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Difficult Situation With Business Need a Shoulder...

In summary, the principal contacted the PC consultant to see if she could come and visit the school during lunch to talk to the teachers about her products and catalogs. The consultant politely declined and said she would make a decision about a fundraiser for Relay for Life after more research.
baychef
Silver Member
2,882
Today I was faced with a situation that I have not faced previously. I received a letter from one of the principals in one of our 8 school buildings. She asked me how I felt about the following:

Dr. Black,

My name is Pamala Smith and I am a Pampered Chef Consultant. My son is not student at your school but he is a student at XXXXX Primary. The month of May is Pampered Chefs Help Whip Cancer month and part of my sales are contributed to the American Cancer Society's breast cancer education and early detection programs. What I am trying to find out is if I could be able to come up to the school during lunch for one day and sit in the teachers lounge. I would like to bring a few of my products for the teachers to look at and a few Catalogs in helping me make my goal for next month.

Thank you so much for your time in this matter and I really look forward from hearing back from you!


XXXXX XXXXXXX
Pampered Chef Consultant
Cell: 000-000-000
email address

My response back to the prinicpal was the following:


As a Lunch Director or a Pampered Chef consultant? LOL!!!

As an employee of the school which is the answer you will need to heed by...you are to make that decision.

I was going to do a school wide faculty and staff fund raiser for XXXX and XXXXX XXXXXX's Relay for Life team, but again, I will make this your call and will have no problem with whatever decision you make.

I am sure I don't have to tell you this, but as a Pampered Chef consultant, she is trying to further her business.

I appreciate you bringing this to my attention. Let me know what you decide about the fundraiser I was thinking about doing for Relay for Life. Again, what ever you decide, I will not have a problem with.

Thanks,
Ann


I then looked on our website, did a search and her name did not come up. It may be that she is either new or did not update her address yet if she just moved here (which is possible) She is located on our nearby military base (which has a ton more people than our communities). She is not on my team nor has her director contacted me (the only director in a 100 mile radius) for hospitality.

I wanted to be professional, but I will admit, I had to force it. This is where me working at the school can have a negative effect. Because I am a department head (in the administrative end) I have to not be too obvious, etc. so I do not push it. People are aware that I do PC. The other thing is with my job at the school, I have to make decisions that are not popular at times and some tend to hold onto it when it comes to my PC business.

Maybe I am just feeling sorry for myself. My April was great, but my May is :sick::sick::sick: Instead of Helping to Whip Cancer, this is helping me to whip my business. I have been offered great suggestions, but time is getting away from me to promote it.

Well, enough :cry::cry::cry:ing!! Thanks for the shoulder!
 
I think your reply was great. Obviously, that principal thinks enough of you to let you know about this other consultant. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
 
Sounds like she is crossing over a no-solicitation policy.

I know that employees, parents and teachers leave their books out when they have parties or want orders but they have a connection with the school. I think someone who doesn't even have a child there wanting to sit in the lounge and (strong arm) the teachers is a bit much.

The principal can just say that it is against policy. Would he/she allow a sales rep from another (non-DS) company to come and sit in the lounge to talk to the teachers?

ETA: She could also add that they already have a PC contact but I agree that she has to decide that.
 
I agree with what Linda said!
 
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  • #5
Thanks everyone!! She and I have had very rocky roads but I think our shear determination to work "peacefully" has prevailed. In the beginning of October I walked out of a meeting with her, my boss and her vice principal.:bugeye: I have not been that HOT in a long time but she pushed buttons I didn't know I had. My boss was fantastic and supported me in a very effective way when I left. I have done nothing but kill her with kindness. I DO like to get along and by her sharing this with me, it shows she is trying as well.

Thanks for the shoulders I needed!!! BIG OLE SLOPPY :yuck: HUGS to you all!;):)
 
I have to say that I don't think I could EVER just sit in a teachers lounge and talk to them about HWC!!! That's their one half hour they is a break!

Turn your crying into a positive and not let this girl get one on you. This should motivate you to pick up the phone and not let your business go elsewhere.

Good Luck Ann!
 
