(forgive me, I've held this in for a while)

Yeppers, you'll owe chargebacks on folks who leave after you turn in notice. They teach you to sell yourself and the coverage, DON'T WORRY ABOUT PRICE, and then when the customer leaves BECAUSE YOU LEFT, they'll hit you for it. But don't worry, its all in the contract you signed. You remember, the one that was put in front of you with no option to modify it. The one you just finished working your tail off so you could career? What are you gonna do, NOT SIGN IT???? Never seen a more one-sided piece of paper in my life, and I knew it at the time. I told the area rep when he came out to not even read it to me, didn't matter, just point where you want me to sign because I just called in favors to get the required policies to career.

I left a year ago and had to eat a few commissions. Life is so much better away from that scene. The stress of trying to sell an unsellable policy premium -- gone. Life insurance that costs too much, no more. Beating down prospects because you gotta sell xxx more policies before next Tuesday to make quota -- gone. I'm so glad to have gotten away before investing any more of my soul into that company. Never had a problem with the policies and coverage I was selling (even though I should have, since the "premier" home policy was only a slightly tricked HOA, not even the industry standard HOB/HO3!).

The way Farmers handles agents should be a crime. Don't know how it was in your office, but most new agents in mine were straight out of college, with no real world experience. I wonder why savvy business types aren't jumping at the chance to "own" their own Farmers agency? How come I was being paid as an independent contractor (1099), yet I had more restrictions/expectations put on me than I had at my last professional salaried job?????? I'll just take solace in the thought that the days of captive agency are likely coming to an end. Oh no, the captive companies don't want to change the current scheme, its just that they'll no longer have anyone to schlep their products on as the customer has more more instant access to alternatives. Heck, the Farmers agents I know are practically independent already, with all of their "hush,hush" arrangements. And who can blame them??? When the premium increases on the only products they're "allowed" to sell threaten to crumble the business they spent the last 30 years building, heck yeah they're gonna find ways to keep their clients! Food on my kid's table, or "do the right thing"? Yeah, I'll take some food please.

I'll say it: a Farmers customer is a someone who a)is related to the agent, b)deeply loves their agent, or c)hasn't bothered to comparison shop. The absence of any of these three would mean the client would not be a Farmers customer.

You're beautiful, have a great day.
TS in The Great State of Texas



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/09/2009 11:44AM by administrator.