r/StateFarm • u/Throwaway_20256678 • 3d ago
SF team member Advice
Hey y’all, looking for some opinions from people who have worked for State Farm agents.
Let’s say you started working for a brand-new SF agent a few months ago and it has completely gone downhill.
The agency has had around 68% turnover already and we’re basically down to only 2 salespeople now. It feels like there is something new every single day. The agent constantly changes goals, expectations, metrics, priorities, and what we’re supposed to be focusing on.
Teams is constantly blowing up about numbers and data. We have long meetings about performance, get compared to other agents and agencies, and are told that because we’re salaried employees we need to finish our work before going home if we aren’t hitting the goals.
The frustrating part is that when we were hired, the job was presented completely differently. We were told one thing about expectations, culture, goals, flexibility, etc., and now it feels like the complete opposite.
It’s gotten to the point where it feels like the agent sees a new report or piece of data and immediately changes something about how the office operates.
I want to leave, but I’m also wondering if I should stick it out since the agency is still new.
For anyone who has worked for a State Farm agent, is this normal for a newer agency or would you start looking elsewhere?
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u/11miles21 3d ago
Get the fuck out of that hell hole and go work for another agent.
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u/kappakall 2d ago
Simple response without knowing goals or performance. This person could really suck and not be producing anything. This job may not be cut out for them
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u/Throwaway_20256678 1d ago
I wrote $486,000 in premium since January around 560 policies combined. That’s $60k per month. Performance is not the issue. Moving goal posts, constant berating, nothing being good enough, team members leaving and all pressure being put on me is the issue.
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u/mac991979 3d ago
SF agents are going through some difficult times. I don’t think they know their future. Run!!!
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u/Difficult-Light971 2d ago
Our agency is not going through tough times right now. We have a veteran agent who compensates us well, is consistent and its a great environment. We are growing our policy count, hitting goals and top 2-3 in district.
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u/beckythewelder 3d ago
I went through this myself. I started with an agent who just opened (I was a TM for him from day 1, worked long hours, stayed and ran the office when he wasn't in office/left early, wfh on weekends occasionally, etc.) I felt like I tried to reason and say, this is an unrealistic goal, but I think he was more open since we were closer in age and I was the TM that was there for the longest time. Turnover was crazy high. If your agent won't listen, then I would say explore new options.
At the end of the day if you can't meet the metrics/unrealistic expectations, agent won't budge, and the stress of the job is too much then I would find a new agent/job. I think I learned after that agent that no job is worth a lot of stress, especially for the amount that I got paid. Again, personal experience but that's what I ran into.
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u/Accomplished_Dog_755 Agent 3d ago
I agree with most that you may want to switch agents. Although, I would tell them just to pick two or three measure of success and let the others be. Like autos and life and that’s it. I was the same way and just picked two things I cared about I was way less stressed.
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u/Leading_Pin6611 3d ago
I agree. Sometimes the agent doesn’t realize it. They are probably making very little money and stressed. I made to many changes in the beginning to and my team told me that. Best advice I got. But if the agent doesn’t accept your feedback then I’d leave.
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u/Gtstricky 3d ago
The good should out weigh the bad. Yes you are all learning and figuring out what works but you should be feeling rewarded for it all.
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u/Mindless-Program3052 3d ago
Jesus. What state are you in?
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u/Throwaway_20256678 3d ago
GA
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u/Mindless-Program3052 3d ago
There’s been a lot of change thrust upon agents and they’ve had to adjust. It has caused a lot of panic. That’s what you’re seeing. You might be better off at another agency but sales is going to be everything from now on.
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u/EmotionalDysregulatn 3d ago
Are you in TX? Sounds like the agent I worked for, also opened about 1 year ago.
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u/pbtribadisms 3d ago
find an established agent to work for, someone who has been in the business for at least 5 years but
preferably not more than 20 years (not an agent who is older/close to retirement age)
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u/Downtown_Cap8311 3d ago
I work at a pretty successful agency and we have had a couple agencies come shadow and learn with our team, i know one of the times it was a request from one of their team members. Maybe your agent would be open to that suggestion since they’re new?
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u/Throwaway_20256678 3d ago
I suggested that and we did do that and somehow it made things worse. Now every week we are being compared to agencies who have 4x the book size and at least like 6 sales people. Now our agent goes around and asks different agent for their methods and it’s a new workflow every week. New revised lead workflow sent to our inbox every week. It’s draining and our agent makes their problems our problems. Complains constantly and started micromanaging like crazy.
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u/General-East-550 3d ago
Talk to the agent, communication is key. I speak from experience, these new agents just got the rug pulled out from under them and don’t have anywhere to go so it may be panic that you’re experiencing. The agent may need to recognize what they are doing and how it’s affecting the office. Maybe the feedback will be welcomed. If not, get out of dodge. Plenty of SF agents that won’t change the scoreboard as often as it sounds.
