My Experience with Hometown Quotes

[ZappMan]

Do not buy leads; or stop whining.

those that learn to generate their own leads are generally more successful and whine alot less

Well I hope no one else was confused by what I wrote as was Jack & Matt. (Neither of which appears to be licensed to sell Home & Auto Insurance) The facts I listed are useful, accurate & helpful to those considering HTQ. Happily I fell on the sword for the members here & instead of just sounding off, gave the vendor the opportunity to shine. My reporting suggests that was not achieved.

...
..Zappman: have we refused to give you credit for any bad leads?

We don't keep agents money if they want a refund. We work with our agents to help them with ideas that really work.

But not everyone can make internet leads work & I get that. Not everyone can make x-dating work either. Or direct mail. Or radio/tv ads. But yet, some folks do as we all know.
..

No I think HTQ has been very good about providing a credit for the bad leads that I have received. The problem is that over 65% of your product had to be returned for credit. Honestly, if you were issuing a refund instead of a credit, you would have been out of business some time ago. Thankfully for you because you issue a credit instead of a refund the “law of large numbers” theory works well. Some agents will keep playing the Merry-go-round game of requesting credits, most will just give up.

Only speaking for myself here, but, I don’t need your assistance with how to interact with a person that is requesting a quote for home or auto insurance.


With 65% returns, it can’t work by default.

 

[goillini52]

Bob, Thanks that's very kind of you to say. I will try and call you soon as I have just been moved into a transitional care unit at another hospital.

Long story short, I now have 50% less toenail fungus men tend to get. Also any future pedicures will be half price.

I am gaining first hand experience in having claims rise above several hundred thousand dollars. I have a case manager now with the insurance carrier. She actually got the ball rolling for the transitional care.

I also am in the process of collecting on my BOE and Individual DI policies that I had with NYL and are now handled by UNUM. So far very impressed with my health insurance, not so much with my disability insurance. UNUM could do a better job helping me with my claim. They want everything mailed and seem not to want emails answering the information. In my situation kind of a PITA. The thing is I know they will pay, I will jump through their hoops until it gets too silly, then I will bring the OIC in.

One thing to express to agents on this forum. If you don't have disability insurance on yourself or your office.. get some. I never thought that when I blistered my feet 9 months ago camping that I would filing claims and dealing with an amputation. There is some peace of mind knowing at some point I will get a disability check for the entire period for both income and business expenses back to day one of the elimination period.

Depending on the next 6 weeks and how I recover by staying off my feet, I have can have a normal life. I don't get a mulligan on this one as if I mess it up, they have to take another big piece of my leg. Wish me luck. I hope to be back in my office asap and brewing beer too.

Please keep in mind DI for yourself and your business. You never know if you'll need it, but having it reduces a lot of stress when you're in a situation like mine.

cheers all.

That's a tough break Larry! From reading your posts I can tell you're a tough cookie, so I know you'll get through this. Best of luck to you!

 

[LGilmore]

" if you were issuing a refund instead of a credit, you would have been out of business some time ago. Thankfully for you because you issue a credit instead of a refund the “law of large numbers” theory works well. Some agents will keep playing the Merry-go-round game of requesting credits, most will just give up.
"
Have to chime in here for a second. I think you're talking out of your backside here because HTQ has never had a problem putting money back into my card if I (Note I) think it's too much. It takes a phone call. Are you honestly expecting a refund check to you? Are you working on a cash basis with HTQ or using a CC like most people. If you're expecting cash back on a CC purchase, not sure if anybody can help you.

As far as bad leads, they happen. They happen to everybody who markets leads. Does HTQs give me bad leads? sometimes, my experience is they are the easiest to work with on credits and I've been doing this a while. Is HTQ perfect? Nope, but they try hard to help you as an agent. Over the years I have chewed Bob's ass on issues and progress is made. Bob is one of the few business owners that answers to you for your business. I have a great deal of respect for Bob. I have never felt "screwed" with my dealings with him. Can't say that about others out there.

I keep coming back to your statement I quoted and haven't ever seen what you're claiming to be happening. Honestly, it doesn't make sense in how you've stated it. If your credit balance is too high, ask them to reduce it. If you have a credit balance they aren't tapping your card until you hit a threshold point with them.

 

[ltcadviser]

I was anything but confused by your post.

