What Can The Pampered Chef Do to Make Your Job Easier?

[beepampered]

So I just took the on-line PC survey. It took 75 minutes and they gave me plenty of opportunity to give my thoughts. I felt like I didn't represent all you consultants out there very well so want to know what I should have said to the very last question (these are the exact words - just a summary): "What one thing could The Pampered Chef do to make your job as a consultant easier."

 

[PamperChefCarol]

Well I guess they aren't asking me...

One thing they could do to make my job easier...
Advertise.

Tupperware used to do it back when I was young.. I still remember the little song, "we're tupperware ladies, etc".

 

[Karen Hodge]

Let Host use FPV for to offset cost of 60% off product.

 

[dannyzmom]

Give us some sort of commission - if not full commission - on the 60% and half price items

 

[thechefofnorthbend]

Did they email you the survey or did they call you? I ask this because I have a call from HO on my caller ID this afternoon, but no message left, and I wonder if that is what it was and because I didn't answer, they moved on down the list...Schucks!!!

 

[lisacb77]

Yeah I agree on advertising. Maybe also have something on the HO home page where if you know a consultant you can find their website by typing a name in?

 

[pamperedgirl3]

I agree about the some kind of commission on 60% off & 50% off items. Why bother to use the cookware as a sell for hosting when I don't make any money off of it? Usually people who get big half price items don't get any extra stuff that I DO get commission for.

I also agree with Lisa about being able to find a consultant for typing in a name.

 

[beepampered]

I did not get a call - an email a few weeks ago. It was all on-line.

Advertise! That's what I should have said.

Also, I love the thought of being able to find a consultant if you know their name. Especially since my website doesn't have my name in it.

 

[dianevill]

My suggestion would be to "eliminate" shipping charges; ie. incorporate them into our prices. Don't get me wrong, I don't think our shipping prices are bad at all, but I'm so tired of hearing customers' complaints about it. When people see "Free Shipping" they get so excited. They don't realize that those companies have already incorporated the shipping price into the product price.

Diane

P.S. I would also like to see some commission on half price and host specials.

 

[Chef Kearns]

I love the idea of advertising; however, those of us that are not Directors will not benefit from it. Only Directors and above receive Home Office leads. So while the advertisiing would help make us more of a household name, when people contact PC to find a consultant it will only build the businesses of Directors and above.

To make my job easier...hmmmm. I probably would say a more competitive compensation plan. Our consultant benefits are AWESOME (all the stuff that is just not our concern i.e. credit card fees, host benefits, returns), but on paper our 20% is just not that appealing to alot of people. It is great when you do run into those people that can see the hidden potential.

 

[rennea]

How about getting rid of the "inactive". It would be nice if we didn't have an amount that we needed to meet.

 

[Paige Dixon]

More deals on paperwork!!!

And some tactics to help us qualify and hold onto consultants we sign.

Incentive ideas: (not the year-long incentive, obviously) FURNITURE! Laptops! Copy machines! Beautiful date books! Stylish protective bags for laptops! More free paperwork!co

Cut down on stop sell and backorders during the holiday season!

Better fundraiser cuts to organizations!

Some kind of tagsincluded with the products to let gift recipients know who the gift is from.

These are off the top of my head, I'm sure I can come up with a more complete list.

 

[yummy4tummy]

Equal opportunity on HO leads. Give a list of ALL consultants in the area and let the customer decide who to contact. At least spread the wealth and do some sort of revolving system so that consultants get some leads also. I think it would help keep alot of people from going inactive.

I agree with the commission on 50 & 60% off host specials.

When there is a problem with an order, notify the consultant with the problem immediately instead of sitting on it. (This has happened to me 3 times so far...I had to call HO to find out what the problem was and it held up my order an additional 5 days when it was something they could have called and been clarified in less than 3 minutes grrrr)

 

[lacychef]

Definately a better fundraising program. A more competitive one!

I hope they're still notifying people to take the survey....I was hoping to!

 

[jrstephens]

Give us some sort of commission - if not full commission - on the 60% and half price items

I agree with this completely! At least let them count for points and sell-a-thons even if we do not get commission. But I would love to at least get a little commission on them. They can really add up, especially, when someone wants the cookware!

 

[lisacb77]

Lacy I forgot about that but it's a good pt. And why do we have to take a cut on commission? Sometimes the fundraisers are MORE work! It doesn't encourage us to get them.

Don't get me wrong, I know it is helping someone else, but for me it's a lot of cold calls that I don't have time for right now esp knowing I lose 5% or more off the bat.

 

[jenniferknapp]

Has anyone else gotten the survey?

 

[melissakc]

I agree with the commission or points benefit. Out of 16 shows,6 have ordered the cookware.

Also a more user friendly personal website to allow easier distribution of newsletters. I am still trying to figure the thing out!
Melissa

 

[jrstephens]

Did they tell you the time and date to do the survey or did you have a choice? How did that work?

