Is It Fair to Bend Company Policies for Personal Gain?

[krackley]

So....I was reading one of my favorite money saving blogs today, and I noticed she was doing a giveaway - a PAMPERED CHEF GIVEAWAY! A consultant was giving away the host specials this month, and giving...get this....surprise....a 20% discount on stoneware orders placed by the end of the month....with a link to her personal web site and very explicit directions on how to place an order for a show...

And what really got me? She had 1400 comments! And it's double points month -if she got just 100 orders, she could end up with a huge show, and tons of trip points! :cry::cry::cry:

I mean, I guess it's good for her, but I violated policy one time (without knowing it by putting my website up for a fundraiser show, without going through the home office first - oops! :blushing All I got was a little violation email stating if I didn't take the link down, they would disable my PWS. I wonder if that's all she's going to get?

Ok - I'm done now. I hope it wasn't anyone on here - I didn't say the name on purpose, but yeah....just kinda ticked me off that if all she got was a little slap on the wrist, it would be worth it to end up with half the trip points in one show or something....

 

[raebates]

You have every reason to be miffed. Rest well knowing that being honest and following the rules is always the best thing in the long run. Always.

 

[pcchefjane]

Report it to HO! That is a violation of policy and is TOTALLY wrong! I get really upset when I see those like that! The consultant knows she is wrong in doing this if she has even read through her policy manual!

 

[ShelbyMichalek]

Ugh, that's so annoying. I had innocently put "Pampered Chef Consultant" as my job on my Facebook and was ticked when I realized I had to change it (It now just says I work in direct selling).

What kind of bothers me is this, I know it's all about saving trees/paper/ etc. But why doesn't HO send the policy guide with our kits? Honestly? I didn't get one with mine and didn't even know there was a guide until someone on here told me that I should read it.

 

[Chef Gilles]

I also think it is WRONG!!! But I truly believe that some consultants don't know that this is a violation of our policies. If you just take into consideration some of the questions on this site, it is too often quite apparent that some consultant don't keep up to date with policies, they don't read their PC Consultant News, they are terrified at reading the fine prints and so on. Being a consultant comes with the responsibility of keeping up to date with the company's policies. No matter how I look at it, I still strongly believe that honesty is the best policy!

 

[krackley]

Oh I agree - I'm big on being honest, and want nothing more than to portray that to my family. And I understand innocent mistakes (facebook, etc)....I guess I just see people get that far ahead with dishonesty, and I work so hard for my 3 shows this month to get a few bonus points....it kinda seems totally unfair. But, thanks for letting me vent a little - I do feel better knowing that there are others out there trying to run an honest business.BTW - pcchefjane - I did report it to HO - about 30 minutes after it was posted. It didn't come down until about 6 hours later (and over 1400 people had commented on it), but it did come down.And, Shelby, I'm hoping that soon there will be some policies about facebook (like, facebook messages being considered 'emails' and being able to list your job as Pampered Chef Consultant, etc.)....but I'm sure that's already been discussed a million times!

 

[ShelbyMichalek]

I'm glad someone agrees with me about facebook. I truly believe our policies should be updated. I use the site to network with my family and close friends. It would be nice to have my job listed as it is so that my long-distance family can be kept up to date instead of when I post "I'm hosting a Pampered Chef party at my house" and they comment "Oh! Who's the consultant?" It's like...um..me!?

And yes, Facebook messages should be like emails, I actually do some host coaching through FB messages because sometimes a host doesn't have email and isn't always available by phone.

And about those few bonus points she got, if HO actually does their job (and sometimes they dont...) they might investigate where the orders came from (a good computer tech can track them back to their original linking/her blog) and fill those orders under their usual HO Lead system and take them away from her. That's what I would do if I was a HO Bigshot. LOL

 

[krackley]

Yeah, I'm with you Shelby...I do a lot of host coaching through fb messages too - not really advertising, but coaching. I have had some of my consultants invite people through facebook, but I don't let them put up my website on their pages. Anyway - I don't know what the HO will do - she had it all set up for them to go to her site and even told them what name to put in for the host's name ("Hip" for the first name; "2Save" for the last name - the website was hip2save.com, so that worked well), and she's going to put them all into P3, I'm assuming then turn in the orders that way. So, according to the HO, it's just going to look like an awesome show. I'll be watching for her name though, to see if she made any top selling recognitions in upcoming newsletters - that would really make me mad!

 

[ShelbyMichalek]

Let us know if it does!! That would be soo frustrating!

 

[Chef Gilles]

Yeah, I'm with you Shelby...I do a lot of host coaching through fb messages too - not really advertising, but coaching. I have had some of my consultants invite people through facebook, but I don't let them put up my website on their pages. Anyway - I don't know what the HO will do - she had it all set up for them to go to her site and even told them what name to put in for the host's name ("Hip" for the first name; "2Save" for the last name - the website was hip2save.com, so that worked well), and she's going to put them all into P3, I'm assuming then turn in the orders that way. So, according to the HO, it's just going to look like an awesome show. I'll be watching for her name though, to see if she made any top selling recognitions in upcoming newsletters - that would really make me mad!

Not really because it could be submited in a few shows instead of one.

 

[RMDave]

Well if they're purchased from her PC website, they'll go to that specific show. She can't move them around from there.

 

[pamperedlinda]

Well if they're purchased from her PC website, they'll go to that specific show. She can't move them around from there.

sure you can - you can put them wherever you want them

 

[ChefBeckyD]

sure you can - you can put them wherever you want them

LOL - I was just going to type the same thing!

