Complete Troop Fall Product Guide

Transcription

1 2017 Complete Troop Fall Product Guide 1

2 Welcome Welcome to the 2017 Fall Product Program! The Fall Product Program is an amazing way for girls to learn new skills in a way that no other experience can teach. The experience gives girls the chance to support their own troop by earning early startup funds, as well as Citrus Council, while learning 5 key life skills. This guide is designed to give you the necessary information you need to carry out your role as Troop Fall Product Chair. The themes for this year s Fall Product Program are: QSP: Unleash the Hero inside Ashdon Farms: BE FEARLESS Communication is very important to a successful program. If at any time you need assistance or have questions, contact your Community Fall Product Chair. As a Troop Fall Product Chair, you are vital to your troop s success. Your enthusiasm and support are crucial to this program. Thank you for your time, energy, patience and dedication to make the 2017 Fall Product Program a success! Contact Information My troop number: Community Chair: Phone Number: 2

3 Dates to Know August 14 - September 10, 2017 September 2017 October 23-26, 2017 October 27 - November 5, 2017 November 6, 2017 Attend a training session to receive materials and Fall Product Program Information. After you receive training: Schedule a troop meeting with girls and parents to explain the Fall Product Program procedures using the outline in this plan book and guidelines from Volunteer Essentials and addendums. This meeting is very important! Communication with your troop parents is key to a successful sale. Have parents sign Parent Permission Forms. This is needed to ensure the girl is covered under the Girl Scout insurance. Do not distribute money envelopes to girls until it is time to deliver the product. Never collect money from a customer until the product is delivered. (Exception: Military Troop to Troop orders can be collected at the time of order.) September 11: The Fall Product Program begins! September 25: Initial Order taking is complete. Girl orders are due to the Troop Fall Product Chair. (Remind girls to keep taking orders.) September 25-27: Enter Initial Order into Nut-E. Remember to include product for the booths. September 27: Troops are locked out of Nut-E at 11:59 p.m. Initial order must be in Nut-E by this time. Fall Products are delivered to the Community Fall Product Chair The Community Fall Product Chair will advise you when and where to pick up your Fall Products. When picking up your product, count all pieces to make sure you are receiving what you ordered and sign the Statement of Responsibility. Booths/Walkabouts begin October 27, 2017 and run through November 5, Be sure to order enough product on your Initial Order to cover your first weekend of booths. Additional product is available through the Council Warehouse. Product can be ordered by the piece. Let your Community Fall Product Chair know what you would like for a reorder by filling out the form they send you and ing back to them. November 6: Girls turn in all remaining money owed to Troop Community Fall Product Chair. By November 6: Troop Community Fall Product Chair must collect and enter all of the girls orders into Nut-E. Troops will be locked out of Nut-E at 11:59 p.m. on November 7, November 8: Troops will turn in the following forms to the Community Fall Product Chair: Fall Product Troop Checklist with your signature verifying everything is correct Campaign Sales Report by Troop with your signature verifying everything is correct Troop Position Agreement (If not already turned in) Parent Permission Form - Be sure all parents have signed this form at the beginning of the sale Statement of Responsibility Troop Transfer Forms Recognitions Form M3 Receipts removed from booklet and put into White Money Envelope Reach Out Booklets White and Yellow copies of the paper magazine orders (customer keeps the pink copy) Military Troop to Troop Form 3

4 Fall Product Terms ACH - Automatic Clearing House ACH is how the Council office will take money from your troop bank account to pay for Fall products at the end of the sale. Community Fall Product Chair (CFPC) The registered and background checked adult troop member responsible for coordinating the fall product sales on behalf of the community. Fall Product Booth A way of selling nuts/chocolates, consisting of a troop of girls and adults that set-up a stationary table (usually in front of a store). Note: Only 2 adults and 4 girls at any one location at a time. Troop Fall Product Chair The registered and background checked adult troop member responsible for coordinating the fall product sales on behalf of the troop. Recognitions Items earned by girls for achieving sales milestones. Initial Order The first order for nuts/chocolates placed by your troop. They are based on orders from the girl order cards and expected sales for the first weekend of the sale. Swiper Mobile credit card payment device and service which allows troops and girls to accept credit card payments from customers. Funds are deposited into the troop bank account only (cannot be set up with personal accounts). Military Troop to Troop A program developed to send product to military personnel or military organizations. Nut-E A computer program provided by Ashdon Farms for troops to assist with their troop s inventory and financial management. Walkabout Girls walk around their neighborhood or visit friends & relatives with product in hand. 4

