Are customer accounts necessary for my website?

[vanscootin]

First off, I'm excited it's finally here.... but.

I'm concerned. I went through the tutorials again last night, and I just can't wrap my head around having customers create and account... it's kind of forcing their hand, and I'm not sure I want to do that. I know that they don't have to use it and can forget about it, but explaining that to a meanie head customer is going to be a tough sell.

Anyone else have concerns about the "ch ch ch changes" ?

 

[BethCooks4U]

The only ones that will ask to create an account will be those ordering through the website (mostly outside orders). That is standard for online ordering. Right now they have to put all their info in anyway so the only real change is that once they do it they just have to sign in and their info will already be there. ...like when I sign in to Amazon.Others can also make an account and then they can see everything they have ordered since the new web started but they don't have to.

 

[vanscootin]

Well sheesh, when you say it that way it makes sense.... and I get that it's so much easier. I just wonder about how customers are going to think... "well gee, how much Pampered Chef do I really buy that I need an account?" I'm sure I'm needlessly worrying and it will all work itself out and be fabulous.

Beth - were you on the call yesterday?

 

[BethCooks4U]

Yes I was! Were you?

 

[vanscootin]

Sure was... my husband was so mad at me cause I was on the phone for so long and he was hungry... I ended up putting the phone on speaker so I could cook dinner.... anyways.... what are your thoughts on that 1250 thing and the consultant gift thing? I'm being vague on purpose but I'm sure you're picking up what I'm throwing down.

 

[BethCooks4U]

Those placing PC orders online now (individual orders, not on parties) already have to create an account so for them it will be no different. The difference is, and what I will try to excite my customers with, is that now they can all go there and create an account and access their order history and my website. If they attended a show their infor will already be keyed in. All they will need to do is create a password.

 

[BethCooks4U]

Sure was... my husband was so mad at me cause I was on the phone for so long and he was hungry... I ended up putting the phone on speaker so I could cook dinner.... anyways.... what are your thoughts on that 1250 thing and the consultant gift thing? I'm being vague on purpose but I'm sure you're picking up what I'm throwing down.

When I first heard rumors about the 1250 thing I was upset but now I think it will be a great enhancement!! It will help everyone concerned!!

Consultant gift: I get the why and it does create a little more effort on my part but I am one who touts the reward programs that PC offers so I don't give as much as some consultants. I will enter them in my expenses and keep a document on file for each month so I have something to remind me who I gave what in case I am ever audited.

 

[vanscootin]

When I first heard rumors about the 1250 thing I was upset but now I think it will be a great enhancement!! It will help everyone concerned!!

Consultant gift: I get the why and it does create a little more effort on my part but I am one who touts the reward programs that PC offers so I don't give as much as some consultants. I will enter them in my expenses and keep a document on file for each month so I have something to remind me who I gave what in case I am ever audited.

I was upset too...but after thinking about it I agree that it can only help not hurt. There is method to the madness....

It's a little extra work, but no biggie to keep track of. I couldn't believe that question yesterday my jaw dropped at the almost rudeness. And yeah we have fantastic rewards for hosts... what the heck more do they want!

I must say I'm excited to get my hands on the app.... I keep 4 calendars... and I'm thinking the app is going to knock me down to 2. May not have a need for the consultant planner anymore. It will all be right there! Part of me doesn't even want to try to side load it to my kindle fire and just go get an iPad because the screen is bigger and I'm on the blind side and all thumbs.

 

[BethCooks4U]

I would wait until it comes, put it on your kindle and see what it looks like. I know when I put an iPhone app on my iPad I can 2x it to a better size...About that person... OMG I was thinking, don't you get any commission after all that? She really needs to just sit back and let things play out instead of panicking. Of course there will be glitches and little bumps and a learning curve but once we get in there and know it I am betting we will all love it. P3 is often a pain... My only fear is if the web goes down...

 

[babywings76]

I would wait until it comes, put it on your kindle and see what it looks like. I know when I put an iPhone app on my iPad I can 2x it to a better size...

