Friday, August 7, 2009

Amway - Business Support Materials? What Is The Purpose?

One of the biggest points of contention between Amway critics and Amway supporters is the debate about tools, or business support materials (BSM). These materials commonly consist of voicemail, website fees, cds, standing order, books and seminars or functions. I agree that some training might be helpful to a new IBO, but how much training? A sponsor is obligated to train those whom they sponsor, so how much training do you actually need? Also, I used to wonder why you couldn't buy a certain book at Barnes and Noble if it was cheaper than buying it from Upline?

The Amway business, broken down to very simple terms, is buying and selling products, and recruiting others, if you desire to build volume and perhaps to achieve a "level" in the business. The tools, or BSM are often touted as the key to your success as an IBO, but it is often a conflict of interest for upline to promote this as some of them profit from the sales of BSM. Also, according to the Amway accreditation rules, a written and transparent compensation plan for their professional develop program (tools/BSM) is required, but I have yet to actually see IBOs who know about this. Seems this aspect of accreditation is either not policed, and/or it seems IBOs are certainly not aware of this. After all, if IBOs and prospects are told that there is income for IBOs via tools at a certain level, how do you know if you qualify, and for how much?

But aside from that conversation, what purpose do the tools actually serve? I have heard IBOs talk about how they benefit from tools, but when asked if the tools resulted in a net profit from Amway, the silence was deafening. When I was an IBO, and apparently even now, the tools rarely contain specific material about how to actually run a profitable Amway business. There were no standing orders that told me how to track profits and expenditures. There were no speeches about record keeping and how to file business taxes. There were no meetings where we discussed return on investment of both time and money.

There was talk about dreams, and ignoring facts if the dream was big enough. There was talk about it being okay to go into unscured credit card debt, as long as it was to buy tools or more function tickets. There was talk about sacrificing family needs if it meant buying more tools. Sure, upline didn't force you to do this, they simply convinced you that it was a good idea, much like how a conman makes you think you are making a good decision when they are playing you.

This blog doesn't serve to convince you one way or another about the many subjects, but to offer a differing opinion for IBOs and new prospects to base their decisions on. If you see things here that make sense, I urge you to read more, and to ask your upline or sponsor the tough questions about the tools, or your continued involvement, especially if you are at a net loss at the end of the month.

15 comments:

Amthrax said...

Heard these lines before?

"Tools are optional, but so is success!"

"Not attending the next Major Function will set your business back six months!"

"I've never seen anyone be successful in this business without tools."

"You judge the health of your business by how many of your downline are on standing order tape."

Seems to me that many of the Systems' kingpins want you to buy tools and be entrenched in their Systems over anything else.

mrmaximum said...

There is also one more thing which is taught about tools to IBO's. When working with your downline, if they aren't on the system, then they aren't serious and shouldn't recieve any of your help.

If you are 'serious', you get on book of the month, attend all functions, and SOT/CD. If you are SERIOUS, you do all of the previously stated, and then buy even more tapes/cd for your own growth.

It's a never ending cycle unfortunately, and the small amount of money here and there that people pile into the business, can snowball into huge debts later in their ama-careers. I could be mistaken, but I surmise the reason that record keeping and the like isn't taught because it would be more difficult to convince an IBO that what they are doing makes financial sense.

Joecool said...

Absolutely. It is why upline teaches their faithful to ignore fact, or that you are successful as long as you attend meetings and/or remain faithful to standing order.

When I was contemplating quitting, and I hear my upline pushing tools, I thought to myself, why would these IBOs keep buying more tools, they aren't even progressing. I was one of very few IBOs who had a growing group back at the time. But when I left Amway, all but one or two of my downline quit with me.

Anonymous said...

Wow is this a Klan meeting here? even without Ibo's to bash you still lead with the hate card. wow, this blog and it's writers are real losers wasting their time hating someone for thier belief. do you think you are going to change the worlds views? get a life.

Joecool said...

I'm sorry, where is there hatred on this blog? The only hatred is the same idiot from Canada posting junk all over my blog.

mrmaximum said...

"Wow is this a Klan meeting here? even without Ibo's to bash you still lead with the hate card."

So speaking about the apparent realities about the business is hatemongering? I do find that statement interesting. So anyone who has anything to say that isn't positive about Amway is simply a failed hater, is that the case?

Well, why is there so much hate then? While there are a few people who want something for nothing in this life, not everyone is like that. I've personally found that the people who have the most to say about Amway in a negative fashion are the same people who had worked the business, did what they where told...and the system didn't deliver.

I'll admit that i never had the success in the business that Joe did (which I thank God for now) but it wasn't for lack of trying. So if the system is so powerful and is similar to enrolling in McDonalds for a small fraction of the cost, where is the success? There may be a lot of losers, but where are the deludes of winners who worked it?

Where are they anon? Amway is the cat's meow yes? So where are the ones who worked it and can trumpet their success on high? The biggest success stories came from a bygone era where the internet didn't exist and people couldn't talk to one another accross the country about their respective experiences. Why isn't there a glut of of winners who have proven the business successful, why is there such a small amount of diamonds and above?

Faith and not by sight is necessary sometimes in business, my wife had to do it for two years getting her own small company off the ground, however, faith needs to be backed up by a system which does work, or procedures which can produce results.

The lack of success in the Amway business model is very telling. When 99% of enrollee's fail, there is something dreadfully wrong with the program.

Gina said...

So since when is a legitimate discussion hate? I have said it so many times before, IBO's need to add a dictionary to their stockpile of "tools"...no one has displayed any hate here other than you Anon. It would fair better for you if you could maturely present facts that support your view, but then again you would have to present a view first and as of yet you have only made very strong implications ( I do hope you are not comparing IBO's and their problems with others' opposing views to the oppression/hate black people have been subjected to over the years? It seems you may be doing just that by implying that this is a "Klan" meeting.) and defensive statements. Not very productive in any way, not to mention ignorant.

Joecool said...

If the tools were so good, why don't people outside of Amway buy them? WHy are the tools sold for pennies on Ebay by ex-ibos?

Anonymous said...

Whatever happened to the good ol' "Acheiver's Channel"??

Anonymous said...

You need achievers to be able to run an achiever's channel?

Anonymous said...

Seriously, wasn't there a channel (satellite maybe) that an IBO could tune in a prospect to and the prospect could see and hear the"movers & shakers" in the bizness and also see highlights of functions, training videos, etc.

The thinking was if they could see how big and exciting it all was they couldn't help but sign up then and there.

Anonymous said...

The blind are leading the blind here on this blog. Shame you can't see the whole picture. I wish you all the success in whatever you decide to do next.

Anonymous said...

blind leading the blind? and you have a better suggestion, i take it?

Anonymous said...

just get sop & bom read it apply it your life must be turn its for your positive attitude mind & your life style. its not for your business. if u r in system business is grow as a byproduct

Anonymous said...

thanks but i think i'm going to stick with the Bible. :)