29 July 2016
Mandella Agencies Reviews
3.9
62% would recommend to a friend
69% positive business outlook
Reviews by job title
6 reviews
1.0
19 July 2016
Potentially Rewarding, But Expect To Have No Life
Anonymous employee
Former employee, less than 1 year
Birmingham, AL
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook
Pros
The ability to somewhat set your own earning potential is a huge draw, provided you have the ability to dedicate the hours. Senior management was straightforward and helpful in training, and provided one-on-one opportunities and mentorship, which is rare in business today. Helps a great deal to instill confidence.
Cons
The particulars of the earning structure and pyramid set-up are laid bare in your first week. Employees earn a portion of the total product they sell each week, but as you are a 1099 employee you will have to account for taxes on your own come the end of the year. Employees can refer their friends for employment, and will start to earn portions of the product their friends sell. Referrals are expected in order to move up in the company. Fraternity/Sorority/team sports veterans will find a great deal of earning potential but others will find it hard to advance. You'll also learn that the flexible hours and "no cold calling" which they tout as big draws are pretty thin stretches. You will make many cold calls; two entire days each week are dedicated to setting up appointments, appointments made in the weekday evening or early Saturday mornings. If appointments don't show up, you are expected to "hot knock" on strangers' doors in the middle of nowhere, sometimes at 6PM. While you may not work until 2PM some days, expect to work 12PM-11PM or midnight for 3 or more days out of the week, and be expected to work more (during training we were expected to work from 7AM-1AM including travel on Saturdays). You will travel a great deal, and not just around the city of Birmingham. Single-day trips to Huntsville, Fort Payne, Jasper, and Tuscaloosa are the norm, and will happen in your first week. Expect to have no social life when working here. It was made clear to me that the agency was expected to become my friend group and that despite the claim that you would only work until noon on Saturdays, your entire Saturday is always forfeit. This agency has high turnover. In the month I was working there, the agency lost 3 new hires and two hires they had had for at least a couple months, as well as someone in senior management. Not a great look.
5.0
17 May 2016
Will Miss the Money & The Team!
Former employee, more than 1 year
Birmingham, AL
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook
Pros
Strong Support System, make no mistake , it's about sales and people skills and you will be successful if you are sincere. Insurance is literally about life and death and the well being of loved ones. I already knew first hand & up close how AIL treats their policy holders in their time of need, and it was above and beyond when my Dad was seriously injured on the job. It feels great to get paid so well just explaining to people how to figure out the right amount of coverage. The no cost benefits made earning their trust easy. I made more money in one week end my last month there than with the last job answering phones full-time. My husband has been transferred and avter we get the kids settled into new schools I will be walking into the local AIL office!
Cons
They can't just transfer you into another sales team, it will be like starting again after a year, but with less learning curve. Hope I get hooked up with another good team, Birmingham was competitive but we celebrated together!
Viewing 1 - 3 of 6 Reviews