Co-Worker Fed-Up With Pamered Chef

[PamperedchefDaly]

When I became a consultant I did one of my first shows with my co-worker. She's also my immediate supervisor and we are the only two people in our kitchen. Her party was successful, and she got alot of free/half price products. One of those half-price products was the large round stone with handles. Within a very short time, the RS broke (as alot of them do), and was replaced promptly by Pampered Chef. Score one for our customer service.

All I hear from her is complaints about her PC stuff. She hates the quick stir pitcher because it makes a mess when they use it (user error, I am sure). She hates the kitchen spritzer because you have to pump it frequently. This doesn't work right, that doesn't work right. You get the picture.

The last straw was last week when the replacement round stone exploded in her oven ruining the pizza she was cooking, plus the food she was cooking on the rack below it. I apologized for the problem, and offered to call customer service for her. Then she said she wanted a refund rather than a replacement, PLUS she wanted reimbursement for the food she had to throw out since they then had to order pizza in. I gave her the CS number thinking that she might have a better shot at getting what she wanted.

She came in today bashing PC because they wouldn't give her what she wanted. And since her stone was over 1 year old, they wouldn't refund her money. They gave her credit towards more PC, but she "doesn't want any more PC crap." I tried to explain that she is getting credit, something she couldn't get from Target or Bed Bath & Beyond after a year and a half. She came back with "Costco would give me a refund after all that time. PC has lousy customer service."

So how should I handle this?

 

[baychef]

Although I can understand her frustration, she also sounds like someone who "wants it my way or the highway...and everyone is hearing about it". This will happen from time to time, no matter what product she has. And I doubt that she would get a refund at Costco or anywhere else after a year.

Are the quick stir picture and the spritzer over a year old? And did she get them for free?

Perhaps you can just level with her and say, "Gee, Jane, I am very sorry that you are dissatisfied with your products and I understand your frustration. Would it help if you brought in the pitcher and the spritzer and perhaps I could look over the products to see if I could help you enjoy them better."

The best you can do is to offer to help her replace the items (through PC) if they are still under warrenty. Quite honestly, I think she has some sort of "issue" and is taking it out on you.

Anxious to see what others have to offer for advice. Other than that...kick her!!! Just kidding!!:angel:

 

[BethCooks4U]

If she brings it up again I would just say that you are sorry she is having such a problem with her things and that the best thing for your friendship is that she deal directly with Pampered Chef.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Actually, Costco probably would give her the refund....but that's why you pay a yearly membership fee.

 

[Jewel]

I think somewhere it says you arent supposed to cook something else under a stone anyway! She just has issues.:yuck:

 

[muffetts]

Everyone needs to remember that the one thing Costco doesn't have is us - consultants who are there to meet their customer's needs. I completely understand your frustration, but I completely understand hers as well.

I have clients who have had their stones break time and time again, and thanks to me, I keep getting them replaced for them, as that is part of my job, and they are happy with the customer service I GIVE THEM.

If you are concerned about her constant bashing of PC, I would suggest that you ask her to keep her comments between you and her.

Perhaps asking for the food to be replaced is a bit much, but hey - this was her 2nd go around.... I kinda don't blame her. She wouldn't have had to make the expense had her stone not broken - again. Sometimes you have to go the extra mile for some people - it all comes out in the wash, and karma comes back 10 fold - good or bad! You have to ask yourself - is her business - and your reputation worth the cost of a pizza?

Good luck!

 

[raebates]

Since you've talked about her complaining about one thing after another, I'd just tell her, "I'm sorry you're not happy with that," and drop it. I worked for a while with one person who thought PC was simply overpriced crap. I certainly didn't agree. I kept quiet about PC around her. If she brought it up. I used the line I mentioned above and let it drop. Since I wouldn't engage about it the situation diffused.

 

[esavvymom]

I agree with Rae. Trying to engage or convince her will just backfire or not work. She's made up her mind and nothing you do will change it. as far as those around you, if they are familiar with PC and already fans, they'll disagree with her but probably not say anything either. If they are NOT familiar with PC, well, you may just have to roll with it- and hope that they'll get feedback from the fans of PC, instead of just this one person's opinion.You can't please all of the people all of the time.

 

[Sheila]

Perhaps she would be more happy to use the PC credit towards the metal sheet pans. Some people are just not stone lovers.

 

[esavvymom]

I wonder....if she thinks PC is "crap"...what DOES she think is good quality stuff??

 

[kam]

I have a co-worker who just bashed PC too:

I work in a small male-dominated dept - so, PC doesn't come up too often with many of my co-workers in my actual dept. Plus, a few of us sit separately - so we don't chat off-work with some of the others in my dept. Probably only a few people (who order frequently) know I sell PC.