5 Know your Fall Product Line Up NEW FALL PRODUCTS AVAILABLE! ONLINE ONLY 24 OZ. &32 OZ. Transparent Tumblers Choose from your favorite NCAA teams or other great designs. Tumblers are Dishwasher and Microwave safe. All NEW Organic Veggies Organic Veggies are healthy, tasty and easy to grow! They come in ready-to-plant biodegradable containers. To order new online products ask the Girl Scout you are supporting for her business card. She may also text or you her on line shopping link. 5

6 Parent Meetings Getting Started - Parent Meeting Hold a girl/parent meeting. Ask for volunteer help now! Remember: This is the Troop s Fall Product Program. Make sure parents help you. Be specific about what you need and your expectations. Have Parents sign Parent Permission Form. A parent/guardian of each registered girl must sign the parent permission form prior to a girl s participation. This will ensure that the girl(s) are covered under the Girl Scout insurance. Distribute Girl Packets and materials needed for the sale. Distribute your contact information ( and phone). Have the parents WRITE THIS on their girls order card - and confirm that parents include this information on their girl s order card. Review safety guidelines. Talk about Goal Setting: What is your troop s goal? What is each individual Girl Scout s personal goal? What recognition is she working towards? Is the girl s goal realistic to the parent s goal and their time commitments? What is the troop working towards? What does the troop (Girl Led) want to do with the proceeds? Who can help out at booths? All parents must be background checked and registered in order for them to help with booths. Go over 5 Business Skills girls learn by participating in the Girl Scout Fall Product Program: Goal Setting: A Girl Scout sets Fall Product sales goals then creates a plan to achieve those goals all while developing cooperation and team building skills along the way. Decision Making: A Girl Scout helps decide how she (and her troop) will spend Fall Product money, furthering critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Money Management: A Girl Scout takes product orders, handles money, gains valuable and practical forecasting and financial skills and know-how. People Skills: A Girl Scout learns how to talk to, listen to, and work with all kinds of people while selling Fall Products. These experiences help her develop healthy relationships, conflict resolution skills, and team building skills. Business Ethics: A Girl Scout is honest and responsible at every step of the Fall Product sale. Her business ethics reinforce the positive values she is developing as a Girl Scout. Girl Scouts are honest and fair and don t begin taking orders before September 11, 2017 (May send out s online). Girl Meeting Go over all the products the girls will be selling. Nuts/Chocolates, Magazines and Keepsake Photos (Include new ONLINE items). Make sure they are knowledgeable about each product Let them know the prices of all products Go over troop and girl personal goals Go over the Recognition s with the girls and let the girls choose what recognitions they want to earn. This will help them set their goals. Encourage girls to take orders throughout the sale Have girls role play with each other on the following: Customers who purchase a product Customers who don t purchase a product Making deliveries, remembering safety Collecting money and making change Review Online Selling Help girls register online at girlscouts.qspgao.com/citrus. 6

