Western Southern Anyone?

The independent contract that they have is a stepping stone to coming on board as a captive rep full time. It is only valid for 6 months...but in some cases you might be able to push it to 9 months. The whole point of it is if you are coming to the company from another career and you can't give up your other source of income to jump in head first. The way the W and S contract is set up you can't have any outside positions in or out of the insurance agency. I have hired people before under the independent contract that I thought had potential. but could only keep them under that contract for 6 months and then they had to make the decision to join full time or lose the contract.
 
Find yourself. And then find your company. Forget the products, commissions, etc. Who you are determine who, what, and how effective you are in the industry.
 
Well.... all I can say is W&S and I were not a great fit... shame, too, because I thought it might work.... darn it. I will take full responsibility, too. Not really wanting to blame them, they seemed like a good company.
 
I just am too old school and I did not fit well. That is it, basically. My fault. I should have listened to everyone.
 
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I am a Sales Mgr with the company. I have been there for a little over 3 yrs. the company gives you a good training program with a training salary for 6 weeks. you also get some clients too. not very many and remember you are calling on your book that maybe 4 other agents have called on in the last 2 yrs or so. so getting appts from the book is tough. Prospecting is the hardest thing about the job but I think its like that everywhere. There is sales pressure like everywhere else every week every month. There is alot of meetings with your mgmt team on a weekly basis. that can be good or bad depending how you look at it. Our portfolio is pretty diverse. we sell alot to middle market. You can get promoted fast but it pretty much bottle necks from there. everyone thinks mgmt is where its at, but the agents have the best job in the company. Home office has pretty much taken all authority away from mgmt. so its hard almost impossible to fire someone because they are worried about their net filled going down in the agency. so the agents pretty much fire themselves or quit because they are going broke. now if you are a producer, the company bends over backwards for you. and you make some good money too. Hope this helps
 
I am a Sales Mgr with the company. I have been there for a little over 3 yrs. the company gives you a good training program with a training salary for 6 weeks. you also get some clients too. not very many and remember you are calling on your book that maybe 4 other agents have called on in the last 2 yrs or so. so getting appts from the book is tough. Prospecting is the hardest thing about the job but I think its like that everywhere. There is sales pressure like everywhere else every week every month. There is alot of meetings with your mgmt team on a weekly basis. that can be good or bad depending how you look at it. Our portfolio is pretty diverse. we sell alot to middle market. You can get promoted fast but it pretty much bottle necks from there. everyone thinks mgmt is where its at, but the agents have the best job in the company. Home office has pretty much taken all authority away from mgmt. so its hard almost impossible to fire someone because they are worried about their net filled going down in the agency. so the agents pretty much fire themselves or quit because they are going broke. now if you are a producer, the company bends over backwards for you. and you make some good money too. Hope this helps

What state are you in?
 
I am a Sales Mgr with the company. I have been there for a little over 3 yrs. the company gives you a good training program with a training salary for 6 weeks. you also get some clients too. not very many and remember you are calling on your book that maybe 4 other agents have called on in the last 2 yrs or so. so getting appts from the book is tough. Prospecting is the hardest thing about the job but I think its like that everywhere. There is sales pressure like everywhere else every week every month. There is alot of meetings with your mgmt team on a weekly basis. that can be good or bad depending how you look at it. Our portfolio is pretty diverse. we sell alot to middle market. You can get promoted fast but it pretty much bottle necks from there. everyone thinks mgmt is where its at, but the agents have the best job in the company. Home office has pretty much taken all authority away from mgmt. so its hard almost impossible to fire someone because they are worried about their net filled going down in the agency. so the agents pretty much fire themselves or quit because they are going broke. now if you are a producer, the company bends over backwards for you. and you make some good money too. Hope this helps
Yeah, well, they did not like my style. I guess.
 
I worked foe WS for a year. Email me with your phone # so I can give you more details on about working for them.

Are you still available to give advice on Western and Southern? I am looking into them to start.
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I see all the post saying that Western and Southern is a great place to start a career but maybe not a long term place. I am trying to decide between W&S and NYL but am having a hard time. W&S fits my natural market better but I have had better interaction with NYL and it fits my personality better and I really like the partner I am working with. NYL has been more upfront at W&S the district manager seemed good but the manager I would actually work with just disappeared and some new guy with less than2 years experience has appeared. This makes me quite nervous to be honest and thefact that most agents are quite new not many established agents.

I do have a family friend who spent 32 years at the company and retired but at a different office and not every office is the same as he said.
 
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