FAQs/Help Help is on the way! Please read the answers to the list of frequently asked questions below; hopefully these answers will give you a quick answer to any problems you are experiencing. If not, you will find a place at the bottom to send us an email. Frequently Asked Questions What organization is in charge of this web site? Tiburon Strategic Advisors, an independent research-based strategy consulting firm, maintains this web site and database. How does the survey work? There are 35 multiple-choice questions. You can answer them in sequence or in any order you prefer. Each question must be answered to enable you to have access to the best practices results for that question. Can I print out all the survey questions? Yes. Go to the "Print Entire Survey" page from the Home Page and download the survey in the HTML format. However, only surveys submitted online will be accepted. Please do not mail us completed surveys. How many users have completed the survey? What was the average size of their business? At last count, 1,560 independent representatives completed the survey. The average independent representative who has completed the survey has revenues of $428,000 while the median is about $252,000. Since we cut the data last, dozens of additional independent representatives have added their data to the database. Where do my answers go? What about my privacy? Your answers are stored on the IndependentRepBestPractices proprietary database, which is only accessible by having your confidential user ID and password. We recognize that confidentiality and security are of the utmost importance to our survey participants. Our reputation and integrity are directly related to how we maintain the privacy of the contact information and data of survey participants. Your contact information and individual responses to questions in the survey (including your financial information) will be kept strictly confidential. This information is obtained solely for the purpose of conducting research; responses will be utilized in aggregate form only. What are the graphs for? How are they made? The graphs are for your use in comparing your practices against others in the industry. The graphs are designed by Tiburon Strategic Advisors through careful analysis and interpretation of the data collected from this survey. The graphs will be updated periodically as the number of survey takers grows. How do I view, print and/or download the FREE graphs and research report? The graphs and research report are accessed separately (although the research report includes some of the same graphs): Once you have successfully answered a question, the graphs associated with that question will be immediately accessible by clicking on the blue button labeled, "View Current Graphs." This will take you to a new page where a small preview thumbnail of each related output graph will be presented. When you click on the thumbnail, a new window will pop open with the full sized output graph.There you can save and/or print the graph. When all 35 questions have been answered, a new download button on the "View All Questions/ Graphs" index page will be activated. This button will lead to a new page where the research report will be available for downloading as a PDF file. Click on the associated link to download the research report. Why can't I gain access to the graphs? Users are granted access to the graphs for any question successfully answered. You can view the graphs for each question while you are taking the survey by clicking on the "View Current Graph(s)" button, or at the end from the "View All Questions/Graphs" page. Additionally, if you have answered all 35 questions successfully, you may view or print, the research report by clicking on the "View or Print Free Research Report" button on the "View All Questions/Graphs" page. Is there a membership fee for signing up? No. There are no costs or fees related to taking this survey or viewing all of the graphs. It is completely FREE to use. We seek to understand the industry's aggregate data only and we hope to give something back to the industry in the process. I forgot my password, what do I do now? Can I change my account information? You can request to have your password emailed to you. Go to the login page and enter your email address in the box for lost passwords. Your password will be sent to your email address on file. You can also update your user information if you have switched companies or have a new address. You can access your user account through the "Change User Information" box on the main "Login" page. Keep in mind that your email address is also your login ID, so the email address you enter must be your original email registration address. If you didn't find an answer to your question above, please feel free to send us an email.