7 Estimating Initial Orders Existing Troops How much did your troop sell in the previous year? Factors to determine your troop s order: Troop sales goal Girls personal sales goals for current year Number of planned Troop Fall Product Booth Sales Number of girls selling New Troops How to Get Started Estimating your first order: At the troop Fall Product meeting, discuss the troop goals for the Fall Product Program. Consider these factors when establishing troop sales goal: What activities and programs are the girls planning for the year? Fall Product money is a great way to earn start up money for the troop. Are the girls working on an award or bridging? Do they have a special community service project to achieve? Each Girl Scout, with her family, should set a sales goal. The troop will use the sales goals to help finalize the troop s goal. Do not feel pressured to order a large amount. You can order more nuts/chocolates. Stay in communication with the girl s parents to make sure they have everything they need to sell the products, order new inventory, forecast and achieve personal and troop goals. Provide encouragement! Nut-E Guide Online Fall Product System - Using Nut-E for Initial Order Getting Started Your log in and password will be ed to you Visit Log-in using your username and password Home page shows you a summary of your Troop Troop Icon (Top Left) Troop detail page All Troop Fall Product Chairs and Troop Leaders EDIT this information Choose with recognitions or without. (Remember only Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors can opt out) Enter your Bank Account information on the ride side middle box in the Troop Banking Information Save Council will upload your girls names in your troop into Nut-E Uploads will occur every couple of days Check to see if your registered girls are in Nut-E Click on the Girl Icon and all girls that are registered will be listed If you do not see one of your registered girls, please contact the council office ( or customercare@citrus-gs.org). Placing your Initial Order Enter your Initial Order into Nut-E no later than September 27, Troops will be locked out of Nut-E at 11:59 p.m. on this date Click on girl orders icon Click on the green + button next to the girl you are working on Enter the total number of products ordered by variety, you can order their Military Nuts/Magazine orders here as well Click Save Recognitions will pop up and you will need to make the selections that the girls requested from this screen Click Save Nut-E will ask you if you are sure you want to save - click YES When ordering booth product, click the green + button next to the Troop Special and order your booth product Click Save 7

8 During the Sale What to do during the sale: Check with the girls in your troop: Did they register ONLINE? Did they send s to their friends and family? Did they complete their Reach Out booklets? Are they selling paper magazine orders? Are they continuing to take orders for Nuts/Chocolates? Did they participate in a walkabout? Community Fall Product Chair will contact you with the date and time you can pick up your orders. Print your T-2 Nuts/Candy and Magazine report to bring with you. When you pick up your order, you will need to count and verify that you are picking up the correct order. Sign the Statement of Responsibility. You will keep the yellow copy and turn it in with your final paperwork. Get organized This is critical! Keep all paperwork filed by date, track all girls sales and transfers in NUT-E and make sure all T-5 recognitions are updated in NUT-E. Keep the girls Fall Product organized and be mindful of all the Fall Product deadlines. Ask for help! Do this at the parent Fall Product meeting. This is a Troop Sale - get the parents involved! Share your contact information Make sure parents know how to contact you and/or the Troop Leader (make sure this information is on their order card). Set boundaries Set aside one evening or chunk of time that works for you. This is a time dedicated to Fall Products. That s when parents can come to you to pick up Fall Products, drop off money, make exchanges, etc. Remember you volunteered to help all girls have a successful sale. All parents will need to help the girls meet their goals. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate! Have a telephone tree, group or utilize the Troop Facebook page so families can help out families (through transfers) who are struggling with sales. Make sure they are WELL informed on where and how to pick up more product. Think ahead Plan your Fall Product Sale season. How many booths will your troop hold? Where and how are you going to sell your nuts/chocolates and magazines? Be creative This is a girl-led program so make sure they re involved. Let the girls help be strategic and think of fun and inventive ways to increase sales and meet their goals. 8

9 How to get more product Remember: contact your Community Fall Product Chair as soon as you know you need additional product. Community to Troop As your troop sells their initial order of nuts/chocolates, you may run out and need more: Collect all girls reorders Fill out the form provided by your Community Fall Product Chair and the form to them, letting them know what you need to order Community Fall Product Chair will set a day and time for pick-up. Count all product and verify your order is correct. Sign Troop-to-Troop Transfer Load up product in vehicle (Do not leave product in car! It will melt) You will receive the yellow copy and will turn this in with your final paperwork Fill out M3 Receipt for each girl that orders product Have parent come and count the product and sign the M3 Receipt Parents should turn in money for any product they already picked up Be sure to collect all money owed before distributing more product - and make frequent deposits. Have parents sign the M3 receipt for product received and money they turned into the troop. Parents receive the yellow copy of all M3 receipts. Remember: No product moves without a signed receipt from both parties involved! Troops needing more product to fulfill additional orders or Fall Product booth sales will receive them from their Community Fall Product Chair. These transfers are entered by the Community Fall Product Chair. It is the responsibility of the Troop Fall Product Chair to transfer product to the girls in NUT-E so they receive credit. Troop-to-Girl This will be your most common transfer: Fill out an M3 Receipt Have parent count and sign M3 Receipt In Nut-E click on the Girl Orders Icon Click on the transfer Product within Troop (yellow box) Transfer type is defaulted to Troop Special to Girl Select the girl you are transferring to in the drop down Enter the quantities by variety to be transferred. Pay close attention so that your transfer amounts are correct. Click the Save Button. Update the recognitions and click Save Click YES Girl to Girl Fall Product Transfer Girl to Girl transfers can only be made by transferring from the girl giving to Troop Special and then from Troop Special to the girl receiving In Nut-E, click the Girl Icon Button Click Transfer Product within Troop (yellow button) In the Transfer Type section change it to Girl to Troop Special In the From Box, click the drop down arrow and select the Girl (Giving) Enter the order and click Save, Save Recognitions and YES Click Transfer Product within Troop (yellow button) Enter the order and click Save, Save Recognitions and YES Make sure you have signed M3 Receipts between girls Troop to Troop Transfer (T2T) Your Community Fall Product Chair will enter the transfer between troops in Nut-E. Please make sure to and/or scan the receipt to them with the following: The Troop giving the product will the Community Fall Product Chair Enter your Troop number and the Troop number of the Troop receiving products on the transfer form. 9

