(no subject)
So, I quit. I had a job, a job that told me I could make a lot of money with it, and yet I quit. Let's just say that the guy that told me that was a salesman paid to sell jobs just as he sold knives before. He used the exact same tactics as he told us to use when selling the knives... it really should have been obvious. But, he did believe in the job, just as he believed in the cutlery, so if you allow for relativism in this situation, I guess it's ethical.
Cutco knives, one of the most expensive and best cutlery products out there. I'll buy some for myself someday, but I'll never sell them.
The whole problem with selling Cutco knives is not the product, anyone who sees the product at work will agree with that. And if you're skeptical if it will last, the forever guaruntee with postage only payment for sharpening and replacement will cover that. The price fits the quality, and is part of the problem. The most popular set of knives sold by Cutco is 10 cooking knives and comes with 8 steak knives, scissors, and cooking utensils as well as a cutting board and a block to store the knives. This is the first one were supposed to present so its the one were really trying to sell. It costs $849. That's right, I didn't miss a decimal. $849. I know a lot of people that can't afford that, and that's the main problem with the job.
Cutco has a marketing strategy that includes no television, radio, or print advertisements. They like to compare themselves to Rolex watches, having the best quality and no advertisement just goes together(whatever, that's what they said). The only way they sell to customers is by word of mouth advertising. Basically, to a new representative, this means that you practice on and sell to your friends and relatives. Your friends, your family, are your business.
Now if all of my friends were rich, in need of good cutlery, and didn't feel obligated to buy something just because it was me sell, there wouldn't be any problem. I would make my rounds, sell billions, and make lots of cash for college.
My friends are not rich, but they are nice, and they feel a little obliged to this poor starving college student (I'm not bad, believe me, I have food. I eat my fill, and I can't get fat. I try to, but I can't). They would buy something, even if it wasn't a whole big set. I would still be something expensive.
I had a short talk about the job with my mom, just after having been hired. She didn't seem very happy about it, but I started training and we didn't talk about it because we were so busy. After the second of three days of training, I was supposed to call and get my first big weekend of customer appointments set up. I knew it was my last chance to stop before I started. I waited for my mom to get home to make any calls, and we had a heated discussion.
She didn't want me to blame her for telling me to quit, which I understand. And she didn't want to disappoint me, but after asking her point blank to tell me if she wanted me to continue, she finally said no. It was really her that it affected most, and I'm gald that she was able to do it. Not only because I don't have to work for a little while longer, but also because I felt better about the decision.
I had a job offer for the summer lined up over spring break. It too would have involved using family and friends for business, although it wouldn't have been of any cost to them. Another good service, Primerica bank would have sent me to peoples' homes to show them how to improve their finances. I would take their financial information back to the office and the number crunchers, and then deliver the final recommendations for the family to meet their goals with a few Primerica related investments recommended of course(thats how they made the money). My mom asked me not to go through with that job, partially because its tough to trust a 19 year old on money matters, but I knew that wasn't the whole reason.
My dad had worked for Amway(now known as Alticor) for a year and a half. As my mother put it, he didn't make a red cent. It was a pyramid scheme, which meant if you could recruit others, you would become rich; and if not, tough luck. My dad didn't recruit anyone, but he bought the dream, hook; line; and sinker. I respect my dad, but sometimes he's a little gullible. It drove my mom crazy how much work he was doing, and how little results he was getting, and it put a strain on their marriage. The use of friends as business, also really struck my mother as two relationships that shouldn't mix, and I agreed. The logistics there are a little screwy.
Come to find out, my mom's friends at work were quite glad that I didn't take the job. They had some knives and didn't want any more, no matter how good. And my parent's bible study gave up a cheer (I wasn't there). Apparently Cutco presenters had run through the church three times, somehow missing our family every time.
I have nothing against the people that work for Cutco. It is a real money-making opportunity, especially if you can smile and cut rope. This entry is just an explanation of why I didn't join in, and it is completely based on opinion, and a few experiences. To any readers employed by Cutco, good luck, have fun, and don't burn any bridges. Your customers are friends and family, and you will see them again. Even in training, when my manager mentioned an uncle that always greet him with something about Cutco knives, I found it sad that their relationship had degraded that far. I guess I had already seen the bad side of the job myself. It just took a long talk with my mom to really figure it out.