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  • #7
I am going to become one with the phone tonight!!! Thanks! The Relay for Life fundraiser I am doing will be one for an employee of mine and her husband (he is a custodian in this building too) who lost their child to brain cancer in only 10 months. He died on the eve of his 12th birthday. He was a student at this school and his classmates are in 8th grade this year. The husband was not his biological father (he had passed already) but he adopted him as soon as he married the boy's mom.

I am donating everything back to the RFL team they have. It is important for them to feel that they may help make a difference by their participation in the RFL. It has taken her 2 years to feel up to the task of having a team in her son't memory.

Have to run home now and get on that phone!! Cha-ching!:money:
 
baychef said:
I am going to become one with the phone tonight!!! Thanks! The Relay for Life fundraiser I am doing will be one for an employee of mine and her husband (he is a custodian in this building too) who lost their child to brain cancer in only 10 months. He died on the eve of his 12th birthday. He was a student at this school and his classmates are in 8th grade this year. The husband was not his biological father (he had passed already) but he adopted him as soon as he married the boy's mom.

I am donating everything back to the RFL team they have. It is important for them to feel that they may help make a difference by their participation in the RFL. It has taken her 2 years to feel up to the task of having a team in her son't memory.

Have to run home now and get on that phone!! Cha-ching!:money:

Great way to turn around Ann!!

Good Luck today!
 
baychef said:
......I DO like to get along and by her sharing this with me, it shows she is trying as well.

Thanks for the shoulders I needed!!! BIG OLE SLOPPY :yuck: HUGS to you all!;):)

is she sharing or flaunting?
 
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  • #10
pamperedlinda said:
is she sharing or flaunting?

By her resolution, I think she is sharing...

I am going to respond, thanks but no thanks, as we have a consultant in our building that helps with needs and fund-raises.

I thanked her in my response and shared with her that I know of at least two other consultants that do have children in this building that are also consultants.

Now I have to get on my toes and put together this fundraiser!
 
  • #11
First off, let me start by saying, I'm grumpy. So, I hope this comes across the way I want it to. What I don't know (probably because I didn't read carefully enough) is, does the consultant who sent the letter know that you are an employee of the school and that you are a Pampered Chef consultant? Let's say she doesn't...I have been on her side of the issue before.So, I don't have kids. Does that mean I shouldn't ask schools if they want fundraisers or I shouldn't ask businesses (schools included) that especially have high numbers of women there about HWC? I have done fundraisers and donated products for silent auctions (including free shows) to schools. I have been working with a middle school for a while to find the right time to do a show in their lounge (came to the idea by brainstorming with the secretary) and have the host benefits go to the home ec department. I don't see this as a problem. Now, if any of those schools had a Pampered Chef consultant working there or as a parent of a student and I did know it, I would probably talk to the consultant first and see if they are willing to do the fundraiser/show/etc. I can tell you of about 10 different times that people have been amazed that I was willing (seriously, willing was the word they used) to do a fundraiser or donate products/gift certificates! I don't know if it is a regional thing, but I have heard of consultants around here who say we don't have fundraisers - and they are not new consultants!! If I didn't know, I'm just trying to offer my services. As for donating, I just donated a gift certificate to a firefighter fundraiser in Austin, TX (I live in Boise,ID) because a high school friend of mine talked about it on her facebook page and also donated products and a gift certificate to a local charter school, again through a friend's facebook post. I don't know if either organization has a Pampered Chef consultant somehow associated with them, but they did not have anything Pampered Chef in the fundraisers. Had they said "thanks, but we already have PC products/consultant/etc." I would have thanked them for the opportunity and moved on.One thing that did bug me (and please remember, I'm really grumpy) is the comment about the consultant "furthering her business". First off, what is wrong with that? Secondly, YES, she IS furthering her business as we ALL are/should be!So, if she knew and you two had already talked, I think it was in bad form. If she didn't, isn't she just doing what we try to teach our teams - to think outside the box?Another thought...she may not have a good director who attempts to get hospitality for their consultants.So, please don't hurt me, it has been "one of those weeks" since 9am Monday morning. I might post about the saga of this week later, but I have to get through it.
 
