• High quality programs providing oh-so-valuable tools for improving rep businesses across the country
• Amazing networking opportunities crossing industry borders
• Astounding money-back guarantee…you will find ideas and value for your business or we will refund your tuition

HIRA did a nice job of including manufacturers in their conference. We also work hard to provide quality programming for manufacturers. Our Manufacturer's Best Practices program will be held January 10-11, 2011 and is an opportunity to learn how to maximize the rep/principal relationship. Manufacturers can share best practices as well as ask questions from the "voice of the rep" and receive frank answers. Time and money well spent!

As an owner of a rep firm, CPMR is professional development worth investing in. To hear what graduates of CPMR say about the program, watch this video. You will hear about their CPMR experience in their own words.

Here are some reasons you want to enroll in CPMR:

• Confirm your place as an industry leader
• Provide post-retirement income with a succession plan
• Build a cross-industry network of colleagues
• Spot trends from other industries that may affect your industry
• Invest in your most valuable asset: YOU!

CPMR is a series of three short sessions that will result in long-term benefits for your company.

As a salesperson, CSP is the fastest return on investment. Four days of instruction and interaction. One written exam and one verbal exam. The end result is a salesperson that is excited to get back to selling. And their selling will be more effective and more profitable.

One participant paid for the class (and time away) with a single order within two weeks of graduating from CSP. It is a small investment that reaps big rewards for a long, long time.

If you are still selling, you want both CPMR and CSP!

CPMR and CSP are extremely well run and taught by highly skilled instructors that bring real world experience into the classroom. CPMR provides the platform and skills needed to run and manage a rep agency (line profitability, personnel management, technology, tax concerns, and benefit issues to name a few). CSP provides a proven road map through the sales process that allows me to be successful in the selling end of my business. Sales is simple, but not easy! Each certification provides me with critical skills needed to run and work in a successful Manufacturers rep agency. 
Dave Dasson, CPMR, CSP - Net Sales (ERA)

I am very honored to be one of only 39 people with the double designation.

The CSP program has been one of the best things that I have done for my sales career. It has been very beneficial to my career, helping me work towards achieving my goals. I have recommended the program to all of the sales professionals I know, whether they are relatively new to sales or have been in the sales profession for years.
Scott Catanzarite, CPMR, CSP – Group 4 Retail Equipment (MAFSI)

There is still time for you to earn your CSP designation in 2010. Minnepolis is filling fast (only six seats left at this writing). Phoenix is the last opportunity in 2010. Ahhhh...Phoenix in October...almost as good as Tempe in January!

I enjoy it when objective third parties reiterate what we talk about in CSP. Don’t sell…ask questions. Don’t show up and throw up.

Rick relates that clients are swimming in content…what salespeople should be providing is context! Bring perspective to the client.

Get the client to sell us…sell us on why the client wants to change…sell us on the fact that the client is ready to change. Or perhaps, the client is comfortable being uncomfortable and isn’t ready to change. Interesting.

HIRA 2010 has been a very good conference. Congratulations to the leadership!

• Discrimination based on retaliation, race or age
• Job-bias charges alleging discrimination based on disability, religion or national origin
• Hostile work environment, harassment or sexual harassment

The EEOC believes the increase in applicant and employee claims are influenced by:

• Greater employee awareness of their rights under the law
• Greater public accessibility to the EEOC
• Simplified EEOC intake process
• Difficult economic conditions
• Increased diversity and demographic shifts in the labor force

Have you examined how your company works with applicants, employees and termination policies? Are your practices based on lawful interviewing questioning? Do you screen for new employees and internal promotions based on qualifications and non-discriminatory criteria?

You will have areas of exposure if you are doing the following:

• Improperly classifying employees as ‘exempt status’ (salaried) while they perform ‘non-exempt status’ (hourly) duties. (Wage and hour violation)
• Withholding overtime pay to a ‘non-exempt status’ (hourly) employee when they work over 40 hours per week. (Wage and hour violation)
• Asking questions relating to marital status, childcare issues, or how they will get to work. (Sex, race, national origin, or age discrimination)
• Keeping I-9 information in personnel files. (Sex, race, national origin, age, or disability discrimination)
• Denying a qualified 42-year-old female a promotion and choosing an equally-qualified 39-year-old male (Age or sex discrimination)
• A manager teasing or complimenting an employee about their appearance (Harassment or sexual harassment)

Terminating a Canadian citizen instead of a U.S. citizen (National origin discrimination)

With the increase in funding, the EEOC will be stepping up their enforcement audits and systematic investigations this year. 

