Forum Thermomix
Questions Doubts and Requests => Questions? Technical Issues? The Survival Guide => Topic started by: Thermomixer on December 11, 2008, 03:25:48 am
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For Warren and others looking at purchasing a Thermomix, the system of sales is through a direct marketing technique along the lines of Tupperware.
The main reason for going through a consultant and not buying over the internet is that you should receive support from your consultant after purchase.
Just wondering, for those with a Thermomix, how often do you make contact with your consultant, how often do they contact you - phone/mail/email, how helpful are they and are there any groups that have formed, like the classes at Loose Produce?
Does anyone's consultant send a regular email letter? We used to receive monthly email newsletters with the monthly recipe, but since the blog has been developed the newsletter has stopped - need to talk to poor Tenina.
I have had very little contact with my consultant, but that's because I haven't had any issues. She has always answered the phone and emails if I need help, but have received little news or info, other than Classes.
Poor baf65 is probably saying - help - don't anyone ask me about bl***y risotto. How's it going baf65?
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I for one, realized that, and that's the frustration with being in the US. With no one local, there's no demo or support, so I might as well buy through the internet. Quite frankly, I think I'm into my cooking toys enough to figure it out ;) But I can also see the value of a conscientious rep who would help with recipes and make sure you'd get the best out of your investment. This great forum fills a lot of voids.
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I really have had little support from my consultant. They did phone once to see how it was going but that has been all.
After speaking with others who have thermomixes I felt that my demonstration was a little rushed. It was good and I did appreciate the work the consultant had done to come to my home etc. But some people had received that little bit extra, like coffee at the end of the demonstration made in the thermomix. I don't know if it made any difference that I had already made it clear that I wished to purchase one.
I am quite sure that if I was to contact her I would receive all the help I required.
I'm having great fun experimenting. :D
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My consultant is my cousin, so we have lots of contact. She sends out a fortnightly email with info on whats happening ie: cooking classes or new recipes. And i can call her any time if i need help but nowdays i call her with new recipes i have made lol...
also she has had a call at 1am from one of her sales with a question how to make alcoholic slushys lol... she was havaing a party and neded help...
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I'm only a new consultnat so I cant really comment too much as Ive only sold 2 machines and both were to friends who Im always in contact with anyway. My plan is that i will be in regular touch with anyone who buys a machine off me and send them out regular recipes and details on cooking classes, new books etc etc which Im guessing I will either be converting myself or using the resources provided through TM head office
I think it is important to offer really good customer service as not only do you not want someone bagging TM because you dont get any support, but if you offer service 'beyond' the norm then you are going to get someone spreading the word of TM to all their friends
Cookie I think it does probably depend on how experienced the consultant is at doing demos, maybe thats why others got a bit extra - it could be that the consultant hadnt done coffee before. Hard to show someone something you are not familiar with yourself and make it look professional.
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Hi baf65 - you are right that it is best to offer "beyond the norm".
How much support did you get from your consultant? - probably good in Perth?
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my consultant is a member of the '500' club so i'm sure you all know who ;)
i just checked my emails (yes i'm a shocking email hoarder lol) and i got an email from her 12 days after buying and then that's it except for when i contacted her this year to try to set up a demo for my friend (but luckily found out about my local demonstrator ;))
that was the only service i got at all. i think i have had more help from karen(3), tenina and jeff via the boards! lol!!!