10 How to get more product List by variety the quantities by the piece on a Troop to Troop Transfer Form The Troop giving keeps the white copy The Troop receiving keeps the yellow copy The giving Troop sends the pink copy to the Community Fall Product Chair Make sure each Troop signs the Transfer Form Put each transfer on a separate Transfer Form Military Troop to Troop Customers sponsor magazines and nuts that are sent to our men and women in uniform stateside and overseas. Customers have the opportunity to purchase magazines and nuts for Military Troop to Troop. Collect $5 per magazine or can of nuts sold. Money collected for Military Troop to Troop is turned into your Troop Fall Product Chair Actual magazines and nuts will be shipped to various military branches from Council, not Girl Scout Troop s physical inventory. Girls earn recognitions and your troop gets troop proceeds. Enter all military orders on the Military Troop-to-Troop Form. This form should be filled out completely and turned in with your final paperwork. (Customers can fill out this form if they want a tax donation letter. Troops must fill this form out with the total military nuts/magazines purchased by their customers.) All military orders count towards nuts towards recognitions. Nut-E Guide online Fall Product System - Entering Military Troop to Troop Transfers into Nut-E Troops must or scan their Military Troop to Troop orders on the form provided to your Community Fall Product Chair Your Community Fall Product Chair will enter your order into Nut-E under Troop Special Order You will transfer the Military Orders to your girls by using the Transfer Product within Troop (yellow button) Nut-E will default to Troop Special to Girl In the to box, click the arrows on the drop-down box and choose the girl that sold the Military product. Scroll to the right to Thank You Nuts or Thank You Vouchers (military magazines) and enter quantity for girl Click Save Save again for recognitions Click YES Repeat for each girl All Military orders count towards nuts for recognitions. 10

11 A successful booth To ensure optimal fundraising benefits, the highest quality measures by Product Safety of Ashdon Farms, Central Moving & Storage and Council are enforced and therefore; do not allow for returned, replaced or refunds for melted product. A Successful Booth Booth sales are an integral part of the Girl Scout Fall Product Program. The Community Fall Product Chair will be the only person allowed to make arrangements for all booths within the Community boundaries. Troop Fall Product chairs may submit location suggestions to the Community Fall Product Chair. Safety First! Always follow Safety Check Points. Girl safety and money safety are key to a successful Product Program. Every adult at a booth must be background checked and a registered Girl Scout. What to Bring to a Booth Cash box and extra cash to make change for customers. Remember to keep money safe and out of sight! Shopping bags - recycle grocery bags Important phone numbers (Troop Leader, Troop Fall Product Chair, Parent phone numbers, etc.) Water for girls A count or tick sheet to keep track of product sold. A girl order card is a great way to keep track of this. Booth card No Donation Soliciting Remember - no donation jars allowed! It is permissible to accept donations, but we do not solicit for them. Create a booth with appeal Table with 2 chairs for girls and adults to share Girl Scout or other colorful tablecloth Place extra product and boxes under table and out of sight Use coolers, if needed, to protect the product (melted product cannot be returned) Display troop goals, accomplishments - let customers know what your troop plans to do! Include your troop number Display the Troop to Troop Military Flier and Form Have girls create fun decorations to bling their booth. Booth Etiquette We will not complain about any of the rules that a business sets and will follow them If a double booking occurs at a business, troop and volunteers will demonstrate the Girl Scout Promise and Law and come up with a mutually agreed upon solution. We will not block the store entrances and will approach customers when they leave the business. We will be identifiable as Girl Scouts and wear a Membership Pin, uniform or other Girl Scout clothing. We will display our troop number. Girl Scouts and adults will both be present at all times, with a maximum of 4 girls and minimum of 2 adults present. We will bring our own tables and hang signs on our table. We will bring our own change and not bother the business for change during the sale. We will be actively selling Girl Scout Product - not playing games, texting or running around. The booth sales is NOT a parent/guardian/volunteer activity. Girls must be present. Be prepared for weather and dress appropriately. We are representatives of Girl Scouts of Citrus and will obey and live by the Girl Scout Promise and Law. 11

