~Avon Hints & Tips (Part 8) ~ Please read first post :)

Pips_Mum

I Geek - Liking the vlog, especially that it will give a REALISTIC view of being a rep as I get so annoyed with the adverts. People need to see what its really like and what they are getting themselves in for..........................especially the random slugs!!

Pips_Mum

As you know I did my first return last month and now I am a bit confused. Timeline of events as follows!


08/11 - Credit applied for online
11/11 - Invoice Date
14/11 - Items returned via courier
02/12 - Invoice shows as below



Returned products(s) credited to your account29 Nov 13 -10.37 0.01
And also
Returned product(s) credited to your account -11.50 -10.38


On the last page of invoice it says "Following recent request following items have been credited to your account and now need to be returned" does this mean they don't think they have received it and are recharging me? :huh: Or does this just get attached to all invoices with credit on? :huh:

ajs2013

Pips_Mum wrote: »

On the last page of invoice it says "Following recent request following items have been credited to your account and now need to be returned" does this mean they don't think they have received it and are recharging me? :huh: Or does this just get attached to all invoices with credit on? :huh:

Think it gets added to all invoices as had something similar on one of my invoices where i had returned something. Think it is there to remind you if you have not sent it back. The centre did say to me it can take a little while for it to show up on their system as being received so if your worried i would just give them a quick call x

ajs2013

Oh frustration. written a whole bit and just lost the lot

I Geek - been watching your blog with extreme delight and trying to pick up tips/hints at streamlining my business a bit more. One thing im desperate to know is how do you organise your rounds, how do you basically tell your customer this is their delivery date and they accept it and make it easy for you.
With my rounds i try to only offer 2 days/nights for deliveries and would love to deliver to everyone in one location on the same night but so far its not managed to work out that way and end up doing two main delivery nights and several little extra deliveries on several different days.
I normally get the im away, ive no money till or must be before or must be after excuses. Some customers I work around as they are very loyal and pretty good business but would like to do all customers in one road on one day but need secrets on how you do this or if anyone else has ideas on how they work it please let me know.
I have approx 30/35 average customers per campaign to deliver to so any streamlining thoughts would help me alot. I feel some campaigns im here there and everywhere for a week at least then i can finally relax once i have all the deliveries done.

I,_Geek

You said you "offer" 2 delivery dates - if I'm reading that right does it mean you're waiting for them to get back to you?

What I do is just tell people when delivery is. I get about 5 at most not in the first time out of 60-odd deliveries. Last few campaigns have been better.

I drop customers who mess me about repeatedly and if tactics like ringing on the day to remind them don't work. Could some people leave money outside and you hide the order?

I still end up with a few that need delivering later so give them a date when I'll be out anyway.

I do evening deliveries. I know that won't work for everyone but it's the best way to have people be in. I also start at 6:30pm to allow people to get home from work (starting at 6 proved to be too early).

Thanks for the positive comments on the vlog! I'm trying not to make it too boring but as you say, it needs to show the reality and that's not gadding about town meeting up with friends for lunch!

ajs2013

I only offer 2 days for delivery although the past couple campaigns i have had to offer more days to suit them. I really don't want to drop customers yet (even though a few can be difficult) just because they still order or want to order from me and every penny counts lol. Only been doing this since June and have just managed to get earnings to a reasonable level that pretty much stays the same each time (for now anyway). Leaving money out is difficult as im not inner city but its still a built up area enough for most not to want to take that chance. Guess I will just keep offering the two dates and pray more people can attend these. Most do its just i ended up doing 6 deliveries on a saturday morning last time and i do tell people I can't do weekends as that time is for family.
Look forward to your next upload which I watch now sit down and watch every evening.
One last thing. Where did you get those avon canvas bags from? Im guessing they don't sell them any more as they seem very handy. I normally borrow my little ones backpack (much to his disgust) Tried searching ebay but cant seem to find any on sale there. Will have to find something similar maybe supermarkets are a good bet.

I,_Geek

I got the canvas bags on eBay a few years ago so they're probably not around anymore. Have you searched for "jute bag"? Jute is different to canvas and is actually what mine are - it's a rough material. "Hemp bag" might bring up suitable results as well. Before I got these I used Tesco Finest black canvas bags (20p each at the time). More uncomfortable handles, though.

The logo on the bags was painted on with a steady hand and some Dylon fabric paint - not essential of course!

The Saturday deliveries - if people ask for this I think you should just steer them towards a weekday/weeknight in the following week. Even say it's so you can spend time with your family. Especially if people had you traipsing out and weren't in originally, I don't think they're in a position to complain about you setting (perfectly reasonable!) time off. Some people who miss deliveries end up with the next delivery option being a week later. It's only a handful of people this has ever happened to but none complained or said they didn't want the order if it was delayed by that much. Or you could, say, allow a couple of Saturday deliveries for people who got in touch in advance (didn't waste your time) if you don't mind that.

lozza1985

I agree with everything IG says - what I also do sometimes if its a customer who has messed me about a few times I say they can collect their order from me on x nights - works a lot better now I have a baby mind you, but its a way to sometimes make people stop and think about the next time they aren't in for their delivery even though they knew you were going - works very well for customers that live further away as then they know exactly how far you have to travel!

Have updated the brochure links on the first page - I did get sent the sale brochure links as well, but I can't get them to load for some reason...does anyone have the links?

schadwick

Hi guys I am just starting again with avon and I am wanting to set up a facebook page for it but i'm a little lost. I know I can't put avon in the url but how will people know it's avon without going in to it and seeing the pob links
thanks

lozza1985

If you look at the first post on this thread there should be a guide about Facebook - you can have avon in the name, but have the URL set up so that it doesn't have avon in it as that's one way round the restrictions. Then it still shows up as avon if someone searches for your area & avon etc.