At Main Street Software, Inc. our number-one priority is customer service. We care about your Mary Kay business because we are Mary Kay Beauty Consultants. In that spirit, we offer you this blog as a place to get the latest tips, news, and updates from Main Street Software, Inc. Stop by often, or, better yet, subscribe to get all blog posts via email or RSS feed. And if you like what you see, use the buttons at the bottom of each post to spread the word. Thank you for making Boulevard the number-one choice for Mary Kay business management! Find out more about Boulevard and Main Street Software, Inc. by visiting our website.
In Boulevard you can enter and track business-related expenses and other income, assign categories, and view monthly expense and income totals. An abundance of report options are available to you too, so you can provide your accountant or tax preparer with the information they need.
Boulevard comes preloaded with some commonly used expense and income categories. You can change these categories and add new ones at any time so that you can customize to meet your specific needs. For example: maybe your accountant wants your commission checks broken down to show personal recruit and unit commissions separately.
If you or your accountant decide to delete a category that has expense or income transactions assigned to it, those entries become unassigned. Having each transaction properly assigned to the applicable expense or income category helps to ensure complete and accurate records for tax purposes at the end of your tax year.
You can also export expense and income information from Boulevard to financial software packages that accept QIF files such as Quicken®. Any software that can accept this file type will work with your tax or financially pertinent Boulevard information. See Exporting to financial software in the Help menu for complete instructions.
Last time we sent you an update, we were expecting ProPay® to launch their new service to the Mary Kay® community in the month of July. Here is the latest….
ProPay did release their Virtual Terminal ProtectPay system the first week of Seminar. This service allows you to enter and save credit card information through ProPay. Since ProPay meets the standards required by the credit card companies, you are assured your customer credit card information is safe and protected.
As reported in the Banking Business Review,
The sensitive cardholder data never resides [on the user’s computer]. The merchant receives a unique identifier that can be used for reporting purposes or repeat transactions, claims ProPay.
Of course the next most important piece of information you want to know is when will this work with Boulevard. In talking with a Vice President at ProPay, they were unable to provide to us an estimated date when Virtual Terminal ProtectPay will be ready for integration with other software programs. Rest assured – we will remain in contact and plan on working with them at such a time as their systems are ready.
As a reminder, the safest storage method for credit card data until you sign up for Virtual Terminal ProtectPay is on paper in a locking drawer or cabinet. The chances of your home being broken into as opposed to your computer compromised are much lower. When the credit card was stored in the credit card field in Boulevard, the card number was encrypted within the data file. Even encrypted we were told the data was no longer considered safe enough.
If you enter the full card number into any area of the program, it will not be encrypted. If you’re syncing with a handheld device, you may now be carrying complete credit card numbers with you. In order to minimize your liability, we strongly suggest heeding the recommendations of the credit card industry and ProPay.
If you have not yet loaded your copy of Boulevard 2011, here are a few tips for retrieving the credit card information you have stored.
Only write down and save credit card numbers with current expiration dates.
Begin with your first customer in Boulevard. Click on the Add’l Info tab. Write down the card number and name for each customer with current information.
Store all credit card numbers (even handwritten pink tickets) in a locking drawer or cabinet. You could also take the time to register for Virtual Terminal ProtectPay and record the information there.
Take a backup of your Boulevard information then load 2011.
As promised, we are keeping you updated every step of the way and will continue to do so. As a company and as consultants, we are grateful to the credit card industry and ProPay for doing what it takes to protect us. Please know that Main Street Software staff is available to answer questions and assist you in whatever way we can. As we correspond with ProPay and obtain any updated information, we will continue to keep you informed.
Anyone whose name appears in your Boulevard software (in either the Customer, Unit, or Address lists) can be added to a Name List in the List Builder. Creating Name Lists simplifies mailing labels, call notes and group email. LuAnn also uses this list to enter the same call note for all recipients of this postcard.
With the Avenue™ application for Windows® Mobile and Blackberry™ devices, you have the ability and freedom to take the most important Boulevard information with you. Why not have your business information at your fingers tips whenever and wherever you need it, even when away from your computer?
Access profile information for Customers and Address list contacts along with the ability to view up to two years of their purchase history. Need to know the production or contact information for a consultant in your team or unit? With Avenue you’ve got that too.
Dial any phone number directly from Avenue using your device dialer. And if your device has email capability, email directly from Avenue application. These convenient features make it easy to stay in touch with customers and stay on top of the details even when you’re busy.
