In the previous New School session, we were discussing how few customers want to do the business, and we agreed to let customers be customers. And be grateful to have them.
One member, Kenny, piped up that he had been a rep for Eniva. He told us how he LOVED the products, and he had customers who did too.
Soon his customers reordered through the company. He was delighted.
A week later, some of them called Kenny to complain about the promotional info that came with the products. They told Kenny they didn’t want to receive the “flashy brochures with pictures of guys in tuxedos on stage, talking about how much money they were making” with this. They asked Kenny to stop sending that stuff with the product orders.
Kenny called the company and asked them to stop sending that stuff in the product packages sent to his customers. But they didn’t stop.
A few months later, Kenny lost those customers. They didn’t want the flashy business promotions.
A few months after that, Kenny quit the company. He has since gone to another company where, he says, they let his customers be customers. They don’t send the business promotions in with the products to people who are just customers.
Moral: Most customers don’t want to sell. Only 1 in a 100 people want to sell anything. Is it worth risking the customers we have by continuing to pressure them about the business?
NOTE: This is not a statement of my opinion of the company Eniva. Kenny was still raving about the products, which says a lot about Eniva, I think.
P.S. The first two New School sessions are available on MP3 now. Translation: You can download them, copy them, and listen on your computer or iPod. Go here to see. These two sessions are an intro to the New School concept.
Wow – I wonder if my company does that!
I love the ordering directly from the company feature, because it minimizes inventory issues and the time and costs of driving all over the place delivering product. The one thing that has always bothered me about this direct order method is that it minimizes personal contact with your customers, reasons to get together with them, and opportunities to build a relationship….
And, now this concern! – an over zealous and misguided promotions department! Let us do our jobs!!!
Since we know what company Kenny left – Eniva – because of pushy practices, can we know which company he chose for better practices towards customers?
Thanks!
Catherine
Hi
Im from Norway and have been a fulltimer in mlm for 10 years
This means that I have done al the common mistakes in this buisness(it feels like it..)
Im really happy for this new direction that Kim is showing us and I loved the book
My background is from traditional selling so I like to have happy and lojal customers
For the last 4 years I have been with “the best” company in the world (my oppinion ;-)…)
I have been traveling the world with Forever Living Products and seen how different stratergies have worked out
Same products, same Company but very different results because of different strategies
When the leaders in one region have focus on retailing its a stabil growth
When the leaders have focus on sponsoring everyone it goes up and then it goes down…
In Scandinavia we focus on retailing and I deliver the products to my customers
This is the best way to build a relationship with them and keep them happy and loyale to you!
I do not belive in auto-ship to customers
I do not belive in letting customers order themself from the company
It sounds easier but in the long run you loose the conection to your customer and they stop ordering…
Keep up the good work everyone
🙂
Stig