Wendy
Clinton,#2Author of original report
Fri, December 02, 2011
All things considered, I'm still glad I got out when I did. The environment in the office I was in was pure poison and it wasn't going to get any better. I was most certainly willing to do all of the hard work and I was always punctual and ready to get down to business. However, the definition of insanity is still doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result the leadership team was intentionally not doing what it could to help others help themselves. I am happy for those who suceed- but I'm still glad I got out. I ended up doing something much more rewarding (to me) in my time and got to work with some great people!
golittleperson
Madison,#3Consumer Comment
Fri, December 02, 2011
I'm an glad to hear how well it is going for someone anyway. Maybe I should stress that year one and two were very solid. Expecially for "starting my own business." But, for your first two years your new associate premium and meeting goals as well as new accounts all help your District, and Regionals highly. After year two - your premium is important but newbies are the priority just because of the way mgmt. is paid. Now - I was still ok year three and four, five began to go down hill and I was working my bum off. In year 6 now and it is pure H___. I am in deep enough to see the true colors and can not count the lies I have been told by those supposedly in authority - even though they are also contractors.
Did you get and read a copy of your contract? I bet you just signed here. Find one and read it. You have very few rights and even fewer protections. Your assoicates, accounts all your work does not belong to your independent business so the mgmt. team can play a lot of games and I promise WHEN it fits their need - yours will not matter.
I hope you are in a better area - but for years I thought I was too. I was the one on here defending the "job." Now,If you can be 100% on your own, lone wolf, need no one or no thing and get lucky enough they leave you alone - you can make it. I've tried using the "proper channels" and nothing. Just flustered and lied to on so many levels. I've lost or better to say, had more taken away from me this year by those who could - WITHOUT cause, than I have made. NO safety nets.
Remember the old song lyric "everyone lies sometimes"! Watch your back. The real shame is that Aflac is a great product.
golittleperson
Madison,#4Consumer Comment
Mon, November 28, 2011
Understand your frustration and I question independent contractor status when you are told so much what you can and can't do - but that is another story. I just started a concern on here about the field force and ethics.
My reason for posting here is that I noticed one of your replies referred to Aflac as foreign owned. Now, currently I am not a fan but I do believe in accuracy. Aflac was founded in the US in 1955, is still chaired( even though now fortune 200 and on the stock exchange) by the same family that started the business. Is is not now nor has it ever been Foreign. They do a lot of business in Japan so maybe that is where the "rumor" started.
bobbyjeans
Laguna Niguel,#5UPDATE EX-employee responds
Mon, October 25, 2010
I understand your problems with AFLAC and find the later rebuttal about it being a start up position...
There is a better company out there who offers the same policies as AFLAC but also the most important thing "training"
And you are matched with a mentor who....wants you to do well! I know a foreign concept for those who have worked with the duck...
Aflac is a foreign owned company not US. Maybe they should spend more money on their training instead of advertising. I have also seen numerous complaints regarding problems with policies paying out. Perhaps the lack of agent training leads to improperly written policies?????????
Dan in WV
Morgantown,#6UPDATE Employee
Wed, October 13, 2010
I think you didn't understand you were at Aflac bootcamp. It was just like any other lower level starting job and you needed to adjust your expectations and let people weed themselves out. Instead through your moaning and loudness you weeded yourself out...No job site would stand for that.
Aflac has amazing chances to run your own business with National Advertising for free and very low start up cost (Testing fees and some gas money) I have been at it for less than 6 months and have 10 of my own accounts and my boss takes me into his large accounts 100 employee or more to write business on a regular basis.
Some people can't handle dealing with stress, pressure, or the daily ins and outs of the business. It is a sales job but at the same time you must provide service to your existing accounts and help new associates get started.
I know that Aflac's training is relative to the area you are in but it is still very similar and you individual experience depends on your DSC and Regional Director. However, you could have overcame that with hard work and connections within your community.
I am sorry your experience was so bad but in contrast my experience has been the exact opposite. I am on the way to a very successful first year with Aflac...I wanted to be a teacher with my Dual B.A. in History and Religious Studies but my Aflac will easily out earn that by about 10 to 20k my first year and that's not counting renewals. i can't wait for year 2.
Good luck to you.
Wendy
Clinton,#7Author of original report
Wed, September 08, 2010
I'm a huge believer in giving updates when they are due.
I spoke with Dave and we are going to speak further. He wasn't too impressed with the behavior in the office but we will continue to talk. Do I have any faith that things will change in the particular office that I was in? No. I needed to be trained for my job. Point blank. I can't sell a product if I'm not trained. I can get a license and sit on it and spin if I'm not trained. The management in that office simply isn't set up to train people properly and/or humanely.
However, I'd like to thank Dave for giving me his valuable time to speak with me.