a typical day in the life of a Hillarys advisor

[farmer]

Fitting day today.
set off at 8am. fitted a full mansion full of various types of blinds.......All faultless..............good start.

next customer. 5 x 25mm vens,all o.k except one, controls on wrong side, sam says me not to blame!!!

Next job.. vertical blind, walked through door to be greeted by a 10% voucher wafted in face. customer saying i am a rip off merchant, etc. fitted blind,> refused to pay.

same at next 2 customers, both with £80 rollers.

Stopped for a bite to eat.

Afternoon 2 x wooden vens, both were requested with hold down brackets, none in box. good job customer wanted them fastenning down, because they would not drop down anyway. Spent a good 10 mins pencilling in the bare wood.

next customer, 2 x verts, 20 mins spent rebuiding 1 rail, because 5" carriers on one side, 31/2" on tother.

Measured up a conservatory roof, for an hour.

next customer fitted capri white roller with a deluxe pole.
Nice big blue mark all the way down the middle of blind.
tried to wipe it out, most of it came out, but is still visible.
Customer said if you will let me have it for 1/2 price i will accept it!!!!!!!!!!!!! say no more.

took an order for a venetian blind at a customer who has had dozens of blinds from me before. Builds my morale back up a bit.

Next customer flaps another voucher she had been sent, at me again. (thought all this was stopping)
I did give her a discount of 20%, cos her headrails were all badly scratched, I offered to tippex over all the scratches, and she said o.k to that,only if she could have some money knocked off.................................

I was so F@@@@@@ P'''''d off by now I couldnt care less what happened.

Just to finish the day off on a high, got home to check my delivery off, checked 6 wooden vens, which had allready been d.o.r'd to find they were no better than the 1st lot.

Just before i posted this, got a call from a customer, who i quoted for 30 odd verticals yesterday, at 2 grand, allready heavilly discounted. He'd had a quote from ex- hillarys man at 1600 quid. If i beat that i could have the job.
Only trouble is he wants them next tuesdayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy aaaarrgggggg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The day I have had today is typical of what I have had to put up with for the last 5 or 6 years.

Is it just me, or am i paranoid, or what. i am begginning to ask myself why i bother, because after sitting down with my accountant, and working out what my partner and i get out of the job,it makes me wonder if i would be better off doing a menial job. At least them i would not be getting hassled to death, and getting grief from every avenue i walk down.....

ah well life goes on........................................

[nonails]

Farmer

That great posting deserves a wider audience--There is absolutely no reason at all not to forward it to Riseman/Rishamnn whoever he is, and Ross Kenney etc etc so that they are aware of how the disjointed thinking and failure to comply with simple things (like stopping the 10% vouchers going out before the fit) adds to our grief etc etc...What happened to Quality Control missing a blue line all down a white roller?

It is pointless the Ross Kenneys of this world bleating on about "the adviser must share the risk etc etc..) when NOTHING promised is happening at their end to move things along.

Hereticus take note....How far has progress gone.. ?another week has passed since your last offering suggesting Hillarys were getting a grip???
You have been had for a lemon, son, well and truly conned!!!!

Any other Forum Members want to speak up and praise the progress you all thought was going to happen, or have you all joined the " We've been had!" Club??

Nonails

[dodgybracket]

farmer said:

Fitting day today.
set off at 8am. fitted a full mansion full of various types of blinds.......All faultless..............good start.

next customer. 5 x 25mm vens,all o.k except one, controls on wrong side, sam says me not to blame!!!

Next job.. vertical blind, walked through door to be greeted by a 10% voucher wafted in face. customer saying i am a rip off merchant, etc. fitted blind,> refused to pay.

same at next 2 customers, both with £80 rollers.

Stopped for a bite to eat.

Afternoon 2 x wooden vens, both were requested with hold down brackets, none in box. good job customer wanted them fastenning down, because they would not drop down anyway. Spent a good 10 mins pencilling in the bare wood.

next customer, 2 x verts, 20 mins spent rebuiding 1 rail, because 5" carriers on one side, 31/2" on tother.

Measured up a conservatory roof, for an hour.

next customer fitted capri white roller with a deluxe pole.
Nice big blue mark all the way down the middle of blind.
tried to wipe it out, most of it came out, but is still visible.
Customer said if you will let me have it for 1/2 price i will accept it!!!!!!!!!!!!! say no more.

took an order for a venetian blind at a customer who has had dozens of blinds from me before. Builds my morale back up a bit.

