Are we violent, senseless and heartless?

Be careful when you are driving in town because there are many road bullies who are violent and dangerous. I didn't believe until last year when I was hit by one who refused to admit his wrong. He was a young driver and together with his friend, he attacked me and also tried to threaten me with aggression. I had to rush to the Police before he caused me any harm.

I think the Malaysian are getting out of hand without consideration to others and behaving ruthlessly. Read the recent news, where it was reported how a woman was tailed by armed group after involving in an accident in Puchong. Her car rear and front windscreens were later smashed. Later when the son came to rescue his mother, they were surrounded by a group of men with parangs and iron rods. Separately son and mother drove to lodge a police report. Unfortunately along the way, out of panic the mother met another serious accident. The son immediately took her to the nearest private hospital. Spoken by the son, "However the hospital demanded RM10,000 for my mother's operation but I only had RM250 with me. They make us wait an hour before transferring her to Hospital Kuala Lumpur." Because of the long delay, this woman died three hours after she was admitted to HKL.

This meaningless tragedy showed how senseless and heartless we are, although we claimed that Malaysian are always friendly and sincere in thought. Our youths are violent and ruthless, and our so called professionals who are supposed to be noble in their practices are only out to make money more than considering to save lives first.

"It is good for a person to earn money for his needs. It is the hunger for wealth that is bad." This proverb depicts the moral of the incident.

Selling and tackling girls are similar in nature.

Most sales persons know how to present their products but not many know how to close a sale effectively. The fact is, prospects may listen or pretend to listen, but no prospect would be directly admitting, "I want to buy." By admitting those few words are like losing their pride for being sold. A professional salesperson knows how to detect buying signals from their interested prospects. Prospects would never admit they want to buy, even they have intention to purchase. A good salesperson can subtly assist buyers to purchase without buyers realising that they are being sold.

The above closing selling skill is like a man courting a woman. Woman is the prospect who has interest over a handsome man but she would never admit she likes him. If the man is an experience person, he would be able to sense the interest from the sweetness and attraction spoken by her. Love signals could be seen from her eyes and facial expression. Just like the prospective buyer who would never admit, "I want to buy", similarly the woman would never darn to tell him, "I like you." The courageous gentleman has to approach her with a sensational touch that she could not resist. If that magical moment could be created, the rest would be easy for both parties to agree upon. Tackling woman and selling are quite similar in nature.

Spoken by Pearl S. Buck, "The secret of joy in work is contained in one word - excellence. To know how to do something well is to enjoy it."

We chase for new sales but forgotten the old sales.

In any selling, new sales are always recognised more than the old sales. I had been selling for 40 years and I strongly believe, the old sales are equally important than the new one.

Look at the life insurance industry of today, those who do well on the current year is most recognised and talk about by their companies. Their names would be flashed all over the newspapers. An agent can be new in the career, but if he can bring in a substantial amount of new business today, he would be the hero immediately for his company. Comparing to those who have been in the business for twenty years and above, the new overrules the seniors.

As far as I am concerned, I measure my own achievement by the respect I gained from my existing clients of 25 years I built. I promised my clients that I would be there to serve whenever they need me most. These many years, I had make countless death, terminal sickness, disability and medical claims from the minor to the major one. I had never failed to honour all these claims. Each time when a client passed away, I would be the one who stood tall at the funeral because at the end, I was the one who could offer financial help to the deceased family. Whenever my clients fell severely sick, I would be the first visitor to be at their beds to give my moral support and assistance. Many had also lived to benefit the maturing of those endowment plans taken twenty years ago. They could have spoken twenty years was a long time and the money was not worth to receive when matured. Surprisingly today, they regretted for taking too little twenty years ago. When I brought them these maturing cheques, they were almost crying in tears. They just could not believe how time flies. For those kids who had grown, the educational funds were a wonderful present for their studies.

Equally I am happy and proud with my clients who have all these years entrusted me their faith and confidence. With perseverance, patience, determination, courage, knowledge and wisdom, I still remain to be here to serve rather than to be served. In fact, I have out lived many of my clients. Most of the older one have already retired, when I am still around to encourage them to live on. Those little children whom I played with, when they were in school, are now taking my advices as my current new clients. I have kept my promise to remain as their life insurance agent as long as I live.

