Home Office Referral question [Archive]

baychef

03-01-2008, 10:34 AM

Just want to know if it is just me that is experiencing this or not. In the beginning of the year it seemed as if 97% of these were not coming through with phone numbers. I know they are not required.

Since they have put up the choice of "Find a Consultant" on the website, 100% are coming through with no address...today I only have a name, a zip code and an e-mail.
I e-mailed her and hope that I do not end up in the junk file. I am getting really frustrated with the th HO referrals. It seems as if we are getting less and less information.

Is it just me? Did I not shower long enough? Is it my breath?

DebbieJ

03-01-2008, 11:50 AM

It is not just you. I posted about it here and included a copy of an email I sent to the HO.

dannyzmom

03-01-2008, 11:51 AM

It's all of us. I have written HO expressing my frustration. Send an email. Hopefully if they hear from enough of us they'll make some changes.

bethcooks4u

03-01-2008, 02:12 PM

I just get the best one. :mad: :yuck:

The person's name was: a b

no phone

email: c@d.com

Right!:(

I closed the lead with a note to home office - don't know if they read them or not but come on! Now I do know that these are auto generated and no one LOOKS at them before they go to us but they do need to "see" them.

:cry:I just feel like we lost the main Director perk that I was excited to get (since I myself am a HO Lead).

chefmeg

03-01-2008, 06:12 PM

I guess with everything going on in my life this past week, I am a little out of the loop....now that there is "Find A Consultant" on the website, does that mean that our Director only leads are kind of out the window??? It sounds like to me that if yo can find a consultant anywhere, there is no point in having the leads for us.

Am I right?

legacypc46

03-01-2008, 06:24 PM

:cry:I just feel like we lost the main Director perk that I was excited to get (since I myself am a HO Lead).

That's a great point Beth. I was initially okay with not getting a phone number (being a little privacy sensitive myself), but it's beginning to get frustrating. On the one hand, the company drives home we are a personal relationship based business, and on the other hand, they make it diffuclt to establish a connection. :confused:

ShanaSmith

03-01-2008, 09:34 PM

Of the leads that have only given me an email address... or mailing address for that matter. I have had ZERO responce back. I send them a message asking what info they are interested in, or send a catalog, and never hear anything back. And since I can't really follow up....:grumpy:

cmdtrgd

03-01-2008, 09:47 PM

Make sure when you update HO on the lead that you tell them it wasn't a lead.

pamperedbecky

03-01-2008, 10:12 PM

HOw many attempts do you make or how long do you wait until you notify the HO that it wasn't a lead? I've had 3 within the last few weeks that had either email only (2) and one that gave more info, but isn't getting back to me. HOw much time do you guys usually wait? It's SOOO frustrating!!

DebbieJ

03-02-2008, 12:41 AM

Email only = no lead to me and I report it that way immediately.

pamperedbecky

03-02-2008, 07:58 AM

Well, I did just finally have an "email only" lead get back to me because I sent her the following email with "Still need Pampered Chef info???" in the subject line:

Hi ____________,
I'm just checking in to make sure you received my emails. I wanted to touch base so I can answer your questions about Pampered Chef and I have no other way to reach you other than email (that's all that was provided to me by our Home Office). I just don't want to leave you hanging! :)

So, I just wanted to know if you still wish to touch base so I can answer your questions. If not, that's fine too, but if you could send me a quick email to let me know, that would be great. I do need to update our Home Office as to the status/outcome of the referral to me. Either way, feel free to let me know what, if anything, you need from me. Thanks! :)

Becky

When she replied, she said she hit the wrong button on the website.:confused::confused: What? Didn't she then have to enter her information? Weird. Oh well, at least I now know it's no lead.

legacypc46

03-02-2008, 08:50 AM

Great wording Becky. I like the comment about having to respond back to HO.

baychef

03-02-2008, 10:50 AM

Funny...I am relieved but disappointed that you all have had the same experience.

I have mixed feelings about the find a consultant feature I don't like the fact that you can enter just the first letter of the last name and put a zip code in and you get a name. The good thing is...snoopy people like me can find out if there are other consultants in a certain area, but unfortunately, it doesn't show all of my consultatants. I did find that after going through the alphabet, it will only let you search with the first letter of the last name and a certain zip for a short amount of time...then they all come up...no consultant in that area.

I feel that not requiring the first & last name; phone number and address of a HO lead, then they are really wasting our time and money. When I have no phone number, but an address, I can at least send them some information.

If the find a consultant button results in fewer leads for directors, then they have done a disservice to us. Just my 2 cents...which when set up against the euro, is only my one cent!!

ChefLisa

03-02-2008, 01:00 PM

UGH!!!!! I put my last name initial in along with my zip code. Two other Consulatants came up, but not me! I wonder if it is because of the cookies in my computer. Anyone willing to try it for me? Put in 'H' and 30040. Please tell me what you get.

bethcooks4u

03-02-2008, 01:38 PM

nope... I got an Abby and a Jamie in Cumming, GA.