About that person... OMG I was thinking, don't you get any commission after all that? She really needs to just sit back and let things play out instead of panicking. Of course there will be glitches and little bumps and a learning curve but once we get in there and know it I am betting we will all love it. P3 is often a pain... My only fear is if the web goes down...

I've heard nightmare stories of 31's going down, making all those last minute submissions impossible. A friend of mine who is a consultant told me that they started assigning consultants different deadline times or submission times or something to help the traffic flow on the site be better. I mentioned this concern to HO and they told me that they put a lot of money into this and have things covered so that shouldn't happen. I guess we'll have to cross our fingers and hope.

The bad thing if it goes down is that EVERYTHING we do is dependent on the website. Not just show submissions. So if it goes down, we are going to be in big trouble and at such a standstill. (but again, crossing fingers here that that is a situation that won't happen.)

 

[BethCooks4U]

I've heard nightmare stories of 31's going down, making all those last minute submissions impossible. A friend of mine who is a consultant told me that they started assigning consultants different deadline times or submission times or something to help the traffic flow on the site be better. I mentioned this concern to HO and they told me that they put a lot of money into this and have things covered so that shouldn't happen. I guess we'll have to cross our fingers and hope.

The bad thing if it goes down is that EVERYTHING we do is dependent on the website. Not just show submissions. So if it goes down, we are going to be in big trouble and at such a standstill. (but again, crossing fingers here that that is a situation that won't happen.)

All systems go down from time to time so it will happen but I believe that the work in the backround that took. so. long. will help avoid it or at least make the outage times shorter.

I will be urging my team to get their orders in EARLY (like I have been for years - lol) to assure that they aren't in the que if it does crash at end of month. That's one good thing about the roll out, not everyone will be submitting via the new web in May or even June so it will built among 3 months time.

 

[vanscootin]

I've heard nightmare stories of 31's going down, making all those last minute submissions impossible. A friend of mine who is a consultant told me that they started assigning consultants different deadline times or submission times or something to help the traffic flow on the site be better. I mentioned this concern to HO and they told me that they put a lot of money into this and have things covered so that shouldn't happen. I guess we'll have to cross our fingers and hope.

The bad thing if it goes down is that EVERYTHING we do is dependent on the website. Not just show submissions. So if it goes down, we are going to be in big trouble and at such a standstill. (but again, crossing fingers here that that is a situation that won't happen.)

I agree with the concern about it going down... 31 has it's own problems I'm sure with their business structure. I have a good friend who is a director with the company and she is leaving 31 for some of those reason, but that's neither here nor there.

But I feel like the new web may be in effort to keep us more structured and accountable.

 

[BethCooks4U]

I agree with the concern about it going down... 31 has it's own problems I'm sure with their business structure. I have a good friend who is a director with the company and she is leaving 31 for some of those reason, but that's neither here nor there.

But I feel like the new web may be in effort to keep us more structured and accountable.

I agree. It will be much harder for consultants to cheat the system (eg.: put an order in a past host's name...). I doubt that they are doing this for that reason though. They just want us to be state of the art, leading edge, the best there is...

 

[NooraK]

Those placing PC orders online now (individual orders, not on parties) already have to create an account so for them it will be no different. The difference is, and what I will try to excite my customers with, is that now they can all go there and create an account and access their order history and my website. If they attended a show their infor will already be keyed in. All they will need to do is create a password.

Does this mean if they sign into their account, they'll be automatically linked to my PWS? That would be pretty cool, as it would minimize those lost sales that end up in the lead system. But then what if the customer wants to order from a different consultant?

 

[BethCooks4U]

Does this mean if they sign into their account, they'll be automatically linked to my PWS? That would be pretty cool, as it would minimize those lost sales that end up in the lead system. But then what if the customer wants to order from a different consultant?

They said that any consultant they order with will be listed and then they can choose who they want to contact...

 

[esavvymom]

All systems go down from time to time so it will happen but I believe that the work in the backround that took. so. long. will help avoid it or at least make the outage times shorter.

