Tuesday 30 March 2010

Fraudulent behaviour

Budding inventors or entrepreneurs can want to make the world a better place. "I want to offer double glazing without the hard sell". Motives aside how would a double glazing company get along if they did not deploy a full range of direct marketing communications? Behaviour has traditionally been about market concentration, pricing, barriers to entry and exit, or information. In addition it is also about character.

Homeguard Direct ( http://www.homeguarddirect.co.uk/) sell insurance. In one case they managed to sell insurance to a 97 year old man without his signature. This then came up as a direct debate mandate with his bank. His bank were unwilling to stop the direct debit as it was a mandate - and being 97 he may have forgotten. The company refused to withdraw the direct debit without a letter in the full knowledge that he was unable to write through severe arthritis. Homeguard Direct also sell insurance for SKY TV. Issues over direct debate mandates have arisen http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/08006226710. They had previously been called hygiene eclispe and sold protection for drains and plumbing. They also had a reputation for making false or misleading statements on the phone. 

In this situation Homeguard direct are selling insurance in the Worthing/ Littlehampton area of the country. There are a large number of elderly people. If you set up an ethical insurance company and lined the companies up together - which one would make the most sales? If "snake oil" sales was the winner, starting up an ethical insurance company would only be making a stand rather than making the most of an opportunity. If you are unwilling to adopt the "strategies of the market" do not enter.