Looks like really have lost the perk - lol

ChefLisa

03-02-2008, 03:09 PM

I really don't think we lost the perk. The new feature just helps an existing customer find her/his Consultant. If they don't have a Consultant, she/he enters the contact information and the leads are shared among the Directors.

However, there is obviously a problem with the new system since my name did not come up. That is very frustrating. Home Office will be getting a call tomorrow.

pamperedbecky

03-02-2008, 05:02 PM

Mine didn't come up when I tried searching for myself today, but when that feature first showed up on the webiste, mine did come up. Hmmmm. I wonder if I searched around too many times and then the no consultant thing kicked in?

baychef

03-02-2008, 08:03 PM

I searched for mine one day and it did come up, but when I searched another time with a nearby zip, it did not come up.

I know we haven't lost the perk, but I just hope that by our calling and e-mailing that they will improve the current HO lead system and I am sure in time they will work out the other issues with find a consultant. Like anything new, it probably needs some tweeking.

finley1991

03-04-2008, 08:43 AM

ChefLisa

03-04-2008, 09:05 AM

GRRRRRRRRRRRR...

Got an HO lead this morning for a woman who wanted info about our biz... called her and this is what she told me:

"I have been expecting your call. Actually... I don't want information because I'm already a consultant. I was playing around on the website just wanted to see how it works when someone is looking for a consultant."

NO LEAD THERE!!!!!

That would get my blood boiling! Have you thought about contacting HO and letting them know she did this? Someone from there should give her a call and let her know that is not acceptable!

pamperedbecky

03-04-2008, 09:22 AM

THAT IS SO LAME!!! Hopefully you get put back into the lead system fast! WHat a waste.

bethcooks4u

03-04-2008, 09:23 AM

finley1991

03-04-2008, 10:17 AM

That would get my blood boiling! Have you thought about contacting HO and letting them know she did this? Someone from there should give her a call and let her know that is not acceptable!

Yes it really did make me mad. And the fact when she said, "I was waiting for your call..." like she wanted to see if someone actually would follow up. But HO is so busy today with all of the crap from yesterday it's not worth it to bother then. In the lead activity I wrote that she was NO LEAD and what she said. Oh well...

DebbieJ

03-04-2008, 12:43 PM

Colleen, I had two Executives tell me last week that when this crap happens, we need to call HO and talk with a supervisor to get ourselves right back into the lead system.

That is totally unacceptable!!!

finley1991

03-04-2008, 12:45 PM

Thanks Deb.... I'll call tomorrow. Everyone is right... this is just wrong. And ironically it came through at 2am... guess she couldn't sleep and was surfing PCs website.

chefmeg

03-05-2008, 03:42 PM

this is one of those times when you should have a sign to hand to this person that says, in BIG BOLD letters........STUPID!

baychef

03-18-2008, 07:46 AM

Well, this continues to be a sore spot with me. We have all dealt with stupid leads...Colleen, I think if we could all reach through the phone and swat this twit, we would!!

I have been trying to work with my ED and kind of keep getting luke warm responses...not all leads are a guarantee, we can't require all of the information, etc.

Yesterday, my blood boiled when I discovered that when they go to "find a consultant" if they don't have a consultant in mind they will go to option 2. There is NO place for any one to put in and address even if they wanted to!!! I was hot :mad::mad::mad: and tried to call HO, there was a 1 hour and 20 minute wait. So I e-mailed my ED. She did send an e-mail (and copied it to me) to Jan C. and Rick. Apparently, in her Director's forum (which I can not participate in since I am out of state) there were complaints there too. But then there was a success story so I think the complaints were not taken too seriously.

All I want is the lead to have the option of putting their address in, like they have had in the past. Please post heere if you have also had any feedback. If I get a response, I will share it with you all!

legacypc46

03-18-2008, 09:25 AM

Yesterday, my blood boiled when I discovered that when they go to "find a consultant" if they don't have a consultant in mind they will go to option 2. There is NO place for any one to put in and address even if they wanted to!!! I was hot :mad::mad::mad: and tried to call HO, there was a 1 hour and 20 minute wait. So I e-mailed my ED. She did send an e-mail (and copied it to me) to Jan C. and Rick. Apparently, in her Director's forum (which I can not participate in since I am out of state) there were complaints there too. But then there was a success story so I think the complaints were not taken too seriously.

That would sure explain the sudden drop in information accompanying a lead. Thanks for sharing this.

baychef

03-18-2008, 03:04 PM

Your welcome...wish it was good news to deliver! I am fortunate to live in an area where directors are not readily available (although I am hoping to promote my first one soon!). I feel fortunate to receive the amount of leads that I do, however repeatedly, there has been less information since March 1st. Then I went on as a person looking for a consultant (but not submitting it as the twit that did on Colleen's site) That is when I saw the information that you can submit...an area for an address is not there at all. :mad:

baychef

03-18-2008, 06:11 PM

Marketing Communications is actually working on updating the Request for Information page as we speak. They are adding the address option back in as it was before. We have been told that making those fields required can actually deter leads, but at least having the option there will encourage that many more people who are open to sharing their information to fill that space in (as they did before). We will continue to monitor the feedback and make changes when necessary.

