Did Any of You Win the Cluster Challenge?

[Chefgirl2]

I had FOUR consultants go inactive! grrr.... I was able to talk to one of them that had been with me for over 5 years. She told me she didn't want to hurt the cluster so she quit to help our odds. Another active consultant called me intears telling me she love being a consultant but she cannot possibly put in two shows and if I want her to quit she will. Huh? I have heard others say the same thing!

I know a lot of companies want to weed out people that are not being productive but, I count on those team members that do one show every other month as a buffer! Some might not do much for months then the next thing you know here comes a $1,000 show!

We did not make our 48 shows. In fact we had our lowest month EVER!

I am determined to brush this off and will not mention this at any team meetings... You know what they say "Complain up, not down."

 

[AJPratt]

I can understand the teamwork intention, but it sounds to me like there was a lot more upset than success. While my team did ok, I don't think this worked as well as it could have, if we had just done our own thing. It doesn't seem like Pampered Chef to have someone not get an award because others didn't or weren't able to help out. Please don't be offended by that-- I had a CRAPPY June myself and that's why I phrased it like that. I think everyone who did 2 shows over $250 should get the knife, whether their cluster was able to meet the goal.

 

[jmabner]

My cluster got it, we were one of two cluster;s in Becky Ishee;s entire downline to get it! I sent an email to HO that we should NEVER do this again, this promotion was a pain in the butt

But, I can't wait to get my knife!

 

[lizcooks4u]

We made it, with one show to spare. Only 3 of us earned it, I submitted 10 qualified shows personally. We haven't received the knife yet, I anticipate it to come w/ the sell athon stuff. So we will see.

I thought everyone in the cluster had to have 2 shows of at least $ 250.00 in order to win the prize/?

 

[pamperedalf]

oothenrelax

I thought everyone in the cluster had to have 2 shows of at least $ 250.00 in order to win the prize/?

At the begining of may your director received an email stating how many shows their cluster needed to hold to make it. It was 2 shows for every active consultant as of May 1st. We had 9 active consultants so we had to turn in 18 shows. The second part was to turn in 2 shows personally of $250 gs. So out of our 18 I did ten, my director did 5, another girl did 2, and some hobbiest submitted 1 each.

I hope this makes sense, it's late!

 

[lizcooks4u]

I thought everyone in the cluster had to have 2 shows of at least $ 250.00 in order to win the prize/?

 

[jwpamp]

I thought everyone in the cluster had to have 2 shows of at least $ 250.00 in order to win the prize/?

No, the cluster as a whole had to have 2 shows for each consultant in their cluster....(one could do them all if they wanted to) and then ONLY the ones who did 2 $250 shows would receive the knife.

I had a bad June as well, and we needed 74 shows...we probably fell way short of that!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

..... I think everyone who did 2 shows over $250 should get the knife, whether their cluster was able to meet the goal.

I think we should at least be able to purchase it for 50% off, not just as a personal order with a regular discount (mine is 22%). Our cluster only needed 18 shows and we missed it by just 2 - I did 7 shows that qualified(almost 1/2 of what we needed!), and hate the fact that I worked so hard (I did all of my shows in the first 2 weeks of June - on vacation the rest of the time) and still didn't get the knife! I keep trying to get over it and move on, but really - everytime I get a postcard, an email etc....from HO about it, I start doing a slow burn again! It is just frustrating to me that my reward would be based on someone else's performance - not my own!

 

[mgressaffa]

WE made it! WE only had to have 22 shows and 4 of us met that challenge of our group. Can't wait to get the new knife!

congratulations!!!! Five of us got to 28. It was very frustrating that most of our cluster didn't submit one.

Oh well?!?! But let us know how much you love the knife!!!

Mary

 

[AJPratt]

I think we should at least be able to purchase it for 50% off, not just as a personal order with a regular discount (mine is 22%). Our cluster only needed 18 shows and we missed it by just 2 - I did 7 shows that qualified(almost 1/2 of what we needed!), and hate the fact that I worked so hard (I did all of my shows in the first 2 weeks of June - on vacation the rest of the time) and still didn't get the knife! I keep trying to get over it and move on, but really - everytime I get a postcard, an email etc....from HO about it, I start doing a slow burn again! It is just frustrating to me that my reward would be based on someone else's performance - not my own!

That's the way I feel! I think it must be very frustrating for those who pulled most of the "weight" and still didn't get it! It would be nice if you could get it at 50% off. Also, isn't it a host special coming up? We can host our own shows.

 

[ChefLisa]

Wow!The UPS Man just visited my house with the knife. I washed it immediately and was able to slice a strawberry paper thin. It is an amazing knife!

I am not thrilled for all of the people who really worked hard for it and did not get it. I will say it will be worth the purchase because I really think people are going to want it when they see it and more importantly when they hold it. I really think we will have people host shows just to get it for half price. I think it is that great!

Thanks!
Lisa

 

[AJPratt]

Maybe I'll get some of the stuff I've been waiting for today, too!

 

[BethCooks4U]

I emailed home office that, while it is nice that they are letting us purchase the Santoku knife in August as a personal order (and get our discount), I think it would be a more powerful statement and a graceous statement to allow those who submitted the required shows to get it for 50% off.

Many worked hard and did much more than the minimum and should be rewarded for that. I don't think that PC should give the knife for free to those who's cluster didn't make it but half price would be better. I usually am very motivated by our incentives but I hated this one. We are all in business for ourselves and our sales incentives should not be determined by what others do or don't do but once they set the bar they couldn't lower it.

