State Farm Agents: Do I Bag Select Agent Status?

[Caliban]

<deleting>

 

[briko3]

"Hire" and independent agent that you trust to make those sales for you that you don't want and give him a commission split. That way you could have the best of both worlds. Money for something you weren't planning on doing...helping someone else get money for something they wouldn't have gotten...and it keeps you out of the office like you want.

 

[djs]

I guess I don't understand what the scorecard thing is all about, but I'm sure it's no different than what you run into elsewhere. A way for management to measure things they can either measure or stuff they care about. Some of which may be important to you, some of which probably isn't important to you at all.

In all companies, you have to play the company game a bit, that isn't different. Heck, I read recently that McDonald franchises hate the $1 double cheeseburger deal, since it is break even (actually, the make $0.06 on each one) and people have started buying just the burger, nothing else. But, they deal with it.

Personally, I think this is a great year to either miss your targets, explain it away by saying the economy was bad and there was harder to get all of the cross-sells. People are watching their money more ....... or ......... pushing hard to sell more since people are wanting to save some money (which still does make a new life policy a harder sell).

This is a terrible year for the middle of the road type effort though. If you want to do it and can afford it, coast for a bit (isn't that what the residuals in P&C is all about?). Set a couple of goals that are meaningful to you, put up a bit of a smoke screen to show you are working on the company goals, and enjoy life.

Dan

 

[moeasadi]

I work with an independent ageny, and we always get business from captive agents on split basis.Shoot me an email if you wish [email protected]

 

[The Wise Buck]

I think you have to do what makes you happy ultimately.

 

[djs]

No, you must contact Moeasadi, who has 31 posts of trying to get agents to contact him so he can make money. You must make him happy.

Okay, I'm done venting....

Dan

 

[TurboDog]

It sound like you are burnt out. For the longevity of your career I would bail on it this year, then regroup and get after it in 2010. Blame it on the economy like someone else said.

 

[mclark72]

At the SF office I worked at, they had someone that worked just on life.
You do want to keep your Select agent status...focus!!

Thanks dad.

 

[briko3]

Why don't you give an independent life agent a few of your clients to prospect. They can have a "finders fee" or split commissions and you get the check on your scorecard. Or is that not allowed? If it's not allowed, how would they really know?

 

[mclark72]

Wow, that is messed up.
The agent that I was with had been an agent for 25 years. I was always told he had to get Select Agent if he wanted a good retirement.

I am now reading on these forums that some of the new agent plans do not include the retirement plan. That was really shocking to me..don't know why, but it was.

I have to admire the fact that you take care of your staff.

Ah. That's the essence of the conflict: is it worth $20,000 a year to keep that status? Is it worth $10,000? Is it worth $5,000?

What if instead of spending $20,000 each year to be Select Agent I:

>put $20,000 a year into an annuity?
>paid an additional $20,000 toward my mortgage?
>bought $20,000 of internet auto leads?
>contributed $20,000 to my kids' school?
>threw $20,000 worth of neighborhood block parties?
>spent $20,000 on my 100 best clients?
>bought $20,000 of canned food for a food bank?
>or bought $20,000 of the REALLY good stuff?

Wouldn't some (or all) of those actions make me better off years from now than merely maintaining Select Agent Status?

Yeah, I know, "Dude, what about The Scorecard?" Or, "Man, if you aren't a Select Agent, you can't get assignments!" Or, "Only Select Agents get to have their mug shot in the city phone book ad!" I haven't had an assignment in years. Phone book ad? If someone got my name out of a phone book ad they are the wrong sorta client for my agency (no calls from 1989 please). Scorecard? The half that doesn't go to Uncle Sam winds up going out in the bonuses and payoffs it took to shake out the various apps to get up enough levels to get an actual check. So that means I have a whole program in my office to chase down a status symbol and that's it.

The only time "Select Agent" means something in my state is when agents DON'T get it. Unless you travel, you are still a nobody even when you get Select Agent (my E says, "Select Agent isn't really an honor: it is a minimal standard of expectation. Every agent should be a Select Agent.") Thanks for the pep talk, Gomer.

On the other hand, you are a friggin' Pariah is you don't get it. An outcast. The Elephant Man. So the motivation for a lot of agents TO get Select Agent is the fear of NOT being a Select Agent.

Man, that's messed up.

Serve in Heaven? Or rule in Hell? I think I am starting to see which has the better class of people . . .