Nationwide Health

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

"With the Internet leads, the applicant gets a separate email showing how many miles each agent (or firm) is located from their residence. A tad goofy, but most of the people I deal with are within 100 miles.
quote]
Haven't seen internet quotes that tell how many miles an agent is away from the client. Leads I buy don't even tell who the agents are that will be calling."

With broadband phone you can also get a phone number that has an exchange that is the same as the area you are calling into. So when they see your phone number on the caller ID they think you are local.

In many cases, it is the same three or four persons (firms) buying the leads. So the customer can be easily warned, since I tend to know who it is.

And as John said...changing your phone number is not the type of thing that gives our business a good name. Besides, in many cases, we will insist that the customer ask for the address that they are receiving the call from.

Som- Yes.... Of course, I am not in the country of Lebanon. I imagine rates are quite high there. I might add, I have been there many times and it is a fantastic country that has been hijacked by Hezbollah and Iran. But I'll quit there.

Lebanon (Ohio) is actually not too far from here.

 

[Sam]

I have a bunch of groups that are in 9 or 10 states that I don't live in and every once in a while, I will lose an account because someone is local. However, more often that that, they are leaving a local agent because I am showing them something new and better that their local agent didn't show them.

When I call people nearby, I give them the shpiel about having someone close that can be beneficial. When dealing with people far away, I dust off my shpiel about how with internet, phone and fax, I can provide a better deal and better service from anywhere on earth. They both work pretty well.

 

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

However, more often that that, they are leaving a local agent because I am showing them something new and better that their local agent didn't show them.

In those particular cases, you have earned the business and you deserve the sale.


In cases were the policies are the same (same compnay, same policy)...well...that's where I make sure they know where I'm located and where everyone else is located.

 

[BOR]

I don't think intentional deception is what this business is about nor the kind of agent anyone wants to be.

They most certainly will see where you live when they get their policy and see you as the agent of record and your address.

Has absolutely nothing to do with deception. Lots of companies have "local" numbers. That is standard business practice. You missed the mark on this one, John.

If the clients asks you where you live you tell them. If you don't tell them the correct answer then that is deceptive.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

If you changed your caller ID to match the state you're calling that's leading the client to belive you're from that state which is deceiving.

That's like being one of the smug agents selling limited plans and not disclosing the limitations:

Client: "Hey, you never told me this plan doesn't cover prescriptions."

Agent: "I never told you it did and you never asked."

 

[BOR]

John, do you refer to where you work as "your house" or "your office". If you work from home and you refer to it as "your office" is that deceptive?

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

I tell my clients I'm home-based. Yes. I don't need deception or trickery to sell. Normally my son is running around playing behind me and we get into a conversation about how nice it is to work from home.

 

[BOR]

John, let me clue you in to reality. Well respected Fortune 500 companies have individuals in territories working from their "Regional Sales Office" ... The basement of their homes, in some cases the lounge chair next to their swimming pools.

They don't have any regional sales office and noone considers that deceptive.

If you would feel uncomfortable using a "local number" that's your business. Nothing deceptive about it. Common and accepted practice.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

It's nothing I need to worry about. I do quite fine with my regular number.

 

[Sam]

My cell phone is a Denver number, and it rarely makes a difference, but sometimes when I deal with prospects in Colorado, they ask where I am from and we get into a whole discussion about why I have a Colorado number and what I love about Colorado and I am then considered local.

I never misrepresent where I am from, nor where I am calling from, but I will use it to make them feel more comfortable with me.