years ago when I was a new underwriter, I went on the road with my boss to market to some of our agents. They asked if we were able to offer certain coverages and he looked them dead in the eye and tell them we could. When we got in the car and I asked him why he’d done that since he was promising them things we couldn’t deliver, he told me he did whatever it took to get them interested in us. I vowed then and there that I’d always be honest with people when I was on the road…it’s better to break the bad news to them sooner than later.
Had a guy I managed that would tell you it’s cold outside to sell you a coat in the middle of summer, and probably get you to buy it. Turns out he was doing other things that were not so ignored. Took us 3 months to be able to fire him for it with all the evidence we had to gather.
Went to an annual sales rollout meeting; a how to by field producers. One agent had all this life insurance along with p and c and told how he ran his rural agency and they showed his life production to date for the year. By the next year he was gone — lied to the life company on an app for this old guy who had serious heart problems – the commission was about 20k.
There are good and bad in every industry. I am in sales and recently had a non-profit customer and donated my commission to them. There are plenty of other examples of salespeople maintaining ethical standards. It is more a matter of one’s upbringing than one’s chosen profession. To assert that success in sales requires unethical conduct is absurd.
Honestly, nearly all brokers and agents tell these lies:
“We have access to nearly every domestic U.S. insurance company.”
“We have the best relationship with ABC Insurance Company.” (usually, the most competitive insurer. After all, if you told the truth when another broker truly had a better relationship with the most competitive insurers, you might lose the business. You HAVE to lie.)
“There are only a few insurance companies interested in your account and we have access to all of them.” (“except for the two competitive direct writers who love your industry and might kick my butt, I mean”).
“I got you a great deal this year.” (for every account, every time, every year)
Having been in real estate & insurance sales, it is my opinion that RE salespeople make insurance agents look like saints. Used car salesmen are on a par with the RE bozos.
Speaking of car salesmen, I was once shopping for a car, and the salesman offered me what I knew was an incredibly low-ball trade-in on my existing car, then told me to my face he was only offering THAT much as a favor, because he liked me. Bought my car at a different dealership, where they gave me a decent trade-in offer, with no editorials or fake compliments.
years ago when I was a new underwriter, I went on the road with my boss to market to some of our agents. They asked if we were able to offer certain coverages and he looked them dead in the eye and tell them we could. When we got in the car and I asked him why he’d done that since he was promising them things we couldn’t deliver, he told me he did whatever it took to get them interested in us. I vowed then and there that I’d always be honest with people when I was on the road…it’s better to break the bad news to them sooner than later.
I no longer work for the guy.
I admire you, Rob. That’s moral and decent.
Had a guy I managed that would tell you it’s cold outside to sell you a coat in the middle of summer, and probably get you to buy it. Turns out he was doing other things that were not so ignored. Took us 3 months to be able to fire him for it with all the evidence we had to gather.
Went to an annual sales rollout meeting; a how to by field producers. One agent had all this life insurance along with p and c and told how he ran his rural agency and they showed his life production to date for the year. By the next year he was gone — lied to the life company on an app for this old guy who had serious heart problems – the commission was about 20k.
There are good and bad in every industry. I am in sales and recently had a non-profit customer and donated my commission to them. There are plenty of other examples of salespeople maintaining ethical standards. It is more a matter of one’s upbringing than one’s chosen profession. To assert that success in sales requires unethical conduct is absurd.
Honestly, nearly all brokers and agents tell these lies:
“We have access to nearly every domestic U.S. insurance company.”
“We have the best relationship with ABC Insurance Company.” (usually, the most competitive insurer. After all, if you told the truth when another broker truly had a better relationship with the most competitive insurers, you might lose the business. You HAVE to lie.)
“There are only a few insurance companies interested in your account and we have access to all of them.” (“except for the two competitive direct writers who love your industry and might kick my butt, I mean”).
“I got you a great deal this year.” (for every account, every time, every year)
Having been in real estate & insurance sales, it is my opinion that RE salespeople make insurance agents look like saints. Used car salesmen are on a par with the RE bozos.
Speaking of car salesmen, I was once shopping for a car, and the salesman offered me what I knew was an incredibly low-ball trade-in on my existing car, then told me to my face he was only offering THAT much as a favor, because he liked me. Bought my car at a different dealership, where they gave me a decent trade-in offer, with no editorials or fake compliments.