Want to earn $70 for 5 hours work every now and then to add to your Disney fund? Part 2

[SplshMtn99]

I can be a real MORON sometimes. I got my Dove choc kit from Kmart manager just before 11am. Go to get product to buy. Uh oh. I can only find 5.8oz - 6.2oz bags...not 9.5oz bags. Bags don't say minatures so I don't even know if they are the same & obviously UPCs don't match. DH's friend in store notices me & helps me look. No luck. Great. Call SPI to ask about using smaller bags -- and they only have milk chocolate so can I use another flavor? Left message because line is busy. I wait & wait & wait....try to call again , still busy.

Then, all of a sudden, light hits my stupid brain. Miniatures....like Hershey minatures maybe? So I look 15 ft down the aisle & find some bags on top shelf. Bingo! 9.5oz bags. BUT only 10 bags & they are caramel & almond. Ugh. Dig around & find 5 milk chocolate. So, I buy 3 milk chocolate...leaving 7 bags to sell. This day is gonna suck!

While paying for 3 at 11:33am , I have her scan...and she says there are more in the back room. I start looking around in back where food is & finally recruit some kid to help me. We finally locate 2 cases (1 milk & 1 dark) of the 9.5 oz bags & many more of those smaller bags of odd flavors. YEAH!!! I take the 2 cases, so make the rest of my purchases at 11:45am. Get set up asap. As I'm walking by service desk to set up, SPI is on the phone with the girl asking for me. I just tell her to tell them I finally found everything I needed & I'm all set.

So, I have 8 bags to sample & 67 bags to sell. EVERYTHING ALL GONE BY 3:30pm - which is 3.5 hrs after I finally got going Manager brought out those smaller bags thinking they were the right ones, told him they weren't, but I decided to try to push those next since they had so many. Taped coupons to every bag they had on shelf & sale area. Sold about 8 more bags but I didn't have samples by then.

Since I clocked in 1/2 late, I stayed an extra half hour. And I'm not counting any of the smaller bags in inventory or sales -- since I didn't count them at the beginning.

I wonder how reporting this will go.
I REALLY WISH THEY HAD PICTURES OF THE PRODUCT WITH ALL INSTRUCTIONS. I think seeing the clearer bag would have clicked with me to not look where the rest of the Dove chocolate is located, but rather in the large bag section of candy aisle. What a dummy!!!

I now have a silver tray exactly like the gold tray I've been using. And the apron matches our new kitchen colors & theme. lol Tableclothe HUGE but I'll keep it.

 

[LanaJae]

Do we have to make this new report form add up to exactly 5 hours? That's what I did, but it's not true to what really happened. My MC card times (pre-filled) don't even match my receipts. It shorted it 4 minutes and I went to the same cash register.

 

[HotMama]

Gosh, I too am having problems reporting because of being over 5 hours. Geesh, I thought they wanted us to be clocked in at or before 11am and clocking out no later than 4pm. I remember reading somewhere on the thread about that but maybe it was for that TMT not SPi. Crap. I sent Daniel and email. Sure don't want to be terminated. I guess I will stop leaving early to buy my stuff before the clock turns 11am. Guess they don't care if we get there late

 

[SplshMtn99]

My first time reporting online.
It knew my swipe in & out times: 11:31am - 4:33pm (5 hrs & 2 min)

I said I spent 5 mins pre-event which is what it took to get kit.
I said I spent 5 mins post event after swipe out.

I DID NOT ACCOUNT FOR THE 1/2 HOUR I STOOD AROUND WAITING FOR SPI TO CALL SINCE I WAS STUPID & didn't find the right product. I'll write something on the report form.

Total 5 hrs & 12 mins & it went thru fine. Now really, 5 mins pre-event to review instructions, register card & get kit? Get real!!!!!

Same with post event. 5 min to get sig, report results, make copies & mail paperwork? hahahahah

I just don't get this. Is this to cover their butts? We already have been told we are paid per EVENT....not per HOUR.

 

[LanaJae]

I sold out of 75 bags of Dove in the 3rd hour (and didn't have any milk chocolate to begin with) and then at least 40 of the next size smaller (didn't count them in inventory). I loved this event - give me more like this MC! What a great deal with the sale and the BOGO free coupons.

