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Without trust, what relationship can survive?

So yesterday, guest blogger Karrie Andes was honest enough to help sort through the part emotions can play when selecting a broker. Now, a new survey shows that the importance trust may have in the employer-broker relationship as well.

The good news is that salespeople aren’t the least trusted group — that dubious honor falls to politicians, according to Sandler Training, which commissioned the survey.

When asked which professions people trust the least 68% of respondents ranked politicians first. Salespeople were a distant second at 9%, followed by lawyers (7%), journalists (6%), bankers (6%) and mechanics (5%). 

At any rate, breaking down the trustworthiness of certain salespeople, 38% of respondents identified car salespeople as being the least trusted, followed by financial services salespeople.

Retail salespeople are the most trusted group. And all other types of salespeople listed — including insurance — fall in between in terms of trustworthiness. 

So, it seems you believe the salesperson at the Gap when s/he says you look great in those pants, but less so when your broker shows you your renewal rates for next year. However, since the survey didn’t specifically address benefits sales, perhaps I’m assuming too much.

Please, brokers, try not to send mail /comments about how trustworthy you are — personally, I believe you. I think everyone at the Gap is lying.

What do you say? Do you trust your broker completely? If not, why not? And how do you think greater levels of trust/mistrust would affect your benefits plans? Hit the comments.

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