Avon Hints and Tips (Part 2)

johanne

silvercharming wrote: »

Jo, I don't see what's offensive about your note. Also the Avon territory mapping isn't infallible. One of my roads apparently only has three houses, but there are actually seventeen - it's not like they are new, they are the oldest houses round here by over 150 years!!!! I double checked with the ASM and they are definitely all mine. Also the shops one one of my roads are included as houses, and there is nothing between 12 and 20 on another of them - Avon don't know this either! I would trust your judgement more than Avon...

...it's not your own road is it? One of my reps said her street was one house smaller and she'd forgotten that her own house was included :rofl: If not, I find the postcode checker on royal mail useful, just don't use a house number and it brings up every house in the street

It was my road yes... BUT i rememebered to take myself out and the neighbour i know wont get it... so i should have had the 26 houses in my street to drop too plus 4 from another road which are situated on a cross road with my street..... so it should have been simple as i knew exactly what 30 houses i was putting books through today. I just must have missed one and thought id done it! :doh:

Problem is the roads are all curvy and have cross roads involved and the house numbers dont run right...! I even printed a map off when i got home and ticked off the ones i was under the impression id dropped too from memory and i was still stumped where id missed!! I know the area really well as my nan lived in this house all my life then i kinda inherited it when she sadly passed away... so i know the houses from memory as ive seen them every week for the past 23 years! I just cant remember whos drive i forgot to go up today! :rotfl:

I used royal mail address finder the other night to get a list of all the house numbers in every street in my territory and have saved it into excel file as i lived around here all my life and know its very confusing area for house numbers etc its such a mix of houses and eras from big 10 bed mansions that are so old they are listed buildings.. to 1930s semi's to modern houses about 5 years old.. and thats just my street! :rotfl:And dont get me started on my streets street numbers that start at 7.... and finish at 42 despite there being only 28 houses in the road! :rolleyes: :rotfl:

OOOhhh how i wished i lived in a nice simple straight terraced road with 100+ houses in..............................

Mousie_2

silver.....i was on incapacity benefit for years, and returned to work whilst on incapacity benefit last april.
Perhaps I should have put in more detail in my previous post like whilst on incapacity benefit you arent allowed to work at all, unless you have special permission from them, and if they grant it they only allow you to work under 16 hours a week, or a earn a certain ammount of money which ever comes first, for 52 weeks and still pay you incapacity benefit, as a way of supporting you back into work.
You cant just decide to work whilst on incapacity benefit without their permission.

In less than 2 weeks incapacity benefit is being abolished for new claimants and existing claimants will switch over to the new system within the next 2-3 years. The new version of incapacity benefit is about getting you back into work with their full support, or leaving you in peace if they decide you are too ill to work. But thats a whole other issue!!

RE: The asm she is out of her area, im area 800 and she told me she is area 801 and was canvassing the whole street of shops in the village i live in.

Larumbelle

Like I said Mousie, I wasn't having a go, just the rules are different even for different claimants of incapacity, it's a bloody minefield, and I know how it can be, people think 'oh, I'm claiming IB too,', think they're within the rules, then end up in a million kinds of trouble. I've seen it. God, I hated working at the jobcentre. And don't get me started on employment support allowance...

Mousie_2

yup i know, and it really winds me up when people play the system too, hopefully the new type of incapacity benefit will put a stop to that.
mind you anyone who gets any kind of benefit that they shouldnt winds me up!

Mousie_2

interesting thoughts there.....i dont think theyd take into account stuff you bought from avon because its like you going into boots and buying shampoo or makeup, if you see what i mean.
but yeah, good point about the commission and books etc.
the thing is, if you ask the benefits agency will they then say hang on a minute....and look into it more in your case or will they just answer ur questions and leave it at that?
hmm....

what about ringing the benefits helpline and not giving ur personal information, ask the questions you want to ask and see if they will tell you about it?

Larumbelle

For almost all benefits you are supposed to notify the jobcentre BEFORE you start work, the only exception being Disability Living Allowance, and I am not keen on making comments that some may construe as condoning benefit fraud on an open forum.