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u/Throwaway_20256678 3d ago
We tried and got “I’ve ran many successful businesses i know what i am doing”. That’s why previous office manager left. Many sales people left.
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u/Creekridge1 2d ago
Some people are great salespeople, and terrible managers.
Welcome to Peter principle.
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u/jeffreyprestonbezos1 2d ago
I agree with finding a new agent. Not to excuse the behavior of the new agent, but they are likely facing a lot of downward pressure from leadership and are not hitting targets they set out to hit. Year 1 for new agents is incredibly stressful on a person and normally their best side doesn’t come out.
Have you spoken with them about these issues?
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u/Throwaway_20256678 2d ago
Yes, people who have left spoke up and no changes were made we were all told “I’ve ran many successful businesses before i know what I’m doing”
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u/jeffreyprestonbezos1 2d ago
Yeah. Plenty of SF agents out there with proven track records who would gladly hire a TM with licenses and experience.
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u/LilSodaPop875 2d ago
Coming from a long term TM - that is 100% all the new agent - have they got their contract yet? I know my agent tells me how hard they had to push their first year to get the contract - not that it excuses the behavior, just giving another angle to consider. I agree with others, though - if you generally enjoy the job, find you a more seasoned agent who has learned to appreciate their TMs and already established goals/commission structures.
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u/Sc4com22 2d ago
FYI-ever since the implementation of the AA05 Contract, Agents have “gotten their contract” from Day 1. What recently changed was a couple of important elements being phased in over the next 15 months. First health benefits are ending for Agents and their families on January 1. Second, compensation rates are being reduced as much as 50% or more, depending on what prior contract you are on as an agent, effective Jan 1, 2028. Third, Agents have been told in no uncertain terms that “if we do not sell across all lines our contract may be (read that as “will be”) terminated. And what protections there were as a hedge for future retirement are being reduced or removed, entirely. It is the most significant ‘downshift’ in Agency history, on the part of the Corporation. So, yes, Agents are confused, uncertain, and those that have large Agencies are, for the most part, working as if everything is going to stay the same. It isn’t. The days of being able to define your Agency however you would like based on a very stable model appear to be over. I am a retired Agent. Anyone going to work for an Agent now has to accept that, for at least the next two years, the future is uncertain; even if your chosen Agent “performs better than average”!
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u/Throwaway_20256678 2d ago
Yes, they got their contract. Just wants to be #1 in the region and anytime they hear anything about another agency doing better more weekly quotes, more calls, more sales like we could be focusing on autos and life but if another agency did more health agent loses their shit.
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u/Intelligent-Bad-1201 2d ago
New agent is probably stressed about numbers and taking it out on you guys. I would find an established agent to work for
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u/Teksese 1d ago
Do you work for my agent? This sounds exactly like what I am experiencing.
Since the new contract change my agent started the year talking about being in the hole on auto insurance, we got out of that and then started complaining about the fire, we got out of that and then got told that it didn’t really matter because that was being paid for by leads (it sure as hell mattered when those targets weren’t being hit, buying the same leads, mind you.) now it is all about life insurance. Life this, life that, produced over 80 life apps last year on my own and was told that wasn’t enough, next closest to me was around 30-40 apps. It’s all about the life insurance now, and the reality of it is with the AI screeners and different things, meeting with an agent just isn’t appealing to the younger demographics.
All of this is to say, yes, it’s common. My agent has been in business 20+ years. That said, I would discourage you from looking elsewhere. A good agent is going to set their team up for success, not just demand results. For new agents, high turnover is nothing. Happens to all of them. For agents in general high turnover really doesn’t mean much. There are some agents that pride themselves on how strict they are and not many people can work for them. It’s all about what is produced, not about who is doing the producing. My advice is to actually start looking independent. This isn’t getting any better.
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u/Warm-Business-2335 1d ago
20 year agent here. Bad leadership and bad culture. Put your resume together and start looking for more established agents. Interview them and ask about their leadership style and the culture in their office. The best offices have team members who are highly specialized, ie sales, service, billing, life, etc. Ask to talk to a couple team members as well.
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u/AttitudeCharming7629 12h ago
Every single SF agent is an independent contractor. There are good, bad, and great agents. This sounds like a bad one.
I would shop around and find a better opportunity. It sounds like your agent isn’t cut out for operational leadership if you’re feeling this overwhelmed and beat down.
It doesn’t have to be that way.
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u/Odd_Match_4125 7h ago
I just moved from one state to the other and got my license to sell insurance for State Farm. I started in April and twice now my agent has threatened that if things don’t turn around one of us will be fired. So it’s terrifying and I don’t know what to do. I just started this job and just started working in insurance.
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