12 A successful booth Girl Etiquette Girls should be familiar with what is expected at booths. Have them practice the following: Arrive on time, leave on time. No more than 4 girls should be present at a booth at a time - no siblings, friends, pets or tag-a-longs allowed. How to approach customers Practice good sales techniques. Say Hello and Thank You Products being offered and their prices - a business owner should take pride in their product Work together with your girls to set a goal for the troop What the troop plans to do with the proceeds Explaining the Council-wide military troop-to-troop program People make a difference when it comes to launching a successful Fall Product booth Always Smile Assigning Booth Products to Girls All products sold at booths need to be assigned to girls in Nut-E. Please be fair and equitable when distributing the products to the girls that were sold at booths. Recognitions All recognitions are shown on the Girl Order Card. All recognitions are cumulative. Have girls decide on which recognitions they would like to earn. Older girl troops who opt out of recognitions still earn patches. Only Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassador Troops may choose this option. Make sure all the girls orders are entered into Nut-E. Check to see that your Troop Special is empty. Verify that you have made your girls selections for recognition choices in Nut-E. Opt Out Troops must also do this step since they will still be earning patches. 12

13 End of sale Getting ready for Troop Final Paperwork Be sure the number of products sold on the Campaign Sales by Troop is accurate Make sure you have all your paperwork Final Paperwork Fall Product Troop Checklist with your signature verifying everything is correct Campaign Sales Report by Troop with your signature verifying everything is correct Troop Position Agreement Parent Permission Form - Be sure all parents have signed this form at the beginning of the sale Online Girl Detail Report Statement of Responsibility Troop Transfer Forms Recognition Form M3 Receipts removed from booklet and put into White Money Envelope Reach Out Booklets White and Yellow copies of the paper magazine orders (customer keeps the pink copy) Military Troop to Troop Form QSP Questions If customers have questions about their Magazine subscription, have them call the QSP/GAO Customer Service: Issues with Paper Magazine Orders: Online Magazines: Resources on Council Website To access the Fall Product Resources below visit and click on Cookies. Then select Fall Products from the left menu panel and lastly click on Resources. Troop/Group Fall Product Chair Position Description & Agreement Military Flier Parent Permission Form Troop Guide T-5 Recognition Worksheet Important dates New Troop Flier Gluten Free Products Community Reorder Form Troop Reorder Form Military Troop to Troop Reorder Form Buy 5 Flier Troop Check List 13

