Have Integrity in Everything You Do!

I thought about writing this piece the other day. I will leave names and names of the events out, to protect related parties. I truly believe that we all have a story in us to be told, so that others may gain from it and grow or get through their current circumstance that may be holding them back. In whatever we do in life, it is very important that we maintain integrity and look out for the common good, and the rest will follow.

I for one know all too well that life's circumstances can beat you up and test you to every limit. The opportunities and chances to cut corners and cheat your way to success will do more than present itself, it will sometimes smack you in the face and look at you as if you should be doing this the "short" way; because everyone else is! However, with the story I'm about to tell you, I can give solid testimony that it is worth every ounce of your moral fiber to do what is right when it comes to other people. Those of you who are in business, considering running your own business, take ear to what I'm about to say. Again, I will stay away from names and events to protect other parties, but trust and believe what I'm about to tell you is true and factual.

During my season as an sales agent, I came upon the opportunity to make a bunch of money. This was what one would consider a "slam-dunk" in the industry. As anyone would know in sales, its either "chicken" or "feathers"! Well this event had chickens running as far as the eye could see. Like every call center, we had a directive to follow and most of the times those directives are set in place for only a few people to succeed and excel with a sales event in this nature. The number one priority was to connect the client with the government agency. Once the sales agent properly identifies with the agency and established the introduction, the agent was instructed to depart from the call and move on to the next client. This however raised great concern with me because after a few questions, my understanding was that the person representing the agency was not a certified individual and was unable to explain benefits packages to the client properly. Well with the anticipated enrollment to last anywhere from 45 minutes, to and hour plus; this gave way to a great area of misunderstanding and a result of a possible confused client.

I always tried to place myself in the client's position with regard to any sales position I held, and my "fight-for-the-people" sensors were going off in my head. So, in my rhetorical ways that I have about me, posed the question of what will happen when the client doesn't understand a certain aspect of the benefit. Of course I was met with the typical rebuttal response as if this was unlikely to happen since the benefit plans were easy to explain. Which brings me to a side point! Never assume that a client understands anything about something you have spent countless hours studying. No pun to the average person, but no matter how simple some things may seem, there is always someone who might not understand the simplest aspect of your industry and may need help to break it down a bit more to their understanding. Nonetheless, with management's response going in my one ear, and right out the other; I was convinced that I was going to stay on call with my client throughout the entire phone call.

Of course, this stance of mine, created conflict as expected. However, I felt that as a certified agent and with the duty to hold all morals and standard practices with the potential client; it was my duty to look out for the best interest of the client at all cost. So noticing the flow of the firm, I felt compelled to inform the 3rd party carrier and informed them that I wanted an individual certification separate from this firm. During this time, I have established multiple clients for the carrier at the same manner of staying on the phone during the entire process of enrollment. With my attempt to make a stand alone approach moving forward, I didn't know that I was speaking to the president of the company, who was covering phones for the person in charge of establishing certifications for agents. Still not divulging her position during our wonderful conversation, she mentioned a gesture that she would try to see that I was compensated individually for my past performance of establishing existing clients, but gave no firm promises. My current agreement with the firm was to receive a flat rate, while the firm took advantage of all the other gains.

Well, that following Monday, after my Friday's evening conversating with the "Contracting Manager", who turned out to be president of the company; the firm place me on suspension with further review after my performance and longer than excepted call times because of my concern for the client. I saw this coming because it was my intent to stay on the phone with the client for the entire duration and made it know after my rhetorical question that day of the meeting.

Not to make matters worse. I had to go home to a spouse, who made more money than I did, and tell her the good news. In her supportive ways and sound faith she had displayed in all things, she made it known of her disappointment and uttered every word that this marriage wasn't working, but actually saying "This Marriage is over!". Days passed and the firm gave it's surprised decision to release me from my contract, which gave my spouse the "I told you so moment". Not a worry or care to say the lease, because I knew how things were going to workout and the thought of my conversation with the carrier was far from my mind. My primary goal was to find employment because no man wants to be home and jobless with a black woman.

Well, the following week had great news to announce. I received a call from a regional adjuster firm with an assignment to start within two days. However, I was yet to be rewarded with the fruit of my moral standards of keeping the customer first and truly forgot about the conversation with the carrier with all the other "mess" going on that was fueled by my contract termination. I love cell phones today, because you can receive news the moment it happens. I received a notice from my bank that a $2500 deposit just occurred and was debited into my account. Then recollection of the conversation clicked and I put two and two together. At this time, I'm outside checking the mailbox and keeping this info quite for so many reasons and notice a letter from the carrier in my name. It was explaining my individual certification and my assigning firm to the local office in Philly. At the time, as my eyes were at the bottom of the letter, I noticed the name, and the title of "President of the Carrier" followed. My brain told me at the same time "this is who we were on the phone with!". I felt better at the time, but unknown to me, that $2500 initial deposit, was only the first of many that continued in monthly from my work with previously enrolling clients, the correct and ethical way.

Life will always present a "quicker" way to do things. However, if its at the expense of someone potentially suffering because of a misunderstanding, or a fly-by-night introduction to a benefit plan that may hinder the client's family down the line; take the time to do it the right way! I received my just reward and yeah, I had to face harsh critics and lashings from those who I thought were on my side, but through it all, I kept my integrity. Do right for others and the rest will follow!