Suggestions for Coping with Work Environment

[MiInsuranceGuy]

I accepted a position under a captive on 06/01/17 due to someone I worked with previously (who is now my coworker again) basically selling me on how great the job is. It's an office of 4 including the agent. Seven months in and I wake up dreading going to work. Looking for new employment isn't an option due to strength of current resume and my pay plus hours is decent enough. I really want to be the best me, but am struggling at coping with the day to day and I would love to hear from some others in the field of P&C on how to get out of this hole I'm in. Here are some examples of what's going on:

- Agent of 17 years is stuck in his ways, hates confrontation, and does not follow up with his expectations. Example is he has said multiple times we shouldn't have our cell phones out. The same employee is the one that is on her phone all day every day but nothing gets done. Spends roughly 50% of the time on outside things such as family stuff, another organization he is involved in, etc. When informing him of specific issues or clients that want to speak with him he blows it off.

- Above employee has been with Agent for 17 years. Absolutely terrible at the job. Incredibly unprofessional, terrible phone etiquette, and couldn't sell a life jacket to a drowning person. Agent has been confronted multiple times about issues, specifically having her boyfriend come into the office every day for three weeks straight for multiple hours each day and hugging/kissing in the office but nothing gets done.

- Friend is good at her job but frequently calls off, leaves multiple times during the day, or leaves early. 1 of 3 usually three times a week.

- We must service on top of selling and I take responsibility that I'm terrible at service work (past insurance positions I was new business only). Our underwriters are absolutely terrible and are corporate stooges. Our 800# for service is equally terrible and it sets us in the office up for failure. I feel like I spend 70% of my day dealing with service and for me it really bogs me down mentally and emotionally hearing customers yell at me and dealing with the incompetence of underwriting and servicing on top of the laziness of my coworker.

Those that have went through similar struggles and what not, how do you cope with it? What to do on a daily basis that helps? My thought is to become so engrossed in outbound calls and what not for new business the others will be forced to do more on the service. I really appreciate any responses, advice etc.

 

[leevena]

You need to leave, there is always a job out there for someone like you. But, from my arms length opinion, it does appear to me that you may be part of the problem too.

From your post it appears that everyone is a poor/weak employee except you, with the exception of service work which you admit you are terrible at. Let me give you some advice, service work is the responsibility of each and every employee of any organization. Agent has 17 years experience and is stuck in his ways...or has he been successful and is doing what he needs to do. The other employee has been working for the agent for 17 years, and if she is so terrible why would they keep her? Underwriters and call center are terrible.

Believe you need to take a long hard look at yourself. If you worked for me you would have been shown the door.

 

[LGilmore]

What Leevena said times ten....

Sorry, this is not a good fit for you. Perhaps nothing is. You could leave and later claim they don't deserve you. The thing is, they'd probably agree.

 

[MiInsuranceGuy]

You need to leave, there is always a job out there for someone like you. But, from my arms length opinion, it does appear to me that you may be part of the problem too.

From your post it appears that everyone is a poor/weak employee except you, with the exception of service work which you admit you are terrible at. Let me give you some advice, service work is the responsibility of each and every employee of any organization. Agent has 17 years experience and is stuck in his ways...or has he been successful and is doing what he needs to do. The other employee has been working for the agent for 17 years, and if she is so terrible why would they keep her? Underwriters and call center are terrible.

Believe you need to take a long hard look at yourself. If you worked for me you would have been shown the door.

She has been the lowest salesperson over the last five years every month. She is consistently rude, is physical with her boyfriend as well as customers giving men hugs and not just the pat on the back type, and I'm the one with the issue? My friend that works here said she has made four complaints about this person and our Agent does nothing because he hates confrontation. He also is a very charitable man and takes pity on her because she's a single mother of three, although 2 kids are out of the house. He's went as far as giving her vehicles in the past.

Also, my friend that works here is great. We have a great relationship. It makes things tough when she leaves a lot and the other is lazy. I take more than three times the incoming calls and double outgoing but I'm the one with the problem? Please. My friend is also incredible at selling and is a boss at referrals. We have a friendly competition every month.

Your statement regarding everyone doing service work is so far off base it's incredible. Multiple agencies have a separate sales division and service division. And of course in other organizations the divisions are separated. Hence dial #1 for sales and #2 for service.

And to say you would've shown me the door, I'd probably never of worked for you because you sound like someone I wouldn't want to work for anyways. I know who I am and I know my worth. I just have trouble with service and getting bogged down by the B.S. that goes on. I'm looking for advice, not assumptions on knowing my agency.

 

[LGilmore]

You are not helping your case with your comments. Worry about how clean your own porch is before you complain about your neighbors.

 

[VolAgent]

You have two choices, leave or stay and put up with it. It really doesn't matter who the problem is, those are your choices.

That said, I find when everyone is the problem but me, then the problem is probably me. And that is definitely how you come across. You come asking for advice, you get honest advice that isn't what you want to hear and then you get defensive. That suggests the problem may be you. Perhaps you simply need a new outlook on life, sometimes we go sour and don't even realize it.

Also, just in case you weren't aware, the office belongs to the agent. As long as the company, I assume he is captive, is happy, he can basically do whatever he wants. If he wants to "be stuck in his ways" and ignore bad behavior from his employees, that is his decision.

Maybe you just need a short break to regroup and adjust.

 

[MiInsuranceGuy]

I listed my issues for advice but maybe I should've listed the positives about why I didn't leave immediately and go back to my previous job.

- My agent is a very kind man who loves his community and treats us with respect. He's been with our captive company for a total of 23 years (6 at the corporate level) and we share the same sentiments about corporate not doing the right things for the local Agent level. He's very flexible with schedule and is an advocate that family comes first. He spends much of his time with the Knights of Columbus doing charity work.

- My friend is a wonderful person who is fun and happy to be around. She's almost always smiling and is always helpful whenever I have questions about things I haven't learned yet with the system. We always help each other with our clients whether it's new business or old.

- The other one doesn't smell.

I thrive at new business because it's new and a chance to build a strong relationship. I have great rapport with clients and generally enjoy talking with people. I have been clinically diagnosed with high anxiety and PTSD which makes the service work hard because I don't handle being screamed at well. This is why I was seeking help on an insurance board because I thought others could relate.

My initial post may have been low quality so I will apologize for that. I want to be the best in our region and I know I'm having trouble coping with the "noise" of my agency and the service work. That's why I created an account here to ask for help. If this is unacceptable than I will reply no more.

 

[leevena]

My intent is not to beat up on you, sorry if it came across as such. But so far most of the comments are in the same vein as mine.

Also, this is a learning experience for you too, especially on your comment about service..."Your statement regarding everyone doing service work is so far off base it's incredible. Multiple agencies have a separate sales division and service division. And of course in other organizations the divisions are separated. Hence dial #1 for sales and #2 for service". You are taking a very myoptic view of what service is and who provides. Everyone in an organization provides service, and more importantly they should understand it as such. Whether you are the CEO or the brand new receptionist, our most important job is to provide service to their customers...excuse me, to the people who pay your salary.

 

[scagnt83]

Life isnt fair, people are not equal at work, & its a free country.

All of these complaints are about other people and things not being "fair", how they get preferential treatment and the OP doesnt. Everyone else is lazy and incompetent, even the insurance carriers..... yet the OP is on the ball... LOL.

People like that dont last long in this industry.

When everyone else is the the problem.... it's really you that is the problem.

 

[goillini52]

When everyone else is the the problem.... it's really you that is the problem.

Hahaha, are you referencing Crooked Hillary?