The order goes to your website - but has to be transferred over to P3 for submission. You can let it automatically transfer, or you can manually type in the info yourself, to where ever you want it to go. In fact, that used to be our only way to transfer them to P3.

 

[TheFreddiesCook]

I've seen a profile on FB that lists her job as Pampered Chef Director....

 

[otisbg]

There are many of my clustermates that hve their websites on Facebook also. I am too much of a peace maker to blow the whistle on them - Hoping that HO will take the lead.

 

[ShelbyMichalek]

There are many of my clustermates that hve their websites on Facebook also. I am too much of a peace maker to blow the whistle on them - Hoping that HO will take the lead.

Very much with you on this! I've seen 3 pc consultants on facebook (and friended two of them) and they actively post about their business and have links on their pages. I'm not about to say anything, lest they "unfriend" me. (I like seeing their feeds and borrowing their ideas.)

 

[msmileyface]

I am brand new. Can someone outline for me briefly what you can and cannot say on Facebook? Is my status allowed to say something like, "I'd love to do a show for anyone who would like to earn free Pampered Chef items" or something like that?Thank you!

 

[chefann]

I am brand new. Can someone outline for me briefly what you can and cannot say on Facebook? Is my status allowed to say something like, "I'd love to do a show for anyone who would like to earn free Pampered Chef items" or something like that?

Thank you!

We're not allowed to post anywhere on line that we are PC consultants. We cannot post links to PWS. Posting a status update like you indicated is a grey area, since it implies that you are a consultant, and HO has indicated that publically-viewable information that can be used to determine consultant status is not allowed either. (There was a consultant-only Facebook group that consultants had to provide their consultant number to join. I sent an inquiry about it to HO, and they told me that it was against the rules because the membership list of that group was akin to a consultant directory.)

 

[msmileyface]

Wow! Why do they have rules about the online posting, just out of curiosity? (By the way, I in the process of printing out my 45 page policy manual!)

 

[DEBBI]

I have to be one of the few people left that doesn't understand facebook

 

[vanscootin]

I had no idea about Facebook and I did read the Policy Guide... PC is my only job... and I'm rather new too... not like Facebook has gotten me any leads at all... but by golly I am not voilting policy.

 

[otisbg]

I really hope that HO re-examines their policy and revises it, in this day and age when technology is advancing so rapidly. Many people do not even have land lines anymore and conduct all their daily activities through IPhones & Blackberries.:grumpy:

 

[vanscootin]

wait I have another question.... I am doing an event and there is to be a website posted for it. The cooridnator asked all the vendors specifically for a personal website... giving him my PWS address will be in violation of policy then?

 

[ShelbyMichalek]

wait I have another question.... I am doing an event and there is to be a website posted for it. The cooridnator asked all the vendors specifically for a personal website... giving him my PWS address will be in violation of policy then?

Call/email HO and ask them. They may make an exception if the PWS link is only up for a month or two.
I think that you should call and/or email them though.

 

[pcchefjane]

You cannot put your PWS or even YOUR NAME on a website that is advertising a vendor event unless it is an approved fundraiser. I asked that question last December about one I was going to be a vendor from. HO says that if your full name is there, anyone can call HO and get your contact information from them (name/email/website) and that would be considered "web advertising" which we cannot do.

 

[brendaziz]

I really hope that HO re-examines their policy and revises it, in this day and age when technology is advancing so rapidly. Many people do not even have land lines anymore and conduct all their daily activities through IPhones & Blackberries.:grumpy:

Yup. That's me. Only have an iphone. I find myself being genuinely surprised when people has house phones

 

[vanscootin]

I love my Iphone. I am constantly running with my kids and it's like my portable office. I had a Blackberry for a day and decided it was a little too sophsiticated for me. The Iphone is so user friendly and the interface is awesome and easy to read... I have terrible eyes.

 

[scottcooks]

when honesty stinks, is time for the GRIT in integrity! Hang in there

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Call/email HO and ask them. They may make an exception if the PWS link is only up for a month or two.
I think that you should call and/or email them though.

The only way they'll make an exception is if it's for a fundraiser - and then, you have to submit a request and have it approved.

There aren't exceptions made to policies that are in place. To read the whole reason behind why that is, find a copy of Doris Christopher's book "The Pampered Chef" (it's an autobiography) - that gives a good explanation. I found my copy on Amazon for a great bargain price.

 

[raebates]

In a way I understand that prohibition. Have you ever googled something and come up with a company that went out of business years ago? It happens. Imagine how many consultants signed up within the past two years but are no longer in the business. I'm sure at some point there will be change in this policy. For now it is what it is.

 

[robochick84]

The best on Facebook is when you do a search and over 500 (max out) individual profiles come up with reference to The Pampered Chef... and then the famous one's with new products as their profile picture!

 

[chef131doreen]

It's amazing how may pamperedchef people you find just by googing Pamperedchef concultants
I found soooooooooooooo many with there web-sits there too Wow

 

[RMDave]

In a way I understand that prohibition. Have you ever googled something and come up with a company that went out of business years ago? It happens. Imagine how many consultants signed up within the past two years but are no longer in the business.

Rae, that's really easy to deal with. PC can certainly change those websites into generic sites. They'd never get shut down.

But you did make an interesting point.

 

[raebates]

That's just one of the many issues I could see with online links/postings. It was also the easiest to articulate. I have friends in other DS companies who face similar restrictions. I can see them changing the rules down the road. I'm definitely looking forward to that day.