Currently I have one death claim still pending, another lady client is suffering with parkinson's disease whom I have to claim on her critical cover, a housewife had a severe heart attack and is under treatment in a local hospital at the moment, another housewife had a motor accident this morning and she is being hospitalised too, and an educational plan of 18 years would be maturing early next month when I have to forward the payment cheque to the deserving child. I don't know whether the above tasks are considered as achievement, but for sure in my heart I know these clients need my attention more than those who need to buy new policies from me. Thanks God, although I work silently within myself, I am not disturbed or distracted by chasing for new sales.

Sad to say, what I had written is not important to my company. As I mentioned earlier, new sales are more important than the old one. For each new sale, there is always a cheer but for each claim make, nobody would be bother to hear. If you bring in a million policy, there would be a big hoohaa but if your client cash out his maturing policy twenty years later, no agent would be there. You may sell a new medical plan of today, but whether the agent who sells can still be around when the client is admitted. Can't blame the agencies because they can only see the present, when the past are never highlighted by their companies. New sales are important but if you don't appreciate the old one, how could agents be serious in keeping and servicing the old cases.

May be this proverb is correct, "New broom always sweep well." That is why you seldom see senior veteran agents who could stay long enough to sell and be committed in the career. Without the past, there would be no present and without the present, there would no brighter future. All three seasons have to work hand in hand for the betterment of our industry.

"Every body is attracted by beauty and quality of the present. It is a rare quality to help the ugly and unqualified of the past."

Walking down the memory lane

Last Saturday morning while having my early breakfast in a mamak shop, I met a friend there. I was with one of my grand son and he was accompanying his young son for his tennis games. What surprised me most, was he had the time to be with his son. He holds an important position as a CEO of an international corporation in town. It was never easy to meet up with him because of his always heavy schedules and work. I am glad he found time to be with his son especially this tender age, when the child needs the father attention and support.

When I saw them, I remember this story which I like to share. There was an old retired man who wanted to go fishing on a weekend with his working son. He asked his son, "Can we go fishing this coming week, just you and dad?" The son smiled and replied, "Sorry! Dad. This weekend, I have to work as well. Here are two hundred ringgits for you dad. Please enjoy yourself." Later when the son left, the old man cried and pondered over those few words. He recalled the past and regretted for not spending enough time with his son when he was still schooling. He remembered, there was a day when his little child asked, "Dad, this weekend, we are having a sport event at our school. I would be participating in some games and I want you to be there. Ok?" The busy father who was still working then, replied,"Son, I am sorry, I can't be there because I need to work this weekend also. Here are twenty ringgits for you to enjoy with your friends."

When the father was working, he had no time for the children who at that time wanted the father's present. He did not know building a relationship, required understanding, effort, sacrifices, patience and love. By the time he realised it, the child had grown to be an adult who had his own world and mindset. Most parents fall into this trap,when career and work could be the main causes of society problems. While writing this article, I myself felt the pain and regret in my heart and mind for not spending enough valuable time with my children and the woman I love when I was much younger. Today they are successful in their own way and are living in another part of the world. When they were young, I took time for granted too and had not appreciated that valuable moment. I was carried away with my career and I only love them in silent without expressing it out to them. I hope my children and the woman I love would be able to read this blog where I like to say, "Sons and my dear, I really love you so much. I should have given all of you more valuable time. Sorry for not doing the right thing then."

I should have known this thirty years ago, "It does not cost a penny to speak lovely, true and sweet words." I hope it isn't too late if I apply them now.....

An unmarried man could be a problem!

Are you aware? If a woman is not married, it isn't a problem but if a man who is at 40 and not married yet, it could be a problem? In life insurance term, if a man who is of 40 years and above, proposing a plan and declaring as still single, most likely he would be subjected to extra underwriting questions. He would be asked whether he is bio sexual or gay and might be requested for further blood tests. Sometimes I felt bad for asking such sensitive questions to these prospective clients who were males and live single.

In justification on the underwriting, I think they presume that if a man isn't married at middle or late age, they might have moral or physical problem. Surprisingly not on female, who can be a spinster and yet can effect any covers at any time.

