Ang Istorya ni Lola

 

I was assigned today in our branch for walk-in clients.  I got really excited to that thought that anytime today, I would have a sure client.  Studies indicate that walk-in clients or those who call to inquire are more than 50% sure to buy from you.  So yep, I am excited.

So, while I was waiting, to prepare for a client meeting anytime now, I was reading a few articles online on how to improve sales through the use of storytelling.  So there I was, writing down my thoughts on how to best tell the value of a life insurance with a powerful story.

“Meron pong walk-in…sunduin ko na lang. ”  Roseann tells me.

Kinabahan ako bigla.  I quickly fixed my things on the table and opened my Sun Life Money for Life Sales Tool.  I neatly arranged my paper, pen and prepared my presentation.

How do I open the discussion?  Storytelling daw.  So should I ask, ‘Mam/Sir, ano po ang dreams ninyo para sa mga anak ninyo?  Mam/Sir, paano po kapag bigla kayong kinuha ni Lord? Ano po mangyayari sa dreams nila?’  All these thoughts are running in my head.  I thought I have to organize my thoughts otherwise magiging sabog presentation ko.

“Ay good afternoon po…upo po kayo…” nakangiti kong sinabi sa mga kliyente.  Parehong babae, ang isa ay nasa 40s ang isa ay isang Lola na.

And quickly in mind, I thought, okay, I have to change my strat.  I didn’t think that they would appreciate what I had prepared to discuss, particularly about retirement.

And here’s the story of Lola.

“Pwede ko bang iinsure ang apo ko?  5 years old sya at gusto ko, kung mawindang man ako, kahit papano ay may maiiwan sa kanya…” Lola said.

Clearly, she understood insurance differently.

I then asked a few questions to probe.  Why would she want to insure her apo?  Nasaan ang magulang?  Insured na ba ang magulang?  Life insurance is primarily for breadwinners na kahit ano mang mangyari sa kanila ay matutuloy pa rin ang mga plano ng pamilya dahil may perang naiwan para sa kanila.

I explained a few things to them.  Lastly, I told Lola na maganda na mainsure muna ang anak nya (mother of her apo) bago ang apo.

In my ready-made presentation, I would’ve explained the brighter choices she can make today which includes creating a conscious spending plan, building an emergency fund, prepare for retirement, plan for estate, build a fund for loved ones and lastly saving for life’s milestones.

But I closed the Powerpoint presentation and continued talking to Lola.

Galing syang SSS to inquire about her pension.  If I heard it right from her, she will be receiving P1,500 per month as her pension.  It was not proper to react, I knew.

“Actually, hindi ko dapat sasabihin ito sa anak ko…” she explained about her inquiring and wanting to get a life insurance.  I didn’t ask further why.

I have to apologize to my manager that I didn’t go through the standard procedure of presentation. Standard presentation would be the official presentation tool and doing a financial needs analysis or what we call FNA.  That is to know what is the ideal insurance coverage and the ideal retirement fund and how to attain it.

Kinausap ko lang ng kinausap sila and I went straight to computing for the insurance.  We agreed that the insurance should be for her daughter, mother of her dear apo.

“Magkano po ang kumportable kayong itabi para sa insurance na ito?”  I asked.

“Hindi ba dapat ikaw ang magsabi kung magkano ang babayaran ko?” she asked me back.

I told her that would depend on their budget.  It should be the amount that they are comfortable to shell out every month so that they can keep their insurance.

“P500,” she said.

I computed and prepared a plan based on her given budget.  Turns out that the minimum that I can prepare based on the age of the proposed insured is around P600plus per month or P7k per year.

I went on to explain to them the benefits of the insurance, including its investment component.

“Maganda po talaga na mag-umpisa syang magpainsure habang bata pa dahil mas malaki ang pwedeng kitain ng inyong pera sa investment.”

The proposed insured is 25 years old.

Based on the proposal that I made taking in consideration the P600 per month allocation, by the time the insured would want to retire, at 65 maybe (I just assumed since the proposed insured was not there), she would have a fund value of a million pesos.  I further explained the other components, such as the kind of investment vehicle that I have proposed for their fund, which was Peso Balanced.  I hope I explained it well to them.

I tried my best to explain in simplest terms the kind of investment funds that we can participate in.  Buti na lang tumutungo si Lola at ang kasama niya, meaning naintindihan nila ang pagkaexplain ko.

In the past, I got used to explaining these concepts to normal young professionals, so my lines already sound scripted.  Iba kanina.  Kailangan simple at kailangan naintindihan nila, lalo na ni Lola.

I had to stop once in a while and ask them if they still understand me or if there is something that they do not get from my explanation.

Presenting to them, particularly to Lola was actually very easy.  Selling insurance is all about emotions and I didn’t have to encourage her as she was already sold to the value of what a life insurance can do to her loved ones.

“Matalino apo ko. Sayang ang kinabukasan nya.”  she said.

The proposal was okay for her.  But I told her I have to go and talk to her daughter to personally explain it.  She would appreciate it better if she would know what life insurance can do to her life, to their lives.

And so we agreed that it is better that I talk to her directly about it.  “Tama kausapin mo, baka matauhan,” she said.

I asked and wrote down their address.

It was in Payatas.

“Kailangan naming mahihirap ang ganyang insurance.  Maraming mga pamilya doon ang maraming mga anak.  Ang mga bata matatalino.  Sayang.  Sana malaman din nila iyan.” Lola told me as I was writing down their address.

It struck me.

In my mind, I was thinking of how to best sell life insurance through a story.  And there was Lola and her story.

Mahal nya ang apo niya.  Gusto niya pag nawala siya, may maiwan sa apo niya.  Gusto niya ang anak niya maging responsable.  At sa isip niya, ang life insurance ay makakatulong sa kanila kung may mangyari man.  In her own words, “kung mawindang man ako.”

Hinatid ko sila palabas.  Sabi ko sana naintindihan nila ang mga inexplain ko.  They left the office, probably hoping that her daughter would do something positive with this insurance proposal.

I forgot to say.  Her daughter, the mother of her apo, is currently jobless.  She is a single mother with a boyfriend who just sends money to them.

And here comes Lola who easily thought how to pay for the insurance.

“Benta ka lang ng palitaw, yung kita na bente pesos, ipunin mo, may pambayad ka na.”

When Lola left, I thought I have to write down my thoughts.  Overwhelming eh.

At the end of it all, gusto kong magpasalamat kay Lola.  Salamat sa pagmamahal niya sa apo niya.  Dahil doon, mas lalo kong naintindihan ang totoong halaga ng trabaho ko at ng produkto namin.

Her story?

Getting a life insurance is never about the money.

It’s about her love and pure hope of a better future for her 5-year old apo.

“Punta ka sa Payatas, marami kang matutulungan doon…”

 

PS.  I wrote this not for anything else but to share to my co-financial advisors what our jobs can do to help improve the lives of the people.  This is not intended to divulge personal information or merely share to just tell a story.

(photo isn’t mine.  borrowed from http://www.colorluna.com/grandmother-kissed-by-her-granddaughter-coloring-pages/)