Semi Lost Little Lamb-Sticky Recruiting ?

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Discussion Overview

This thread features a participant exploring the possibility of becoming a Pampered Chef consultant after a series of unsatisfactory interactions with a current consultant. The participant shares their background and raises several questions regarding the recruitment process, while other users respond with their insights and personal experiences related to recruitment and support within the community.

Discussion Character

  • Anecdotal
  • Opinion-based
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant, identifying as a consultant, mentions that it is not necessary to hold a show before being recruited.
  • Another participant shares their experience that the current consultant does not have exclusive rights to the participant and they can choose someone else to sign with.
  • Several users note that starter kits typically arrive quickly, often within a week.
  • One participant emphasizes the importance of having a supportive upline, suggesting that the current consultant may not be reliable based on her behavior.
  • Another participant advises that it is crucial to feel comfortable with the recruiter and to consider meeting potential directors before making a decision.
  • Some participants express that the participant should choose someone who will provide adequate training and support.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

There appears to be general agreement among participants that the individual has the freedom to choose their recruiter and that the current consultant may not be the best option based on her lack of responsiveness.

Contextual Notes

The discussion reflects personal experiences and opinions regarding the recruitment process within the Pampered Chef community, highlighting the importance of support and communication in choosing a recruiter.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals considering joining Pampered Chef as consultants may find this discussion helpful in understanding their options and the importance of selecting a supportive recruiter.

Chocolatejunkie said:
*****NOTE: That does not mean to bombard me with offers to recruit me. I do appreciate the offers, but if I decide to go with someone from this site I already have them picked out as I read her postings and enjoyed them and she seems like a good person to work with.*****

LOL!!!

Thanks for the update...let us know how everything turns out!!
 
Chocolatejunkie said:
How good is the online sales training? Is it something that I could pretty much teach myself without outside support and still do a whiz bang business? Yes online training is good. I personaly would utilize it more but I have dial up and it does not work so good. There are many on this site who have no support from their upline and are not in hospitality groups that I belive have great businesses because of the training and support from this site.


For those of you who have hospitality directors, do you enjoy it and are they helpful or can it be more difficult for you? I have been in a hospitality group for 4 years. My then recruiter and I went with the 2nd or 3rd person that was recomended to us (we were lucky enough to be in a big city with lots of options for directors) I have had an EXCELLENT experience. Not all directors are big on hospitality though. It's kinda like finding that right person to sign under. Also the hosp. dir. and your dir. need to comunicate to get you stats and decide on recognition. From My experience though I would rather have signed under someone local and comitted to their business because (and this is a small reason) when it comes to national conference there are 3 "waves" you are assigned buy your ececutive director and you may be going at different times than your hospitality group.
I can explain this all in more detail later if you are interested. I feel I have babbled enough for now! LOL
Good luck with your decision!
 
Chocolatejunkie said:
So I think what I'll do is meet up with her, go to a cluster meeting and see if I like her director at all. If I like her director I just might sign up under her, because then I'd have the director's support, right? Also if this person quits her PC business (which I think might be highly likely) Then I'd be under her director.
And if that doesn't work out then I'll go from there.

I signed up under a friend who was, at best, a hobbiest - so most of my training, right from the very beginning, came from our director. My friend quit selling a few months after I signed up - and now I am direct first line to an awesome director! My feeling is that no matter how great a long distance director/recruiter may be - it's always better to have someone close.

How good is the online sales training? Is it something that I could pretty much teach myself without outside support and still do a whiz bang business?

With the host half price combinations on the last page of the catalog. Will the 50% off for the forged cutlery collection still be available in September or will that be changing with the new catalog? (My mother in law agreed to have a show for me and we are shooting to earn that for as she wants a nice new knife set and she was only going to buy two knives when I said "How much were you planning to spend?
She wanted the Chef and Utility knife, so that's over a hundred right there.
How'd you like to get the whole set for under $136? All we have to do is have $300 in sales at your show and that's easy to get.
So she is excited and can't wait. She wants to do the show in September as that is when she'll have money available. But I figured we could do the show at the very end of August if necessary and then I could collect the money (she gets paid the first of September) and she could still earn the knives.

Yes - it is still one of the host 1/2 price bundles in September - but the price in Sept. will be $172 - with the addition of 2 new knives. If she has her show at the end of August, she could get 2 knives for 60% off, plus unlimited knives at the 20% off sale price PLUS her host discount - so you could probably do a little math and figure out which is the better deal for her. Also - if she had an August show, she could possibly get a Sept. Booking, and get cookware for 60% off too!

