Avon Hints and Tips (Part 4)

Aesop

joyfull wrote: »

Only two of those were actually given it

snipped

I was thinking about this yesterday. When I was delivering books on my new territory, a lady came out and politely gave me my book back saying she already bought Avon from another Rep, and waved her hand up the road. I said thank you and took the book back, and walked away but then thought I should have asked her who the rep was and if this was her territory. Or if she had her contact details so I could contact her. Although she had an apron on, so was probably busy cooking.

The problem I find with people saying they have a rep, is you knock on someone's door and they say I haven't seen a book for years, then someone else will say I have a rep who does this street. Once again I think a rep cherrypicking. I have a customer or two, that will do, will not canvass rest of road ever again.

But I digress. Yes I was thinking about Reps being told there is available territory and it turns out there is an established rep there. The reps who's territory is, should report to their DSM if it happens on more than one occasion. It is time that ASM's updated SMA with each and every Rep's details and what territory they cover.

I have personally told my ASM 5 times what territory I cover, as she seems to not remember what she allocated me! In other words, allocate, but not on SMA? I know mine is now as I checked it and got my SL to check it too.

MarsdenCuckoo

Thanks guys; was just trying to establish if territory problems went hand in hand with which ASM you had.

The territory I was allocated originally by my SL, it seems, was never actually confirmed by my ASM so it's actually been given away twice! First time I rang the other rep (SL) myself but it wasn't until I became a SL that I could verify for myself on SMA that it still hadn't been allocated to me. It now has (nearly a year later!) so imagine my surprise when I found the same SL's book again on my 'patch'. :mad: Strangely enough, you'd think if you were going to 'poach' then you'd at least pick your books up on time (her book was marked that she'd collect on 1 June and it was more than 2 weeks afterwards when I found it!) An 'inefficient poacher'.... hardly a recipe for success. :rotfl:

lozza1985

Lol we did a carboot today and now I'm really sunburnt! Feeling really good about my team
now - already signed 2 people into camp 11, and got another to do Tuesday, whoop! All being well that should take me to 16 which I'm really pleased with good job really as we've booked the honeymoon, nothing fancy but another thing to pay for along with the wedding!

Aesop

Well done Lozza! I just found an old lead I had bought from Flissys a while ago, no idea why I never followed it up but am going to email and ask if she still wants to be a rep, and explain how I have her details. She could say no, or already signed up with someone else. Always worth a shot.

sylvergrunge_2

Jvic28 wrote: »

I had the same problem in my block of flats. The other rep knocked on my door giving me some books back people had left out and told me she'd been doing it for 3 years there (i'd never had a book mind and i've lived there 3 years) and that not to bother cos I won't get any orders. Well I've got 6 customer and have only canvassed half the block so far and they make repeat orders so tough. I've agreed not to serve her customers though. The whole allocation thing seems ridiculous. My leader (who is also hers) told me I'd been allocated it and to serve evryone including her!!

OMG...that is my fear!!! I dont want to get into rep wars when I have just got started!!!

sylvergrunge_2

lucyclare wrote: »

Firstly, keep going.
You now know that someone else goes to some of the houses, but not all. So keep putting your books out this weekend.
Secondly
Have a word with your ASM or Sales Leader, whichever signed you up. Tell them what you have been told, keep a record of house numbers etc. It could be friends and family that the other rep is doing or just cherry picking the odd customer, which is why the territory has become vacant. Where the odd house is served by a rep the ASM does sometimes reclaim the territory and re allocate it, which could have happened to you.

Good luck and let us know how you get on with it.

So how does the ASM know how many houses you serve along a road? Do we have to report this back? Have emailed my SL, just waiting for a reply. Will let you know.

aureol212 wrote: »

If she lives on this road too, don't give her a book and if any of the other people say they already buy from a Rep, that's fine. Put them on your list of house numbers not to deliver to.