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w169/baychef_album/superhugesmilie.gif

cmdtrgd

03-18-2008, 06:49 PM

All they need to do is put stars (or some other designation) next to the fields that are required - Name, phone, email, what they want info on...address can be optional

ShanaSmith

03-18-2008, 07:12 PM

I just had my first resonce to an email only. I send her a message saying that I would love to share more info with her and she could reach me at .....

She called me, set a time to meet, and signed. I was shocked.

DebbieJ

03-18-2008, 07:13 PM

Congrats Shana! That is incredible.

tupachef

03-19-2008, 09:46 AM

Wow, you guys... I just joined this group after hearing about it at the New Director's Academy (awesome btw). I am SO glad to see that this is a problem with other people and not just me. I hope they come up with a solution soon! I actually had a home office lead that checked every box available. It was when I had first become a Director, so I was pumped! When I followed up with her, she just wanted me to give out freebies to her for a project she was doing in school. She wanted to pretend that she was a PC consultant and try to "sell" her class. I offered to meet with her and give her info, but I explained that I was not willing to just give her a bunch of stuff. I never heard from her again!

dannyzmom

03-19-2008, 09:59 AM

Hi Emily and welcome to our little corner of the world!

pamperedbecky

03-19-2008, 10:11 AM

Hi Emily!!

Welcome! Wow, look at you! You promoted to director FAST! Congratulations!:)

bethcooks4u

03-19-2008, 10:28 AM

Welcome Emily!:chef:

ChefLisa

03-19-2008, 10:35 AM

Hi Emily! Very glad you could join us and glad you heard about us at New Director Training!

This is truly a great site with a lot of great people!

legacypc46

03-19-2008, 11:28 AM

welcome emily!

tupachef

03-19-2008, 12:26 PM

welcome emily!

Hi Emily! Very glad you could join us and glad you heard about us at New Director Training!

This is truly a great site with a lot of great people!

Welcome Emily!:chef:

Hi Emily!!

Welcome! Wow, look at you! You promoted to director FAST! Congratulations!:)

Hi Emily and welcome to our little corner of the world!

Awwww!! Ya'll have me beamin' over here! How sweet and supportive ya'll have already been! I am so proud to be a part of such an amazing group of people through PC! :party: Thank you so much for welcoming me so graciously!

baychef

03-19-2008, 02:32 PM

Welcome Emily and congratulations on being a director!:party: It sounds like attention has been brought to this HO lead system and it is being worked on.

Congratulations, Shana!!:party: I do love it when these leads do turn out to be positive! I just notice less response since they made the change, but it certainly doesn't mean that lead is a dud!

finley1991

03-19-2008, 05:00 PM

Okay, so the consultant who went into the lead system to "see how it works" that I got as a HO lead.... I just came across this:

http://detroit.craigslist.org/biz/587011885.html

I am so annoyed... I should get over it but first she causes me to lose a HO lead and now this...

Thanks for letting me vent...

pamperedbecky

03-19-2008, 05:11 PM

Oh man, I'd be peeved too. How annoying and frustrating!

bethcooks4u

03-19-2008, 07:48 PM

Lisa2Boys

03-19-2008, 08:28 PM

I had a HO Lead last Friday and she signed today. The only problem is that I haven't spoken to her yet on the phone. I hope she is not a kitnapper!

ShanaSmith

03-20-2008, 12:23 AM

that's kinda scary, I'll keep my fingers crossed for ya.

baychef

03-26-2008, 04:36 PM

Hope you all noticed that indeed...the HO lead system now has an area to add your address!!! I did receive one yesterday and low and behold, she put her address in!!!
Yeah for HO!!!!:party:

ShanaSmith

03-26-2008, 04:41 PM

Thanks for letting us know!

pamperedbecky

03-26-2008, 05:16 PM

Woo hoo!! Awesome! I can't wait to get my next HO lead since lately they've all been busts!

bethcooks4u

03-26-2008, 05:27 PM

My latest lead was an order but she did put her address and everything on it! WOO HOO HO!!!:love0010:

dannyzmom

03-26-2008, 07:06 PM

Hope you all noticed that indeed...the HO lead system now has an area to add your address!!! I did receive one yesterday and low and behold, she put her address in!!!
Yeah for HO!!!!:party:

How 'bout phone number?

baychef

03-27-2008, 01:48 PM

Yes, there even is a place for a phone number. They just don't "require" anything other than name (which we all know can be initials or some other bogus name) and I think (not 100% sure) their e-mail. Possibly there zip code is required.
At least I can send a lead something if they are too shy to share their information.