New advisor payments !!

[cyberman1]

If it aint broke dont fix it.Has mr Risman ever heard of this.
I have seen it many times in my career of employement over the years and the only way that managements gets respect is by making improvements coupled with motivation.There are two ways of improving the financial bottom line, increase sales or reduce overheads, or in Hillarys case improve claw backs to the benefit of the company.
How come Hillarys can charge us £20 if we make an error in the first instance but Hillarys are given their first mistake (DOR) which will be re-fitted by us at NO Charge to them.
Do they also expect us to provide our own insurance for any damage to customers property.
Because a customer signs an order with Hillarys will they be legally responsible for its agents.
And so on and so on.
Can they expect us to chase 3 for 99 orders with a gross profit of £15 but with a penalty of £20 ( poss by on each blind ) not likely.
This is the first time I have put pen to paper but for how long?.

[mendipmagpie]

Re: New advisor payments !!
« Reply #133 on Today at 6:47pm »

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I for one will have nothing to do with any suggestion of strikes, hibernating SAM, holding cash, pricing lottery, or any other such suggestions. And not because I'm looking after number one (most of you know how far I stuck my neck over the parapet on behalf of us all) but because I know, without any doubt in my mind, that the intention of the new advisor payments was to meet us on some of the issues that we have complained about.

Indeed, on some issues it does do exactly that. On other issues it was badly communicated (liability insurance) and will be clarified promptly, and on some issues it might have been thought through better and will need some further tuning. However, the intention is honourable and the objective is to have a clear transparent reward structure on a level playing field which is fair to all. The agenda is not to shaft us in any way.

There have been some very good points made through the forum, all of which are now being sifted through and discussed by Ross and his team, and any necessary clarifications or modifications will undoubtedly follow. The issue of claim liability in particular will certainly be put to bed, hopefully to most people's satisfaction, very quickly indeed.

I also think that, if the public liability issue had not grabbed the limelight and kicked everything off, most of the other points would have been much better received - not necessarily fully accepted, and still in need of clarification, but nevertheless would not have incited the degree of reaction which we have experienced.
Hi Hirticus re your post

Can I take it from the above that all posts on this subject have been read by Rossk so no need for direct e-mails.
With regard to the content of the LETTER sorry but I feel that whilst the Liability issue raises concern it is the possible excess charges and a possible claim against the agent by the insurer if he is deemed careless that draws my attention.
I also feel that it is extremely unfair to expect agents to give free first DOR calls yet be charged first errors.This was realy ill thought out.
Not having a go at you mate but I feel they are also letting you down after all the time and effort you and the others have put in in an attempt to get us all moving in the same direction.

MM

[golfsthegame]

MM You are a voice of sanity in a sea of madness. We are not a militant trade union but a forum of self employed advisors. This matter has to be resolved by reason and not by cutting of the hand that feeds us.

[scotton]

I think before anymore damage is done hillarys should call a meeting with a number of the advisors from the forums who put the points to them. Maybe we may understand where it is that management are coming from with all this because I for one am totally lost as to what they are trying to acheive. As a participant of the leeds forum I would be happy to go to Nottingham anytime if it means we can get a satisfactory conclusion from this mess.

[farmer]

doggy said:

I think before anymore damage is done hillarys should call a meeting with a number of the advisors from the forums who put the points to them. Maybe we may understand where it is that management are coming from with all this because I for one am totally lost as to what they are trying to acheive. As a participant of the leeds forum I would be happy to go to Nottingham anytime if it means we can get a satisfactory conclusion from this mess.

Well said Doggy,

Although Ross contacted me this morning, and i thank him for that, I am now like you at a loss as what to do.

The problem is,

We go in customers home, fit blind, go away. anytime later we are told we have damged something, etc.
What will the course of acton now be.

Will Hillarys give me chance to defend myself, by going back to the customer, and challengeing her, with or without F.S.M.

Or will customer services just pay up, and then take it out of my dwindling commission.

We all know that some people make there living out of scams and the like, so as i sit here writing this i am still not convinced.

allright maybe the letter from Mr Risman was put across wrong, and we might all be bricking ourselves as to the consequences, for no reason.

If my company was having a problem paying out for scurilous claims, i would have told my workforce what the problem was, and DISCUSSED it, and the proposals to rectify it 1st.

I also thought that was what the forums were about, communication, and discussion... Am i wrong

Its strange when 3months later we have had no communication.
Just this little episode which has knocked our confidenve for 6.

Surely with the way things are going, advisors leaving, threatning to leave, hasn't the message got through.

So hopefully we will have some clarification before the weeks out on the insurance issue, please.

On the d.o.r. issue, again, I would like clarification on the 1st d.o.r non payment, and our 1st mismeasure etc.

The mismeasure is unfair in my opinion, as someone posted earlier,
if you are a big advisor shifting 20 grands worth a month, it should work on percentages.

I have probably a hand full of mismeasures, or should i say tapped the wrong sam keys this last 12 months,so you might say whats the problem..its the principle. the amount of business we bring in should compensate the low rate.

i can understand under performing, and high maintenance advisors, having to pay. But surely I as most other bigger advisors, will try and rectify most faults, mend blinds on site, to save sending blinds back. Indeed the wife has just spent from 5pm until 8pm checking all the blinds we have had delivered today to see if they are worth taking out to fit.

yes youve' guessed 6 dors to raise, bkinds missing and the rest.....who pays for that.?

Without going on all night, as usual its the ones who care that suffer......

So again thanks for contacting me Ross, i have read youre posting, I will use that as a reference for any future problems, and will continue as normal.

Thats after i put everything i own into my kids names ;D ;D ;D

[dibsdobs]

While we are all on the subject of being mislead.