 

[ZappMan]

".... HTQ has never had a problem putting money back into my card if I (Note I) think it's too much.....

Interesting! Mr. Klee, Is this True? Can I get a refund on my CC for the unused balance? It was explained to me that there are no refunds, only credits to be used towards more leads. Is that incorrect?

 

[Bob Klee]

Interesting! Mr. Klee, Is this True? Can I get a refund on my CC for the unused balance? It was explained to me that there are no refunds, only credits to be used towards more leads. Is that incorrect?

Yes, one can always get a refund of the balance on their account at any time. We've never kept agents monies. Another detail that is different from most of our competitors.

Just send us an email & our account team will handle it.

----------

Zappman,

I am sorry your experience was not up to our standards. I agree that only 22/62 leads being good sucks. I am not pleased with the high frequency of bad leads you received at all. I asked the head of my Quality Control dept to take a look at your account to see if he can figure out why we had such adverse leads for your area. It is way outside the norm. Our overall return rate for home/auto leads is less than 20% for our agents so your experience is way outside the norm.

I am sorry we couldn't deliver you the quality of leads you expected/deserved. Thank you for your business and feedback. It is very helpful.

All the best!

Bob

 

[ZappMan]

Mr. Klee...am I going to receive this refund you promised? I requested one, at your direction, last Thursday & have not heard back, should I be concerned?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkdmOVejUlI

 

[ltcadviser]

LTC advisor. If you are doing several thousands of leads/month using PPC advertising on Google/Bing and you only get 1-2% bad leads.....then you are a genius! It wasn't that good back in 2003-2006 & it never has been. If you can do that well on PPC then you could make millions selling what you know to internet lead providers in all the verticals there are: Insurance is just one. How about education, mortgage, attorney, home improvement, etc? You should take out a booth at LeadsCon & clean up. You'd never have to write another LTC policy in your life with those kind of results....seriously. Those are really incredible results.

Plus unless one writes in their whole state or better yet, several states, it is even harder to drive a large quantity of quality leads. That is just a fact.
.

Whatever Bob. You know that I do not do several thousand leads per month nor are my leads PPC.
Happy with my handful, everyday. All I need, really.

Thankfully my leads are 100% accurate and high quality.

Have no desire to be a marketer. I like writing insurance. I enjoy helping people with long term care planning.

You go to leadscon and clean up. You go take out a booth.

 

[Bob Klee]

Jack,
I am sorry for my posting that comment about you the way I did.

I should have sat on what I wrote & not released it without much better thought & better wordsmithing. I've been on the road way too much the last 2 months & many times am only checking late at night....but no excuse. I was way off in my comments about you...please accept my sincere apology for the way that post came off.

I know what you do as we've talked before & one reason you do so well is that there is not as much competition for LTC leads like there is for P&C! You are definitely doing a great job in that space.

All the best to you & yours Jack.

Bob

 

[ltcadviser]

Jack,
I am sorry for my posting that comment about you the way I did.

I should have sat on what I wrote & not released it without much better thought & better wordsmithing. I've been on the road way too much the last 2 months & many times am only checking late at night....but no excuse. I was way off in my comments about you...please accept my sincere apology for the way that post came off.

I know what you do as we've talked before & one reason you do so well is that there is not as much competition for LTC leads like there is for P&C! You are definitely doing a great job in that space.

All the best to you & yours Jack.

Bob

Thank you Bob. You are a mensch and a true gentleman. I do not know that the LTC, DI and Life space is easier or with less competition than the P&C space. I do know that past vendors always told me it was very hard to generate a large volume of LTC leads.

The main issue is quality control. I bought LTC leads for years. Had the same issues that everyone here complains about. Incentivized leads, unable to contact; fake numbers, chasing down refunds, getting refunds denied. The process was awful. So, I had no choice but to figure out a better way of doing business. And I see no reason why if a process works for LTC it can not also work for P&C?

I give you all of the credit in the world. You stand behind your product and you work diligently with agents from a customer service end. Which is very important. If I was looking for a lead vendor, you would be my guy.

However, I still do not understand why agents continue to complain about poor lead quality when they buy leads from vendors and affiliates that are compensated for selling leads not selling insurance? Agents need to quit whining and just learn how to generate their own leads. Which can be done with time and capital. In the long run, it is a better business decision.