14 Finances Swiper Mobile Payments for Fall Product Sales Troops will have the option to accept credit card payments using Swiper Mobile payments. It s a great way to increase product booth sales and door-to-door sales. Troops can now choose which merchant to use (such as Square) and will register on the merchant s website directly. Please see the council website for more details. Money Collection - Payments from Girls Girls collect payment from customers at the time of delivery. Customers pay for products by cash or credit card when they receive the product. Girls never collect money without giving product to the customer. Any time money is given to the troop from a Girl Scout, a signed receipt must document this transaction. Money should be turned in promptly and frequently to the Troop Fall Product Chair. Money should always be turned in when girls pick-up additional products from their Troop Fall Product Chair. Troop Money Turn In - at the End of the Sale Final money is due from girls by November 6, In Nut-E, check the Campaign Sales by Troop Report and double check amounts owed to council. Please make your final deposits ASAP. Troop paperwork is due to your Community Fall Product Chair by November 8, Final ACH draft will be debited as each Community is reconciled. Automatic Clearing House (ACH) Payments to Council Troops pay council for all Fall products received through the ACH process: To ensure your troop account is ready for ACH, you must enter your troop s account number and routing number into Nut-E. Only the amount due to the council will be deducted from the troop bank account, the proceeds will remain in the troop account. These debits occur once the Communities Fall Product Paperwork is reconciled. To view amount due to council, revisit the Campaign Sales by Troop in Nut-E. Personal use of troop funds at ANY TIME is illegal. Personal funds and Troop funds should never be co-mingled. Make sure you have Troop to Girl transfers completed by November 7, 2017 so that Nut-E can correctly figure your troop proceeds. Procedure for Outstanding Product Monies There are two types of outstanding balances: Troop Debt to the Council Business Office Parent /Guardian Debt to the troop Troop Debt to Council Business Office When unresolved debt occurs, the troop will not be able to participate in any product sales until the troop has resolved their outstanding balance with the Council Business Office. The Council Office will send up to two collection letters to the Troop Chair and the Leader to try to collect the outstanding monies. After the second time with no action taken by the troop, it will be turned over to local law enforcement. Parent/Guardian Debt to Troop Since Recognitions cannot be guaranteed after February 2018 for Troops with an outstanding amount due to Council, we recommend contacting Customer Care at customercare@citrus.org as soon as you realize there may be Product Money due or you have not been able to collect from a Troop Parent. We are here to help! When Product money is due to the Council Business Office and you have not been able to collect from a troop parent, do not hold up your troop s paperwork. Make sure all monies collected have been deposited into your Troop s Bank Account by the deadline. As soon as you realize there is a problem, act immediately! Collect as much money as possible and set up definite deadlines for additional payments. Promptly Notify Customer Care at: customercare@citrus-gs.org with information on the next page, if deadline is not met. 14

15 Finances Make at least three attempts to collect money. The attempts to collect money must be documented in writing. Be aware that an answering machine or phone message might not be received by the person involved. It is not a reliable form of contact. Attempts to collect monies need to be pleasant and tactful, but firm. Do not harass. Emphasize that missing money denies girls program opportunities. All outstanding parent debt must be reported by November 7, It becomes increasingly difficult to help with collections after time has passed. If you need additional help or need to talk it over, contact the Product Director (Debbie Zito at dzito@citrus-gs.org or call ). Document all information: Written/Verbal Documentation needed as follows: Date Who made contact Method of Contact (phone, letter, in person) Summary of what was said and the response Your follow-up actions and plans Information Needed for further review (see next section) Information Needed for further review: Names (girls and parents) Phone numbers Physical Address Total Products checked out and returned from all signed M3 receipts Amount owed troop and Council Business Office Signed Parent Permission Agreement All signed M3 receipts from parent If you have all the signed documentation, the Council Business Office will be able to help with future payments from the parent/ guardian. How can this be avoided? By training and informing the parents/guardians during a meeting about the consequences of outstanding balances Meeting the deadlines for payments during the sale Be firm with the guidelines about payment before additional product is given out Keeping in touch with parents and girls to verify all payments are received for delivered product with corresponding signed M3 receipts Misappropriation of Funds by Troop Chair or Leader If misappropriation of troop funds is suspected, Leaders access to troop funds will be suspended during research and review of the allegations. If evidence of misuse of funds or personal use of troop funds is substantiated, the leader/chair will be reported to Law Enforcement for further investigation. Report the concern immediately to Customer Care at customercare@citrus-gs.org. If review of the concern yields substantial evidence of theft or fraud, Council Office is the legal party to file Police Reports and will do so. Third Party Theft In the event that funds are stolen by a third party (home robbery, auto theft, booth robbery), a completed police report must be provided to the Council Business Office. Receipts will be essential to prove possession and value of property. Council Staff will work directly with the victim with regard to the resolution of missing funds. Do not speak to media contact Zandra Washington, Chief of Staff at zwashington@citrus-gs.org or call

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