The Trip Log is an excellent tool that allows you to record business mileage while you’re out and about without having to write anything down. We didn’t stop there. Would you like to have your inventory at your fingers tips? How about the ability to create an invoice for those spontaneous on-the-go sales we all love to get? With Main Street Software’s handheld application, that’s possible, too!
Once home, just synchronize your device and everything is updated between Avenue and the Boulevard software on your computer. No internet or browser connection is required to run or synchronize Avenue with your computer. Safe, secure, and convenient – Main Street Software makes business mobility easy!
We’re taught that setting a goal is the first step toward achievement. Follow-through is key, though. In your business, this means tracking.
Weekly Accomplishment Sheet & Personal Sales Tracking
Unit or Area recognition is often based on retail product sold during the seminar year. From Preferences inside Boulevard software, click on the Weekly Accomplishment tab and ensure Base YTD totals on Seminar Year is checked. The New Year-to-Date Sales Total on the Weekly Accomplishment Sheet will now reflect your seminar year sales.
To view your sales, from under the Utility menu select Weekly Accomplishment (or by selecting the dollar sign symbol from the main toolbar). Then File and Print Preview.
When retrieving weekly accomplishment information, if a message appears that tells you the seminar year is undefined, return to Preferences and select the Seminar tab this time.
In order to retrieve information for seminar year-to-date, the seminar year selected must be entered. For our customers on the premium Product Update Service, the summer CD will update this information for the upcoming year.
Queen’s Court of Sales Tracking
Unlike the Weekly Accomplishment Sheet, the Queen’s Court dialog shows the retail credit you have earned from Mary Kay® based on product orders placed throughout the seminar year. This is an excellent tool for tracking Queen’s Court of Personal Sales. It shows a list of all product order totals in the current or previous seminar year as well as the total retail value of all orders and the Queen’s Court qualifying amount. To view personal production entered into your Boulevard software, click on the Product menu, then Order. In the Maintain Orders dialog select the Queen’s Court button.
Additional information can be found in the Help by hitting the F1 key at any time in either of these areas of Boulevard.
We’d love to hear if you met your seminar goals and about your walk across stage in July! You can do it – and we’re here to help.
Security is an increasing concern with regard to identity and financial information. As a small business owner, you should be aware of some changes that will affect how you run your business. Effective July 1, 2010, changes will be in place that will affect how you process credit card transactions for your customers and the information you are allowed to store.
For your convenience, please refer to the following chart to ensure you comply with VISA’s Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) requirements if you choose to continue to store credit card data for your customers.
As a software vendor, Main Street Software, Inc. was required to make modifications to comply with these new regulations, too. At this time, we are approaching the new security regulations in two steps. The first step was to ensure the latest version of the software, Boulevard 2011, met the standards and expectations for maintaining cardholder security.
With the installation of Boulevard 2011, existing users must agree to the terms of the End User License Agreement (EULA) which specify that cardholder data previously stored in the provided credit card field(s) in Boulevard will be wiped out as this feature is no longer offered.
New users installing Boulevard 2011 will not have the credit card fields previously included in the software.
Users will no longer be able to submit credit card transactions from Boulevard to ProPay™ (US & Canada feature only).
Credit card numbers can no longer be entered as a payment method in Avenue and any credit card information entered into payment method in the Palm® application will be lost during synchronization.
These steps were taken for our users’ protection as well as ours. Boulevard users who choose not to upgrade to Boulevard 2011, who choose to store credit card data on their systems, or who choose to store that credit card data in other areas of Boulevard are solely responsible for any breach in security they may face. Main Street Software, Inc. is not liable for any fraud or security breach on its users’ systems.
Here is a sample of what some of our employees are telling their customers:
Dear Susie,
I want to let you know about some changes I have to make with regard to your account security. As you know, thousands of people every day deal with identity theft and credit card fraud. There are some new regulations that affect me as your consultant.
From this point forward, I am no longer able to keep your credit/debit card on file. I’m sure you can understand I want to comply with these laws and ensure your information is secure. I’ll note your account as preferring to pay by card and that way I can get the information each time you place an order.
Thanks for understanding!