Cutco knives, one of the most expensive and best cutlery products out there. I'll buy some for myself someday, but I'll never sell them.
The whole problem with selling Cutco knives is not the product, anyone who sees the product at work will agree with that. And if you're skeptical if it will last, the forever guaruntee with postage only payment for sharpening and replacement will cover that. The price fits the quality, and is part of the problem. The most popular set of knives sold by Cutco is 10 cooking knives and comes with 8 steak knives, scissors, and cooking utensils as well as a cutting board and a block to store the knives. This is the first one were supposed to present so its the one were really trying to sell. It costs $849. That's right, I didn't miss a decimal. $849. I know a lot of people that can't afford that, and that's the main problem with the job.
Cutco has a marketing strategy that includes no television, radio, or print advertisements. They like to compare themselves to Rolex watches, having the best quality and no advertisement just goes together(whatever, that's what they said). The only way they sell to customers is by word of mouth advertising. Basically, to a new representative, this means that you practice on and sell to your friends and relatives. Your friends, your family, are your business.
Now if all of my friends were rich, in need of good cutlery, and didn't feel obligated to buy something just because it was me sell, there wouldn't be any problem. I would make my rounds, sell billions, and make lots of cash for college.
My friends are not rich, but they are nice, and they feel a little obliged to this poor starving college student (I'm not bad, believe me, I have food. I eat my fill, and I can't get fat. I try to, but I can't). They would buy something, even if it wasn't a whole big set. I would still be something expensive.
I had a short talk about the job with my mom, just after having been hired. She didn't seem very happy about it, but I started training and we didn't talk about it because we were so busy. After the second of three days of training, I was supposed to call and get my first big weekend of customer appointments set up. I knew it was my last chance to stop before I started. I waited for my mom to get home to make any calls, and we had a heated discussion.
She didn't want me to blame her for telling me to quit, which I understand. And she didn't want to disappoint me, but after asking her point blank to tell me if she wanted me to continue, she finally said no. It was really her that it affected most, and I'm gald that she was able to do it. Not only because I don't have to work for a little while longer, but also because I felt better about the decision.
I had a job offer for the summer lined up over spring break. It too would have involved using family and friends for business, although it wouldn't have been of any cost to them. Another good service, Primerica bank would have sent me to peoples' homes to show them how to improve their finances. I would take their financial information back to the office and the number crunchers, and then deliver the final recommendations for the family to meet their goals with a few Primerica related investments recommended of course(thats how they made the money). My mom asked me not to go through with that job, partially because its tough to trust a 19 year old on money matters, but I knew that wasn't the whole reason.
My dad had worked for Amway(now known as Alticor) for a year and a half. As my mother put it, he didn't make a red cent. It was a pyramid scheme, which meant if you could recruit others, you would become rich; and if not, tough luck. My dad didn't recruit anyone, but he bought the dream, hook; line; and sinker. I respect my dad, but sometimes he's a little gullible. It drove my mom crazy how much work he was doing, and how little results he was getting, and it put a strain on their marriage. The use of friends as business, also really struck my mother as two relationships that shouldn't mix, and I agreed. The logistics there are a little screwy.
Come to find out, my mom's friends at work were quite glad that I didn't take the job. They had some knives and didn't want any more, no matter how good. And my parent's bible study gave up a cheer (I wasn't there). Apparently Cutco presenters had run through the church three times, somehow missing our family every time.
I have nothing against the people that work for Cutco. It is a real money-making opportunity, especially if you can smile and cut rope. This entry is just an explanation of why I didn't join in, and it is completely based on opinion, and a few experiences. To any readers employed by Cutco, good luck, have fun, and don't burn any bridges. Your customers are friends and family, and you will see them again. Even in training, when my manager mentioned an uncle that always greet him with something about Cutco knives, I found it sad that their relationship had degraded that far. I guess I had already seen the bad side of the job myself. It just took a long talk with my mom to really figure it out.