Call Centers/Phone Sales vs. F2F

[Tothetop]

I see a lot of talk about about call centers on these forums lately. All the top agents I ever met were F2F agents and that's how I do my business because that is how I was trained . This forum is very useful in that it keeps indy agents up to speed about changes in the industry.

So I gotta ask do call centers/phone sales really compete with F2F in regards to AP and dollars netted? I ask this question to people who run call centers or do their own phone sales from their home office.

What are the pros and cons of the phone sales? I would be particularly interested to hear from agents who have done both.

I would be even more interested to hear from agents who did F2F, solo phone sales, then a call center?

 

[sman]

I see a lot of talk about about call centers on these forums lately. All the top agents I ever met were F2F agents and that's how I do my business because that is how I was trained . This forum is very useful in that it keeps indy agents up to speed about changes in the industry.

So I gotta ask do call centers/phone sales really compete with F2F in regards to AP and dollars netted? I ask this question to people who run call centers or do their own phone sales from their home office.

What are the pros and cons of the phone sales? I would be particularly interested to hear from agents who have done both.

I would be even more interested to hear from agents who did F2F, solo phone sales, then a call center?

I started in this business doing F2F as well. There was a time I would have said there's no way you can write much business over the phone and also have it stay on the books like F2F would. When I added Medicare business to my services I was buying internet leads (maybe 2006-2007) and due to the distance between myself and some of these people, I would complete the application over the phone and mail it to them for signatures and include a postage paid return envelope. I can only remember one time not getting an application back.

I'm not a call center and I don't cold call. Nor do I purchase leads or do any type of direct mail. It's all referral now. However, it is almost exclusively done over the phone and applications are now completed electronically. I also write some life insurance and that is done the same way. Again, this my business model is different than a call center situation or cold calling. But you can definitely write volume and persistent business over the phone.

 

[Nicole Phillips]

Choosing to do Face to Face interactions is not for me and certainly not for everyone. You seem to be curious about numbers more than the day to day process associated with working in a Call Center. What I will tell you is that getting a great hourly salary, one that I could depend on every week is better than working on commissions only because it is just to unpredictable for what I need in my life at this time.

I will say that once a person reaches a certain status in life, as it is related to wealth, there are more options to take an Insurance Agent Career to new levels like opening an office and having the benefit of using the Branding of a major Insurance Company can be helpful in drawing in new and creating repeat business. This type of situation can help with scheduling appointments with prospects and even in having a central location for clients to come in and make payments so I will not say I will never want to take my career to that level. I would just want to do it when I can afford the luxury of not being dependent on a regular salary like that which is offered to me as a Call Center Agent. Selling face to face is more for people who are either married and there is other income that can pay the bills and keep food on the table. When a person has that type of situation, they are able to take more risk and structure their Insurance Portfolio based on Commission alone.

Working in a Call Center does mean anything changes as far as the type of Customer Experience I can offer my client, in fact it makes my interaction more professional and I have all the resources and help I need to make sure I can not only read required disclosures and plan details but also send detailed portfolios to my clients before they ever make a purchase. Then I can also recommend that the client use the Insurers website to register for an account that would help them to manage their plan, including making payments and reviewing plan details. Overall, being trained in a Call Center Environment and working in it, will help to prepare any Agent to be a better Field Agent.

In the end, it is not about how you interact with the client but helping to meet the client's needs and saving them money on Healthcare Cost.

 

[myinsurebiz]

Selling face to face is more for people who are either married and there is other income that can pay the bills and keep food on the table.

Bahahahahaha . . .

 

[FinalExpenseDojo.com]

Started doing phone sales at the end of October 2017. I was a field agent for almost 2 years (1 year in FE). I am no guru & I have a long way to go but maybe I can share what I've learned.

I would say the biggest difference in phone sales is it's 99% about processes. You need a very good sales process in order to maximize your marketing dollars. Without a dialed in process, you can easily go broke.

This is why you don't see many Indy agents selling over the phone on their own. It cost a lot of money to do things the right way & it's easier for agents to take a low comp & have someone else worry about it.

 

[somarco]

It is probably easier to make the sale F2F if you can read visual cues. Most of my first 20 years in the business was F2F in a business setting (not kitchen table). I enjoyed it and made good money but it is an expensive way of doing business.

Selling by phone requires you to tune out everything else and focus on what is being said. You don't waste as much time and $$ on commute time and gas. Commuting is non-productive even with hands free technology.

Phone sales isn't for everyone, but most people who make the transition from F2F to phone never go back.

 

[TampaHound]

I've been doing phone sales of one sort or another since I've been 16. As many have said, it's not for everyone...but then neither is F2F.

That being said your either buying your own leads or working in a call center environment where the leads are being provided.

I do the later. I may not make as much as others on this board but I do OK. I like having a solid paycheck, I do make bonus and residuals on top of that as well.

 

[YouGotMyMoney]

I do the later. I may not make as much as others on this board but I do OK. I like having a solid paycheck, I do make bonus and residuals on top of that as well.

When you work for someone else, there is nothing solid about your check - think about that seriously.

 

[Tothetop]

I started in this business doing F2F as well. There was a time I would have said there's no way you can write much business over the phone and also have it stay on the books like F2F would. When I added Medicare business to my services I was buying internet leads (maybe 2006-2007) and due to the distance between myself and some of these people, I would complete the application over the phone and mail it to them for signatures and include a postage paid return envelope. I can only remember one time not getting an application back.

I'm not a call center and I don't cold call. Nor do I purchase leads or do any type of direct mail. It's all referral now. However, it is almost exclusively done over the phone and applications are now completed electronically. I also write some life insurance and that is done the same way. Again, this my business model is different than a call center situation or cold calling. But you can definitely write volume and persistent business over the phone.

Thanks. I would ask then what is the process? Is it the same as F2F? How do you develop trust over the phone and direction over the phone?

Also what are the hours like? Is it less controlled than F2F?

 

[Tothetop]

Started doing phone sales at the end of October 2017. I was a field agent for almost 2 years (1 year in FE). I am no guru & I have a long way to go but maybe I can share what I've learned.

I would say the biggest difference in phone sales is it's 99% about processes. You need a very good sales process in order to maximize your marketing dollars. Without a dialed in process, you can easily go broke.

This is why you don't see many Indy agents selling over the phone on their own. It cost a lot of money to do things the right way & it's easier for agents to take a low comp & have someone else worry about it.

What exactly do you mean by sales process relating to marketing dollars? What is the sales process like selling over the phone or what is the typical sales cycle?