Subsequent to the changes made to the Boulevard software for the 2011 version, Main Street Software, Inc. will continue to work with ProPay to find an appropriate future solution, if possible, to integrate payment submission. We want you to know that we are committed to a high-quality product that simplifies processes within your business. However, we are also committed to maintaining the integrity of Boulevard and complying with laws and regulations surrounding small business owners including security and fraud prevention.
Selling Mary Kay products can be the perfect career choice, especially for people who prefer flexible hours and enjoy connecting with customers. But to move your business from a sideline hobby to a profitable career requires attention to some key factors. This article provides fundamental guidelines that can make the difference between success and failure, from why Mary Kay products are a good choice to effective customer service techniques.
Your business success starts with the company and products you represent.
When you choose selling Mary Kay products as a career, you are choosing a reputable, high-quality product line from a stable, ethical, and successful company. Mary Kay has been providing high quality skin care and cosmetic products since 1963, and is a well-respected global leader in direct sales. Mary Kay as a company and Mary Kay executives have been directly involved with the Direct Selling Association (DSA), an established trade association that requires its member companies to follow best business practices and adhere to a strict code of ethics. And Mary Kay products stand on solid scientific research in collaboration with dermatologists and medical experts worldwide.
Selling products you use and love makes your job easier and much more fun!
Unless you’re a good actor, it’s hard to fake enthusiasm. But it’s easy to be genuine and passionate about products you use and love. If you have been using Mary Kay products for any time, you’re an excellent candidate for a successful career selling Mary Kay. Your knowledge and experience with the products as well as your passion for them is infectious, and will give your customers confidence that they’re buying tried and true products.
Treat your business with professionalism right from the start.
Success as an Independent Beauty Consultant requires you to keep track of myriad details regarding customers, inventory, time, and money. Computers have streamlined such tasks, and a professional-level software program that tracks the details for you is worth its weight in gold. Find out what software tools are available, especially programs that are designed for the Mary Kay industry. Then pick the right one, not the cheapest. Look at the reputation of the company, the software features, the frequency of upgrades and improvements, and customer service. A professional business management software program with excellent customer support puts a winning team on your side right from the start.
Get to know your customers as individuals.
Find out when their birthday and anniversary is. Pay attention to their likes and dislikes, what products they buy and how often. Then keep track of all these details meticulously in your software program. Personal service is one of the reasons customers like to buy from you rather than a department store, and the key to great personal service is anticipating your customers’ needs before they know they have them.
Manage your inventory effectively.
Besides your customers, your Mary Kay inventory is the next most important aspect of your business. Carry too much and you’ll tie up too much money on your shelf. But carrying too little means you may not have what your customers need when they need them. If you’re tracking your customers’ buying preferences, you’ll notice trends. This helps you set the right inventory levels and decide which products to stock. A good software program should allow you to look at your inventory and your customers’ product usage and give you the exact information you need.
Automate as many aspects of your business as you can.
You make money by servicing your customers, not by figuring out what you should be doing with your time or counting the products on your shelf over and over again. Notice the amount of time you spend on each aspect of your business and look for ways to streamline by using your computer and mobile device. Does the Mary Kay software program you chose have a calendar feature? Does it sync with a PDA? Can you generate invoices electronically? How can you better use web tools? Let your computer and PDA do their job so that you can concentrate on what you do best: interact with your customers.
Follow up with leads and customers.
You never know when you’ll meet a potential customer. Carry your marketing material with you and develop a way of recording information about each meeting or interaction. Remembering and recounting details about your first meeting and all subsequent interactions with a person tells them they are important to you, and indicates your dedication to customer service right from the start. Follow up on samples and, later, purchases to see how they like your products. Send them birthday cards and offer special discounts during their birthday month. From lead to customer, show them they are special. Chances are, they don’t get that kind of treatment from a department store.
If you or your accountant decide to delete a category that has expense or income transactions assigned to it, those entries become unassigned. Having each transaction properly assigned to the applicable expense or income category helps to ensure complete and accurate records for tax purposes at the end of your tax year.
Click here to watch a movie tutorial about the List Builder feature
To view your sales, from under the Utility menu select Weekly Accomplishment (or by selecting the dollar sign symbol from the main toolbar). Then File and Print Preview.
Selling Mary Kay products can be the perfect career choice, especially for people who prefer flexible hours and enjoy connecting with customers. But to move your business from a sideline hobby to a profitable career requires attention to some key factors. This article provides fundamental guidelines that can make the difference between success and failure, from why Mary Kay products are a good choice to effective customer service techniques.