I will be urging my team to get their orders in EARLY (like I have been for years - lol) to assure that they aren't in the que if it does crash at end of month. That's one good thing about the roll out, not everyone will be submitting via the new web in May or even June so it will built among 3 months time.

This could also end up biting them in the rear as far as seeing how the system handles a FULL roll-out, not just incremental. FOr the first 2 months, if they are staggering the system with #s of consultants, they aren't fully pushing it. We have until June 30th on P3. What happens if the last consultants are added in June, then June end-month rolls around and KABOOM (drama-queen ). Everyone is on the system- business as usual and it can't handle it.

They've spent millions, but having BEEN IN THE TECH BUSINESS...the amount they have thrown around is really a drop in the bucket. It doesn't impress me. We shall see (keeping my pessimistic approach here. ).

Hoping for the best. I did like seeing the $1250 Leads change...so far. I've been one of those "on the bubble" between in/out. The recruiting piece especially.

although, you all are killing me with the "secret" language about "consultant gifts" and such. Just mean, plain mean.

 

[vanscootin]

Sorry Bobbi.... there is no way to track consultant gifts in the new system.

 

[BethCooks4U]

Bobbi, thatis exactly why people have to stop waiting until the last minute to submit if they can. I know... woulda, coulda, shoulda.

The consultant gift thing is that we will not be able to use "consultant gift" as a payment option. Payments have to be credit, cash or check so we have to put them in as cash and then key the "gift" in so we can use it as a deduction. I didn't think I was that secretive about how I answered the question.

 

[babywings76]

Sorry Bobbi.... there is no way to track consultant gifts in the new system.

Oh no! Really? I thought they said we'd still be able to put in all our deductions and things like in P3. Covering the little extras here and there was so easy with P3 and the "consultant gift". So sad!! We need someone to figure out how we should best handle these scenarios then.

 

[vanscootin]

Bobbi, thatis exactly why people have to stop waiting until the last minute to submit if they can. I know... woulda, coulda, shoulda.

The consultant gift thing is that we will not be able to use "consultant gift" as a payment option. Payments have to be credit, cash or check so we have to put them in as cash and then key the "gift" in so we can use it as a deduction. I didn't think I was that secretive about how I answered the question.

My fault... I didn't want to ruffle feathers.

 

[babywings76]

Bobbi, thatis exactly why people have to stop waiting until the last minute to submit if they can. I know... woulda, coulda, shoulda.

The consultant gift thing is that we will not be able to use "consultant gift" as a payment option. Payments have to be credit, cash or check so we have to put them in as cash and then key the "gift" in so we can use it as a deduction. I didn't think I was that secretive about how I answered the question.

Oh, okay, so there is a way to choose "gift" somewhere and have it on record?

 

[BethCooks4U]

Oh, okay, so there is a way to choose "gift" somewhere and have it on record?

It will be in the income & expense area that we will add things like purchases from Merrill or Office Depot. If the heading "gift" isn't there we should be able to add the heading like we can now.

 

[vanscootin]

Oh no! Really? I thought they said we'd still be able to put in all our deductions and things like in P3. Covering the little extras here and there was so easy with P3 and the "consultant gift". So sad!! We need someone to figure out how we should best handle these scenarios then.

I mean this with all the love in the world. Your figure it out.... as in you figure out a good system for you to track consultant gifts.... my understanding is that there is an expense part of the new site, however the consultant gift is not part of it.

Me, I have a folder for every host and there is a paper stapled to it with a list of expenses, mileage, postage, gifts, etc. It doesn't get filed away until all my fields are entered into P3.

Keep a little memo pad or mileage keeper with you while you are at your show... or enter it as cash and put it in a spread sheet when you are doing your expenses.

 

[flemings99]

For me the scariest part of consultant gift is, if the order is returned the customer is going to get all the $ back. Not a big deal if I get to keep my commission after all it was a gift. But, if they take my commission away for the purchase as well then I'm out $ Hopefully we'll have a back door way to track the gifts. I don't do it often, but do like to offer incentives at fairs/festivals and around the holidays for my clients.