  • #12
I took the situation to be one of someone wanting to be on a work premises to promote a business which I read as solicitation which most schools/businesses don't want. Offering to do a fundraiser or pampering is a totally different thing. I guess it's all in how we ask (and how we read a post).

I have offered to do pamper a business and fundraisers to different schools and businesses that I have no connection with and have had some good results and other refusals. Both are fine with me - can't succeed if we don't try.

I just took this particular request as a bit over the top but maybe I just read it wrong.
 
  • #13
My thoughts were along the same lines as Kate's. This gal may just have been doing what we encourage all our team members to do: find business. If she recently moved to the area, she may be trying to not lose her business. (As Kate said, please don't hurt me for not agreeing with all the eariler posts!)

I do think it's very thoughtful of the co-worker to offer Ann the opportunity to follow-thru with something. (Not all folks would do that!)
 
  • #14
I don't think anyone was coming down on the other consultant. Ann was asked how she felt about it from the principal who the letter was sent to. Sounded to me like that principal wanted Ann's input and didn't want her feelings to be hurt if she found out about it through the grape-vine.....especially since she said that their relationship had been a bit rocky in the past.
 
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  • #15
Deleting my last post.
 
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  • #16
baychef said:
Maybe I am just feeling sorry for myself. Well, enough :cry::cry::cry:ing!! Thanks for the shoulder!

Appears that I was feeling sorry for myself and although I asked for a shoulder, it has been made clear to me that my tone and words were obnoxious, pompous and selfish. Not one of leadership.

I will be calling this consultant today and doing what I intended on doing all along. Inviting her to join our team as a hospitality member and attending our team meeting next week. She will be welcomed as have all others been in the 5 years of being a director.

We have celebrated many a great accomplishments with hospitality members (recruiting 4 in just 3 months...ask Darlene from Maine!!) and have even shared tables when setting up in local establishments and events. I will continue to offer training meetings and newletters...just as they are my own.

Thank you for everyone's input!
 
  • #17
baychef said:
Appears that I was feeling sorry for myself and although I asked for a shoulder, it has been made clear to me that my tone and words were obnoxious, pompous and selfish. Not one of leadership......

I must have missed something. I didn't think you did so. You were asking us for guidance on how to answer an email from one of your co-workers, not on how to berate another consultant for working her business.

I think the mood of your original post depended on the reader and the tone that they chose to put with your words. I'm sorry that you were made to feel that way, that is not the spirit of DCS. :(
 
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  • #18
baychef said:
obnoxious, pompous and selfish. Not one of leadership.

Thanks, Linda. These are MY words not what anyone wrote.

I was looking for support and support was given. Just wish I could delete this entire thread. I love DS and all of you on here. Just want to get along and get past this thread. Here is hoping we can kill this thread and move on!
 
  • #19
baychef said:
Thanks, Linda. These are MY words not what anyone wrote.

I was looking for support and support was given. Just wish I could delete this entire thread. I love DS and all of you on here. Just want to get along and get past this thread. Here is hoping we can kill this thread and move on!

{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}

I can relate! You are an awesome leader. Don't let comments get you down and remember that what was said may not have been directed at what YOU said but what others replied and that the other person may not have meant their comments to be taken as you read them.

People forget that behind the apron is a place for us to vent and to get support.
 
  • #20
baychef said:
Thanks, Linda. These are MY words not what anyone wrote.

I was looking for support and support was given. Just wish I could delete this entire thread. I love DS and all of you on here. Just want to get along and get past this thread. Here is hoping we can kill this thread and move on!

Ann, you just rock!
 
  • #21
I hope I didn't hurt you, Ann, I was just trying to point out a different perspective. You are an awesome director, and I didn't think you were being selfish AT ALL! I think I must have missed something, too. Don't delete the thread, it is a learning one and, I think, has some good advice. I have to admit, that if I were in your situation, I probably would have initially felt very protective of my PC connection with the school.
 

1. How can I handle a difficult situation with a business partner?

Dealing with a difficult situation with a business partner can be challenging, but it's important to approach it with a calm and professional attitude. Start by clearly communicating your concerns and trying to find a resolution together. If this doesn't work, seek the advice of a neutral third party or consider seeking legal counsel.

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