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have to be honest that my consultant has never sent me through a recipe nor a newsletter, I guess about 2mths after I bought the machine I decided to be come a consultant myself so she probably thought she didnt need to bother
ANother friend of mine who also became a consultant at the same time on the other hand has more recipes than she will ever need sent to her by the lady who did her demo
I guess it depend on the consultant, if its their only job, their hobby job, or a part time job
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that's right. i did monthly emails when i was doing tupperware, shared recipes etc as well as the specials, but i know most people don't
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I haven't had help from my consultant beyond the demo, but she made it very clear that I only need to phone or email and she'll help me if I have any questions. The head office of UK thermomix sends out emails and runs courses each month, which is great. And of course, there's this forum :-)
I did find, with the TM21 I bought 2nd hand, that thermomix consultants the world over were willing to help me, even though they hadn't sold me the machine. They were just very generous people who were passionate about the machine. I was very impressed by that. Even now, I know that I can get support from the Ozzie consultants I've met, even though I didn't buy from them. One of the things which is selling me on becoming a consultant is the generosity of people generally in the TM world, and the lack of 'if it didn't get me money or give me money now, I won't help you.'. Even when my TM21 was out of waranty, the UK thermomix was still very willing to help. That's part of why I was willing to find the money to buy a TM31, and have tried to find other ways to give back for all the generosity and good will I was shown.
My main problem, first time around, was that I didn't know what questions to ask as I didn't really know what they did. And there was only one English language recipe book at the time, no YouTube (which has online Demos), and no English speaking forums :-)
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Hi everyone. I am bumping this thread to ask for your expectations of your Thermomix consultant. We are all "independent" business owners, but we do our work to strong customer service guidelines and as the bar is already set high, one has to be creative to go the extra mile in customer service, without cutting in to profit too much.
Are you conscious of the little extras that your consultants do for you as they go about their work?
Have you ever had a surprisingly positive experience in dealing with your consultant?
I'm after some inspiration to take my little business to the next customer service level. Please share if you would like to inspire me. :) Thanks.
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I was doing monthly emails but have been told we must now send any emails to our gl first to be approved ... that put me off sending emails.
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I was doing monthly emails but have been told we must now send any emails to our gl first to be approved ... that put me off sending emails.
So much for being an " independent" business owner. Sounds more like Big Brother or Sister is censoring everything you do and say.
Certainly interferes with the rapport you may have with your OWN BUISNESS customers.
Gert
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LOL at how keen I was 4yrs ago!! hmmmm lasted all of about 2 months hehe!
Never did get round to sending out newsletters and emails and never did receive any emails myself off the person I bought my machine from initially
Seriously there is so much more information around now about TM, so many blogs, forums, facebook pages i really dont think there is as much need for consultants to send out newsletters now as there was 4 years ago....its surely easier to google what you want and get an answer staight away.
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You are dead right there baf65, when I got my machine and wasn't impressed with the EDC meals, I googled and came up with Joy's TMX meals and very little else unless it was in another language. Nowadays the internet is a great resource and with the recipes on people's blogs you can make your own recipe books.
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And thank goodness for people like Tenina and Helene and all the non consultants with super blogs . Thanks too all the consultants that are brave enough to post great recipes on their FB pages. Thanks also to the consultants who fly under the "Gradar" and privately support their customers despite restrictions placed on their " independant " business.
Oh wait maybe I should have checked with my GL to see if I could post this.
Gert
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I must agree with Baf, Judy and Gert. My first consultant was a twerp, but after being adopted (twice) I have had postiive experiences from both consultants. They are/were there when I needed them.
As you say we now have so much help from internet sources.
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And the more these web sites are being told to shut down or change their names the more we Aussies will support those people.
Who knows an underground secret Thermomix lovers site may emerge. Wouldn't that be something? LOL!
Gert
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Can someone give me some advice please. I believe that this month if we host a varoma demo we can buy a second bowl and blade set. I really want to have a varoma demo and my consultant said she would be happy to do this when she returns from her overseas trip. This was before I knew about the second bowl offer so I was thrilled when I learned about it. My problem is that my consultant is still away and we are going to Phuket on 22nd of this month so I am running out of time to have the varoma demo and then be able to buy my second bowl. Any ideas about how I can get around this would be most appreciated. :)
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Hi Mama Fergie,
According to the Thermomix website the promotion runs from 1st August to 10th October, so you should have plenty of time to have your Varoma demo and get your second bowl & blade set. Maybe speak to your consultant as soon as she returns from her holiday to confirm. Info I saw is here:
http://www.thermomix.com.au/libraries/documents/august-customer-promotions.pdf
I love my second bowl & blade set, so it's well worth getting the special deal.
