Another Consultant Giving Her Info!

[chefliz]

I have been sharing a fair booth with my team members and another director. (that I have been doing my meetings with) Yesterday I was working the booth and a friend from another booth told me that the other director was walking the aisles of our building handing out animal balloons with her business card attached. I found out later that she was telling everyone that if they ever needed a clown for their church or a Pampered Chef Consultant to give her a call. I was furious! I was very upset that she would give out her info right in the same building while I was working the booth....how many customers did I lose because she had already given them her card? Anyone have advice on how you would handle this situation?

I don't really feel like I can continue doing meetings with her at this point either....Urgh!

 

[NooraK]

Was she handing out the balloons/cards to attendees, or other vendors?

 

[pchockeymom]

Of course you're upset! Totally wrong on her part!

However, if all she did was hand out info on herself and not get info back on those she handed stuff to, odds are she will get nothing from her efforts.

I would suggest you get a list of every vendor (if you didn't already get their info at the event), and personally call each one, as well as every customer you got info from, and simply follow up with them. Act as thought you know nothing about what the other gal did, just do your customer service. In the end YOU will be the one getting the business, not her. If someone asks if you were the one handing out balloons, simply say, "I was the one working the booth. We spoke..." and go from there.

I would also confront her:yuck: And, I would find someone else to do meetings with unless she is willing to acknowledge that what she did was totally wrong, even to the group, not just you.

 

[DeannaK1022]

Many fairs I work, you are not allowed to pass out info any other place than your booth. We would be kicked out of the event for the next year!

I would bring it up in a general way at a cluster meeting. "Please don't hand out business info at fairs other than at the booth. It's not fair to those who are working the booth at the time." when the others gasp and say "who would do THAT? that's RUDE!" she'll get the message!

 

[katem51]

Wow that was not cool for her to do that at all. I really like DeannaK1022's idea; but if you just can't face going to another meeting, call her out on it!

 

[Nanisu]

I had one of my own consultants do this one time at a booth I was working at. MY OWN CONSULTANT. I was floored.

 

[lkhartmann]

This happened to me in April. I had spent $85 on a booth and another consultant who was an attendee at the conference was walking around handing out catalogs to others. She was an attendee at the conference and instead of paying for the booth, she paid to go to the conference and networked that way. I wrote a not so nice evaluation on the event because I felt the coordinators of the conference should have said... respect the vendors. While I got a show I ended up losing money in the end. Then yesterday, I did another fair, specifically asked about other consultant. Was told in writing I would be the only one... mid day another consultant came down to see "how I was doing at my booth." She had gotten 2 bookings and some sales and wanted to see what I was doing. I was upset (not with her, but the event planners.) I did well at the booth if all hold, but will be writing on my evaluation that I felt this was unfair. Ironically the other consultant stayed at my booth for about 20 minutes trying to talk to me when customers were there, I just ignored her after awhile, because I was there to prospect. Am crossing my fingers, because I handed out 6 host packets and have 10 to follow up with.

 

[NooraK]

Was told in writing I would be the only one...

If it's in writing that you were to be the only one, I would ask for a refund of your booth fees.

 

[lkhartmann]

If it's in writing that you were to be the only one, I would ask for a refund of your booth fees.

I am thinking about it.. On one hand I am angry and want them to know, However, if it all pans out (2 of the 10 I needed to follow up with emailed me already to schedule their shows) I could truly have 10-15 bookings from this show inspite of the double consultants and would want to go back next year. (as long as they honor the 1 consultant per show rule.) I am not sure what I am going to do yet..

 

[BethCooks4U]

I had one of my own consultants do this one time at a booth I was working at. MY OWN CONSULTANT. I was floored.

I also learned one of my own consultants did this too at a fair I had a booth at. She was new and when she came up to my booth that she knew all along we had and could have participated in and proudly told me what she was doing I told her that wasn't allowed. That it wasn't fair to those who paid for their booths, especially those helping in my booth. She apologized and said she didn't do it any more that day. This was an aggressive consultant, putting flyers all over town including my street (she lives way on the other edge of town). But she didn't get their info and so did no follow up and did not get business from the efforts.Another consultant not on my team but attending my meetings went to a Taste of Home show I paid mega bucks for a booth at and which I offered to share with her. She was wearing PC logo wear and passing out info. I was appalled!Neither consultant did well with their business and are no longer consultants. What goes around comes around. Be nice. Don't bad mouth that behavior in front of customers and you'll come out fine. People can see what's happening and you will come out on top. It's a karma thing...

 

[NooraK]

I am thinking about it.. On one hand I am angry and want them to know, However, if it all pans out (2 of the 10 I needed to follow up with emailed me already to schedule their shows) I could truly have 10-15 bookings from this show inspite of the double consultants and would want to go back next year. (as long as they honor the 1 consultant per show rule.) I am not sure what I am going to do yet..

It would still qualify as a breach of contract on the part of the fair organizers. Maybe it's what they need in order to realize how important it is to stick to their word, and how big of a deal it is.