Agents: the other side…
If it was as rosy as the media projects…why is it that the whole Indian population does not become an agent? Well there are reasons:
1. Agents get treated badly: Agents for any product are seen as an unnecessary evil – and every body makes an attempt to get rid of them! Even if he renders a good service, most people are eager to get rid of the agent.
2. The companies for whom they work, HATE THEM. Well it may be an exaggeration, but the companies like the cheques that the agents bring. The relationship is not like that of an employee who gets protection – medical insurance, life insurance, holidays, …the agent gets nothing.
3. Agents are treated like the ‘kabbadiwala’ – companies need them to bring sales, but when there is a family function, the kabbadiwala does not get invited, does he? Recently one company completed a milestone (number of years – recently my neighbhor’s dog also completed 5 years)..most agents were kept out. LOL
4. Inspite of being treated poorly, agents and principals share a relationship! When agents bring cheques, they get a commission, that is all.
5. Inspite of all that I said above, customers think of agents as the ‘company’s representative’. LOL.
6. Companies and agents distrust each other, completely and fully. Recently one promoter company called up an agent and said ‘you have submitted a wrong form…’ The agent said ‘this is the original’. Promoter company said ..YOU ARE LYING. And he was in the top 5 agents. L O L and ROFL.
These are just 6 reasons..of course there are many…so more posts will follow..
Ashish
Good one… For point 5 – for insurance purposes – agent IS the representative – or is it not so??
sukumaran
legally yes. Rarely is he allowed into the office beyond the reception. May be the loo, but surely not the canteen 🙂
puneet
I could not help thinking about contractors while reading this post. they are treated the same way, atleast in IT industry…
good post.
M S PANJWANI
very true subra,
there cannot be the better article than this which explains poor condition of an agent….
but they keep on working with smile on their face…
bhai saab paapi pet ka sawal hai….
mind blowing….as always…..
Nath
Regarding your Loo / Canteen comment, are we to conclude that the companies like the agent’s output, but are unwilling to provide necessary inputs to generate output of the appropriate quality and/or quantity?
Nath
Clarification to my earlier comment – I’m neither an agent nor part of any financial services company!
subra
agents make money but they get no respect – this is the sum of the post! So Panjwani if an agent is not happy with the money+ lack of respect, he can quit.
Nath – please do not take this literally! largely this is true, but there could be exceptions. Sukumaran brought out the loo and canteen stuff..but he is not too wrong
dinesh
large part of agents job is to cheat the needy, poor common man and earn out of it.
Why should they expect a respect for such unfair job ?
most of the agents are cheaters.
Jagbir
Humanity is mostly dead. How many of us offer a glass of water to the courier/postman when they come to deliver our letters in the hot summer afternoon? Or for the matter a chair to a salesman who visits our house?