For those of you who have hospitality directors, do you enjoy it and are they helpful or can it be more difficult for you?

Thanks so much for your help everyone I appreciate it


Here's an answer or two for you!
 
DITTO on finding a person to sign with who is a willing participant in helping you to achieve success! That said, that person does NOT have to be a seasoned consultant....but someone who shares a vision for their future and is willing to grow their biz and help you do the same. It sounds like the gal you are dealing with is not meeting that criteria...I'd run screaming from the room actually!

It is really perceptive of you to recognize now that this person may not be able to provide the assistance you will want. Many of us signed up with whomever was doing the show when we had a lightbulb moment about starting our biz....and we didn't think about the training/support/upline issues until the dotted line was signed.

Note that once you sign with a person, you pretty well have to stay assigned to that person unless they stop selling. (I believe you can re-sign with someone else only after a full year of inactivity....)

Good luck!
 
Chocolatejunkie said:
For those of you who have hospitality directors, do you enjoy it and are they helpful or can it be more difficult for you?

Thanks so much for your help everyone I appreciate it

CJ :)

Hospitality Directors are hit and miss...but you are free to change if the chemistry isn't working (unlike your Director).

I am blessed with an amazing HD...she has provided me with incredible support since I first joined PC nine months ago (my upline are all in the states...multiple timezones away). I was intent on doing this business 'full-time' from the beginning, and she readily invested a lot of hours to help me get off to a strong start. I've since realized that not all HDs are willing to do this (some directors don't accept hospitality consultants at all; some others won't accept them unless they are already qualified). They don't earn any overrides on you, but usually receive reimbursement from your actual director for any recognition 'give-aways' you receive at cluster meetings.

Truly good HDs (IMHO) will accept you into their teams without distinguishing between you and 'their' consultants. A team is a team and the acceptance should be mutual. My HD includes my stats in her recognition rankings, and I cheer in kind when my (awesome) 'cluster-mates' are recognized. More importantly, we readily assist eachother and share ideas for everyone to be successful. If your HD is willing to invest in you, be willing to invest back into her and her team. (That's my philosphy anyway.)

Leggy
(I also have a very helpful and supportive director....so maybe I should sign this 'Lucky Leggy' :p )
 
Chocolatejunkie said:
Thanks so much to everyone for replying and I'll keep you posted on what happens. I'll admit my gut instinct is to not go with this person, but she is the sister in law of my best friend so that makes things a little difficult for me.

**grumbles and mumbles to self** Why didn't I keep my big mouth shut and check online first like I was planning to do??? :rolleyes:

Peer pressure sucks, unless of course if its working in your favor.

Although I won't cave and sign up with her just to do it, only if I felt it is right after a lot of pondering. My hubby says that I should give her the benefit of the doubt. He's coming from the point of maybe you are there to teach her and help her, not the other way around. I have been in direct sales before so I know how to sell, I just was never good at the recruiting aspect (emphasis was on having a large stock of inventory and most directors pushed it to the detriment of their downline and they were constantly having to go out and get new people because their people quit)
She called back again and is pushing to set up an appointment, as a draw, there is an offer to be entered into a drawing for $100 worth of stuff put on by her director.
So I think what I'll do is meet up with her, go to a cluster meeting and see if I like her director at all. If I like her director I just might sign up under her, because then I'd have the director's support, right? Also if this person quits her PC business (which I think might be highly likely) Then I'd be under her director.
And if that doesn't work out then I'll go from there.

*****NOTE: That does not mean to bombard me with offers to recruit me. I do appreciate the offers, but if I decide to go with someone from this site I already have them picked out as I read her postings and enjoyed them and she seems like a good person to work with.*****

So a few more questions

How good is the online sales training? Is it something that I could pretty much teach myself without outside support and still do a whiz bang business?

With the host half price combinations on the last page of the catalog. Will the 50% off for the forged cutlery collection still be available in September or will that be changing with the new catalog? (My mother in law agreed to have a show for me and we are shooting to earn that for as she wants a nice new knife set and she was only going to buy two knives when I said "How much were you planning to spend?
She wanted the Chef and Utility knife, so that's over a hundred right there.
How'd you like to get the whole set for under $136? All we have to do is have $300 in sales at your show and that's easy to get.
So she is excited and can't wait. She wants to do the show in September as that is when she'll have money available. But I figured we could do the show at the very end of August if necessary and then I could collect the money (she gets paid the first of September) and she could still earn the knives.