SOOOOOOOOO as long as you have been told you can do that road, go ahead and do it. It is worth mentioning to your ASM that you have been told another Rep is doing it. As sometimes ASMs allocate territory and don't update their records. And then reallocate thinking it is vacant!

From the other posts it looks like this is pretty common which, personally, I find quite appalling. What is the point in being allocated a territory if the ASMs dont take good note and then go and give it to someone else. Surely that will make Avon look unprofessional and start to put customers off!!! I know this rep doesn't live on this road, but apparently she is fairly local. Hopefully when I pick up my books tomorrow I will get to see which other houses (if any) she is serving.

sylvergrunge_2

MarsdenCuckoo wrote: »

To the 'SW Possee' specifically (and anyone else, who'd like to answer).....

How many of us have had first hand experience of our Given Territory being given away to someone else even though we've been regularly canvassing it?

Well, having just started it looks like me who has been given someone elses territory

sylvergrunge_2

aureol212 wrote: »

Yes I was thinking about Reps being told there is available territory and it turns out there is an established rep there. The reps who's territory is, should report to their DSM if it happens on more than one occasion. It is time that ASM's updated SMA with each and every Rep's details and what territory they cover.

I have personally told my ASM 5 times what territory I cover, as she seems to not remember what she allocated me! In other words, allocate, but not on SMA? I know mine is now as I checked it and got my SL to check it too.

I completely agree. How can we instill faith in our customers if they are shown that we can't even keep control of which reps cover which area!!! I must admit that if I find too many houses along this road are covered by another rep, MY faith in the company, and the people higher up than us will start to diminish rapidly

Sorry, just realised the last 4 posts are by me..dont mean to be taking over but only just been able to catch up on the thread

Aesop

Hi sylvergrunge, don't worry about posting loads! You will find quite a few of us do this if no one is around and we are reading through and replying/commenting on posts We are a friendly bunch, so don't worry about this.

Aesop

Ok, ASM's don't know how many houses you cater to on a given street, they do look at your customer count when submitting orders, but this is not a true reflection of your territory. As you may have orders from family and friends, other customers not on territory. They are given an estimate of how many potential customers are per street, but this is a very strange mathematical result, some streets will say I have 3 potential customers and another (with the same number of houses) will say 9 potential customers. Think it has something to do with demographics and locations, shrugs shoulders. And also, the potential revenue per street.... all strange.

Anyway, no, your ASM does not know how many customers per street you have unless you specifically tell her. Which I had to do once with mine to try and get her to give me more territory. Her reply, buy more books! I said why? and I can't afford to.

Avon are interested in sales. They have management to deal with problems. They offer bonuses to ASM and DSM to ensure they reach their targets. Hence ASMs recruiting like made, they have a monthly target to meet, and I think this is why they reallocate territory multiple times, they recruit, offer territory, forget to update SMA, forget they have allocated and reallocate.

Although you will find the reps on here that has happened to, have usually amibically sorted it out with the other reps. Occasionally we get the rogue SL or Rep.

As Lucyclare and I have both said, sometimes territory is allocated to Reps and they get a few customers out of that road, and then decide they are just going to do family and friends and give their territory back, but keep the customers they have on that road, classed as "family and friends". Maybe some tell their ASMs what door numbers they have kept, but ASMs are far too busy to pass this information on.

Sometimes you will find people have a Rep from another area, ie family friend, or they moved and their Rep kept them as a customer by going out to see them, so don't always think it is Reps on each other's territories as such.

I have a few customers that I have met who don't live on my territory, they became my customers as there wasn't a rep in their area. But if one turns up now and they leave out my book, for me to collect, that Rep will think I am encroaching on their territory and I'm not. I just happen to have a customer on their road.

I suppose the other thing is the Rep might have had a territory, moved, gave up the territory but kept her customers. And comes back to see those ones only.

I think you know when someone is canvassing your territory as you usually find books at lots of houses in a row, rather than an odd one or two here and there.