Bad Luck With Hosts

[pamperedchefmom]

I seem to have some bad luck with my hosts. Before I went on leave, I was supposed to have a show in April with one of my hosts. Please note--it took me one year to get her to say "yes", anyway she set a date for sometime in April.
I called her a week later to check in with her and asked if she needed any more invitations and all that good stuff. I called her 2nd week could not get in touch with her. (called every evening). One week before show date I called still could not get in touch. I was getting pretty bummed out over this. Let me just say this-----I never got to do that show!!

Another host Just kept telling me she would do a show, and everytime I called her to set a date, she would tell me she couldn't do it at that time. So, I decided when I get back from my leave. I would give her another call, and maybe offer something for free if she does a show during that month.

Pamperedchefmom

 

[PamperedGinger]

Yes, we have all had hosts like that. What I've started doing is putting them on my schedule on a day I would not normally do a show. That way if they cancel, it has not messed me up.

If they cancel the 2nd time, I tell them they can do a catalog show if they want, but I will NOT do a kitchen show for them.

 

[Jfoster]

I have terrible luck with hosts as well. My last host took 1 and 1/2 months to close her show. She told the guest before hand that they didn't have to pay that night (when it was made clear that they should have) and so 2 people actually paid three weeks later. I luckily had enough orders from co-workers to turn in the show. It was terrible and now she is wanting to do a catalog show! Should I go through with it?

 

[DandelionBouquet]

I hear you...

The last person that was supposed to have a catalogue sale with me was sooo hard to get a hold of....I'd ask her "Is this a good time...?" No, she would tell me. Finally, she hung up on me...twice!!! (The 1st time I *knew* she did, but I tried again, to give her the benfit of the doubt--right!?)

Then, she sent all my stuff back to me with a note that only said.."I don't think I have time to do this right now".

 

[kalm]

Bad Luck Hosts

I am so glad to read this!! I am just now going through this for the 1st time. Catalog show that was to close 1 week ago..still have not been able to get ahold of her..left many messages and she has said she has orders. My thought was to just send her a SASE and have her send orders, etc to me and have her call ME to go over final total and what she wants. Thank heavens not everyone is like this!!

Good luck!!

 

[PamperedGinger]

We all have had "Tales from the C...R...A...T...E!" I had one just last month. I did a kitchen show and sales were $650. I could NOT for the life of me get the host to call me back to close the show. After trying for 3 weeks, I left her a message and an email telling her I would choose her free products for her since I had not heard anything. I would not be using her 1/2 price item. I told her I'd send it by 11pm that evening, but I'd wait to hear.

Would you believe that she emailed me at 11:45pm. I had already sent it. UGH! In her email she had the audacity to say she didn't want the things that I had picked out for her. I emailed back and told her we could change them, just let me know what she wanted cause she only had 30 days. She hasn't emailed or called and I'm so sick of it, I'm not going to make the effort.

It happens to all of us.

 

[noradawn]

There is someone who told me at a show that she wanted to have a PC Bridal show for a co-worker. But she has been so freaky every time I've called her. She always seems annoyed with me and angry! Last time I talked with her she said to call her next month. I decided I'm not going to pursue her any longer, because I just get the vibe that she will be a stressful nightmare to work with. It felt like a relief to just cross her off my list!

 

[MSmith]

I had a host that took a whole month to close the show...I left one final message on her machine and told her that if I didn't hear from her by 9pm that evening, I would select her free products for her and that if she wanted to exchange them later I would help her with that. Luckily, she called within 1 hour!

Further, I mailed a letter to everyone who had ordered letting them know that the show was submitted on xxx date, and that shipment should arrive to the host within 2 weeks. I apologized for any inconvenience. (I did not mention any reasons or excuses).

 

[luvs2sellit]

Since we are all venting I thought I would join in. I had a hostess who would not return my calls. I had added a few outside orders I had gathered to her show so she would reap the benefits. I kept calling and calling and leaving messages. 2 weeks went by. The other customers were waiting for their items to give as gifts. This was 2 weeks before Christmas. They needed the items for secret santa gifts. I started leaving messages to her and let her know I was obviously upset. She finally returned my call. I set up a time to meet her to get the other items. She didn't show up!!!!!! I called her again. We set another time. She finally showed up and then proceeded to tell me that an item was missing and that she had an extra item. This is 4 weeks after she received all of her stuff. I then go home and get her the item because I just happened to have an extra. She gets home and finds the item. It was the stoneware storage rack by the way. How can you not see it in the box!!!! Then she tells me that the "extra item" wasn't extra after all. She found out who it went to. It was crazy.

 

[kitchenqueen]

There must be something in the water!

