What is it like selling Aflac in the current economic environment?

Has the bottom dropped out in the last couple weeks - as far as appointments, new groups, new enrollments?

Thinking about starting with Aflac - I had some real success three years ago setting appointments and opening groups, but had to give it up for personal reasons after opening 11 groups in about 4 months. Would this be the wrong time to try again?

Hello ,
The real problem is the district managers will hire as many agents as will apply. They benefit from it, they get commisions off everyone. It makes your job impossible because Aflac agents are everywhere. Very rarely will you call anywhere and Aflac agent has not already called. The Massachusetts area is so bad.
Example =15 independant gents make $20, 000 year (if your lucky). The hiring manager who get's you to take the Job make $80,000.00.
Now that Aflac is estblished in each state the $$$ is not out there to be made.
I did it and whish i never did .

RudyCantFail in Florence, Kentucky said: Has the bottom dropped out in the last couple weeks - as far as appointments, new groups, new enrollments?

Thinking about starting with Aflac - I had some real success three years ago setting appointments and opening groups, but had to give it up for personal reasons after opening 11 groups in about 4 months. Would this be the wrong time to try again?

Chucky1 in Salem, Massachusetts said: Hello ,
The real problem is the district managers will hire as many agents as will apply. They benefit from it, they get commisions off everyone. It makes your job impossible because Aflac agents are everywhere. Very rarely will you call anywhere and Aflac agent has not already called. The Massachusetts area is so bad.
Example =15 independant gents make $20, 000 year (if your lucky). The hiring manager who get's you to take the Job make $80,000.00.
Now that Aflac is estblished in each state the $$$ is not out there to be made.
I did it and whish i never did .

I have to disagree with Chucky on this one. I can say in the MD, DC, VA, DE area there are a TON of AFLAC agents but I come across businesses everyday that have not been talked to about the product even though I hear the same complaint that Chucky has all the time. The problem is everyone is going after the same kinds of clientele and ignoring others. Try to diversify your groups and you will be better success.

Hi Big Ant/Rudy ,
Why are they always hiring in every state. The district manager /independent agents continue to create a pyramid scheme with thier hiring practices. Also , they will hire any-one / any-time. I thought I was in the star wars bar when I went to training(what a freak show). If you have one once of education, I would go in another direction.
They have tunred this job into pyramid scheme. You could cold all day for 10 hours a day in MA ( for six months).You would not get 11 appointments . Never mind getting 11 groups signed (pipe dream). This job has lost it's luster.

Chucky1 in Salem, Massachusetts said: Hi Big Ant/Rudy ,
Why are they always hiring in every state. The district manager /independent agents continue to create a pyramid scheme with thier hiring practices. Also , they will hire any-one / any-time. I thought I was in the star wars bar when I went to training(what a freak show). If you have one once of education, I would go in another direction.
They have tunred this job into pyramid scheme. You could cold all day for 10 hours a day in MA ( for six months).You would not get 11 appointments . Never mind getting 11 groups signed (pipe dream). This job has lost it's luster.

To be completely honest, the reason for the constant hiring (which I have found to be the norm for many pure commission sales positions) is two-fold. First there is the method of recruiting new agents. The reality is not everyone (not most people) are built to do this or be their own boss. It sounds great to everyone but if people are honest with themselves they would realize that being in business for themselves is not for them. I left my corporate job in Feb 07 to go out on my own and started a company from scratch but that is just the kind of person I am. Not many are built like that. If they were, there would be no corporate America. The second issue is an extention of the first. Since not everyone can actually do this (and there is no screening process) you have to have a constant flow of new people in order to find the ones that this is good for. I know...it's a greatly flawed process but what can you do...

In building my team I have taken a completely different approach. I will only bring people on that I think actually can be successfull at doing this. It's amazingly difficult but if you can get it to work it's well worth the effort.

Massachusetts has around 100 new Agents starting and leaving every month.
They last around 2 weeks to 2 months depending upon how long they can go without
making money while keeping the dream alive that MA is virgin territory.

