Rant About Training Agents Who Think They Know Everything

[jdeasy]

Re: Rant About Training Agents Who Think They Know Everything...

There are many reasons that I don't recruit and have agents under me. Even though my uplines everywhere I've been have tried to get me to build a team.

This example from jacob is just one of those reasons. Newby has seen the light, too. He used to recruit, doesn't anymore.

I don't mind trying to help anyone, I'm doing a training call for EFES tomorrow, but I don't want to be dependent on someone else's work ethic or morals.

 

[cttaylor]

Re: Rant About Training Agents Who Think They Know Everything...

Don't give up so much on the front end. After he proves himself bump him up.

If he leaves you would have made enough off him to justify your time and trouble.

 

[DecisionMan]

Re: Rant About Training Agents Who Think They Know Everything...

While there are low barriers to entry in this business there is one huge barrier to success: Prospecting for business.

Lots of people think they can go on their own before they've learned to prospect through cold-calling, door-knocking, even just calling on lead cards.

And if you can't see the people, you can't close them.

So wait and see if this guy can make it on his own without your leads and support.

This business seems easy but its tough.

 

[jacobtn]

Re: Rant About Training Agents Who Think They Know Everything...

I can assure you my upline at Equita feels the same way.

I left after putting in 6 months and taking hands-on training.

The nature of the beast as an entrepreneur is that -- if you leverage other people -- you will be trading your sum-total of experience in the business (which is incredibly valuable) and bestowing it upon someone who doesn't has as much skin in the game as you. In the end, for the opportunity to earn more, you will be training your competition.

This occurs in all businesses in all industries. Did you have more invested in him than just a business? Is this personal to you? Did you see him more as an employee?

My father was trained in chemical sales, ran a company's sales division, got canned and restricted on a 2 year non-compete, then "took" a lot of his former employee's contracts.

The truth is is that you have to have a niche in hiring your people, much akin to who you take on as clients.

If you think back at his job history, upbringing, and personality, do you think you should have seen this coming?


-Dave




It's funny -- I talked to my P&C agent and he used to run a team of agents. Got tired of lazy office staff and agents stealing from underneath him that he fired them all and has been flying solo for years now. I think he likes his profession a lot more now.

More to the story I guess. He was a friend of my brothers, got licensed but never did anything until he was fired by the post office for not delivering mail after a snow storm down a couple icy roads. He saw that as a forced opportunity, and I had known him for awhile and thought it would be a good fit.

I didn't expect him to stay under me forever, but I though it maddening that I give him tons of sales and help him, and 1 yr later he walks and expects a release. I think I made it too easy and he should have earned more than he did. It's not the money it's the time I invested. I know join the crowd right...
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Jacob: Just curious... How did you start in the business?

haha, I know where you're going. I actually worked as a LOA under my dad for 13 YRS (yep). A couple yrs ago when I got tired of him taking fifty percent of what I earned, (and taking forever to get even that as he was not keeping his records well), I finally had to leave. He paid for the office and secretary, and most (but not all) of the direct mail. It was ugly but I should have left sooner, if nothing else to preserve the family relationship. He is keeping all my renewals so I basically had to start from scratch, 10k mth in renewals that he is sitting on. Yeah don't do business with family... you'd heard it before.

Funny thing is this guy had a better arrangement than I did after working with my dad for years.

 

[Newby]

Re: Rant About Training Agents Who Think They Know Everything...

I believe your mistake was that he was a captive and needed your training and support but you were paying him like he was independent and you were just his FMO.

In a situation like yours he should have been making MUCH less commission. The business should have been paid to you and you pay him.

Independents should NEVER assign commissions but captives should. When you are running an agency that is YOUR business, not his. Basically you should create an environment where he can make some decent money and learn the business while also making YOU money. It's a win-win.

Then when he is ready he can go on his own and fly and there should be no hard feelings from either one of you as you both should have profited from the relationship.

 

[Rearden]

Re: Rant About Training Agents Who Think They Know Everything...