Reduce your exposure by knowing that…

• Salaried, ‘Exempt status’ employees have a claim if they are doing the same work as hourly employees. You can be liable for unpaid overtime going back two years. (Wage and hour violation)
• If your pay period is every two weeks, you must pay overtime based on time worked each week. An employee that worked 50 hours one week and 30 the next is due overtime pay for the 10 extra hours worked in the first week. (Wage and hour violation)
• Asking about an applicant’s personal life is illegal and can result in a variety of claims. (Sex, race, national origin, age, marital status, pregnancy status, or parental status discrimination)
• It is important to keep I-9 information separate from personnel files. The I-9 contains information on age, ethnicity, and race that cannot be used when making hiring, firing or promotion decisions. (Sex, race, national origin, age, or disability discrimination)

The dollar amount and number of employee claims against employers are on the rise with significant monetary risk to employers. The average cost to defend an EEOC claim is $140,000, excluding punitive awards. Reduce your risk of exposure and ensure a high performing and ethical company culture by doing the following:

• Develop and follow practical workplace conduct policies – EEO/AA, Attendance, Alcohol and Substance Abuse, Performance Reviews, Time-Off, etc.
• Develop clear employee hiring criteria - Policies for job posting, legal interviewing questions and training, pre-employment testing, uniform job descriptions, etc.
• Perform a wage and hour audit to assure compliance with ‘exempt’ and ‘non-exempt’ laws.
• Address employee disciplinary issues consistently - Insubordination, rules violations and theft of company property.
• Train your employees about: sexual, racial, ethnic, and religious harassment or bullying.
• Develop and consistently follow policies about corrective action, demotions, transfers, terminations and employee records retention.

HR Consulting Solutions is an outsourced Human Resources firm that can meet your HR needs, whether they are large, small or mid-sized. Mary McCuen has over 20 years experience in Human Resources. Discover your HR solutions at 303-717-7311 or Mary@HRconsultingsolutions.com

Marilyn Friesen, Ed.D., CSP
Comments at the Jan. 2010 CPMR noon luncheon, Arizona State University

Each year is the same…I have a boatload of work to do in December during the run up to CPMR. It is controlled chaos as we pull together the final details. This year we have CPMR as well as a program specifically for manufacturers, which makes it all the more interesting.

Then during class time, I have the good fortune to be able to sit in any class that interests me. Good news, bad news…all the classes interest me! The challenge is prioritizing! Do I want to revisit the 9 Cell Matrix with John Schlachter? Or do I want to delve deeper in Line Profitability with Scott Lindberg to focus my thoughts for the case study tomorrow? Alternatively, I could experience the change leader in Doug Austrom’s class. Ah, the difficulties I face!

It is terrific to observe the attendees and see them grow more comfortable with their colleagues. Their to-do lists grow every day. Their connections deepen with every study session and bull session (and each round…Oohrah!). Their appreciation for what they are learning increases, too.

The Manufacturer’s Best Practices (MBP) program begins tomorrow. They have the opportunity to observe the morning session of CPMR 101 or 201. By having a better understanding of what CPMR, they know what good reps are capable of. By participating in MBP they are working to improve themselves, their company and their rep network. It will be another exciting day on the campus of ASU in sunny Tempe, AZ.

I hope net year you consider joining us. Whether you are a rep or a manufacturer, let’s talk about what you need. What will benefit you and your firm? How can MRERF help?

Another way to join us is the Certified Sales Professional (CSP) program. CSP will be in Raleigh (April), Denver (May), Minneapolis (Sept.), and Phoenix (Oct.). If you want to sell more effectively and profitably, you want CSP. Call me. We can talk about your questions, problems and opportunities (303.463.1801).

Working from home, it was easy to find something to do after shoveling. Make a pot of coffee and make phone calls to warmer places to talk to prospective CPMR Candidates. We can all meet in Tempe, AZ in January. I can feel my feet getting warmer already.

Like a deep snow bank, we get stuck in our everyday routines and forget why we are doing what we are doing. Owners of Rep firms started their business because they had a dream. But sometimes the dream can become overwhelming when it becomes reality. Entrenched in day-to-day business, we forget that we need to step back and look, really look, at what we are doing. We need to examine how we can do it better. We need to talk to other Reps about how they tackled similar situations.

That is what CPMR is all about. Taking a look at our business (I speak as a Rep because I grew up as a Rep…it is in my blood) to see how we can improve it. Investing the time and money in ourselves and our firms will pay off in the long run. Just like shoveling every six inches instead of waiting ‘til it quits snowing. Breaking the work into smaller pieces, saves a lot of back breaking work later. CPMR breaks the work into smaller bits. Examining a portion of business every year. Making progress without wearing ourselves out.

Join us in January. It will be warm and we can use the experience of others to dig out from our own situations. MRERF guarantees that you will find value for your business in CPMR 101. If you do not, we will refund your money. In twenty years, no one has ever asked.

The Foundation has created a group called Mustangs. It is for the younger set. Folks that are on their way up and want to shake things up on the way. They are full of enthusiasm. They enjoy what they do and they want to show what they can do.

The Mustangs have a website and a loose charter. The charter is to make Mustangs what they want it to be. Sort of Ghandi-esque…”Be the change you want to see in the world.”

My job is to provide a platform and a group of folks to start it. The Mustangs will make it useful to the other members.

If you know someone that is Mustang material, encourage them to check it out. This may be you. This may be your “heir apparent”. This may be your competitor. Or a colleague from another industry. They will be glad you helped round 'em up!