Left my silver tray with about 20 samples left at the front desk, employees were happy about that.

 

[LParente]

I can be a real MORON sometimes. I got my Dove choc kit from Kmart manager just before 11am. Go to get product to buy. Uh oh. I can only find 5.8oz - 6.2oz bags...not 9.5oz bags. Bags don't say minatures so I don't even know if they are the same & obviously UPCs don't match. DH's friend in store notices me & helps me look. No luck. Great. Call SPI to ask about using smaller bags -- and they only have milk chocolate so can I use another flavor? Left message because line is busy. I wait & wait & wait....try to call again , still busy.

Then, all of a sudden, light hits my stupid brain. Miniatures....like Hershey minatures maybe? So I look 15 ft down the aisle & find some bags on top shelf. Bingo! 9.5oz bags. BUT only 10 bags & they are caramel & almond. Ugh. Dig around & find 5 milk chocolate. So, I buy 3 milk chocolate...leaving 7 bags to sell. This day is gonna suck!

While paying for 3 at 11:33am , I have her scan...and she says there are more in the back room. I start looking around in back where food is & finally recruit some kid to help me. We finally locate 2 cases (1 milk & 1 dark) of the 9.5 oz bags & many more of those smaller bags of odd flavors. YEAH!!! I take the 2 cases, so make the rest of my purchases at 11:45am. Get set up asap. As I'm walking by service desk to set up, SPI is on the phone with the girl asking for me. I just tell her to tell them I finally found everything I needed & I'm all set.

So, I have 8 bags to sample & 67 bags to sell. EVERYTHING ALL GONE BY 3:30pm - which is 3.5 hrs after I finally got going Manager brought out those smaller bags thinking they were the right ones, told him they weren't, but I decided to try to push those next since they had so many. Taped coupons to every bag they had on shelf & sale area. Sold about 8 more bags but I didn't have samples by then.

Since I clocked in 1/2 late, I stayed an extra half hour. And I'm not counting any of the smaller bags in inventory or sales -- since I didn't count them at the beginning.

I wonder how reporting this will go.
I REALLY WISH THEY HAD PICTURES OF THE PRODUCT WITH ALL INSTRUCTIONS. I think seeing the clearer bag would have clicked with me to not look where the rest of the Dove chocolate is located, but rather in the large bag section of candy aisle. What a dummy!!!

I now have a silver tray exactly like the gold tray I've been using. And the apron matches our new kitchen colors & theme. lol Tableclothe HUGE but I'll keep it.

I guess I'm a dummy too because I had the same trouble finding the right chocolate. I was about to call too when I stumbled on them. They have no system! They only had 5 bags of the milk, so those were gone right away. I sold about 40 of the dark. Quite a few people grabbed the caramel off the shelf, but I didn't count those since I didn't sample them. I am the proud owner of a huge brown tablecloth now myself. DH thought the apron was kinda cute, so I'll hold onto it to spice things up a little! The store was like a ghost town halfway through because the Packers game was on. Life comes to a standtill in Milwaukee when there's a game on! Glad you had a successful day.

 

[LanaJae]

I just don't get this. Is this to cover their butts? We already have been told we are paid per EVENT....not per HOUR.

It must be labor laws, I'll do what they want and make it 5 hours, but I really hate reporting the wrong thing. If this is how they want to do it, they should make the actual demo 4 hours with a 1/2 hour to get set up and clean up and another 1/2 hour for the pre and post stuff at home.

 

[SplshMtn99]

Patriots don't start until 8pm tonight. I know what you mean when a big game is on. This weekend we've had Red Sox vs Yankees yesterday. NASCAR in Loudon, NH. And Patriots tonight. DH's butt is glue to the couch. lol

 

[SplshMtn99]

You are right about no system. There were 10 of the 9.5oz size bags on the shelf (mostly wrong flavors) & those 2 cases we found out back.

BUT, the shelf & the sale area were FULL of the smaller bags in odd flavors...and we found about 8 more cases of those out back.

