More on Quixtar Sales

Thursday, October 25, 2007  by Todd Krause
Category: First Circle, Amway Strategy, Amway Philosophy

Greetings from sunny Ada!

Thanks again for your input and questions regarding my last post on the changes the Sales Department is making. Several of you mentioned that, as corporate folk, we don't have the credibility to tell IBOs how to sell or build an organization - you're right, couldn't agree more! Our intended role is not to go around IBO leaders, tell IBOs how to build the business, or take over IBO organizations.

As mentioned in my article dated March 21, this business is based on relationships and technology can't take the place of sitting down face to face. We have lots of data and information that we want to share with IBOs about their specific businesses regarding renewal rates, activation of new IBOs with product, profitability, product mix, sponsoring, etc. and we think IBOs can use this to help make better decisions and to focus their efforts.

We can also share best practices that we are learning as we talk to more and more IBOs about the things that they do to help their business grow. We can also help guide them to training, or look for creative ways to bring our resources to bare in order to help move their businesses forward. But in the end, it is their decision because it is their business.

Over the past several years we (Sales) have relied too much on phone and email. I believe that for us to build credibility and stronger relationships with the IBOs we need to get out and experience their world first hand. We realize that we have to earn the respect and trust of the IBOs, and there will be many who will resist what we are attempting to do. We understand and respect that, but I do believe that this is the right way to go.

Comments

rdknyvr said:
October 25, 2007 4:10 PM | #

Todd, thanks for this, and kudos to people like Susan Julien-Wilson in the Quixtar head office who are IBOs or have recently become IBOs to have their own first hand experience and unimpeachable credibility out of which to "talk." Keep up the great work.

David Whyte said:
October 25, 2007 7:23 PM | #

Great post Todd

You say "We realize that we have to earn the respect and trust of the IBOs," totally agree, and you should probably suggest that to the crew who run the Alitor blog.... respect and trust take time to build and can be lost very quickly with a few badly chosen sentences.

And like you say email can be relied on to much......  

Jeremy said:
October 25, 2007 10:33 PM | #

Couldn't agree more. Hard to tell what's happening on the front lines from third person perspective.

Dwight Spaulding said:
October 25, 2007 10:44 PM | #

Thanks Todd and crew for all the help you are trying to bring to us in the field. We appreciate it.

You guys and gals aer the best!!

Russell Hogan said:
October 26, 2007 12:12 AM | #

Thanks for sharing your information.

Jeffrey said:
October 26, 2007 12:15 PM | #

It would be great if you would split up the case lots, too. Ever heard that one before?

A Kline said:
October 26, 2007 12:29 PM | #

Thanks Todd ... sounds good.

clyde slason said:
October 28, 2007 10:26 PM | #

As an IBO who has been following the entire Woodward/Brady drama, my concern is with my credibility when I represent the Quixtar name.  People are not stupid and will research Quixtar after I have told them who the corporate sponsor is and will run across all of the controversy.  I remember when it was simply Amway and a family.  That is what attracted me to this business.  It has grown into a corporate nightmare.  

Kim said:
October 28, 2007 10:51 PM | #

Thanks Todd, for the clarification and all that your doing. It was great seeing you and Steve out in the field the last couple of weeks. I really appreciated the effort you both go to (in the field) to get the message out.

Ron said:
October 29, 2007 1:00 PM | #

Over the past 6 to 7 years flutuating between a silver and Founders Platinum, our personal and group volume has been 70% to 75% retail.  Because of actions by Q attorneys and PR Blogs, I no longer feel comfortable sponsoring people.  The integrity of the people in this business is directly effected by  negative press.  When you build this business your heart is with the upline who mentors you in all phazes of life.  They are there when you loose a loved one, when children are born, and when you just need an encouraging word during tough times.  You are there when their children are married and when their grandchild is born.  When you are making very little money, they are the ones who believe in and encourage you and know you will affect other peoples lives as you continue to grow in the business.  That used to be YOUR business; however, it is not today.  It seems the heart has been taken out of the business.  We will press on and hope things can get back to normal, but for me it will take a long time for healing until trust and people can be reincerted in the equation.