For those of you who have hospitality directors, do you enjoy it and are they helpful or can it be more difficult for you?

Thanks so much for your help everyone I appreciate it
You have to do what is right in your heart and we will be here for you no matter what you decide!

You have already gotten great answers to your questions and here are my 2 cents worth.

On line training is a really great way to get valuable info whenever you have quiet time (even 3am). It is a great start for new consultants and a great review for us seasoned ones! Many of us have had hands off directors/recruiters and have done VERY well with just what PC offers and provides!

I think the knives question was answered. ALL 7 are included as a half price selection in the fall (reg $344 for $172!). If you can do August though she can get the 2 new knives (petite paring and boning knives) for 60% off and the other 5 at half price. You CAN submit an August show in Sept so it's all good! (To submit an August show you need to do your agreement in August.)

I do not have a hospitality director but several of those on my team live in TX and do have one. She is awesome - treats them as though they were her recruits - they get benefit of both my and her training techniques. I have been hospitality consultant for several consultants too and I only hope that they have felt the same about me (they and their directors say so but they might be just being kind.:o :p

Ask away! Good luck to you!
 
BethCooks4U said:
I "have heard" that new consultants can take advantage of past host benefits from shows that were booked before they signed.

I will send an email to PC and get an official answer from them in writing and post it.
Here is the response from PC. This is what I had always believed but changes do happen. "Hearing" that something is okay does not make it FACT and this is a prime example of that.

Response to email I sent requesting clarification:

Dear Beth,

Thank you for contacting The Pampered Chef. If the original Hostess became a Consultant she is not eligible to use the booking Benefit at the show booked from hers. Please advise if we can be of further assistance.

Elizabeth Widmaier
Solution Center Representative
The Pampered Chef, Ltd.
 
BethCooks4U said:
Here is the response from PC. This is what I had always believed but changes do happen. "Hearing" that something is okay does not make it FACT and this is a prime example of that.

Response to email I sent requesting clarification:

Dear Beth,

Thank you for contacting The Pampered Chef. If the original Hostess became a Consultant she is not eligible to use the booking Benefit at the show booked from hers. Please advise if we can be of further assistance.

Elizabeth Widmaier
Solution Center Representative
The Pampered Chef, Ltd.


Thanks for checking Beth - I was pretty sure that was correct.......that's what it says in the Consultant Guide.;)
 
I agree that this consultant might be lacking what is required in a good upline. One caution, though, about going through Head Office. Depending on how many directors / future directors are in your area, you might just get someone who is close -- not neccessarily the person who is your best fit.
In my area, all HO calls go to my director. I haven't heard from her since April. She does few cluster meetings. She has yet to talk to my frist recruit (who signed in March and who earns my director $$).
If you can find someone on Cherf Success who seems like a good fit, I'd go with that, rather than take a referral to a stranger from H.O.
That's my .02$
 
Nothing really more to add since everyone has done a great job - sounds you are fired up and have done your homework too! Good Luck (and love the name!!!)....
 
Best of luck in your decision!
 
etteluap70PC said:
Ok I am going to chime in with my .02$

You have been given great advice. No you do not have to sign with this woman. I would go thru home office and have them put you in touch with a director near you. Now before you sign under this Dir. You need to do a few things. Actually meet with them and get a feel for how they work their business. Go to one of their cluster meetings. And even go to one of their shows. If you go thru that and do not click with them but there is someone on this site whom you do. Then by all means go that route. Even if you sign with someone far away there are hospitality groups (directors who welcome "orphan" consultants to their meetings) I go to Hospitality and it has saved my business!

Ok off my soapbox....

Jumping up on the unattended soap box...for now anyway :rolleyes:

Your director is sooooooo important in your success. Sure you can succeed on your own, but it's so much eaiser if you have a supportive director. You want someone who will be available to answer your questions and help quide you. I also think close proximity is very important, too. My director is about 20 min away from me and it makes it so easy to get to meetings, borrow stuff, and get supplies for booths and such. And personality, teaching and coaching styles are important, too.

Contact HO, ask for several directors in your area and interview them! I got lucky, but you can make your own luck with signing with a director.

If you are in Michigan, my director, Maureen, ROCKS! As I sit her, she is home embroidering my future director apron!!
 

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