What annoys you the most?

[WMSG]

Primerica

Side note/question -- do you find Primerica a lot in your marketplace?

 

[theinsuranceman]

Excellent question! Let me preface my answer by saying I don't have any producers that "work" for me per se. I am not a GA, manager, etc. I am a producer. I have a "para-planner/professional" on my team, who is a licensed producer, but he doesn't go out and write business on his own. He "works" for me and works on my cases.

However, I do a lot of speaking engagements/presentations, speak to producers all the time, serve on FAB's, producer committees/boards, industry committees/boards, etc. What I find most common vis a vis complaints is:
1) Complaints about products
2) Complaints about support
3) Complaints about compliance and underwriting
4) Complaints about compensation
5) Complaints about management

I am sure I am leaving something/more out. I hear it time and time again, every single time I talk to producers.

After 35 years in this business, I have learned that there is one solution to every single problem. I don't care what the problem is, where it originates from, the cause, effect, whatever the case may be. The answer...the solution...is...

See more people...write more business...place more business. Period.

I don't know if this is going to make sense to anyone...But...Believe it or not, that can solve every single problem you may have or face. There is an entire discussion, mindset, etc., in and around this. It has to do with your business and business model. Put your head down, see more people, write more business, and place more business. That gives you the ability to resolve any problem you may have or face. Sid Friedman told me that. We were on a trip together to Napa Valley. There were about twenty of us. I forgot which company, production, award, etc., trip it was. But it was a very heart-to-heart, bottom line, cut the BS type of discussion. If you produce more...then you can afford to spend, invest, hire, buy...in whatever the solution might be...technology, real estate, personnel, marketing, personal, whatever!

I don't mean to sound cold, indifferent, or dismissive. I face issues in my business and complain as well. But, I also realize, immediately, that either I am going to be part of the problem, or I am going to be part of the solution...and that there is a solution.

As the President of Sr Life Ins. Co. says "production takes care a lot of things". So true!

 

[Allen Trent]

When an upline suggests that attendance will "set your business on fire" or that "Frank, I think attending will really set a good example for your downlines" or "Frank, your the last guy on the team who hasn't signed up for the conference", etc etc etc.

I hate when the upline calls me Frank, just shows how little they even know me because I don't go by Frank.

I also hate the use of Vis a Vis or double entandre or defacto

 

[Allen Trent]

As the President of Sr Life Ins. Co. says "production takes care a lot of things". So true!

Especially true for the President that Production takes care of a lot of things for him/her/they

 

[DHK]

Side note/question -- do you find Primerica a lot in your marketplace?

No... but they sure make a lot of noise. I may not be looking for trouble, but sometimes trouble come looking for you.

I don't have the patience of @jcorr . He'll take one out to lunch and challenge their beliefs. I just don't have the patience or the temperament to do that in real life. It's bad enough on Facebook, so I just block them and their foolishness. It's like a PhD arguing with a toddler. Just by doing it, the PhD ends up looking stupid for even attempting it.

Now, there are SOME (very few) unicorns in Primerica who believe what they believe, but are willing to learn. I've got a couple in my new Whole Life Insurance Agent Discussion page on Facebook (only 270 members after 2 weeks). But we're not going to be debating BTID, DR, SM, etc. Only discussing how to combat it and the advanced uses of whole life insurance to help improve and elevate our conversations and how we help people with our products.

 

[WMSG]

While I don't point fingers, I am a producer. Always have been, and always will be. That said, I will say there are other aspects and "direction" of the industry that -- I wouldn't say annoy me, but -- are of concern to me. In the world of products being "commoditized" -- we are also seeing sales, sales process, industries, and certain aspects of the service/sales delivery system becoming so as well. In certain marketplaces there will be more, others less, and for the time being some will remain "constant" and status quo.

Be that as it may, first, I have long been concerned at the trends I see in various home offices. I serve on various FAB's, committees, etc., and between culture, attitudes, direction, and business/corporate models, I don't like what I see. Dealing with home office's today is far different than it used to be, and different not in a good way, LOL. I feel home offices are moving more toward marketplace delivery than distribution systems. Second, the service/sales delivery model is changing, and while change is constant, and happening quicker, faster, at a much more rapid rate, some of what we are seeing gives us a glimpse of the future. I don't think all of it is good, at least not for life insurance professionals, certain companies, marketplaces, etc. Look, there should always be work for the "contractor" and for the "Home Depot/DIY" person so to speak, LOL.

That said, the future is upon us, LOL.

 

[rousemark]

I hate when the upline calls me Frank, just shows how little they even know me because I don't go by Frank.

I also hate the use of Vis a Vis or double entandre or defacto

Understand... I am the same way by Sidney which is my first name, or even worse Mark which is not my name at all.

 

[WMSG]

No... but they sure make a lot of noise. I may not be looking for trouble, but sometimes trouble come looking for you.

I don't have the patience of @jcorr . He'll take one out to lunch and challenge their beliefs. I just don't have the patience or the temperament to do that in real life. It's bad enough on Facebook, so I just block them and their foolishness. It's like a PhD arguing with a toddler. Just by doing it, the PhD ends up looking stupid for even attempting it.

Now, there are SOME (very few) unicorns in Primerica who believe what they believe, but are willing to learn. I've got a couple in my new Whole Life Insurance Agent Discussion page on Facebook (only 270 members after 2 weeks). But we're not going to be debating BTID, DR, SM, etc. Only discussing how to combat it and the advanced uses of whole life insurance to help improve and elevate our conversations and how we help people with our products.

Got it. Thanks. I agree, and I very much like the PhD/toddler analogy. Thanks for that one. I am going to use it! My initial reaction is that I don't think they make near as much noise today as they used to. However, that could be me, marketplace, geography, and who knows what else. I competed with Primerica twice, back in the 90's. Once, I politely walked as it was a referral to a "friend of family" who needed help. The second time they came and went like a sneeze. I don't come across them at all in my marketplace, but I see them once in a while with the children or grandchildren of a client.

One thing I noticed was that the few times I've seen them -- none of the policies had waiver of premium. That bothered me. I think it's outright negligence of the client's best interest and protection. I got a call once from the guy who owned the gas station where I get gas. He asked me if I'd help him out and look over his policies. I said sure. He was diagnosed with MS, had Primerica coverage, and no waiver of premium. He had another policy, Mass Mutual, with waiver, thankfully.

I think the drink the kool-aid mindset, and the so called belief system is reflective of a multi-level marketing company.

 

[TwiLight]

I hate the fact I read this thread from start to here. What a waste of time

Skipper

 

[toolbelt]

Got it. Thanks. I agree, and I very much like the PhD/toddler analogy. Thanks for that one. I am going to use it! My initial reaction is that I don't think they make near as much noise today as they used to. However, that could be me, marketplace, geography, and who knows what else. I competed with Primerica twice, back in the 90's. Once, I politely walked as it was a referral to a "friend of family" who needed help. The second time they came and went like a sneeze. I don't come across them at all in my marketplace, but I see them once in a while with the children or grandchildren of a client.

One thing I noticed was that the few times I've seen them -- none of the policies had waiver of premium. That bothered me. I think it's outright negligence of the client's best interest and protection. I got a call once from the guy who owned the gas station where I get gas. He asked me if I'd help him out and look over his policies. I said sure. He was diagnosed with MS, had Primerica coverage, and no waiver of premium. He had another policy, Mass Mutual, with waiver, thankfully.

I think the drink the kool-aid mindset, and the so called belief system is reflective of a multi-level marketing company.

Reflective???? lol