Post Office hard sell on insurance products
| Related: | Personal Finance•Insurance•Other Insurance |
I recently visisted my town centre post office and made the mistake of asking a "floor floater" for a couple of passport forms. I was invited to sit down (with the little ones in tow), and that was it - I was not allowed to leave until I had answered a barrage of questions from passport requirements, to travel insurance and finally the biggie - life insurance. The woman asked quite personal questions and would not take the hint that I did not want to discuss it!
I do not like to be rude to people but felt that she was giving me quite the hard sell and going above and beyond the limits, since I had not solicited the information from her. When I left I felt quite cross about it and wondered whether I should lodge a complaint. You expect such hard sell from financial establishments, but not from the Post Office.
Any similiar experiences or thoughts.
Responses (5)
No Vettriano I don't like to be rude either but I do tend to stand my ground these days and can be firm more so now than I ever would be years ago, must be an age thing.
What I do suggest is as you feel quite aggrieved at the treatment within the confines of the PO that you drop them an email or a note detailing more or less what you've said here with a mention that you would feel disinclined to return while that person was still there.
Ultimately I'm sure what you would like to see is this person being told not to be quite so intrusive and to ask maybe one or two basic questions and leave it at that.
Yes I think that's what I would do as there really is no need for her to be quite so 'full on'.
I think that's dreadful, V, especially from the Post Office. I might have expected it from other companies but not the PO.
I agree with Lillie in that I would have been poite but firm, but probably not easy if you had the liitle ones with you!
Surely, a simple requiest for forms should be just that. I'd see if I could download them before going into a branch.
Hi Feline123
Normally I would have gone online but had to post a parcel off, so I thought whilst there I would pick up the forms that I need.
They do tend to be rather pushy don't they but I guess they're on sales targets. Doesn't make for a particularly nice customer experience though.
I have noticed that one of the main local Post Offices that I visit in Sussex is geared up to interview areas, very much like the banks have. The Post Office, like everyone else, has to think about income generation nowadays and all insurance sales need a constant supply of 'prospects' to feed the demand for more sales. Last year, while queuing in my local Post Office, there was a lady, all sashed up and raring to sell, approaching everyone in the queue about applying for the new Post office Credit Card. Bad move I thought, especially as this was to promote a contract specifically designed to get people into debt.
People are right, the Post Office should be a place of financial sanctuary where you will not be hassled but queues of people simply mean sales prospects and we will have to get used to it. But you know Vettriano, you did have the power to decline from the outset. And no one should ever feel embarrassed to do so.
Hello miss vettriano I changed some money in the Post office and the lady asked if I had travel insurance, I said no thank you and that was all.
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