 

[vanscootin]

For me the scariest part of consultant gift is, if the order is returned the customer is going to get all the $ back. Not a big deal if I get to keep my commission after all it was a gift. But, if they take my commission away for the purchase as well then I'm out $ Hopefully we'll have a back door way to track the gifts. I don't do it often, but do like to offer incentives at fairs/festivals and around the holidays for my clients.

I'm sure we all do that in some way shape or form, but you are right.

 

[Amyskitchen2]

I have a question that I may be missing somewhere but if we link our catalog show via say FB will it still work? Since your email seems to be the key to showing what shows you are invited to. And what if the host didn't have your email information? The tutorial, as I recall, showed them signing in with an email and then the show was in the drop down box without a search. This confused me a little. It may have been covered since I am usually a little distracted.lol

 

[AshleyAllison]

All systems go down from time to time so it will happen but I believe that the work in the backround that took. so. long. will help avoid it or at least make the outage times shorter.

I will be urging my team to get their orders in EARLY (like I have been for years - lol) to assure that they aren't in the que if it does crash at end of month. That's one good thing about the roll out, not everyone will be submitting via the new web in May or even June so it will built among 3 months time.

Does anybody have any hints as to when those consultants who aren't directors are going to get access? I know they're releasing it in tiers with directors and above being first, then team leaders & senior consultants, followed by all other consultants but do any of you directors have the slightest idea (or even intuition) about a date?

Curiosity is killing this cat!

 

[BethCooks4U]

Does anybody have any hints as to when those consultants who aren't directors are going to get access? I know they're releasing it in tiers with directors and above being first, then team leaders & senior consultants, followed by all other consultants but do any of you directors have the slightest idea (or even intuition) about a date?

Curiosity is killing this cat!

They made it sound like it would be about a week apart but they did say that if there are issues as we are coming on it would delay adding more people. My GUESS and do not quote me - it is a guess - is that their goal is May 3 D & above (and everyone who signs in May); May 10 TL & SC; May 17 all consultants.

 

[jendill]

my only issue with that is that I have a consultant signing in the beginning of may. How am I supposed to help her if I cannot see what she is looking at. I am only a team leader and won't get access until later.

 

[BethCooks4U]

my only issue with that is that I have a consultant signing in the beginning of may. How am I supposed to help her if I cannot see what she is looking at. I am only a team leader and won't get access until later.

Do all the training - more than once. Ask your director for back up. Be excited for her and tell her you will learn together. Don't worry. Both of you will get support from your upline and HO.

 

[pctharper]

I was upset too...but after thinking about it I agree that it can only help not hurt. There is method to the madness....

It's a little extra work, but no biggie to keep track of. I couldn't believe that question yesterday my jaw dropped at the almost rudeness. And yeah we have fantastic rewards for hosts... what the heck more do they want!

I must say I'm excited to get my hands on the app.... I keep 4 calendars... and I'm thinking the app is going to knock me down to 2. May not have a need for the consultant planner anymore. It will all be right there! Part of me doesn't even want to try to side load it to my kindle fire and just go get an iPad because the screen is bigger and I'm on the blind side and all thumbs.

I have a Kindle Fire and I'm hoping to be able to put it on there. Really don't want to buy an Ipad, but DH said I could if it would be easier (business expense!). How do you 'side load' it?

 

[AshleyAllison]

Do all the training - more than once. Ask your director for back up. Be excited for her and tell her you will learn together. Don't worry. Both of you will get support from your upline and HO.

Are the videos (tutorials) on CC the only "training" we have? I thought they were going to be putting out actually courses in the Online Training Center. I do have a very sick 1 year old & am extremely sleep deprived so it is extremely possible that I misunderstood or am imagining it.

 

[BethCooks4U]

Yes those are the training for the new web. I thought there were going to be classes in the online training center too but evidently this is it. Makes it feel simple.