Katie :)
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Thanks Katie that's great news. I thought it was only until the end of August and thought I was going to miss out. This gives me time to arrange my Demo when my consultant comes back from her holiday. . You just made my day ;D
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Interesting. My consultant did my delivery demo, 2 days after I got my thermomix. I bought it sight unseen.
It took 12 months for me to get a varoma demo, as that original consultant quit after 2 months, of me buying the thermomix.
I found someone else to do the demo.
That's it, no support at all. :-\
So there is no incentive for a consultant to do a varoma demo, as you already have bought your themomix. It is crazy that you have to do 2 demos, in order to learn how to use a $2000 machine.
Maybe the more competition out there will be good. :)
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The bad thing is that the consultants are now being told to not even be here on the forum so sadly you won't get a lot of help from consultants here except from those who are brave and willing to defy HO . The same thing is happening to those consultants on FaceBook no longer being able use Thermomix in their name and have been forced all over the place to use Thermomixers Or Thermo lovers or some such.
We no longer will we see Steff Bergs son featured in You Tube VDOs using the Thermomix I would venture to say. And Tenina has has to once more issue a disclaimer on ther web site. tenina.com You should read it as it is hilarious. Go to about me or check the link on Cooking with Tenina. On FaceBook.
Someone is very afraid of the HMP and TC. OOPS. It won't be long before the Thermomix people have to go underground. Consultants will be using a secret handshake and spy's will be everywhere. Hysterical . What a way to win friends and influence customers. Someone did not read the book!!
Gert
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My consultant asked me if I would consider a varoma demo as she had just completed her training. I was happy to agree as i really want to take advantage of the varoma which I have only used 3 times and would like to utilize it more. That was before I knew about the second bowl and blade offer so now I am doubly keen. Happy to know that I wont miss out as I thought the offer was only until the end of the month. Do you know if I can have some of the same people at the varoma demo that I had at my other demo or must they all be new? :)
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I nearly had an accident. Spot the difference. Tenina has been well and truly GRACED. Bless her.
(http://img.tapatalk.com/95879217-e2df-60f2.jpg)
(http://img.tapatalk.com/95879217-e2ef-805e.jpg)
ROFLMAO!
Gert
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Gert, I find the behaviour of HO absolutely apalling !! How can they manipulate consultants like that ??? They are not staff, they are only paid a commission !! They should all band together and stand up to her !!! Where would they be with NO consultants !!They do not own the Thermomix name, they are distributors only !!!!
If I were to purchase another Thermomix there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY I would purchase from HO as I just would not support that kind of carry on ! Didn't they even ban consultants from following Tenina or attending classes ? My kids behave better !!
Go Tenina ! I, for one will support you !
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Hey Gert, looks like Tenina has had HO contact here to change the title.
I am so glad I am not a consultant, the more machines to choose from the better, like cars, competition is good.
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Hilarious Gert!
It's so petty making everyone (consultants included) change the name on everything from Thermomix to thermomixers or similar.
Someone told me that everytime they use the word Thermomix on FB or their website, they have to make sure its written as thermomix (as without the capital "T" its not copyrighted). Someone really has too much time on their hands if that's the biggest thing they have to worry about :)
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The whole thing is hysterical. This behaviour does not happen in Europe.
Anyway it is all for the better I say. From now on I own a thermothingy. I won't be promoting it among my friends as a Thermo### but as a Thermothingy. Obviously the word Thermo### is not to be broadcast, spoken of or written about but for the Grace of Grace.
My lips are sealed. I won't even be using the Thermo### symbol on the forum or I might get the dreaded letter from an LLB.
They will be whirling their Thermo###'s on the Whirlpool forum and elsewhere.
If bully's don't get their own way they take their balls and go home or in this case their Thermo###s.