These "temp" agents drum up business that is systematically not closed until
after the agent leaves. This is so the regional and district managers earn the
commissions and residuals of the temp agent efforts.

You won't make the 100k they suggest in the first year and you won't be retiring
in 10 years on residuals. You will make 250 phone call a day and you will resign
within 2 months, broke, busted and disgusted.

Is it the same in other States?

AFLAC is a great company with great policies, but their sales method and management structure needs to seriously change. I have worked over 22 years in the car business and have never seen such cut throat, unethical salespeople in my life. Unfortunately, based on the way that regions are structured and managed it starts from the top and is fed down to the agents. Don't ever believe that you are running your own business, you are only running your regional managers agenda. He made money to hire you and will get rid of you in order to hire another to make money off of them. They have no problem giving your hard earned accounts away to whomever is currently kissing their #$% the most. AFLAC's loosely controlled and ill designed field management will eventually catch up with the company as a whole and no amount of commercials will be able to save the mess they created in the field. They have really great policies but equally bad management. I will never go through that hell ever again. Good economy or bad! BTW: Seems you can sell disability policies, but can't be disabled and sell them???

Sorry to hear that you had a bad experience with Aflac. I agree with your analysis of this company and the way they 'operate'. Not sure if you ever looked into Colonial Life. My partner and I started with Colonial 9 years ago and have grown our office from scratch to $3.4M annual premium. The best thing about it is we only have a team of 8.

I'd like for you to entertain the idea of sitting down with us and get to know how you got involved in the business initially and what your expectations are in an Outside Sales position.

NoMoreDuck in Dayton, Ohio said: AFLAC is a great company with great policies, but their sales method and management structure needs to seriously change. I have worked over 22 years in the car business and have never seen such cut throat, unethical salespeople in my life. Unfortunately, based on the way that regions are structured and managed it starts from the top and is fed down to the agents. Don't ever believe that you are running your own business, you are only running your regional managers agenda. He made money to hire you and will get rid of you in order to hire another to make money off of them. They have no problem giving your hard earned accounts away to whomever is currently kissing their #$% the most. AFLAC's loosely controlled and ill designed field management will eventually catch up with the company as a whole and no amount of commercials will be able to save the mess they created in the field. They have really great policies but equally bad management. I will never go through that hell ever again. Good economy or bad! BTW: Seems you can sell disability policies, but can't be disabled and sell them???

I completely disagree with the previous comments. I've sold Aflac products for over a decade, and the colleagues that I've known during that time (and still work with every week) are honest, hard-working, wonderful people.

There are always going to be unethical people in any business. Aflac is no different. Yes, there are a lot of new agents coming into the field force every month, but so what? This is a competitive work environment! You have to create your own niche, your own 'schtick', whether it's getting up an hour ealier to go prospecting than anyone else, or bringing all your prospects a hot cup of coffee and a donut.

People who bad mouth Aflac focus only on the negatives. And those negatives can apply to any business, anywhere, in any field.

The bottom line is that this is an honest company with great policies. I assist all my policyholders with claims, and have never, ever, EVER had a legitimate claim denied. Not once.

There is no one magic formula for being a success. What works for one person may not be right for another. You simply have to bring all your creative juices to bear when approaching the 'open market.' Whatever it takes, as long as 'it' isn't illegal or immoral is fair game.

I often get asked by new associates what 'the secret to sucess is.' Well, I"ll tell you: the secret is: THERE IS NO SECRET! You have to be enthusiastic, well spoken, well dressed, professional, and LIKEABLE. You MUST know your products COLD...that means being able to discuss any benefit or feature of a policy without having to look at the brochure. (I used to stay up nights and quiz myself ad nauseum on benefit features.)

You have to go where the clients are. Who are the prospective cleints? ANY BUSINESS WITH AT LEAST 3 EMLOYEES. AND...you can sell a direct policy to any one person, couple or family.

All companies are continuously refining their management structure; but in the meantime, I'm going to SELL. Good luc