There must be something in the water!!! I just had a host cancel on me today for her bridal show/cook off this Friday. It was going to be HUGE which was perfect! Anyway, after I have prepared EVERYTHING and had everything put together....BAM....cancelled - just like that!! So now I am supposed to wait for her to call me back because she wants to reschedule IF things work out between the groom and bride....we'll see I guess!! I know this sounds bad - but I couldn't help but be mad ! I haven't had much luck with my hosts last month either. I have done all I can with host coaching, etc. But like many of you say, there is only so much we can do, right?! And it sounds like it is happening to most of us!! Venting can be good sometimes!!! Anyway, I am sorry to hear some of you are having trouble too. And thanks for listening!!!! I hope things brighten up for us!!!!!

~Erica

 

[pampered1224]

Ah the little buggers!

I know the feeling. I had a host do a show for me my first year out. It was a $1000.00 plus show. It took her over 4 weeks to get me her order. Everyone else had paid and was exspectiong their stuff in a few weeks. The date everything should have been in came and went and I still had no order or some of the monies due. I vowed no way would i do that again. Well, two years later she decided to have a show again and me, like some dummy, said yes. with the stipulation that she had to close within a week or I would have to send in the order without her order. Well, she still took two weeks to close and things got messy with her check. Three people booked from that show as had there been 4 on the first. Needless to say that after that long wait, none of the guests who did book, had shows.
Make a list of problem hosts. You do have the option to say no. Just do it politely. If you have a host with a bad check. You tell them when they want to do another show, that it has to be cash only. And politely remind them why.
Or you can simply say no. You do not think that would be in either one of your best interests.
YOU ARE ALLOWED TO SAY NO!!

 

[AMTC]

Okay, I'm going to be a newbie soon and you all are scaring me!!! What are some ways around this? I understand every now and then it's going to happen, but what's the best way to prevent it? Can you firmly say that the shows have to close within 2 days (or a certain date) and if the hostess doesn't have their order in have some set products that you tell them ahead of time "Here's what you get if I don't have your order?"

I hear the problem. What's the solution?

 

[pamperedprincess]

Wow! I havent had the misfourtune of dealing with such hellish host. But I am sure my time is coming. But for the most part, I not only host coach my host about the invitations and calls, but i also let them know upfront what I expect from them as a host. I always tell them that we will close the show the night of the show unless the sales are low and then they only have 3 days max before I close it. There is no way I will allow a host to hold a show open for a whole month. I will get on the phone myself and tell the guest to go pick up their checks from the host and I will take their order ove the phone. Also, I have my host have their wish list already prepared at the show and if for some reason they dont make their goal I will place their orders according to the order on the list and take the discount off the highest price orders. I have no problems with them this way.

 

[BethCooks4U]

Okay, I'm going to be a newbie soon and you all are scaring me!!! What are some ways around this? I understand every now and then it's going to happen, but what's the best way to prevent it? Can you firmly say that the shows have to close within 2 days (or a certain date) and if the hostess doesn't have their order in have some set products that you tell them ahead of time "Here's what you get if I don't have your order?"

I hear the problem. What's the solution?

This is a rare problem. In over 250 shows I have had 1 host who had orders but didn't close (she had submitted only 2 orders to me and I dealt directly with the guests) and one guest whose check bounced and she never made it good (but as it happened her product was shipped directly to me. I'm stuck with it but at least I have it...). So don't worry! Just have faith and trust your gut. If it doesn't seem right either wait for the checks to clear or have the show shipped to you. That gives more time for the money to be in your hands. Most people are honest and are completely embarrassed if checks or charges don't go through and they make it good immediately!

PS: You said you are "soon to be a newbie". Are you working with someone? If not I would love to help you get started!

 

[Chef Kearns]

Beth,

If that happens again (the customer's check bouncing and not making good on it) just call the home office. They will pick it up from you and deposit the money in your Pampered Chef debit account.

Yes, I speak from experience. The only thing you don't recoup is your bank's fees. But at least you don't have to be stuck with products you don't want and you get your money back!

P.S. you are always so quick to respond to people interested in the business. What do you have an alarm set up on your pc or what?

 

[kcjodih]

Rotfl

LOL Chef Kearns.....TOO funny!!!

 

[BethCooks4U]

Beth,

P.S. you are always so quick to respond to people interested in the business. What do you have an alarm set up on your pc or what?

Actually I'm not the one you're thinking of. I wonder the same thing sometimes ("how can I get that alarm?" ) I often wish I had seen the posts of people thinking about PC sooner so I could ask that question!

I do read this site every day that I can because it gives so many great ideas and tips.

 

[barbh]

Adding Orders for Hosts

I've found it best when adding orders to a host's
show to have the show shipped to me. I take out
the outside orders that I submitted to "help her show",
then deliver the rest of the items to her for
delivery. I had a catalog show host recently
that needed help to make the $150 minimum and
I remembered how hard it was to get to see her
to deliver a recent order that she purchased from
me and also how hard it was to get the show closed
so I just got everything sent to me, packed up those
that I felt responsible for delivering and delivered the
rest to her.

Barb