Maybe I should register the the Thermothingy domain.
Funny as
Gert
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Oh wait maybe I should have checked with my GL to see if I could post this.
Gert
:o :D ;D Oh wait a sec while I run to the bathroom so I don't wet myself. This is HILARIOUS!
I'm sure Grace does have some kind of legal leg to stand on, though I'm not sure it's strong enough to withstand the force of a multitude of PASSIONATE, LOYAL, and TENINA-DEDICATED TMX owners who don't appreciate the antics at HO.
We don't need a secret thermothingy lovers' site. We have it already in this forum. :-* No need for secrecy, more fun to tell it like it is ;)
ps: oh, just a little fyi for you... this kind of behaviour DOES happen in Europe! And elsewhere... :o
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Hey Gert, looks like Tenina has had HO contact here to change the title.
I am so glad I am not a consultant, the more machines to choose from the better, like cars, competition is good.
How is that so? This is not an Australian Web site. Could it be that HO AU is taking over the power at Vorwerk ?
That would be very sad for MM . A real pain in fact but we would follow him where he goes eh?
If we cannot utter the word Thermo### how on earth can we spread the love? We could be talking about any Thermo machine like the "you beaut" HotMix Pro Gastro or the Thermo Chef or even the crap Bellini Thermo Machine not to mention the Maxi Thermo Machine from the Good Guys and Target. Yikes where will this vendetta stop?
How are the consultants able to promote the machine if they cannot use FB , Twitter , their Bloggs or Emails. Grace forbid they help anyone here. But there is some good news. Some consultants are pretty savvy and manage by staying under the radar. Good on them. Oh and be careful girls your private Twitter accounts are not so private.
Gert
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Oh wait maybe I should have checked with my GL to see if I could post this.
Gert
:o :D ;D Oh wait a sec while I run to the bathroom so I don't wet myself. This is HILARIOUS!
I'm sure Grace does have some kind of legal leg to stand on, though I'm not sure it's strong enough to withstand the force of a multitude of PASSIONATE, LOYAL, and TENINA-DEDICATED TMX owners who don't appreciate the antics at HO.
We don't need a secret thermothingy lovers' site. We have it already in this forum. :-* No need for secrecy, more fun to tell it like it is ;)
ps: oh, just a little fyi for you... this kind of behaviour DOES happen in Europe! And elsewhere... :o
Oh of course that is where the Australian Distributor comes from isn't it ? No wonder. It is very UN Australian behaviour then let me say.
I hope we don't get the the dog eat dog behaviour here.
Live and let prosper and we all win.
Gert
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so ridiculous!!! imagine if tupperware had been as anal about their name! or hoover (in england you dont vacuumn you hoover!)
i noticed on Masterchef they NEVER mentioned the word TM - obviously werent being paid this time round....but in Mastercher all stars Jonathan said the TM word, wonder if that cost $$!!
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so ridiculous!!! imagine if tupperware had been as anal about their name! or hoover (in england you dont vacuumn you hoover!)
i noticed on Masterchef they NEVER mentioned the word TM - obviously werent being paid this time round....but in Mastercher all stars Jonathan said the TM word, wonder if that cost $$!!
Baf65 you have no idea how that struck home.
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Vorwerk & Co. AG said Wednesday that it has sold a 10.66% stake in Tupperware Corp. (US:tup). The company said a financial investment such as Tupperware "is no longer optimal" for its portfolio. Tupperware shares closed Tuesday at $22.08, down 7 cents.
Tupperware is where they got their business model for the Thermothingy.
Gert
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You would think that they would be happy with the name getting out there, the more you try and stop people mentioning it the less people are going to know about it, it's all very sill really :-))
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ohhh Gert too funny!
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ohhh Gert too funny!
Yup it is.
Gert
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I've had just had the best laugh ever. If the children in my class behaved like that I'd not be a happy teacher.
I have just read Tenina's disclaimer etc. It is fantastic, she is such a star and ever so human. Go Tenina.