Both were Fraternal Insurance Companies, kind of a Lutheran answer to lodges that offered insurance, but required secret signs or other rites of membership that went against Lutheran teachings.
Membership came a couple of different ways, you were Lutheran or born to Lutheran A.A.L. members and purchased life insurance or another insurance product. I remember our family's A.A.L. man coming by the house to visit with mom and dad and it was like an old friend coming to see them.
Joining A.A.L. as a District Representative I had a territory with more than 1,000 members scattered over parts of Eau Claire, Chippewa, and Clarke counties of north Wisconsin.
I believed in working with clients was oriented to help them solve needs or concerns they had at a reasonable cost. Around the kitchen table I told them that I wouldn't worry about whether they made a purchase from me that evening, but when they were ready to move I was glad to help them. Of course, I would add, if I go long enough without a sale then I might not be here when you are ready.
Life during the first three years was difficult, but the blessings incredible in being able to provide service and real help to clients in a variety of situations.
You would think that death claims were the worst part of the job. They were, but each one was a powerful reminder of my work's importance.
My first two death claims came on the same day. An 82 year old woman and a 15 year old girl. The girl was riding in a truck with a friend involved in a head-on collision. I met the family at the funeral home in my second month on the job.
That was a motivator for me to get out and meet all of my clients and help before they couldn't take action.
I was blessed to develop close relationships with many clients through the years and became an extended part of their families.
It wasn't a good job for a person with a fear of dogs. The first and most dramatic case of this came on a trip to a rural home in the forest. I drove in my 4 by 4 pre-owned GMC Jimmy (had to have one for north Wisconsin, didn't I?) and as I came to a stop two dogs jumped high enough to look in my window.
Eventually the home owner came out and called off the dogs. I never was bit, but I'll admit my heart raced mighty fast a number of times.
There was a lot of on the job learning working in insurance and investments. In the small town of Augusta, where we lived, I met with a client. He asked for some advice on retirement planning and I prepared all kinds of proposals. They didn't get far. No sale.
A couple years later, the same man pulled up to the curb while I was walking home where my office was located. He asked me to get in. Once inside, he told me he still hadn't pulled the trigger on his retirement. I listened as he told me what he wanted... and I had learned enough by then to say I would check with the Home Office to see if we could find a solution. They did and the client made the investment.
It was a combination of being in the area and continuing to work (plowing the fields, so to speak) and listening to what people wanted to do when they shared their dreams. It was a good lesson.
Life as a commissioned salesperson was a roller coaster ride... small paychecks and big checks never seeming to come in the right order or at the right time.
Beyond sales were the branches. They were made of A.A.L. members (who owned a product) and were members of the same church. They would work to raise money to help folks in need or raise funds for organizations. My folks had been branch officers for years and I had a couple years as a branch president before joining the organization.
It was at the branch meetings that I heard about births and retirements and family changes. It was at those meetings I got to know people without the "threat" of a sale taking place.
It was also where I got in the habit of putting together an annual picnic and bus trips.
Comments
Post a Comment