My personal experience with Aflac

[James]

Re: Attorney to Aflac Sales? Help

I would think Allstate Welcome to Allstate Workplace Division or maybe AIG http://www.aigebs.com/lifeinternet2000/eebenefits.nsf/contents/index might be a better place.

Then you have Colonial, but they do concentrate heavily into recruiting brokers and pretty much own the business. While Conseco is more Agent specific in book of business. Either company I would think is better then Aflac.

Are thinking about doing medical (full medical benefit) also?

 

[STIBROKER]

Re: Attorney to Aflac Sales? Help

Aflac has saturated the market already.....and I really do not believe in the product....although as for my dog....

 

[LGilmore]

Re: Attorney to Aflac Sales? Help

Are you sure that you could work in sales?

aflac sales forces tend to turn alot, so while the pitch may be strong, I don't think they have as many 6 figure sales guys as you might think. Otherwise, why the turnover?

 

[JimV.]

Re: Attorney to Aflac Sales? Help

Thanks for the replies. I found some other good threads as well. Sounds like Aflac isn't for me....

 

[Survivor]

Re: Attorney to Aflac Sales? Help

I work for AIG American General. I came from a United American (very bad company), so any company may seem better. I like it, and I like the product. We have one agent in Cali that made 460K last year, but that is only because he is Asian and works with a lot of Asian business owners out there that don't speak a lot of English that other agents won't/can't approach.

The average agent makes like 46K if I remember correctly. We've got a good product portfolio IMO, but if I were a lawyer I'd never move into insurance. How much are you making now? Insurance can be a pain in the butt, especially getting started. I like it, but I'm sure as a lawyer you aren't use to trying to tracking down clients. It may feel kind of odd to you tracking down people to give your professional advice.

 

[Martian]

Re: Getting started with Aflac - my problem or Aflac's

I bust my ass for the duck, and now I'm losing my shirt. I love the company, and the products, but the marketing and cold calling sucks. 100+ calls a week may net 3 appointments, one of which will cancel, one of which is too small or thinks you sell something else and one where you sign up 3 guys to some accident plan for $5 a week and earn a whopping $300.00 for the week. Then a guy quits and you get charged back!

I have asked for help prospecting, I want to see someone getting past the gate keeper cold calling. No go, something comes up, or the DSC waits in the car and tells me something to try.

My DSC is not on good terms with our RSC, so the orphaned accounts dried up, and they won't let me help in MLA accounts because you have to be certified and own one of their computers and have $75,000 in AP and 1 year behind you.

I'm on the Market in PM me if you are in FL

 

[Guest]

Re: Getting started with Aflac - my problem or Aflac's

I bust my ass for the duck,

Is it the fault of Aflac... or your lack of ability? It could be both.

The situation you describe is not a good one and it sounds to me like a change is necessary. If you like selling workplace supplements, perhaps you want to switch to a different company or product?

I do OK with Colonial which I think is a very good company...

but YMMV.

Al
InsuranceSolutions123 Agency

 

[Martian]

Re: Getting started with Aflac - my problem or Aflac's

I know I need more training, it's getting the training that I need that is impossible. They can go over scripts and ideas all they want in a class, but it rarely works that way in the real world. I will be checking on Colonial, they called me and left a number this week. I kind of want to get away from supplementals as my first line of products.

 

[Guest]

Re: Getting started with Aflac - my problem or Aflac's

I know I need more training, it's getting the training that I need that is impossible. .

Colonial gave me great training. They sent me a ton of stuff to read, they sent me to a 3-day seminar on sales, prospecting and doing things that have been successful for other Colonial agents, and they are always having these prospecting "events" where you go out in groups and cold-call (I've only done a few of them) as well as "phone day" events where people make calls, have pizza etc. They are trying to get me to go to the 3-day Enroller class which I will do in January.

I don't know how Aflac does it, but Colonial splits the functions into 3 areas. There is the Opener... or the sales rep. There is the Enroller who sits with each client and helps them decide on what plans are best for their situation. And there is the Co-Ordinator who works to get the data from the plan administrator into the home office system in time for the enrollment (usually on large groups). The Opener gets from 22% to 37% commission on business put on the books (depending on products sold).... the first nine months advanced. The Enroller gets a straight 15% and the Coordinator gets 4%. Many people do all three functions, especially for small accounts (Colonial urges us to only do accounts of 10 or more.)

I don't do Colonial full-time. It's a long sales cycle in my area and also because Aflac's superior marketing is killing us... and the Colonial management doesn't 'get it.' Aflac has 'scoured and soured' the market out here so calling on accounts can be problematic... no one has heard of Colonial or they were "burned" by having bad service by Aflac because of their huge turnover.

If Aflac had a good district office here I would talk with them, but the DSMs I've met here are losers in my opinion. Their game is each month to bring in 10 guys whom the hope will write one group each before 9 of them bail out. The DSM gets the override, the case-count commission, and maybe the entire account after the agent quits. It's a churn and burn deal.

Colonial on the other hand seems to be more selective in their hiring. They are looking for people who will stick around. But it ALL (always) comes down to who is running YOUR local district (although with Colonial you can change easily.)

I have a good manager. He has gone out with me on a dozen sales calls and has helped me close several. I can't fault the resources that Colonial has provided me.

Both Colonial and Aflac have good products for most states. But Aflac has great marketing. Guess who wins?

Hope this helps a bit.

Al

 

[Martian]

Re: Getting started with Aflac - my problem or Aflac's

It does, My DSC and the other people I see making it usually had things lined up from previous jobs, or pensions from their previous jobs. I had a few months worth of reserves, now they are gone. I definitely will be calling that Colonial rep back this week. I tried to get appointed with Mutual of Omaha, but I did not have the $120.00 to pay for the appointments so I had to decline for now.