Worst case scenario, unlikely but entirely possible if they find out that you have already started Avon (and don't forget, they're not necessarily going to find out through you, and investigations can take months, so whose to say they don't already know?), is that they stop your claim and request money back as an overpayment, even start a fraud investigation against you, leaving you in turmoil and often with no money unless you claim hardship benefits at a reduced rate or go through the crisis loans. They will assume you have earned the precise amount listed as 'you earn' on the Avon invoices, and you will find it difficult to convince them otherwise, even if you keep records, because they don't tend to look favourably on people who have been doing cash-in-hand. They are entitled to make their own assessment of your earnings, and they tend to judge that your earnings are higher rather than lower, if you see what I mean. How likely is this? Well, I know that it's happened to both reps and sales leaders where I live.

If you get caught it's like taking any other cash-in-hand job as far as they're concerned, any member of jobcentre staff can trigger that investigation, and all they have to do is to press one tiny button on their computer screen, then forget about it and get on with their day. The jobcentre doesn't tend to put itself in the shoes of the person concerned first, if you see what I mean.

On the other hand if you call and tell them you are just starting working with Avon they can adjust your benefits accordingly.

As I say, anyone doing Avon should tell the jobcentre what they plan to do BEFORE commencing work. If they are not making the invoiced profit they should keep records showing exactly what they have paid out and what for. There are too many benefits to go through each individually, but here are the main ones.

INCAPACITY BENEFIT
You must check with the jobcentre and get permission to work BEFORE you start. The job has to be shown to give you some benefit to your health or long-term employability. You are allowed to earn either:
up to £20 per week for an unlimited period
OR
Up to £92 per week / 16 hours max for 26 weeks, this can be extended to another 26 weeks at your disability adviser's discretion
OR
Up to £92 per week / 16 hours max indefinitely, so long as your illness or disability is so severe that you were considered to meet the claim requirements without needing a medical assessment.

INCOME SUPPORT
Individuals can earn £5 per week or couples £10 before their benefit is reduced pro-rata (ie for every £1 over this, the benefit is reduced £1). If you are a lone parent or are claiming a disability premium on your income support, you are allowed to earn £20 per week before your benefit is reduced. The jobcentre must be told that you are working on the first day you commence work, as a change of circumstances to your claim.

JOBSEEKERS ALLOWANCE
You must be working less than 16 hours per week and the jobcentre must be told that you are working on the first day you commence work, as a change of circumstances to your claim. The first £5 (or £10 for a couple) is disregarded, after this the benefit reduces pro-rata (ie for every £1 over this the benefit is reduced by £1). You must prove that you are seeking a full-time position and that, if necessary, you would give up Avon to take one.

Pinzy

Wonder if you guys can help..

A customer had ordered a lipstick which was faulty, returned to the rep who was covering one of my new areas, but never got money back. She doesn’t want the money from me, but would like to order another lipstick. Thing is, she doesn’t know the brand. Apparently it was double ended – one end for colour and one end to seal, and may have been in white and gold/silver packaging.

Any ideas?

Mousie_2

urgh this camp isnt go as well as my last
not as many orders and only 4 more to collect in. I think im going to start on the 2 new streets ive been given this time instead of leaving it till next time. Although my asm has said theres a rep living on one of those streets so i might go knock on her door and ask her if she sells to her neighbours, cos although obviously she doesnt tell the asm if she does i dont want to tread on her toes, or waste my time.

Mousie_2

Pinzy wrote: »

Wonder if you guys can help..

A customer had ordered a lipstick which was faulty, returned to the rep who was covering one of my new areas, but never got money back. She doesn’t want the money from me, but would like to order another lipstick. Thing is, she doesn’t know the brand. Apparently it was double ended – one end for colour and one end to seal, and may have been in white and gold/silver packaging.

Any ideas?

camp 15 pg 22 or camp 16 pg 21
'2 step lip colour paint on the lipstick then coat with shimmery gloss'
its in black and silver packaging

or in camp 15 on pg 43 item 7
extra lasting lip colour, again black and silver/white packaging, its lipstick one end and gloos the other that coats it for upto 8 hours

or camp 16 pg 34 item 5 perfect wear extra lasting lip colour

johanne

Just a quick question about back ordering... i have a copy of C16 which avon sent me with a welcome letter, however as im starting on C17.....couple of questions

1/ If i was to back order from C16 would it still count towards my MOV for C17?

2/Would the items i back order be recored under C16 or a C17?


Thanks in advance for answering.