Sales at office not always about job
By David P. Willis
Asbury Park (N.J.) Press
Cookies, pies, gift wrap, even candles — it seems you can buy almost anything at work these days.
The Association of Fund-Raising Distributors & Suppliers offers these tips for those who sell at work: I Make in-person appeals only during lunch hour or other breaks. I Don't use office equipment such as e-mail, which is for official business only. Instead use central locations such as a break room to post fliers, sign-up sheets and self-serve product kits. I Don't forget to say thank you. "A hand-written thank-you note from your child will only enhance the 'awww' quotient," the group advises.
People often turn to their co-workers when it comes time to sell stuff to support their children's extracurricular activities, such as scouting or playing in the school band.
TIPS FOR SELLING AT THE OFFICE
Kathy Hardin, 46, leaves a sign-up sheet in the break room at Broad Data Systems in Brick, N.J., where she is a data-entry clerk. She recently sold poinsettias and citrus fruit to support her son's marching band, the Indians of Toms River High School South.
"I just leave it there and if anyone wants to buy, they buy. If they don't, they don't," Hardin said.
Such drives provide the life's blood for many youth activities. These days, many parents don't allow their children to sell door-to-door, leaving moms and dads to pick up the slack.
"Kids used to be able to go door to door. You can't do that stuff anymore," said Jim Keleigh, a heavy coil winder at Lambda EMI who has sold pies and candy for his children. "Now they send it home with the kids, and the parents take care of it."
Six out of 10 parents help their kids sell products, including taking goods to work to tout them themselves, according to the Association of Fund-Raising Distributors & Suppliers, an Atlanta trade group representing companies that provide products for fund-raisers.
It's a big business. Nonprofit groups, such as sports leagues and schools, raised $1.9 billion on $4.2 billion in sales in 2001, according to Vickie Mabry, the association's associate director.
"They make possible things that would not be possible otherwise," Mabry said. For instance, fund-raisers can pay for sports equipment and uniforms.
Teresa Perrotti of Brick, N.J., sells candy to help pay for her daughter's cheerleader clinics. Her daughter pitches candy to family members.
"Whatever is left, I usually bring to work," said Perrotti.
Human-resources experts warn that some companies may frown on those sales.
"Usually solicitation is against company policy in most companies," said Donna Coulson of Donna Coulson & Associates, a staff training and development firm in Middletown, N.J. "Someone could report it, and the company would be within its rights and say 'We have a no-solicitation policy.'"
It can come down to an issue of fairness and consistency to ban all types of solicitation.
"Employees sell Mary Kay Cosmetics. They sell Avon. They sell Amway," Coulson said. Some employees may feel "it becomes a nuisance if I always have to buy something."
For example, Comcast Cable does not allow its employees to solicit one another.
The company encourages employees to contribute to local charities and get involved in the community through programs such as Comcast Cares Day and United Way fund drives, said Comcast spokesman Patrick MacElroy. "But we don't permit individual solicitations within the office."
And the Girl Scouts said they don't want parents selling cookies themselves.
"We encourage parents to let their daughters' cookie sales be girl-driven," said Patricia Minor, who works for the Monmouth Council of Girl Scouts in New Jersey. "We do ask them that if they want to sell (the cookies) at their workplace, they bring their daughter with them."
The sales are meant to develop girls' leadership and presentation skills, financial literacy and money management.
"It is much more than just selling cookies to get the numbers up," Minor said.
Some companies don't have any policy against it. At Lucent Technologies, such sales are not obtrusive and only happen about once a year, spokesman John Skalko said.
"It is generally dealt with within a work group. These are people you have to work with all the time, so you don't abuse it," Skalko said. "People are expected to be reasonable, and they are."
John A. Challenger, chief executive officer of the job placement company Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. in Chicago, said it's appropriate to ask your boss what's allowed.
"I think where it is particularly a problem is when it gets out of hand," Challenger said. "I think that most companies do look the other way until it becomes onerous."
Fellow employees also have a way of letting the sellers know when it becomes too much, Challenger said.
"People will self-correct. If people begin to feel put upon, they will begin to say no."
