The trend for part-time employment is fuelling a growth in
consultant numbers at the UK arm of Swedish direct selling
company Oriflame.
The Milton Keynes-based company said the size of its sales force
for the three years ending 30th August had almost doubled with
800 new recruits coming on board in the last three months
alone.
Established in 1970, Oriflame UK is a franchise of the
international beauty company, which sells direct in more than 60
countries worldwide. Its range of beauty products is marketed
through some 3.5 million independent consultants, generating
annual sales exceeding €1.5 billion (£1.2
billion).
Oriflame UK attributes the growth to the increasing number in
people in part-time employment. “People are turning to
part-time roles like direct selling as an alternative income
source thanks to the flexibility it offers and the low start-up
costs,” says Oriflame UK chief executive Eric McClenaghan.
“Direct sellers can work the hours they wish. Many of our
consultants have made a successful long-term career out of it
whereas others choose to earn an extra income on a temporary
basis.”
Oriflame has enjoyed an annual growth rate of 25 percent for the
past four years, with the direct selling industry as a whole is
defying the recession. According to McClenaghan, direct-selling
companies are bucking the trend by riding on stable demand,
direct engagement with consumers, flexibility in market
penetration and lower costs. Above all, he believes Oriflame’s
success lies in its investment in people working in the
field.
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