Either someone ordered lots of small odd flavor bags & not the plainer large bags....or maybe the demo should have been for the odd flavors.

All in all, it was a great event though. Super easy & customers were happy. I just wished I had more to sell.

 

[HERSEY]

Today I did South Beach crackers and cereal bars. No pizza they only had 6 pizzas.
I saw the kraft food lady in St today I told her about the upcoming South beach events and suggested she bump up the orders. If I had more samples of the cereal bars I could have sold all 75 boxes. As it was I sold 5 boxes of the crackers all they had left on the shelve and 30 of the cereal bars.

I think I'll make a note on my report form. More cereal bars samples next time.

Oh important note wear gloves when doing your walk around garbage pickup. I found a baby wipe used on one of the shelves. What are people thinking.

 

[LParente]

Patriots don't start until 8pm tonight. I know what you mean when a big game is on. This weekend we've had Red Sox vs Yankees yesterday. NASCAR in Loudon, NH. And Patriots tonight. DH's butt is glue to the couch. lol

I'm a transplanted New Yorker, but I wasn't going to use the "Y" word out of respect for you, Splash!

 

[LParente]

I ended up reporting 5 hours and 7 minutes which went through without threat of termination, but I was really there a little longer. I didn't want to rock the boat. They must be getting flooded with calls and emails this weekend.

 

[pandora174]

I have my first event next Sat 1-4 at Winn Dixie for Nutella. I got my box with cardboard table & waste bakset with gloves, hat, apron. At the store there will be a box with more gloves & napkins. I'm supposed to buy some Nutella & crackers. How do I do this ? I'm getting really nervous. My DH voulunteered to stay until I was set up. But do I first see the manager for the box, or get my product first so they see I checked in & then set up ? Do you guys clean up first & then clock out ? They send such really poor instructions. I have 2 more events on the 29th & then 10/14. Using the $ for my son's ST & OT so I really don't want to screw this up.

 

[kpauley]

OK group, this new reporting systems makes no sense to me, but it appears that the actual event itself should run ½ less than the event time. I swiped in at 10:56 today and out at 4:00, giving me 5 hours and 4 minutes. I tried to “fudge” the numbers to not get the “termination” message, but no combination worked probably because my actual time with swipe in/out was over the 5 hours.

Text from the reporting system and my comment in red:

Section 2: Actual Hours Worked: This information is collected for record purposes only. You are paid on a flat rate per event basis.

You are paid on a per event basis, not by the hour. Completion of each event may include limited preparation, set-up, reporting and clean-up duties, which are an integral part of the event in addition to the product promotion portion of the job. The appropriate amount of time required to complete these activities has been determined to be not more than one half hour in addition to the scheduled event time (** see my note below )(product promotion portion). You are not authorized to work in excess of the total time allotted for the event. Any unauthorized time worked will be grounds for immediate dismissal. Any failure to enforce this policy by the company on any occasion shall not constitute a waiver by the company as to future or past enforcement.

** It appears you have ½ of time to “play” with pre or post event. Event (product promotion) could run ½ hour less than the actual time.

PRE-EVENT: How much time did you spend completing duties before you swiped in, not including training? (i.e. event instruction review, registering MC Card, locating kit/product)
Date:


** Since there are two places to put date & time info, we should include one line with the time spent in reading, printing event instructions and line two the time spent in the store locating product/kit etc..



POST-EVENT: How much time did you spend completing duties after you swiped out? (i.e obtaining manager's signature, reporting results, mailing paperwork)
Date: Start: End: Total:


** Once again, we have two lines with date and time. Line one would be for the time spent getting managers signature. Line two would be for the time you spent at home reporting results and doing the paperwork.

So my conclusion is: Make sure you're swipe in/out time + pre + post time = event time. Doesn’t make any difference if you swipe in after start time or leave before end time as long as everything adds up to total event hours. What am I missing?

 

[kpauley]

I have my first event next Sat 1-4 at Winn Dixie for Nutella. I got my box with cardboard table & waste bakset with gloves, hat, apron. At the store there will be a box with more gloves & napkins. I'm supposed to buy some Nutella & crackers. How do I do this ? I'm getting really nervous. My DH voulunteered to stay until I was set up. But do I first see the manager for the box, or get my product first so they see I checked in & then set up ? Do you guys clean up first & then clock out ? They send such really poor instructions. I have 2 more events on the 29th & then 10/14. Using the $ for my son's ST & OT so I really don't want to screw this up.

