Amway upgrades itself to attract memberships

The move is a bid to accelerate membership growth from the usual 5-10 per cent to 15 per cent this year and build a strong customer base in the long run.

Amway has 440,000 members and 300,000 independent sales representatives. Together, they generated Bt10.15 billion worth of sales last year.

The new strategy, called "Amway Members", is part of its five-year plan to reach Bt20 billion sales by 2012, announced last year after Bt10 billion sales in 2006.

Managing director Preecha Prakobkit yesterday said the upgrade would enable customers to apply for membership more easily.

They will no longer have to wait for independent sales representatives to help them apply and then wait for the representatives to order products for them.

"This has significantly limited Amway from getting new members, because many customers cannot find an independent sale representatives to help them," said business-relations director Kittawat Ritteerawee.

The company has mandated its call centre to handle membership applications and product orders quickly. Customers simply phone in and apply for membership and then order products afterwards.