I am a newish director and had 20 in my downline on April 30th so my number was 42. Many of the consultants in my cluster are hobbyists and will not do 2 shows of $250 each. In fact I lost 4 consultants as of last month (I think because of that promotion) and this month I'm not getting responses from several others and not seeing sales.

I am hoping they are not deciding that PC is becoming a pressure company and not worth it. Hopefully they're on vacation and just aren't having the time to get back with me. The new season of products will re-energize many of them - or at least then I'll know who to bless and release.

 

[AJPratt]

I emailed home office that, while it is nice that they are letting us purchase the Santoku knife in August as a personal order (and get our discount), I think it would be a more powerful statement and a graceous statement to allow those who submitted the required shows to get it for 50% off.
I usually am very motivated by our incentives but I hated this one. We are all in business for ourselves and our sales incentives should not be determined by what others do or don't do but once they set the bar they couldn't lower it.

I emailed, too! I also agree with everything you said. Its hard to also explain to someone who'se new that even though they did their sales, they might not get the incentive.

 

[whiteyteresa]

Is it possible or do you think it won't help

But what if someone could type up a form letter and then all consultants who believe that this cluster challenge was wrong - send the letter to home office and let them know since this challenge was a flop that the home office should still award the consultants that did submit the 2 show should get the knife. Is it wrong for us to ask?

Need your opinion!!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

That's the way I feel! I think it must be very frustrating for those who pulled most of the "weight" and still didn't get it! It would be nice if you could get it at 50% off. Also, isn't it a host special coming up? We can host our own shows.

Yep! That's what I plan on doing - but I'll have to wait til Oct. to do that - It would be nice to get one now though for my Sneak Preview show - and to show potential recruits......I really need to just let it go and hope and pray we never have another challenge like that again! It's not really the fault of others in my cluster either - most are just "occasional" consultants - and there are only 3 of us who regularly attend meetings! So I can't blame them really for not pulling their weight - they were just running their businesses the way that they normally do!

 

[AJPratt]

Is it possible or do you think it won't help

But what if someone could type up a form letter and then all consultants who believe that this cluster challenge was wrong - send the letter to home office and let them know since this challenge was a flop that the home office should still award the consultants that did submit the 2 show should get the knife. Is it wrong for us to ask?

Need your opinion!!

It is not only something we should do, but is essential that when something is good or bad we alert the HO. They DO listen to us. Hmmm... wish my day job did!

 

[TinasKitchen]

I'd love to email the HO. What is the email address?

My cluster missed it by 9 shows.. and most put in more than 2 a piece. Alot that normally have more than 2 shows a month didnt submit any for their own reasons. I havent been w/ PC that long but I felt very stressed that month to help out my cluster, even offering to add more to a show (out of my own pocket $35) to make it to the $250 mark. My director said it wasnt necessary.

 

[cookn' katie]

I heard a rumor somewhere that only 10 clusters met the goal. My director said that the company feels awful about the way the challenge went and that they will not do another challenge like this. They said that they did learn from their mistake. I too, like all of you were very disappointed that our cluster didn't earn it. I don't like when I have to count on others to win. I know that the company wanted a "team" effort but I set a goal for myself and did my part.

 

[AJPratt]

Tina: You could sent it to [email protected]

 

[TinasKitchen]

Thank you Anne. I sent an email to HO.

I basically said what you girls had said. How unfair it was to those of us that held our end of the bargain and to not get anything wasnt right. It wasnt like we knew how close we were until it was too late.

 

[AJPratt]

You're welcome!

 

[its_me_susan]

My director took a class at conference, on how to help your downline promote and they said sites like theses don't help your consultant but hold them back. People get addicted and don't make cc calls or work their biz. They get lots of great ideas, however they never implement them into their biz.

So my director told me twice that she would like me to try and be off of here for a month and see how much more my biz will flourish. If I can't be off of here to record my time that I am on here, but also record the time I work the biz.

Sorry about giving you the long story version!

Wow I find I DO get great ideas I do implement ~ and quicker answers to questions. My director actually asked me to look for something here for her (6 pink bar boards - thanks for the reminder).

 

[AJPratt]

I also have to say that I mainly post after I have made all my calls or when its not a good time to call people (like now) or when I'm at the day job and I need a little sanity or pick me up!

 

[mat6304]

My cluster needed 88 shows, we only had 50 some shows submitted. It was a hard gole to achieve. Wish the ones that met their show needs could get the knife!

 

[AJPratt]

88 Shows?!

 

[Sooner PC]

I find out info from this board that I can't get out of my director. She treats ALOT of info as top secret when in reality a little more info would help me be more productive. I have told her about this sight and that she needed to just browse because of the awesome ideas and support. She disagrees.

Oh well - her loss - my gain!!!

 

[ChefinHarmony]

Our Director jumped the gun and told us all we Earned it - Yippee!! Well, a few consultants LIED and when she got our numbers - we didn't earn it! She felt so bad, that she is going to reimburse us for the knives after we buy it at our discount. We only needed 12, but I submitted 4 myself! There was only 4 of us who made 2 or more shows.

Here's the bad news I heard (From 4+ Directors) at a Large Joint Cluster Meeting after Conference..... HO has MORE cluster challenges planned! The Directors were complaining about this one at Conference and my Hospitality Director was told "get used to it because we have more coming". She was mad! That's what I heard, but there were 4 Directors that confirmed it.

Contradicts what Katie stated above though about HO feeling bad.

Joanne

 

[pamperedalf]

Just got mine today, and I am in love!!

 

[heat123]

Just got mine today, and I am in love!!

Me too! Have to try it out tonight! Nice quality reminds me of Henkles knives.