be disatisfied with the plan you enrolled him in.

 

[briko3]

Great post Winter. This is my new quote of the day: "If you don't spout, they can't harpoon you."

 

[Jessica Durphy]

Winter, that was a great post! Thank you so much for your advice!!!! I can see what you're saying... and honestly she seems like that type you were talking about! I'm not going to be the rug that she wipes her feet on, BUT being my first dis satisfied customer, it made me feel terrible and a bit scared of what her "WORDS" would do to my career! But thanks alot, you sound like you speak from experience... as well as everyone else has! Well most everyone else!

 

[briko3]

I wouldn't worry too much about her ruining your reputation. If it was that bad, she would've cancelled her husband's plan also. Not to mention the fact that even if she tells 10 people about you, people usually don't say "stay away from Jessica", they say "stay away from that agency". She's clearly still interested in doing business with the agency.

 

[AJAX]

I would admit to failure if I was the one in the wrong... in this case I wasn't at all!!

I had a lady call me on Thursday, she was "LIVID" (her words) she hadn't recieved her cards for her MAPD yet, but her husband had. This couple, make somewhat of a decent amount of money, but due to bills she couldn't afford a supplement or MAPD. When she called and asked if I had anything that was a $0 premium... I told her that I did. We met, I sold her and her husband a Freedom Blue PPO MAPD, $1000.00 deductible plan. (I personally don't care for them, but it was either sell her what she wanted or sell her nothing at all...) After meeting with them, going over the summary, and showing her the pros and cons... she and her husband accepted, signed the forms and whaaa laaa we were all over with.
She called, like I mentioned to tell me that she hadn't recieved her cards, but her hubby had, and she was very upset with me about it. I told her that I'd get to the bottom of it. I directly got off the phone with her and called Highmark to find out what was wrong. They told me that she was approved BUTTTTT she enrolled in another plan after Freedom Blue... They told me it was United Healthcare. This lady got a letter or something in the mail from AARP, she signed it and sent it back in.... well unbeknownst to her she signed up for another plan. (HOW COULD THEY DO THAT?? WHEN WE HAVE SO MANY RULE AND REGULATIONS??)

Anyway, this lady blamed me for not being upfront with her, for not telling her that she could possibly lose this coverage by signing on with someone else, she just blamed me for the whole MESSED UP situation. She also told me that she has had nothing but TURMOIL since she met me... and she refused to do business with me ever again.

Us women can be a bit emotional at times, I'd have to admit, but wowsers, she really hurt me by her words. I know she was scared and upset, BUT I don't see where I made the mistake.... That is water under the bridge now, my quesiton is.. HOW DID YA'LL HANDLE your first dissatisfied customer? and the fear of them ruining your name? You all know that I'm still fairly new, although a lot more knowledgable than I was last year at this time, my biggest fear is her hurting my reputation, which is impecable with the seniors at this moment.

First, I learned the hard way that Insurance Agents need to develop a thick skin-we cannot take business personal, even when someone is negatively directing their frustration at you.

When you wrote "I personally don't care for them, but it was either sell her what she wanted or sell her nothing at all..." I assume you meant the PPO/Med advantage plan. I found that it is best to give full disclosure, even if that means losing a sale. If you are not fond of a product/don't care for the product, tell the prospect why you don't care for the Medicare Advantage you sell. Maybe that would have convinced her to go with your Medicare Supplement.

Speaking with more experienced Independent agents, they have told me that business is a two way relationship. The way she spoke to you, blaming you for something she did, you do not want a client like that. Even if you signed her up again during the OEP, she would find something to blame you for. Sometimes it is better to walk away from business.

About your question with the AARP/ Med advantage plan. The last application in will be the one that counts. They did not do anything, your client did. I think your client was trying to be over-insured. She sounds like she is an Age-in or new to Medicare. She needs a better understanding of how Medicare plans work. You can only enroll into one MA/MAPD/ PDP at a time.

It's important to go over the disclosure statement found on the application.

 

[Mark]

Jessica, you a very good looking women! I don't think you will ever have any unhappy clients. Nice pic!

 

[Jessica Durphy]

First, I learned the hard way that Insurance Agents need to develop a thick skin-we cannot take business personal, even when someone is negatively directing their frustration at you.

When you wrote "I personally don't care for them, but it was either sell her what she wanted or sell her nothing at all..." I assume you meant the PPO/Med advantage plan. I found that it is best to give full disclosure, even if that means losing a sale. If you are not fond of a product/don't care for the product, tell the prospect why you don't care for the Medicare Advantage you sell. Maybe that would have convinced her to go with your Medicare Supplement.

Speaking with more experienced Independent agents, they have told me that business is a two way relationship. The way she spoke to you, blaming you for something she did, you do not want a client like that. Even if you signed her up again during the OEP, she would find something to blame you for. Sometimes it is better to walk away from business.

About your question with the AARP/ Med advantage plan. The last application in will be the one that counts. They did not do anything, your client did. I think your client was trying to be over-insured. She sounds like she is an Age-in or new to Medicare. She needs a better understanding of how Medicare plans work. You can only enroll into one MA/MAPD/ PDP at a time.

It's important to go over the disclosure statement found on the application.

Ajax, several things I would like to clarify... this lady isn't new to Medicare. She is 72, they are lower income... not low enough to be eligible for Medicaid, but low enough to get PACE. She mentioned to me that they had a lot of bills and wouldn't accept anything unless it was one of those "NO PREMIUM" plans. I told her the pros and cons of this plan, she was full aware that she would still be able to keep PACE, and have no premium, she was happy as a Lark when I left the meeting that day. I felt like I did my part in explaining the coverage.. we were good! (I thought) until her husband got his cards and she didn't.

I'm just going to have to take ya'lls advice... get some thicker skin, live and learn, walk away from the "trouble makers"...I think as I get more experienced, I'll see that kind a mile away and learn to STEER CLEAR!!

Thanks a lot Ajax, you were helpful!
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Jessica, you a very good looking women! I don't think you will ever have any unhappy clients. Nice pic!

That's twice you've mentioned that... you're making me BLUSH!!!

 

[GreenSky]

Jessica, you a very good looking women! I don't think you will ever have any unhappy clients. Nice pic!

While I agree, this is NOT a dating website.

Rick

 

[Russ]

While I agree, this is NOT a dating website.

Rick

I was beginning to wonder.

I think I would have PM'd her with that versus plastering it on this here website.