Welcome and congratulations on becoming a consumer connection. Our results reporting systems was changed a couple of days ago and we're in the process of sorting it all out so purchasing product, setting up, etc... may be subject to change.

 

[SplshMtn99]

OK group, this new reporting systems makes no sense to me, but it appears that the actual event itself should run ½ less than the event time. I swiped in at 10:56 today and out at 4:00, giving me 5 hours and 4 minutes. I tried to “fudge” the numbers to not get the “termination” message, but no combination worked probably because my actual time with swipe in/out was over the 5 hours.

Text from the reporting system and my comment in red:

Section 2: Actual Hours Worked: This information is collected for record purposes only. You are paid on a flat rate per event basis.

You are paid on a per event basis, not by the hour. Completion of each event may include limited preparation, set-up, reporting and clean-up duties, which are an integral part of the event in addition to the product promotion portion of the job. The appropriate amount of time required to complete these activities has been determined to be not more than one half hour in addition to the scheduled event time (** see my note below )(product promotion portion). You are not authorized to work in excess of the total time allotted for the event. Any unauthorized time worked will be grounds for immediate dismissal. Any failure to enforce this policy by the company on any occasion shall not constitute a waiver by the company as to future or past enforcement.

** It appears you have ½ of time to “play” with pre or post event. Event (product promotion) could run ½ hour less than the actual time.

PRE-EVENT: How much time did you spend completing duties before you swiped in, not including training? (i.e. event instruction review, registering MC Card, locating kit/product)
Date:


** Since there are two places to put date & time info, we should include one line with the time spent in reading, printing event instructions and line two the time spent in the store locating product/kit etc..



POST-EVENT: How much time did you spend completing duties after you swiped out? (i.e obtaining manager's signature, reporting results, mailing paperwork)
Date: Start: End: Total:


** Once again, we have two lines with date and time. Line one would be for the time spent getting managers signature. Line two would be for the time you spent at home reporting results and doing the paperwork.

So my conclusion is: Make sure you're swipe in/out time + pre + post time = event time. Doesn’t make any difference if you swipe in after start time or leave before end time as long as everything adds up to total event hours. What am I missing?

Actually, I'm reading the underlined sentence a bit differently. I'm taking it as you have 1/2 hr in ADDITION to the event time of 11am-4pm. That 1/2 hr covers the stuff at home before & after event. I'm thinking anything under 5.5 hrs will go thru. My 5 hr 12 mins went thru. And the termination notice comes up just as an FYI type thing.

So essentially, no different than what we've been doing.

I was trying to figure out the reasoning of all this with DH. My insurance brain wonders if someone was hurt "on the job" but insurance is giving hard time since they were not "on the clock" based upon receipts alone...yet us completing times online of before & after time now constitutes a time card to be used as "on the clock". Again, just guessing here.

 

[kpauley]

I sure wish Kmart would have located my event box. I’m sure I would have done better with the BOGO coupons. I asked them twice to try and find my box because it had coupons in it. After a couple of hours the manager came by and said if she found the box next week she’d be sure and put the coupon on the shelf. Well, that’s nice, but sure doesn’t help sales for my event. I’m making a note on my report form about this. It would be nice to get the Kmart event boxes delivered to our home too. Didn’t have trouble locating the product and they had 25 bags out of each product. Only sold 9 bags.

 

[SplshMtn99]

I have my first event next Sat 1-4 at Winn Dixie for Nutella. I got my box with cardboard table & waste bakset with gloves, hat, apron. At the store there will be a box with more gloves & napkins. I'm supposed to buy some Nutella & crackers. How do I do this ? I'm getting really nervous. My DH voulunteered to stay until I was set up. But do I first see the manager for the box, or get my product first so they see I checked in & then set up ? Do you guys clean up first & then clock out ? They send such really poor instructions. I have 2 more events on the 29th & then 10/14. Using the $ for my son's ST & OT so I really don't want to screw this up.

