Rant Streamlined and User-Friendly Consultant Resources at Consultants Corner

[Monty060609]

I have to say I think this is one of the WORSE websites I have ever used! It is so sloppily set up I can't believe it. A company as large as Pampered Chef and the consultant's corner could have been made as a HS senior project.

-There are multi links and they all go to the same place. And some links that go no where (when you click Manage My Business it produces a chain that make it look like your in tax information)
-The things that I would think consultants use a lot, like the logos, are super hard to find. (I had to look again because my laptop broke so I had to redownload)
-The search option is practically useless because it searches all of the newsletters PC ever put out
-There is no log-out button
-If you click Consultant Connection, forget it! You get a new window and if you click to go back to CC you get another new window!
-three of the 'frequently visited sites' are the same page

Those are just a few of my complaints, lol. I'm pretty computer savy and have been working with them for a long long time. I know there is a ton of info on that site but I also know that it could be way better organized and user friendly.

There's my two cents for the day

 

[Lifeat50]

I would suggest you send the tech team your insights. They might take a look at things from a different angle.

 

[chefcharity]

U should check out some other direct selling sites. I think ours is pretty good, myself, but other DS companies completely stink! My friend has sold for about every company you can think of and ours is the most put together one there is.

Couple side notes for you:
* The consultant connection is still fairly new. So, if you have a suggestion send it in.
* There might be no log out, but as soon as you go to another screen, your session will expire. At least mine does.
* I think the frequently visited sites that go to the same place, I would think that is for people who don't know all that info is on the same page. I mean, if you are new and want a host special it is spelled out for them and they don't have to search for them.

So, I guess, bottom line is if you have suggestions on how to improve it, send them to tech support. They do listen.

 

[pampchefsarah]

I guess because I've been using it for over a year, I'm pretty used to the site - but, come here when I really need information. Consultant Connection, however, REALLY needs work. I completely agree with how inane it is to not be able to get back to CC from there, without opening a new window. Also, if you have team members and are checking their history/information, you again have to go completely out and come back in to go back to your tracker.

Yes, I wrote this on the table at NC, but since nothing's changed, I doubt they even read it.

 

[esavvymom]

I think because you ARE internet savvy (as I am), we tend to look at it through our eyes. But there are MORE people out there who are not tech savvy or don't think things to be as intuitive. I think that's why they have so many links to the same thing - so everyone can find those "hot links". Yes- they could make some improvements, but overall, I think it's pretty decent. I do wish they'd better organize things like the Download Center tab and such pages that have alot of information but no way to really find anything quickly (I usually do a "find" on my browser to find things).

 

[ChefBeckyD]

The two things that frustrate me:

The search feature is absolutely useless. I remember being so excited when it was first introduced...and quickly realized it was a waste of time.

Consultant Connection - if I want to look at a team members stats, I can't go back to my page on it, I have to completely get out of CC and re-enter. Frustrating beyond belief!:grumpy:

 

[JAE]

Search is definitely useless. I guess we all need to e-mail them because it's been useless since at least April of 2007, and apparently, it still is. I haven't tried to use it again. Must be not enough of us have complained. I very much dislike the new way to check my sales. It doesn't seem better IMO, but I'm not checking on other people. I'm only checking my own sales. I figured it must be working out great for people with recruits. Guess not. There are some things I really like about the website. I'm just used to the inefficiencies and avoid problem areas. I'm not that bugged, I guess. Oh, I thought of something that irks me, but it's not a big deal. When I go to the Season's Best recipes, it's a little annoying that Spring Summer 09 automatically comes up instead of Fall Winter 09. This seems to happen every new season, that the old one is automatically there. What's up with that? Used to it, though.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Search is definitely useless. I guess we all need to e-mail them because it's been useless since at least April of 2007, and apparently, it still is. I haven't tried to use it again. Must be not enough of us have complained. I very much dislike the new way to check my sales. It doesn't seem better IMO, but I'm not checking on other people. I'm only checking my own sales. I figured it must be working out great for people with recruits. Guess not.

There are some things I really like about the website. I'm just used to the inefficiencies and avoid problem areas. I'm not that bugged, I guess.

Oh, I thought of something that irks me, but it's not a big deal. When I go to the Season's Best recipes, it's a little annoying that Spring Summer 09 automatically comes up instead of Fall Winter 09. This seems to happen every new season, that the old one is automatically there. What's up with that? Used to it, though.

Hey JAE! Have I told you that it's nice to have you back on CS? (Like I don't see and talk to you other places....)

 

[Lisa/ChefBear]

Oh, I thought of something that irks me, but it's not a big deal. When I go to the Season's Best recipes, it's a little annoying that Spring Summer 09 automatically comes up instead of Fall Winter 09. This seems to happen every new season, that the old one is automatically there. What's up with that? Used to it, though

That's one that's urked me for a long time and I've called and emailed about that and nothing has changed and I've been selling since March 2005.