 

[chef131doreen]

The training tutorial can to be seen on an iPad beacuse you need a flash , so I have to do that part on my desk top . Can't bring that to meetings to train with
Unless I am missing something it won't Come up to see

 

[vanscootin]

I have a Kindle Fire and I'm hoping to be able to put it on there. Really don't want to buy an Ipad, but DH said I could if it would be easier (business expense!). How do you 'side load' it?

How to Sideload Apps On The Kindle Fire

 

[babywings76]

The training tutorial can to be seen on an iPad beacuse you need a flash , so I have to do that part on my desk top . Can't bring that to meetings to train with
Unless I am missing something it won't Come up to see

This is my only pet peeve with Apple. I wish there was a way they could come to an agreement and just make things compatible with Flash.

I asked HO about the new site being Flash player based and how that means we can't do everything on our iPad's (I don't have one yet, but saving up for it.) They acknowledged that fact but didn't really address it. I wish the programmers had another program they could use that didn't involve Flash so that everything would be compatible.

Only time will tell, though. Maybe the new web will mostly be fine on the iPad. We'll have to see what won't work. But my guess is that it would be best to use laptops at training meetings if you want to show those tutorials. :grumpy:

 

[BethCooks4U]

We have apple TV and have been talking about what I can do at our meeting. When I practiced mirroring my iPad to the tv I discovered that those classes were flash so DH was looking at apps that would let me use flash on the iPad. We downloaded a free one that had a good rating but it didn't work for this. Then I realized... They can and should watch these at home. We can put our meeting time to better use. My meeting happens to be on the 3rd so I *should* have the new web up so we'll do a tour of the site so they get a feel of what it does and where things are. And we'll go over their questions. If something happens like the web going down I'll be prepared with info and just not have the visual.

 

[vanscootin]

There is an app called Skyfire that is supposed to help you watch flash videos on iOS's. I'm not sure if it works but I saw it on G4. The no Flash thing is a major source of contention in the Apple world.

 

[esavvymom]

Since they designed the app for the iPad tablet, then they should have no flash issues. If they do, them PC should fire the team! It is an obvious issue.

There obviously IS a way to do video and such without flash, because Inhave found various sites with videos and such that I can watch on Ipad. But it sure would be nice if Apple and Adobe fixed their squabble.

 

[BethCooks4U]

Since they designed the app for the iPad tablet, then they should have no flash issues. If they do, them PC should fire the team! It is an obvious issue.

There obviously IS a way to do video and such without flash, because Inhave found various sites with videos and such that I can watch on Ipad. But it sure would be nice if Apple and Adobe fixed their squabble.

Dezi was talking about using an app to see the training videos, not about the PC app.

 

[babywings76]

Since they designed the app for the iPad tablet, then they should have no flash issues. If they do, them PC should fire the team! It is an obvious issue.

There obviously IS a way to do video and such without flash, because Inhave found various sites with videos and such that I can watch on Ipad. But it sure would be nice if Apple and Adobe fixed their squabble.

The app functions will be fine, but I'm looking at all the things that will be on the new CC and our websites that won't be on the App. If I'm away from home and want to do business, my guess is that I'll still need to grab my laptop over the iPad. But the app is going to be great, maybe there's more to it than I'm thinking. Or maybe more of the new CC will be compatible. I'm not going to worry too much over it, though. It is what it is and we'll have to wait and see how everything really functions when it goes live.

 

[vanscootin]

I'm thinking that the only think that won't be compatible with anything with flash. I know PDF's are viewable even though those are technically adobe format as well. So really you should be able to access just about everything from the iPad less the trainings.

 

[BethCooks4U]

They HAVE made the current PC website more iPad friendly. It used to be that you could not see certain parts of it and parts of our PWS (like the ordering links). Then they had a link to purchasing for a special they ran one month and I was one of probably many that said why can't you have a link like that up all the time. Now they do. My bet is there will be very little that won't be viewable on iPad. I do wish they'd redo the training area to be compatible too. They did say that there will be errors and there will be issues and to be patient. It is a work in progress. When you build a house there is always a punch list of things to go back and fix.