Pandora, welcome. If you haven't read this thread, we really suggest you do -- at least the first 50 pages. (take notes) It basically IS your training. We have all taught ourselves with each others help. And to save everyone from trying to go back & find the "SplshMtn99 CheatSheet" the several times its been posted along the way, I've finally copied it to my harddrive. Here it is. Print it. Take it with you the first few times. Its a GUIDELINE. Not set in stone. Adjust as store & situation warrants. I think it answers all the questions you asked....but not all the questions you will have.

***********************************
SPLSHMTN99's CHEAT SHEET

For all the newbies, here's a little cheat sheet I made for myself after reading this entire thread when I was new & watching the DVD several times. Maybe it will help you with tomorrow & putting you at ease that you've done everything to prepare. (They were written for when the kit is sent to store, but really not much different.)

DAY BEFORE EVENT:
Print instructions & any emails received that amend the instructions.
Print store report form.
Call in to activate MC card. (If your event is on a Monday, only activate the card Mon AM).
Read instructions....and learn script.
Pack necessary supplies.

DAY OF EVENT:
NOTE: *Some event personnel that work thru TMT agency, like to buy product as soon as they get to store. They do this so they can make SURE that their swipe in & swipe out receipts cover the entire 4 or 5 hr event. If their receipts are even just a minute shy of the full event time, they are docked in their paycheck.

I arrive about 15 min early.
Grab a carriage & put my table & supplies in it.
Go to service desk & ask for mgr. Sometimes they come to desk with my box that was delivered to the store; most times I go to their office with my carriage (Kmart) --what ever they want.

If I'm near the back room, I open MC box & put contents in carriage & go get rid of empty box in back room compactor.

Then take carriage & go buy the stuff I need. (I just tell cashier the other junk in carriage is for my demo. No problems so far....and instructions prove all that anyway.) I'm usually thru check-out around 11. 11:10 at latest depending on how long I waited at service desk, or finding product, or check out lines.

Then I take carriage & go set up table.
Then I take carriage & grab some extra product for table display. I count the product on the shelf. Note quantity somewhere. Also note price & aisle # for customers.
Ditch the carriage when empty. Ready to roll by 11:15 most days. (first few events took me longer until I figured out this routine)

About 15-20 minutes before end of event, I put back any remaining product I took from shelf to sell (NOT the remaining product I bought to demo out). I count the remaining product on the shelf. Note it somewhere OR fill out answers on the report form.

I grab a carriage & start breaking down. Put everything in carriage. I put the stuff to go back to the manager in the child seat. All trash in my trash bag; and box up my table. I walk the store with my carriage, picking up any trash I find from event. Toss it in my bag. Head to back room. Throw out trash in compactor. Go swipe out thru register making a 75 cent purchase. Go to service desk & ask for manager to come sign me out. Give him/her whatever is left from event that instructions say to give them. Go home.

Immediately, complete report form if you didn't at the store. ***Make copy of report form & receipts for your records in case lost in the mail to agency. Either make copy at store or at home (scanner), but only after completed & signed.***

Report results to Stayingconnected.com . Attach receipts. Prepare your own envelope to mail it that night or next day using address labels (if they were provided).

If doing another event next day, activate MC card again. If next event is Mon AM, don't activate card until Mon AM. All activated cards are deactivated late Sun pm.

 

[kpauley]

Actually, I'm reading the underlined sentence a bit differently. I'm taking it as you have 1/2 hr in ADDITION to the event time of 11am-4pm. That 1/2 hr covers the stuff at home before & after event. I'm thinking anything under 5.5 hrs will go thru. My 5 hr 12 mins went thru. And the termination notice comes up just as an FYI type thing.

My report went through OK, but if the termination message is an FYI, shouldn't it "pop up" after 5.5 is entered? I agree with your interpretation of the underlined statement, but I was trying to think of how this could all work out to 5 hours without getting an intimidating message.

 

[Belle1962]

I swiped in at 10:58 and out at 4:10--cleaning took awhile even thought I left the floor at 3:45. It gave me thre termination notice and I put nothing for pre and post event.