I am the only one in my family to not have worked for my father while he ran his chemical business.

At one point in time, he had fired his step-daughter and step-son twice, his sister-in-law, and his wife (now ex-wife), not once, but twice.

I regret not having the opportunity to learn from my father directly, but then again, I would never want to experience what you did, Jacob.

You know, I figure if you're going to hire someone in this business, you really need to define who your target agent market is.

It looks like you'd have to target those who want to be captive, or those who are very experienced and autonomous, and position yourself appropriately to them.

As my P&C agent told me, you learn only from your mistakes!

 

[rousemark]

Re: Rant About Training Agents Who Think They Know Everything...

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haha, I know where you're going. I actually worked as a LOA under my dad for 13 YRS (yep). A couple yrs ago when I got tired of him taking fifty percent of what I earned, (and taking forever to get even that as he was not keeping his records well), I finally had to leave. He paid for the office and secretary, and most (but not all) of the direct mail. It was ugly but I should have left sooner, if nothing else to preserve the family relationship. He is keeping all my renewals so I basically had to start from scratch, 10k mth in renewals that he is sitting on. Yeah don't do business with family... you'd heard it before.

Funny thing is this guy had a better arrangement than I did after working with my dad for years.

Ooch! That is rough!..

As far as your former agent goes, I agree with Newby.. You don't start a neophyte that has to be trained at street level. Too late to do anything about this one but lessons leaned through mistakes are the ones that stick with us so this will probably make you money in the long run if you decide to continue to recruit and train new agents.

BTW, what part of TN?

 

[Mattschmidt]

Re: Rant About Training Agents Who Think They Know Everything...

It's part of the game unfortunately....nothing you can really do when guys like him think they can be a successful manager...Just wish him luck, and let him move on

 

[0b1kanobee]

Re: Rant About Training Agents Who Think They Know Everything...

You know, I figure if you're going to hire someone in this business, you really need to define who your target agent market is.

This is half of the equation. The other half is your business model. The two go hand-in-hand.

If you business model is composed of round holes and you recruit a square peg, it only works for a while.

I've seen a lot of guys in other industries go through this all the time. I could probably rattle off 25 of them (industries) as an example but the point is it's just not this business.

In the end it is a good thing. Most guys who go off on their own don't succeed and most end up crawling back. The others (if there are any and in the construction industry there were/are plenty) see that happen and get that thought out of their head quick.

 

[Bob_The_Insurance_Guy]

Re: Rant About Training Agents Who Think They Know Everything...

Jacob,

It sounds to me that you did what every GA should do when bringing someone aboard. Now, keep in mind, we've only hear YOUR side of the story. Not his.

We've heard about the comp and leads and office space. We have not heard about the product training. Did you go over specimen contracts, so he can learn the in's and out's of each product? Did you go over the different riders in each policy? Did you spend time with him determining what target market a certain company/product would best suit?

You took him under your wing, but didn't expect him to leave this soon. It happens.

Sounds like you didn't make it clear to him how long you expected him to stay underneath you. Or, it could be some of the clients he go (through you) told him in confidence that they would buy more from him, if he only left you. Maybe they liked him MORE than they liked you. Maybe they gave him more positive feedback than you did.

The agent who got me in the business and I tried to work together for a short period of time. I stopped the joint calls after hearing several people tell me the reason they didn't go forward with us was because they didn't like him. It had nothing to do with me. I was in awe of this man. He was a walking Life Insurance encyclopedia. The problem was, he was a bit abrasive, which I didn't pick up on, until I was told by three potential clients.

That's when I began doing calls on my own. It was hard, and the money wasn't quick in coming, but I persevered. To this day, he and I still talk, and are on good speaking terms. I never told him the feedback I got.

Rather than be hurt, why don't you show some pride in what you've created. Rather than wish him ill-will, wish him well, even though it will be an uphill climb, but one he must make alone at this point.

If you wanted an employee, you should have hired an employee.