Next customer flaps another voucher she had been sent, at me again. (thought all this was stopping)
I did give her a discount of 20%, cos her headrails were all badly scratched, I offered to tippex over all the scratches, and she said o.k to that,only if she could have some money knocked off.................................

I was so F@@@@@@ P'''''d off by now I couldnt care less what happened.

Just to finish the day off on a high, got home to check my delivery off, checked 6 wooden vens, which had allready been d.o.r'd to find they were no better than the 1st lot.

Just before i posted this, got a call from a customer, who i quoted for 30 odd verticals yesterday, at 2 grand, allready heavilly discounted. He'd had a quote from ex- hillarys man at 1600 quid. If i beat that i could have the job.
Only trouble is he wants them next tuesdayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy aaaarrgggggg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The day I have had today is typical of what I have had to put up with for the last 5 or 6 years.

Is it just me, or am i paranoid, or what. i am begginning to ask myself why i bother, because after sitting down with my accountant, and working out what my partner and i get out of the job,it makes me wonder if i would be better off doing a menial job. At least them i would not be getting hassled to death, and getting grief from every avenue i walk down.....

ah well life goes on........................................

The problems caused on your day were compounded by Hillarys not doing what they promise time, and time again to do.
Quality Control missed the mark on the roller
Manufatturing missed the wrong handed venetian
Manufacturing missed the ordered hold downs-=twice!
Office sending out 10% discount vouchers ( which has started again if internal memos are to be trusted1) in attempts to get more sales appointments...
WERE THREY NOT TOLD TO BACK OFF until after the fit?

Manufacturing still sending out wooden ventians that do not drop the last 25 cms.. We all get that..
Homebase blinds of exactly the same manufacture drop perfectly for 40% of the list price?
Manufacturing make a vertical with half 3 1/2" carriers and half 5" carriers? Where or when or who checked that?

Scratched rails--where was manufacturing, Quality Control and pride in the job??

Ranting on about these things here is "preaching to the converted". Telling Service Centre only gets a replacement, WHO ACTUALLY TELLS THE HEAD OFFICE DICKS WHO LET THIS HAPPEN?

I suggest we now all email John Rismann with such matters and fill his in-box. Prhaps he can arsekick down the line. Because telling the rest of them is a waste of time.


Forum Members Hereticus etc etc put your head over the parapet and institute a drive of emailing individuals with all our problems such as Farmers and annoy the hell out of someone in HO as that way we might get action.
If they change their email address we can easily get their new one!

DB

[mendipmagpie]

Got to agree with Farmer that sure was one hell of a day. How much info is Mr Risman actually getting. Can he be persuaded to read this forum just to get a flavour of the real world.
For the 2nd time I have recieved 3.5 inch louvres with a 5" rail but not worth a mention after reading Farmer There needs to be some improvement pretty dam quick.
MM

[blindmanbill]

[quote author=farmer

Is it just me, or am i paranoid, or what. i am begginning to ask myself why i bother, because after sitting down with my accountant, and working out what my partner and i get out of the job,it makes me wonder if i would be better off doing a menial job. At least them i would not be getting hassled to death, and getting grief from every avenue i walk down.....

ah well life goes on........................................

[/quote]

No farmer you are not alone ;this sounds like a very normal day, doin it the illarys way. Sad thing is our FSM has again recently confirmed to us 'things aint going to go back to how they were' (when all Hillarys did was make good quality blinds), But now the illarys ,way (bits missing & marks where you don't need them!) is turning us all into 'jobsworths'.

[reginald]

Dodgybracket dont bother sending anyone in Hillarys e-mails as this is really a pseudonym for rubbish bin. I have requested missing invoices 8 times now and each time I am told " I will send an e-mail and get them to send you them out" I am still waiting and the commision, naturally, is still sitting in Hillarys bank account not mine

[euroweb]

Maybe I am speaking out of turn here but I was told that the 10% off or even 25% (as I hear are being given out at the ideal home exhibition) must be presented at the point of order i.e. ther should be no problem at point of fit. Ok Im new to this game just been in it 6 weeks, so would apreciate a feedback from the more experienced.