I recognize this may not be appropriate for your blog. I know you know there is more to it than just retailing products.  But you can't slam the people that have meant so much for so many.  Thanks for your time.

Jeffrey said:
October 29, 2007 3:08 PM | #

Todd and Ray: Check out my latest post under "Not Wal-Mart and Never Want To Be."

Ben said:
November 1, 2007 7:25 PM | #

Clyde Slason,

As an IBO who is actively building the business I have yet to run across someone who brings up the Woodward/Brady situation. The business has gone through some tough times before and will doubtless go through it again. I believe the leadership ultimately has our best interests at heart, why else would they invest so much back into to company?

Hope you can see through all that and build your business.

rocket said:
November 2, 2007 9:53 PM | #

Hey Ben

I think that allowing 25 years of secret money and deception to flourish is hardly having the rank & file's best interests at heart.

Refusing to lower prices to a competitive level is also hardly looking out for anybody but Amway's best interests.

Gregory said:
November 11, 2007 1:52 PM | #

It bothers me that NEW money is added to the plan.  Where is this money coming from, and who's pocket was it lining before?  Or is it just  rearranged, so it appears to be added?  

Perhaps too much money was retained by the Company for the past 57 years and that is why the Owners are so wealthy and so many IBOs are so broke.

Cathy Cross said:
January 7, 2008 8:12 AM | #

I truly hope with this transformation, that Amway Global will revise what IBO's are called.

A more accurate reflection of what we REALLY are would be "AUTHORIZED GLOBAL DISTRIBUTOR" (AGD)or Authorized Sales Representative (ASR).  

Using IBO, or being one for that matter, means nothing.  We are no more INDEPDENDANT than a common employee.  We can't use their pictures, descriptions, they squelch and keep tight reigns on everything we try to do to build a successful BUSINESS.

In the world of BUSINESS, in all reality, Quixtar North America is simply a supplier or Vendor.  And that's just the plain truth.  For them to tell us we cannot market other products or conduct a "sideline business" while we are IBO's is simply too restrictive.

I would rather be called what we really are - DISTRIBUTORS or Sales Reps.  It is very confusing when conducting B2B business to have my own company name then present a Quixtar 30 net financing application.  It confuses the customer, especially when the payments have to be made out to Quixtar, rather than ME, the business owner.  Particularly when attempting to get LARGE business volume (municipalities, Government entities, etc), the conflict of us as business owners YET everything is in Quixtar's name is quite mind boggling to a new customer.

They don't even drop ship under OUR business name as a courtesy.

So call us DISTRIBUTORS again.  No shame in that.  It IS what we REALLY are, and it is WAY less confusing to the customer.

Thanks for letting me bend your ear.

Cathy Cross

5127985

Editor's note:
Please see Robin Luymes' response to this comment here: http://www.realquixtarblog.com/2008/01/03/Ready-for-a-Great-2008.aspx#18341

Ben said:
January 20, 2008 9:34 PM | #

Hey Rocket,

Refusing to lower prices? I guess you haven't checked out the latest pricing with Simply Nutrilite, Artistry Essentials, and Daily Multivitamin.

Tide Liquid checks in at .31/use, SA8 is .27/use.

Have you checked out the free shipping?

Have you checked out cell phone plans? Did you notice that Verizon Wireless is more expensive on a per minute basis than T-Mobile's plans? Does that mean that Verizon is overcharging their customers and are ripping them off? Or does it meant that they believe they have a better product and so they can charge more?

Are you even building this business? For someone who doesn't even have a vested interest in this, you sure spend a lot of time and effort negatively attacking the corporation.

Gregory,

Does it bother you that 5 members of the Walton family are in the top 10 wealthiest people in the country? Is it because they kept so much money for themselves and didn't pay out to their employees?

Sorry my friend, but that's Free Enterprise!

As for me, I'm thankful that they are re-investing hundreds of millions of dollars back into this business.

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