The Objective Eye
Brampton,#2UPDATE EX-employee responds
Wed, June 17, 2009
I sympathize with your manager's lack of common sense and inability to work with you 1-on-1. You have to remember (and it's no excuse) that most managers aren't really trained on how to manage people, but moreso how to run interviews and training. After that, they are --basically-- on their own. I do take some offense with remarks you made about the product and home office. I worked for Vector for 6+ years in Canada and never once had processing issues, product issues, fast start issues or paycheque issues personally or for any of my reps. The folks at Home Office work hard and take a lot of crap from arrogant little pricks that have no manners. I think you need to recontact Vector's home office in Oakville and speak to someone higher than a CSR. (And please respond to this post once you do and tell me how it goes!) You earned that Fast Start product, you should get it and own it. Cutco is not overpriced by the way... and a family that cooks 2-3 meals a day will use all the pieces. They may not use the butcher knife and carving set everyday, that I'll concede.. but you have to admit that you can't get by on a paring knife and petite carver either. My friends and family proudly own Cutco for over 15 years and they'll tell you this: "Ya, it may have seemed a bit much at first, but after 15 years, seeing it still perform, it was worth it." My wife and I have a full homey+8 on the counter with super shears (in pearl of course) and at first she was like "you used to sell this??" with a smirk... and now she's like "this stuff's awesome". From the sounds of your post, you're a hard worker that had a decent demo, but you felt a little pushy or unsure of how pushy you should or shouldn't be. That's natural when you "sell" anything. Maybe you aren't wired for sales. But for someone who isn't, sounds like you didn't do too badly. Quote from your manager (from your post): "Well reps usually sell 6 out of 10 demos, and you only sold 4 out of 10. Maybe you are doing something wrong. Did you not go over payment plans with them, or maybe you didn't stress how good the product actually is. Stress the value in the product, go over payment plans and how the sets have discounted prices, and be more persistant and you will sell more." Reps when they start DON'T sell 6/10. That's hogwash. My first weekend was half of that. For you to go 4/10 is a great sales ratio for someone who's never done anything like this before, wasn't wired for sales and just learned the demo. You're not doing ANYTHING wrong. You didn't sell anyone anything. They saw a great product and bought it.. despite the inexperienced demo. And did you being their niece, kid's friend, granddaughter etc.. help? Well maybe.. it didn't hurt. But no one's going to spend hundreds on Cutco to help you out. They may as well have just given you the $200 they spent in cash. THAT makes more sense! Had your manager been smart (and he wasn't), he would have encouraged you to continue to work hard and do demos. People don't buy Cutco because you SELL it to them. People buy it because you do a great demo and they see the value through your enthusiasm and conviction in the product. Had you been in my office, I would have said to you, "Hey 4/10 is a good start, but let's not focus on the 4, let's focus on the 10. You just keep showing people Cutco and that 4 will naturally make it's way up to 6 or 7 when you (a) get better at your demo, (b) start hearing stories from your customers that get their Cutco and (c) when you come to the meeting/workshop to continue your education." I'da probably given you a high-five at that point and shown you where to get more rope and order forms. I sold a ton of Cutco in my first year (over 2000 customers) and not once did I even trick someone or push someone into buying it. I just did a great demo, had some fun and people bought. /shrug So I just kept showing people. Ya, I got referrals that I had to call and some said no, but some said yes.. so it balanced out. As far as conferences and training being unpaid. Sister, in ANY sales job, personal growth and in house training is RARELY paid. In fact, MOST times you pay for it. That's not Vector screwing you, that's just the nature of sales. Ask any real estate or insurance agent. Ask any Mary Kay, Tupperware or Pampered Chef rep. Well, that's it from me. You're right when you say more people fail than succeed. And some of the blame falls on their shoulders and some of the blame falls on the shoulder of the inexperienced managers that don't screen them out.