By virtue of this aspect, it confirmed that man really can't live without woman but woman can live without man. Meaning, if you are an eligible and healthy man, you should be married or otherwise. For those middle aged single men, if you intend to propose life insurance, I suggest you better seriously consider to seek a life partner first before you consider a life insurance program. Life partner provides you love and contentment, and life insurance assures you promises and security. These both life partner and life insurance go hand in hand to enhance a more completed lives for man.

"The greatest achievement for a man is to be able to conquer a woman and make her fall in love madly with him passionately."

Killer's charm of innocent sweet lady.

There are many types of women I had encountered. Some are sincere and loving but some are not. The one that puzzle me most, are those with dual characters. They are sincere and loving at times but sometimes they are not. This is the most dangerous type of lady because you won't know when they would swing their moods.

These types of woman are mainly those who had left their husbands. They are strong and independence in character. If you check with them, they would not be shy to tell that they had divorced their husbands and not the husbands that left them. They love money, frame and glory more than anything else in life. Man is not important in their personal lives. They seek for self gratification only.

With lonesome and stressful career, they escape to seek for temporary spiritual shelter. They attend religious learning and guidance which are not effective to them. At times they think holy but the hearts are devil driven because greed is too strong in them. Those who do not know them well would think that they are kind and spiritual incline.

However when they are out in the corporate world, they work like super dynamic ladies. They are cunning, shrewd and irresponsible in their professions, especially those who take up selling and marketing. They use their feminine charm and beauty to secure result. They use their sympathetic image as single parents to gain support and businesses. With their strong determination, they are not bother to follow ethical practices and rules. One word, they have no principle in life but heartless.

With their single status plus their sexy and attractive looks, they enjoy having fun with men who happened to come along their ways. They could seduce men to buy their products or to build a short term relationship. One day they are loving and the next they can turn arrogance. Whether on job or relationship, they would never be serious. Within their religious circles, they talked holiness and love but out in the earthly world, they behaved devil to a certain degree.

I am still asking myself; what are they? who are they? are they angel or devil? are they dangerous to our peaceful world? are they causing harm to the innocents? what are they seeking? are they sick?

This world certainly has a lot of mysteries to learn and to explore. So, when the next round you meet an innocent sweet lady, don't take her so easily but add cautiousness and be careful in your dealing with her. For she can cause more harm than good.

Life Insurance is a promise to deliver.

Is selling life insurance easy or difficult? Yes at the beginning but no if you are not serious in the business. Most rookie agents who started this career are money driven. They could do well in the first year, because they have many friends to support them at the beginning.

Selling life insurance is offering a promise to deliver. A promise that in the event of the future, if the client dies, disable or sick, the agent would be around to handle all the necessary claims for his client. Sad to say, not many rookie or even agents are competence in claim procedures. There are many types of claim, either the minor or major, all claims have to be submitted according to strict requirements.

All new agents are recruited and trained by the sales agency forces. Most of the trainings are related to sales and marketing, when income, incentives and recognition are over emphasized to motivate the agents to sell. Not many agents have the chance to experience a death claim. Meaning, you might be selling many policies but not many clients would die too soon for you to gain the experience in making a claim. So, many a time when an inexperience agent who encountered a bad claim, he would find difficulties to overcome the problems. Not forgetting the sales department works differently from the claims section. The sales want more sales but the claims control sales, unless the sales were brought in right.

I have worked 25 years to understand the important of claims. It is only when a final claim is paid would I consider a sale has concluded. So whenever I submit a case, I always informed my clients that their estates and insurance requirements are of prime concern to me. Their programme should be reviewed from time to time. If their estates are not in proper order at their retirement or premature death, then I have failed to live up to the faith and confidence they have placed in me. This is my personal promise. This year alone, I had submitted three death claims with speedy approval, not counting the numerous medical claims too.

My recommendation to agents who want to excel in this career; before you sell, please take some time to approach and learn from the claims underwriting first. They don't teach you to sell but they convince you to be serious in this business. You learn from the last part of the business to become more professional. It might sound silly but it works.

"Happiness is not in having or being - it is in the doing." This definition of happiness by Lillian Watson.