For those of you that buy Hillary's branded clothing, (which up till now included myself) and was told they don't make any money on it. Well quess what?

They lied.

They have almost doubled the price they pay for it.

Off the subject a bit, I know, but another con to add to the catalog of deceptions.

Who knows, with the free SAM paper upon us, perhaps we can get a free polo top with each service call.

If so can I request one that says "Vantana blinds" on it.

[greenpesto]

I can be a bit 'dim' on things sometimes ... but I was never taken in by the following:

Hillarys clothing prices being a rip off

Accepting/embracing SAM as being good for us as well as for Hillarys

A negative Hillarys response as a result of the forums

JR being good for this company

FSM's being a caring bunch

Any new moves being for the benefit of the Advisors in the long run

The fact that having been 'shafted' numerous times that it won't happen again & again

That we aren't on 'borrowed time' with the company's future

It's a real shame!!!!!!!!

[BlindWizard]

hereticus said:

I for one will have nothing to do with any suggestion of strikes, hibernating SAM, holding cash, pricing lottery, or any other such suggestions.
I agree with you
And not because I'm looking after number one (most of you know how far I stuck my neck over the parapet on behalf of us all)
That is appreciated

but because I know, without any doubt in my mind, that the intention of the new advisor payments was to meet us on some of the issues that we have complained about.
Indeed, on some issues it does do exactly that. On other issues it was badly communicated (liability insurance) and will be clarified promptly, and on some issues it might have been thought through better and will need some further tuning. However, the intention is honourable and the objective is to have a clear transparent reward structure on a level playing field which is fair to all. The agenda is not to shaft us in any way.

There have been some very good points made through the forum, all of which are now being sifted through and discussed by Ross and his team, and any necessary clarifications or modifications will undoubtedly follow. The issue of claim liability in particular will certainly be put to bed, hopefully to most people's satisfaction, very quickly indeed.

I also think that, if the public liability issue had not grabbed the limelight and kicked everything off, most of the other points would have been much better received - not necessarily fully accepted, and still in need of clarification, but nevertheless would not have incited the degree of reaction which we have experienced.
This is where are can't agree with you. There has been 3 months to formulate this, there was suppose to be more communication - it should not be badly communicated, necessary to clarify or need further tuning, this is a contractual document given to us with 4 working days notice before implementation !!
I do not think the balance is in our favour and the document creates more issues than it addresses

I admire your optimism but I'm afraid my confidence in Hillarys motivating their sales force and promoting the Hillarys brand to be proud off has not improved so far.

[*Star*man*]

Mr Risman seen leaving colwick for the golf course , having been told the advisors are revolting , he was heard to say 'raise thier availability-i feel a panic coming on . tally ho!'


rather like 'little brittain' !

'suits u sir' i say!

[BlindWizard]

ricko & mendipmagpie - I agree with you

doggy - I think that's exactly what should be done. Shame it wasn't before the document was put out and save us all a load of high blood pressure.

farmer - agree with all you say except putting it in the kids name - they (and the wife) are already threatening to put me in a home. I've put it all in the dogs name ;D ;D ;D

[essexman]

I have read all comments with interest and the umpteen page memo. The clawback issue is unacceptable as on some jobs it will be more than the commission.
What isn't covered is when because an order is late , Hillarys problem ,and the customer gets grumpy, they drop £100 off order value and appropriate amount off our comm for something not our fault. There is a bad dose of blame culture in this business which is very bad for the business. As has been said in the past, there is a them and us situation here i.e. lets shaft them is the attitude because I now believe HO think that they don't need us. We are replacable with more maleable cheap yes men/women.

[owl]

golfsthegame said:

MM You are a voice of sanity in a sea of madness. We are not a militant trade union but a forum of self employed advisors. This matter has to be resolved by reason and not by cutting of the hand that feeds us.

The Advisors are the hand that feeds everyone connected to Hillarys.

[greenpesto]

Thing is 'essexman' is that Hillarys management are like our politicians!!! .... they only live for now, making a name for themselves & are unable to look at the long term effect that their decisions will have.

I've been in industries that have done this ... they treat their 'sales force' like dirt & wonder why there is suddenly so much competition out there because so many leave.

Hillarys will continue replacing Advisors with many that won't stay & end up with a team that has no experience or are full of those types that drift from one company to another cocking things up as they go.

In the meantime, the 'talentless' likes of JR will have been pushed on & will 'talk' himself into the next company that'll have him where he'll mess it all up once again.

[saxman]

russell said:

HAVE SPOKE TO H/O today and they are taking it seriously


.hopefully a post on here today will help

that didnt happen then, did it.....................

[rossk]

Hi

All advisors will receive the following communication by e mail or fax.

Advisor Update re public liability insurance

Further to the weekend communication concerning the changes to payments and commissions, we have received feedback that we quickly need to clarify the position with regard to public liability insurance.

All Advisors are covered by Hillarys public liability insurance, as has always been the case and will continue in the future.

This has a limit of £5m for any one incident. However, there is an excess on the policy that has until now been paid by ourselves. Our intention is to ensure that all advisors are responsible for at least some of this cost and will act to reduce those instances where customers are disappointed due to damage caused to their home.

As the initial letter needs further clarification, we have decided that there will be absolutely no changes to the current arrangements for customers claiming damages until, at the earliest, the end of May.

Obviously you will require more details as to how this is to work and this we shall do in this week's mailer. Please do not be concerned that you are suddenly exposed to damage claims as of next Monday, 8 May.

In the meantime, if you require any further clarification please talk directly to your FSM who will be better placed than the Service Centre to deal with your query.

Regards

The Hillarys Team