 

[vanscootin]

It is a work in progress. When you build a house there is always a punch list of things to go back and fix.

The first time I ever heard the phrase "punch list" was when I was working for an evil builder. I asked one of the contractors what it meant he told me to look at is the list of crap that went wrong while we were building and now that it's done we have to go back and knock it out. I thought he meant knock it all out literally. Then it dawned on me.... bad joke about a "punch." Ha ha.

 

[LI Chick]

I gotta say, I just signed up as a Consultant and its more than annoying that I have to learn the old system and then learn the new system. The date they selected is too arbitrary. If they are rolling it out May 3rd and allowing consultants who signed up that day and beyond immediate access, they really should have grandfathered it. Not happy about this at all...

 

[BethCooks4U]

I gotta say, I just signed up as a Consultant and its more than annoying that I have to learn the old system and then learn the new system. The date they selected is too arbitrary. If they are rolling it out May 3rd and allowing consultants who signed up that day and beyond immediate access, they really should have grandfathered it. Not happy about this at all...

As with everything there has to be a start date when changes come and someone is going to be upset with that date or change. The systems are not that different, in fact it looks like the new one is simpler. Sorry.

 

[esavvymom]

I gotta say, I just signed up as a Consultant and its more than annoying that I have to learn the old system and then learn the new system. The date they selected is too arbitrary. If they are rolling it out May 3rd and allowing consultants who signed up that day and beyond immediate access, they really should have grandfathered it. Not happy about this at all...

What else could they have done?? Told new consultants they have to wait to sign up??
Just do the basics you need to do for submitting your shows. The old system isn't terribly complicated when it comes to the shows. Just don't put any effort into too much on P3 other than the basics (ie- customizing contacts, or doing expense records, etc.)
When the new system is online, it will be simpler. There really wasn't any other options for them, since someone would have been caught in the middle. "Grandfathering" wouldn't really work in this case. And you'll be able to use P3 until end of June, so if you want to keep using what you know...go for it. But once you see the new one, you'll be glad you won't have to.

 

[LI Chick]

What else could they have done?? Told new consultants they have to wait to sign up??
Just do the basics you need to do for submitting your shows. The old system isn't terribly complicated when it comes to the shows. Just don't put any effort into too much on P3 other than the basics (ie- customizing contacts, or doing expense records, etc.)
When the new system is online, it will be simpler. There really wasn't any other options for them, since someone would have been caught in the middle. "Grandfathering" wouldn't really work in this case. And you'll be able to use P3 until end of June, so if you want to keep using what you know...go for it. But once you see the new one, you'll be glad you won't have to.

No, they could have had a larger window - not just launch date forward. Those of us who signed up within a week of launch could have easily been included. Go back to April 1. I'm tech savvy so I'm not overly concerned about the learning curve but I would have preferred not to waste my time learning one system and switching over to another. It is ridiculous.

 

[vanscootin]

No, they could have had a larger window - not just launch date forward. Those of us who signed up within a week of launch could have easily been included. Go back to April 1. I'm tech savvy so I'm not overly concerned about the learning curve but I would have preferred not to waste my time learning one system and switching over to another. It is ridiculous.

But you're not within a week of launch. Consultants at the consultant level don't have access until near mid May. It's easy to understand your frustrations but the bad attitude about it isn't going to help your new business. Just sayin. This is a big change for ALL of us. Not just you.

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

I have a different question. Say my host doesn't use e-vites (most of mine are not really computer people and I'm lucky if they check e-mail!) and so Sally Guest enters my PWS. When she gets there, she sees a list of shows she is "invited to or hosting." Well what if she's not signed in, is not on my guest list, and just found the show. Will she still be able to find Jane Host's party and place an order?Also, if Gina Guest has been to another consultant's show but now wants to order from Heather Host's show ... will she instead be encouraged to order from "Other Consultant's" page?And inquiring minds want to know about the "1250" thing.