 

[pamperedgirl3]

My suggestion would be to "eliminate" shipping charges; ie. incorporate them into our prices. Don't get me wrong, I don't think our shipping prices are bad at all, but I'm so tired of hearing customers' complaints about it. When people see "Free Shipping" they get so excited. They don't realize that those companies have already incorporated the shipping price into the product price.

Diane

P.S. I would also like to see some commission on half price and host specials.

I hate when someone orders something less than $4 & has to pay the same amount to ship. I had someone call me to get cinnamon plus & I just told her to pay $1. I'll put it on another order or pay the $3 myself. Maybe it should be $4 shipping on product orders more than $10 or something. I don't think that would hurt sales b/c some people are just there to be nice & not to buy anything & if they do want to help the host, they end up spending most of their money on shipping & taxes!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Alot of good suggestions - I totally think we need a better fundraising plan!
BUT! My big question is:
Do You Know what product you'll get for participating????

 

[pamperedgirl3]

My nephew's preschool did a Gold Canyon Candle Fundraiser last month & it raised over $2000 for the school. They'd have to have a $14000 PC fundraiser to get that! Of course, bookings would count too, but still, it'd have to be high! I mentioned to the director about doing a spring PC fundraiser, but now I'd be embarrassed to say how little they get!

 

[MandyK]

I did a survey a couple of days ago on themes. It was online and took about 10 minutes. Their theme ideas weren't anything I haven't already read about or heard from other consultants. Unfortunately, there was no area to enter our theme ideas.

 

[mbh06]

Okay, I have a cousin and best friend that are both FCS teachers (used to be Home Ec., but they had to change it to be Politicaly correct) Well they would love to do fundraisers since the kitchen stuff goes along w/ cooking... but they wouldn't earn much which bites. She also said something about getting products for the kitchen at school. If she just wanted products I could do a catalog show, but then if something came up through the school I am afraid she could get in trouble. Has anyone done anything like this??

 

[Jennie4PC]

isnt there a fundraiser to get kitchen tools or was that awhile ago I swear I had a flyer for a product fundraiser

 

[mbh06]

I have not seen it, if you find it Please let me know!! THanks
I just didn't want to cause any trouble w/ her and the school since our fundraiser is not for product (or at least I though it wasn't)

 

[Jennie4PC]

I will see if I can find my flyer I am sure there is alos someone else here that may know

 

[reba515]

Okay, I have a cousin and best friend that are both FCS teachers (used to be Home Ec., but they had to change it to be Politicaly correct) Well they would love to do fundraisers since the kitchen stuff goes along w/ cooking... but they wouldn't earn much which bites. She also said something about getting products for the kitchen at school. If she just wanted products I could do a catalog show, but then if something came up through the school I am afraid she could get in trouble. Has anyone done anything like this??

Why would she get in trouble? just plainly state on the flyer that "they will be helping the school (home ec. dept) earn new kitchen tools/products"
i mean they have to come from somewhere so why not PC ?

 

[beepampered]

They didn't give me a choice in times. I had to do it when they wanted (which required getting dh and kiddos out of the house). The last thing they wanted was my name and address to mail out my product but they didn't give me a choice so I'm curious to see what it is.

The survey was very basic. I'm sure they have something different for directors and up.

 

[ChefAggi]

I agree with the being able to get commission on the freebie and 1/2 price products. I also agree with the no 'inactive' status. Its tough sometimes to always get bookings each month. I mean I can understand if after 8 to 12 months there are no bookings or something, but to lose inactivity if you don't get $300 within' 2 months.. thats not always an easy feat some months...

 

[beepampered]

I got my free product from the survey. It is the large rectangle platter with tiles. I don't have it so that's good but I have no clue where I will store this. (And the two real, miniture kitchen sets and real small mixer my daughter got for Christmas in addition to the three dishtowels and two heart-shaped serving dishes I received.)

 

[jenniferknapp]

Wow how nice! I love my white SA Platter with handles

 

[Shawnna]

Free shipping would be great. Several companies are doing that now. I have a friend who sells Home and Garden Party products and they recently started a no shipping charge policy. They added to the price of each item. Their shipping was based on how much you bought. But, our shipping price is great compared to others. Even if you buy a $4 product a lot of times your shipping would be 5.95...up to 10.00 5.95, etc...or even 3.95.

 

[pamperedgirl3]

Free shipping would be great. Several companies are doing that now. I have a friend who sells Home and Garden Party products and they recently started a no shipping charge policy. They added to the price of each item. Their shipping was based on how much they bought. But, our shipping price is great compared to others. Even if you buy a $4 product a lot of times your shipping would be 5.95...up to 10.00 5.95, etc...or even 3.95.

One of my hosts sells Premier Design jewelry. If orders total $40 or more, the items get shipped directly to the guest's home. That would be nice!

 

[Jilleysue]

Yes..over $60.00 would be great to add free shi pping , this is a great feature. I mean, it is sometimes difficult to sell a $4.00 item and have a $4.00 shipping, but I agree we do have better shipping prices than some companies.

 

[Koolotus]

I just did a short, maybe 10 minute survey for PC. It didn't say anything about a prize but I hope I get something....I love free stuff!