Avon Hints and Tips (Part 3)

MarsdenCuckoo

lozza1985 wrote: »

I do deliver a letter about a week before I deliver orders (when we are on 3 week campaigns), just a couple of days before at the moment, to remind people how much they owe, and the date & time slot I'll be delivering, and to give them contact details if they need to rearrange. Done this for a year now and it works well for me & my customers - still get the odd one who forgets and doesn't have the money, but most people have the correct money ready for me. I do try and leave it until I can see my invoice online before doing the letters (so I can tell them if something is out of stock) - BUT, for items that are ordered, but mysterisally missing from the delivery, tough lol! I tell them about it when I deliver the orders, and deduct the money from the total then.

I look at it this way - if I didn't deliver a letter at all, people would be expecting to pay the price they wrote on the order form, so if the amount is less (due to missing/out of stock items) then no harm done, as at least their order isn't more expensive!:p

Suppose you have a point and each to their own and all that. Maybe I need to 'toughen up' although my given territory is quite a hike away and I have picked up quite a few F&F more locally because I've been happy to 'pander to their whims' - unfortunately in these weather conditions it's VERY difficult.

MarsdenCuckoo

shindig_addict wrote: »

Hi MC, oh poor you today, it's really not the weather for it is it? Like I said the other day, seems like a lot of trogging for not much reward but this weather will pass soon and it will seem much better with a bit of sunshine.

Thanks Shindig. Usually am the most positive of people but am struggling with this at the mo; feel like telling some of my customers to come and collect their stuff by ........ otherwise I'll just send it back! Really think in the New Year that I'll adopt a tougher modus operandi.

Avon ripping their agents off doesn't help either (see earlier post) - yet another example in the latest HT.

Also had to let a customer down because a product in the current catalogue also appeared in the clearance section of HT. Thought I'd 'save a few bob' by ordering the clearance item but lo and behold it was an unspecified oos HT item but it's still in the current brochure.... :mad::mad::mad::mad: Bet it's still in stock at full price when I re-order!!!! :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

f1re_cr4cker

Homemade wrote: »

Thanks to those who answered......I see what the SL's might be saying to you however in terms of the customer and especially ones who orders a lot the method of leaving a book for me to order from before I have recieved the last delivery is not acceptable.

Also, your best customers should always get the latest book, so if you are about to start C3.....put C3 book in with the customers last order.....and another point too....if they ARE good customers, perhaps longer than 2 days could be given to browse.
.

i'm slightly confused as to your annoyance, as from your previous posts you said you were getting the new brochure sooner and by giving it to you sooner she is actually giving you longer to browse it????

So in your opinion shes actually giving it to you too soon??? I guess there is no pleasing some people!

angelsmomma

MarsdenCuckoo wrote: »

Guess I'm a 'belt and braces' sort of person - not to mention that in my first order from Avon I received, and was invoiced, for an empty box!

I have had an empty box delivered a couple of times too. I knew as soon as I picked it up it was empty, it makes you wonder who packs this stuff

Elliebee_2

claregre wrote: »

Oh now I feel awful, as I've just done that with one of my regular customers. Just that this whole 2 week campaign thing, Christmas, snow etc etc has sent me into overdrive - just can't fit it all in, so I'm sorry but I am dropping books whenever I can get - and yes this time I dropped a book which I will collect when I deliver order.

I'll try not to do that again if its really annoying.

LOL - don't beat yourself up clare. It may well suit your customers for you to do it that way and hopefully they would tell you if it didn't Anyway, in this weather it's a matter of getting books and deliveries out however and whenever you can.

lozza1985

MarsdenCuckoo wrote: »

Suppose you have a point and each to their own and all that. Maybe I need to 'toughen up' although my given territory is quite a hike away and I have picked up quite a few F&F more locally because I've been happy to 'pander to their whims' - unfortunately in these weather conditions it's VERY difficult.

I'm tough with my customers lol, but fair I feel. They get a letter telling the day & time I'll be delivering (I'm hoping next week, weather permitting, it'll be wednesday, 5-7pm for example) - if they aren't in when I go, they get a polite letter, saying sorry I didn't catch you in, please ring to rearrange delivery. I then leave it for about a week - if I haven't heard from them in that time, then I admit defeat and ring them....I've had 2 customers which still didn't contact me, either replying to phonecalls/texts, so they had a "last chance" letter - something along the lines, if I don't hear from you by x date, I'll assume you have changed your mind and will return your order to avon. If you do still want it, please contact me, if you are unable to pay just yet we can work something out. Someone did contact me - the others didn't, so I crossed them off the list! I haven't got the time or the inclination to keep trying to get hold of customers or catch them in - if they want their order, they can meet me half way and contact me!

loopy201

phia2000 wrote: »

Right ladies Im planning to do a party mid feb so the delivery comes in time for mothers day. I have searched the thread and found posts from flissys and also printed off the tips from the website...but do YOU personally have any pearls of wisdom to pass on about how to have a successful party?

There is a big difference between the theory and practical of it all lol so for anyone who has actually had an avon party what would you suggest? what did you do? offers? games? makeover? ...... what went wrong?? lol

Hi I'm new to this but I was looking for some advise on organising and running an avon party. I have come up with a few ideas but would like to know what others have tried so far? Would appreciate any suggestions thanks

Money_maker

[QUOTE=MarsdenCuckoo;28601815(one_was_still_in_bed_at_11.30_am[/QUOTE]

I have one of these, night shift worker.

I'm on C3/2 at the mo. Dragged DS1&2 out into the snow on thurs to drop off brochures. DD1 (21 months) was pulled along on the sledge! Got several strange looks by folks who originally thought DS1 was pulling a doll along. She lay there looking remarkably like a cactus (DS2' s words) then fell asleep after 10 minutes. A mile or two later, we had delivered all but a couple of brochures.

My problem now is that I have to go round on monday to collect and we've had an awful lot more snow since then...

Aesop

I dragged my DS out today, he was not impressed as he had to sit in his stroller and be pushed along. He really wanted to go and play - he is looking for puddles, doesn't understand what the snow is. LOL

Homemade_2

f1re_cr4cker wrote: »

i'm slightly confused as to your annoyance, as from your previous posts you said you were getting the new brochure sooner and by giving it to you sooner she is actually giving you longer to browse it????

So in your opinion shes actually giving it to you too soon??? I guess there is no pleasing some people!

No, she isnt giving me the book sooner. Not sure how you get that? She just gives it to me before I get the order.

Example.
C1, I get the book on Monday, and she writes on it that delivery is on x day. I place and order.
C2 arrives a week or so later......with a note on it saying C1 order will be delivered on Friday and can I have my money (x amount) and new order ready for then.

(These C2 books arrive in the box with the order, so why not just bring the order to me with the book? )

So I leave the book on my side until Friday and say to her when she comes "Heres the money for the last lot. Ill bring the book round when Ive finished with it and looked at what I have ordered"
If she is funny with me because she wants her book back then she can have it back, but then I wont order.

She does it every time. Half the time though it isnt ever her, its her kids. I dont get the new book delievered to me with a smile....she puts it through the box. I would just think that with a customer who orders a lot, she would be a bit more ............caring about her customers.

Seems like lots of other things in life at the moment though. She wants to get the money in the easiest way possible and isnt prepared to work at it.

I wish Avon ladies were how they used to be.

Its getting confusing. Ive just read through and its the fact that I dont get the order when she brings the book that is annoying. You confused me by saying 'books.' lol