Lots of little things annoy me. but I can tell you we are Leaps and bounds ahead of lots of other DS companies.

Lisa

 

[JAE]

Hey JAE! Have I told you that it's nice to have you back on CS? (Like I don't see and talk to you other places....)

Well, you know, it's darker longer and colder outside. I have to have something else to keep me busy while I hibernate indoors.

 

[pjpamchef]

I think because you ARE internet savvy (as I am), we tend to look at it through our eyes. But there are MORE people out there who are not tech savvy or don't think things to be as intuitive. I think that's why they have so many links to the same thing - so everyone can find those "hot links". Yes- they could make some improvements, but overall, I think it's pretty decent. I do wish they'd better organize things like the Download Center tab and such pages that have alot of information but no way to really find anything quickly (I usually do a "find" on my browser to find things).

I agree!! I can't tell you how many consultant's I have signed up who didn't even have a computer, or very little computer skills. Everything is relative.

 

[sandilou]

I completely agree with how inane it is to not be able to get back to CC from there, without opening a new window. Also, if you have team members and are checking their history/information, you again have to go completely out and come back in to go back to your tracker.

.

I'm not a computer expert, but I have discovered hitting the back button a couple of times will take you from your team member's info back to your own overview, and there is a place right under the Pampered Chef logo that says 'Consultant's Corner' that will take you back to the main page. Before I stumbled onto that, it used to drive me CrAzY!

Sandi

 

[PamperedChefLayla]

I guess because I've been using it for over a year, I'm pretty used to the site - but, come here when I really need information. Consultant Connection, however, REALLY needs work. I completely agree with how inane it is to not be able to get back to CC from there, without opening a new window. Also, if you have team members and are checking their history/information, you again have to go completely out and come back in to go back to your tracker.

Yes, I wrote this on the table at NC, but since nothing's changed, I doubt they even read it.

On consultant connection if you just close that window you are back at CC or minimize it CC is right there. At least it works that way for me.

 

[Monty060609]

Wow! When I was writing this post I thought I was the only one with complaints. lol
guess not. Your right about things being realtive but it just seems so jumbled to me that there has to be a easier more organized way to get that website up. I wouldn't so much mind about the links that all go to the same place if it didn't imply that you there were so many other places to go.

I'll write something up with my suggestions and email tech support.

 

[urbnk8]

I had taken a bit of a break from PC when Consultant Connection came out, but I just started using it recently. The one thing I don't like, is that you can't change the date of a show on there if someone reschedules. You just have to add a new date. Am I missing something? Or is that really the way it is...

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I had taken a bit of a break from PC when Consultant Connection came out, but I just started using it recently. The one thing I don't like, is that you can't change the date of a show on there if someone reschedules. You just have to add a new date. Am I missing something? Or is that really the way it is...

Just click on the date, and change it to "0" for the qty...it will take it off.

 

[urbnk8]

Just click on the date, and change it to "0" for the qty...it will take it off.

Thanks Becky!!

 

[jcsmilez]

I guess because I've been using it for over a year, I'm pretty used to the site - but, come here when I really need information. Consultant Connection, however, REALLY needs work. I completely agree with how inane it is to not be able to get back to CC from there, without opening a new window. Also, if you have team members and are checking their history/information, you again have to go completely out and come back in to go back to your tracker.Yes, I wrote this on the table at NC, but since nothing's changed, I doubt they even read it.

This frustrates me to no end as well! There is actually a really hand bread crumb feature that makes it easy to go back and forth but it is only available to directors - why - I don't know. My latest thing though, I dropped from Team Leader to Senior Consultant status and I no longer have a cluster calendar or information about my team, how am I supposed to support them with out information? :cry: I hope they change this soon!

 

[chefann]

The multiple links pointing to the same page are to assist those who don't necessarily know that all that information is on one page, and are looking for something specific. A new consultant may go to CC looking for host specials, and have that phrase in mind. They wouldn't know to click on a link that says "guest specials" to get the host flyers. IMO there's nothing worse than not being able to find info on a website because you don't know the very specific term the web programmers used. Better to have some repeated links than to have consultants not be able to find things.And the current CC is much better than when I started with PC 8 years ago.

 

[Sheila]

... Also, if you have team members and are checking their history/information, you again have to go completely out and come back in to go back to your tracker. ...

...

Consultant Connection - if I want to look at a team members stats, I can't go back to my page on it, I have to completely get out of CC and re-enter. Frustrating beyond belief!:grumpy:

Hey ladies ... just FYI: If you hit the back browser button until you are back on the "performance tracker" list of names, you can then click on the next name (including your own name) to look at another person's stats.