George Mindling Column 5-21-2004 - Recognition Outranks Cash

At Quixtar, Recognition Outranks Cash

A recent NBC "Dateline" report on Quixtar, the highly touted Internet marketing organization, was not favorable to Quixtar or its directors. As a component of Amway, the sometimes infamous home marketing organization, Quixtar was shown as benefiting only executives who sell motivational tapes and books, not the rank and file members who resell consumer products. In response, Quixtar has devoted a Web site to rebuttal of Dateline's charges at www.quixtarresponse.com .

What NBC failed to show, and Quixtar doesn't mention, is the one aspect of Quixtar that keeps many people as members even though they may not be seeing the financial gains alluded to in the recruiting. The one item is recognition.

Most everyone from corporate America has been to an awards or recognition event of some kind. These "feel good" events are just that: Make the rank and file members feel that they are not only appreciated, but they are also essential to the success of the organization as a whole.

It is a known fact that salary is not the prime motivator in employment. It is a component of overall satisfaction that keeps an employee with a given employer, but by itself is not enough to keep a person bound to an otherwise unsatisfactory employment. Quixtar also realizes that monetary rewards are just a part of the commitment.

Even though Quixtar members pay for the right to attend their "feel good" meetings, seminars and conventions, the company uses titles such as “Reunion” to make members feel part of a huge, successful and morally good organization. Almost everyone gets to go on stage at one of the local meetings amid balloons and confetti, dreaming of the time when they will do the same at a larger convention.

My wife and I joined Quixtar before the Web site was actually launched. Buoyed by the quality of people we met, and being new in our community, we looked forward to the Internet marketing opportunity that loomed in the future with great optimism. It wasn't until we were actually members of Quixtar that we realized it was really Amway. We decided to stick with the program until we determined whether or not it was worth the time and effort, not to mention money. We attended our first "Reunion" in Orlando along with many of the people involved from our area.

We were struck by the resemblance of the "show" to what we had experienced in our former corporate careers. The one main difference was Quixtar's heavily promoted component of religion.

Later, after refusing to share the names of our family and friends with Quixtar recruiters, we were "dropped" from the active meetings. Seeing no financial benefit other than tax write-offs, we dropped out of Quixtar,

Quixtar knows feeling good is as important as making money when it comes to maintaining their membership. By offering camaraderie and friendship as well as the opportunity to meet friends on a weekly basis, Quixtar rolls along, even though no one in the

trenches is getting rich. At least not with money.

George Mindling © 2004