Last month at our Dept Christmas lunch, a co-worker started bashing PC BIG TIME. Said it was crap. He used to buy it all the time - but for the past few years he has been tryng to give it all away. On and on.

It went on SO long that I thought for SURE he must NOT know I sell it. I did not say a WORD. I mean, this was a Christmas lunch and I didn't want to embarass him (I did not want to be rude). So, I just sat quietly, I did not want to make a scene.

Finally he said something about Cookware and another co-worker praised our cookware. The Lifetime guarantee was mentioned and he looked right at me and said "So, if I order a pan, anytime I have a problem with it I can give it to you and you'll have it replaced?? You sell it, right?"

SO- he knew ALL ALONG that I was a Consultant. I can't believe that he was SO RUDE to go on for so long about how he hated PC with me sitting right there AND during a dept lunch.

Oh well, some people.

 

[esavvymom]

I hope you told him NO and that he could certainly call the company and they'd take care of it for him. After him behaving that way, I wouldn't take it. I'd make the phone call, but that would be it.

 

[baychef]

I still say...kick her...and for Kathleen...I would show him how well our pans work as weapons. "Oops..sorry I put that pan up and it hit your face as you walked by. Any other crappy pan wouldn't have hurt as much, Wimpy."

Just kidding...but it's fun to take a totally unrealistic rude side sometimes!!!

 

[cookingwith_tara]

LOL , ann!!

 

[lovescooking]

Ann, good one! Thought I was going to spill my coffee because I was laughing so hard.

My Mom taught me that if you can't say something nice then don't say anything at all. I think some of these rude people need to adopt this in there lives.

 

[kam]

I still say...kick her...and for Kathleen...I would show him how well our pans work as weapons. "Oops..sorry I put that pan up and it hit your face as you walked by. Any other crappy pan wouldn't have hurt as much, Wimpy."

Just kidding...but it's fun to take a totally unrealistic rude side sometimes!!!

hahahaha! Thanks for the morning laugh!

 

[raebates]

Kam, I've come to the conclusion that people like that guy are mostly just trying to see if they can get someone else to lose their cool. They like poking the bear to see how far the bear is willing to go. I've learned that they generally stop poking once they realize that I'm not going to amuse them by reacting.

 

[kam]

Kam, I've come to the conclusion that people like that guy are mostly just trying to see if they can get someone else to lose their cool. They like poking the bear to see how far the bear is willing to go. I've learned that they generally stop poking once they realize that I'm not going to amuse them by reacting.

You know, that makes sense. It's kind of funny now that I think about it.

The whole time this was going on - and I said nothing and had no reaction, I could see my co-workers (who know I sell) keep looking at me to see what my response would be. The one girl's eyes got really wide when he started his tirade. You could see that she was waiting for "something" to happen.

 

[raebates]

Nothing diffuses a bully like that faster than a lack of response. I actually enjoy watching people try to get reactions that way. Plus, it says much more about them than it does about you or about PC.

 

[jwpamp]

You could always refund her $$ and give her a Gift Certificate for a pizza place in your area. It's only one customer -- but you DO have to work with her. Make peace and smile....it will drive her nuts!

 

[DebbieJ]

Kam, I've come to the conclusion that people like that guy are mostly just trying to see if they can get someone else to lose their cool. They like poking the bear to see how far the bear is willing to go. I've learned that they generally stop poking once they realize that I'm not going to amuse them by reacting.

So true! You are describing my BIL to a T. I just don't respond or walk away and he stops.

 

[plannerose]

Sometimes people like that just really tick me off so I just look at them like they have 3 heads and tell them in my sweetest voice while smiling that if and when they decide to quit being a jack@ss I would be more then glad to talk to them, then I turn away and start doing something else. The look on their face is priceless!

 

[PamperedChefLayla]

Actually, Costco probably would give her the refund....but that's why you pay a yearly membership fee.

they would give her a refund, I used to work there. One time this man returned a lawnmower...still full of grass after using it all summer and he was given a full refund no questions asked. Lady bought frozen twice baked potatoes & returned one out of 12 & got a full refund.LOL

 

[pcchefjane]

My Recruit had a Show with a lady that took the Host two months to finally close... About 2 weeks after she closed, the lady started calling that she didn't like this or that. She ended up returning all she ordered plus all she got for free! My Recruit kept driving 25 miles each way to pick up the item then ship it at her own expense...even though I told her aftr the 3rd item to stop. After the 15th item, her husband took the Host the money back and gave her to HO number to call in the future. I told Shanda that next time she gets anyone who wants to return something for whatever reason and it is not within the first 30 days, to give them the number for HO to return it. Good thing they don't take back our commission or she would have lost a lot! The lady had a $600 show!

 

[jgdpamperedchefbiz]

well said Janice!!