How Do You Deal with Angry Prospects

LifeWorth

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Just spent over 20 minutes on the phone with an ANGRY man.

He's a lead. I called him. He's LIVID over his Humana coverage, but Humana is the cheapest he could find. Still over $400 a month though. According to him, the policy doesn't pay for anything until his $6300 deductible is met.

So he basically paid over $400 a month for the whole year and the insurance never did anything for him.

He purchased it last open enrollment directly through a website. He does not qualify for a subsidy. When I told him that he probably should have gone through an agent because an agent could help him, he became even ruder, became defensive, and said verbatim: "you know, you agents are funny. Help me? Help me how? Will you pay my monthly premium? Can you wave a magic wand and make the premium miraculously disappear? Can you beg for the company to give it to me for cheaper? I don't qualify for the subsidy, so you can't help me there. Please tell me in which damn way an agent could possibly help me? I'm looking at your BCBS plans and none of them are cheaper. So, please, how in the world can you help me?"

I won't lie, it stumped me a bit.

I feel like he was using me as an emotional punching bag. Probably didn't help that I called him around 6 PM on a saturday. He eventually got super frustrated and hung up.

I even once told him "I will talk turkey with you because I feel like you've had some bad experiences before. Let's talk man to man". He said "beautiful, I appreciate that". I thought saying that would diffuse him, but it didn't.

Anyway, I'm new and have very little experience in situations like this. What should I have done? Should I have realized he was just angry and I was an easy target, and put up with it until he calmed down, or should I have drawn a line and said something along the lines of, "sir, I can't help you if you will be rude to me, or take out your anger on me", or something like that? :no:
 
you should of hung up on him when he said "you know, you agents are funny. Help me? Help me how? Will you pay my monthly premium? Can you wave a magic wand and make the premium miraculously disappear? Can you beg for the company to give it to me for cheaper? I don't qualify for the subsidy, so you can't help me there. Please tell me in which damn way an agent could possibly help me? I'm looking at your BCBS plans and none of them are cheaper. So, please, how in the world can you help me?"
 
I would have said, Sir you are correct I cannot help you, thanks for your time, bye and immediately hung up. Out of all the calls I have had this week more than 90% is just like this guy and if I could not excuse my self quickly I had to hang up before I said something they would have not been happy with. You can only go so far trying to help someone and if early on it's apparent they don't want your help bow out quickly and go to next one.

I was in the restaurant business 20 years and preached the customer is always right even if they are wrong. Now that I have gotten older and people have gotten ruder I have down a complete 360.
 
Man, I must be a huge wuss or a massive pushover.

My entire life I've been of the mindset of "diffuse the bomb". People don't dislike me, they're just upset and taking it out on me. Everyone has bad days. If I show him/her how I'm a better agent/boyfriend/customer service representative/friend, then the person will drop the punching bag BS. Etc etc. I guess I'm either way too damn nice, or naive.

I have my entire life thought "man, people are so mean/pushy/rude" etc etc.

Maybe it was me all along, just being way too damn nice.

I've gotta grow a thicker skin, and a quicker tongue, apparently. I'll have to practice putting my foot down.
 
No, I did not say to get smart with them, I said to excuse yourself quickly if all they want to do is belittle you. I never hung up on anyone until I tried to diffuse, but most on the other end did want to diffuse. One's that have had (and most have) a rate increase letter and their rates are going up $100 plus per month is really hard to diffuse. Although I am not appointed with any other company's than one, I have recommended they call someone I know that is or send him his link. That sometimes work and sometimes it just makes them angrier. There is a point in your conversation you have to take control, preferably at the beginning, if you don't you're going to receive this everytime. Since you are appointed with the same company I am here is a hint if they have a policy from that company, TAKE CONTROL THE MINUTE THEY SAY HELLO because they are all po'd.
 
No, I did not say to get smart with them, I said to excuse yourself quickly if all they want to do is belittle you. I never hung up on anyone until I tried to diffuse, but most on the other end did want to diffuse. One's that have had (and most have) a rate increase letter and their rates are going up $100 plus per month is really hard to diffuse. Although I am not appointed with any other company's than one, I have recommended they call someone I know that is or send him his link. That sometimes work and sometimes it just makes them angrier. There is a point in your conversation you have to take control, preferably at the beginning, if you don't you're going to receive this everytime. Since you are appointed with the same company I am here is a hint if they have a policy from that company, TAKE CONTROL THE MINUTE THEY SAY HELLO because they are all po'd.

damn, is B really that bad?
 
You are selling unaffordable products in an unaffordable market...The Affordable Care Act market.

People ARE angry!
We can't blame them.
Many are frightened...because they don't have affordable options any longer.
I find that frightened men show it with anger.
Frightened women tend to cry.

They don't want to be without coverage, but their pocketbook is only so large.

I just tell them that I'm here to help when they need me. I'll work hard for them to help them find the best insurance plan for THEM that's available on today's market.
Then: "I totally understand your situation. You are not alone. Just call me when you need me."
End of conversation....unless they calm down & want to talk further.

They'll call you later for help (if they feel like they can afford to do something).
If not, "next".

You can't continue the conversation when they are angry, scared, frightened.
But, you might make a friend who'll:
- Call you later
- Refer others to you

____________

Sorry, LifeWorth, I didn't realize that you were not an independent agent...till I just read bluediamond's comment.
 
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Man, I must be a huge wuss or a massive pushover.

My entire life I've been of the mindset of "diffuse the bomb". People don't dislike me, they're just upset and taking it out on me. Everyone has bad days. If I show him/her how I'm a better agent/boyfriend/customer service representative/friend, then the person will drop the punching bag BS. Etc etc. I guess I'm either way too damn nice, or naive.

I have my entire life thought "man, people are so mean/pushy/rude" etc etc.

Maybe it was me all along, just being way too damn nice.

I've gotta grow a thicker skin, and a quicker tongue, apparently. I'll have to practice putting my foot down.

I wouldn't worry too much about that. There's a prospect for almost every personality. If you can shake it off, keep doing what you're doing. If it 'sticks with you' and hurts your prospecting, cut it short and take control of those situations. The only thing I've found to be universal is the fact that they will always respect you more if you don't sugar coat things for them. Always tell them the true cost of doing business.
 
well yea of course , they dont know "you", so of course , its not personal , but they are not in a mindset to is conducive to sales, they are wasting your time and $$
 
When you come across somebody who's angry, just excuse yourself from the call. Sorry you feel that sir, have a good day.... click.

An agent that closes 3 out of 10 is considered a stud in this business. That guy was one of your seven, that's all, move on to the next call.

And Agents, get over the ACA, it's not going anywhere. Treat it like you do every plan change that we have seen over the years. The ACA will change over the next few years, but it is not going away.
 
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