[desmorse]

euroweb said:

Maybe I am speaking out of turn here but I was told that the 10% off or even 25% (as I hear are being given out at the ideal home exhibition) must be presented at the point of order i.e. ther should be no problem at point of fit. Ok Im new to this game just been in it 6 weeks, so would apreciate a feedback from the more experienced.

You're absolutely right, euroweb, but our friends in Nottingham just love giving money away. Last name mentioned to me was Keir Smith - "Just got a 10% voucher in the post madam? Of course you can apply it the order you've already placed. Just ignore the bit that says must be presented at time of order and tell the advisor you can have 10% off when he does the fit".
Not only do you lose money, but you have to wait longer for commission due to changed invoice

[greenpesto]

Here's another example of how our days can change from one to the next!

Last Monday:
12 leads - sold 10. Nice day

This Monday:
10 leads - sold 3 - total value £480.

Why the change?

Well, last week the 'Silly' 99 for £3 leaflets hadn't circulated.
Had good conversion & order values.

This week every one has the leaflets & are expecting everything to be given away!!!

In fact, our 'offer' prices are at least 30% more than the standard selling price of the local competitors.

Without the 'Sillarys' offers I normally have fewer leads but with a better conversion & order value.
With the 'Sillarys' offers I'm much busier but with fewer sales.
I am meeting people that are not Hillarys type customers that I would not normally see, ... but they still will not buy.
These same people are the type to get numerous quotes & buy the cheapest.
I am therefore quoting against the companies that I don't normally see either.
Hillarys are selling themselves short.

I live in an area that does not need these silly offers but once again Hillarys have not kept their word by selecting offers to the relevant areas but instead 'blanket dropped' the entire country with one offer to fit all.

There is a positive in this Mondays outcome however!!!
One customer was told that they could not get a price over the phone from CLG which allowed me to do my job & to sell & get the order.
So, Well done whoever you are at CLG. This is exactly what I've been asking for!!!!

Today ( Tuesday ) I am having yet another 'naff' day .... but I'll leave that to another posting later if you are interested?!!!

[lukan61]

Ditto!! Im having the same experience in South Yorkshire

[JoY]

God..... I HATE THE 3 for £99's!!!!!!!!!

EVERY single customer yesterday and today has wanted it. (Apart from the 2 customers who phoned to cancel their appointments and Hillarys didn't bother to tell me!) Some wave the leaflet at you as soon as you walk in the house.....and worse.....some wait until you have measured the windows and quoted for "Stratford or Galaxy" and then say "Oh no.... I'm only paying £99 for them!!!


Another problem this week............"I've seen your telly advert..." Anyone else had that one?


NO MORE 3 for £99's. We don't need them where I live!!!

[highwayman]

Exactly the same happening here as well. No doubt FSMs will be wanting to know why conversion rates are down. Customers baulk at extra 10% for 89mm and simply laugh you out of the house if you try to sell up to Clouds! What a waste of time!

[pyramid]

A new twist to the 3 for 99 today- customer wasn't in a month ago so she had been sent a 10% voucher to encourage her to rebook. So after the ritual of going through looking at the presenter she decides on 3 for 99 and then presents the voucher. When I refused she was straight on to CLG who luckily backed me up. We agree 10% is allowable on a full price fourth blind , SAM disagrees and shows it as £33 . Out comes the paper order but before I waste anymore time I asked for 50% deposit. Suprise suprise she has no money.
By the way confirmed today that CLG staff get vouchers for meeting leads targets - so how about vouchers when we get sent on wild goose chases?

[blindmansam]

In my area the self same thing is happening - and more annoying than anything the Area does ' nt require that offer.

Why advertise 3 for £99 shi*e , when there are NO competitors ! Have told FSM and jenny @ HO but as usual THEY KNOW BETTER.

I give up .

highwayman said:

Exactly the same happening here as well. No doubt FSMs will be wanting to know why conversion rates are down. Customers baulk at extra 10% for 89mm and simply laugh you out of the house if you try to sell up to Clouds! What a waste of time!

[RED]

pyramid said:

By the way confirmed today that CLG staff get vouchers for meeting leads targets - so how about vouchers when we get sent on wild goose chases?

That will explain all the ghost leads and yes we can fit a blind in your dogs kennel type of lead we get. I have always said that any bonus paid for leads should be closely linked to the outcome of the lead so that if we do well then they do well and visa versa.

Red