Do you ask your distributor/educator technical and product related questions?

[nailartist]

The only thing I ever ask my distributor about is if they'll be getting a certain product in any time soon. Seriously, *I* know more about my product than they do--they really are just sales reps there. I'm glad I have them to get my stuff, but as far as education goes, they suck. They don't even schedule classes! So if I have a question about my specific product, I come here because The Geek is where the best educators are.

 

[the-male-geek]

Sometimes I wonder if people post here because you can get a reply from industry super stars like Gigi I mean seriously, these guys are our celebrities and how fab to say one of them answered your question!!

Great thread
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I think there probably is an element of truth in this - and if someone gets a lift from advice handed down by one of the forums stars, I can see how it could have a positive effect in several ways.

Good point - I hadn't really considered that as a factor......

 

[the-male-geek]

Ooooooooooooh you really don't want to get me going on this subject about distributors in Quebec

Let's see... they don't know what acid-free primer is, and it doesn't say 'acid' on the bottle of the regular primer, so that must be acid free.

How to get the perfect ratio, dab your brush on a towel (ummm can you say vapours and wasted product?)

Training..... 1 pg on salon hygiene. 1 page on nail diseases. 1 1/2 pages on chemistry & nail biology............. In total, my theory was 6pages...
THANK GOD FOR MY BOOKS!!!!!!!!!!!

I asked about Poppits. they had no idea. I asked about minx. They had no idea. I asked about crushed shells and icey mylar & fimo (now 3 yrs later, they have it......)

I asked about gazillion and one things.... and some of the answers or non-answers would blow your mind.

One distributor is teaching L&P calling it "Resine Tisser" which translated means "Woven Resin" and no... it's NOT wraps. It's L&P.
Another is teaching "Ongles a Poudre Soie" which is "Powdered Silk Nails". Again, it's just L&P.
They don't want to teach "Acrylic" because that's what the NSS use and that causes damage but the two above products don't (as per them) and so their techs leave their schools believing they are using powdered silk OR woven resin and NOT L&P and so, they lie to their clients unknowingly contributing to the bad rep of L&P that is unjustly earned.

So no, I don't ask my distributor anything anymore. Because if I don't know the answer, they sure as hell don't either.

Would you like to ask me about my frustrations getting educated? Or how I want a Masters BUT unless I win the lottery to pay for travel abroad, I'll never have one?

For all intents and purposes, I have trained myself, or rather... earned a "SalonGeek" diploma because the diplomas here are LITERALLY not worth the paper that they are printed upon!

Am I bitter? YES
Am I jealous of my peers abroad? YES.

If I had a distributor that was 1/2 as decent as those available to the rest of you....... I would be THANKFUL.

Ok, it's past my bedtime.. and this post hit a sore spot because this week I had yet another useless convo with my distributor... don't ask.. you'd just be horrified.

So I'll head off to sleep and quit my ranting.

But those of you with fab distributors and education available... make use of them. Take advantage of how lucky you are.
Were you in my shoes, you'd think you were in H**L

Sorry for touching a raw nerve there Victoria! Hope you managed to calm down again before bed last night..........

I get where you're coming from though....

 

[stoney]

Yes, I always ask my educator and she is always very happy to answer my questions, and in my opinion that's how it should be. I also call in front of the client, so she knows that if I do not know the answer to a problem, I have tried my best to find it out.

In fact, this is just one of the reasons I switched to CND from the company/product I was previously using. Despite spending hundreds of pounds on training, I was always made to feel like a pain in the backside:irked: (and I very rarely called them anyway).

My educator is also my distributor which I also think is very important.

 

[geeg]

I must say, I love being available to teach on line and it is for everyone and not just a specific product related question. Of course I will answer Questions related to CND but many questions are technique related and as we all know, the same application techniques can be universally used with any product line in the same category.

I think that students should not feel a nuisance if they ring their educators, and speaking for CND we encourage that relationship as well as a good relationship with those who should be your partners in business, .. your suppliers.

I think most everyone should feel happy to use the Geek site for questions or the MAIN suppliers of the product they use .. even if they buy from a wholesale outlet shouldn't stop anyone from ringing the main supplier if they have a query.

I think many may not understand that their brand supplier wants to be of help (well if they are good distributors they do). If they do not, then I would not be inclined to stick with that brand. No one wants a 'fair weather' supplier who only interested in you when everything is tickety boo! They have to be prepared to deal with the problems too.

Oh and PS to the person who thinks they get answering machines because 'no one is there ... lol ... if that happens at S2 during working hours it is because all the lines are engaged because they are BUSY BUSY BUSY and you are in a queue. It happens. Sorry. A little patience will be rewarded and phone calls are cheap and always charged at a local rate no matter where you ring from. :hug:

Good thread Derek.

 

[angelina221]

Also, another point is that the majority of distributors are only available 9-5 weekdays.
A lot of technicians work late nights and weekends, so sometimes you can't get hold of them.
Salon geek is available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day (well unless Sam is tinkering with the system )

 

[Doorie]

Also, another point is that the majority of distributors are only available 9-5 weekdays.
A lot of technicians work late nights and weekends, so sometimes you can't get hold of them.
Salon geek is available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day (well unless Sam is tinkering with the system )

Good point!

I admit this is close to our opening hours (we start at 8 tho) and I can easily imagine it can be a PITA to have an emergency solved.

I have some students who e-mail me their questions and they know I won't maybe answer in the next minute, but as long as I do then they're fine with it...

 

[VHunter]

Sorry for touching a raw nerve there Victoria! Hope you managed to calm down again before bed last night..........

I get where you're coming from though....

Don't apologize LOL YOu just got me at a bad moment :lol: You didn't do anything wrong.:hug:

But, you can see why I question here, aye?

:lol:

 

[Gigit]

I had a distributor/educator once try to pry off my extensions with a nail file, so no thank you. If I did have a question, I'd bring it here.

 

[catsaremad]

Brilliant thread !

1. Yes I will admit that if I get a reply from a great like Geeg, then it has literally made my day which is one of the reasons that I post here as well as getting invaluable advice.

2. Also I do not currently have a working relationship with my distributor, and my trainer left the company. So whilst waiting to be able to afford my conversion to CND I use this forum to look up queries and ask questions.

3. But I must admit that I do hate 'bothering' people ! I would rather ask on here !!!

 

[ADiva1]

If this hasnt been said already....

Yes, the distribtuter who you bought your product from or trained with might be available to speak to you about the product or training.

However, on here and for me I am speaking to people who have actually used the product and could give me their personal opinion about it. Obviously not all of them would be the same.

By right and I would too, the distributer/training wouldnt tell you anything negative about the product or training, where as 'bods' might just give you some info that you never knew about, iykwim?