Maximizing Fair Refunds: Director Attendance Guidelines Explained

[jillbean]

So, I have one fair in Sept. and one in Oct. I called HO to make sure that I could book the fairs to share space with my cluster and have my director turn in for the partial refund of the booth cost. They said that was fine as long as she turned it in I would get the money back.
Now my director is telling me that she has to be there the whole time in order to turn it in and there is no way that she can. That is SO not right! Just because she isn't there doesn't mean that we shouldn't get any money back.
Is this right? She, my director, never mentioned this when she was telling us that we could get money back for booths and HO said nothing about her having to be there! Is it fair to hold consultants back based on the directors schedule?

 

[GourmetGirl]

Directors do not have to be there! My director has done this before for me and she wasn't there at all... I would try telling her that you heard from other people who have done this that directors do not have to be there, just submit the paperwork. My director always offers it to me if she (or someone else) does not already have something for the month.

 

[jillbean]

No, I looked it up and it does say that the directors have to be there. I wouldn't have booked one of the fairs as it was $150! It really makes me mad!! My director told us about this at a Cluster meeting several months ago and I came right home and started looking for fairs and such! She said NOTHING about the fact that she had to attend! And I told HO, when I called to ask, that she wouldn't be there and they said as long as she knew that I was doing it and I had her turn it in that it was fine.
I AM SOOO MAD!!!!

 

[jillbean]

I understand PC wanting to reword the directors but it doesn't seem fair (no pun intended) to hold back consultants!

 

[chefann]

The policy is there so that people don't submit for reimbursement that they're not entitled to. Directors must submit proof of payment, a description of the event, and a summary of the leads and sales they made to prove that it actually happened.

 

[pclinskie]

I really thought they only had to do a shift.

 

[pclinskie]

and by the way, they really make us jump through hoops for the $50.00, flyers from the fair, cancelled check, contract, ect.

 

[BethCooks4U]

The policy is there so that people don't submit for reimbursement that they're not entitled to. Directors must submit proof of payment, a description of the event, and a summary of the leads and sales they made to prove that it actually happened.

It is a perk of directorship. Use it as an incentive to promote!

Fair? Well, if the director does a fair and invites her team to participate, all consultants involved benefit from it. If she isn't there she would have to lie on the reimbursement form. I would prefer to be known as someone who is always going to be truthful.

 

[chefmeg]

hmmmmm....I think I would call HO and talk to a supervisor. I have only done a few fairs, but each time I did, I only did a shift (I mean really...can one Director be at an event that lasts 3 days for that whole time?) and was reimbursed.

 

[chefmeg]

it sounds like the P&P is different from what HO told you~I would call again and ask to speak to a supervisor for clarification.
Look at the fair that cost $150 as an investment in your business and use the leads you get to grow your team and promote! Then you can get the reimbursement (which isn't easy to get, by the way) when you do fairs again!

 

[cmdtrgd]

As long as your director is there for $50 worth of time, she can submit it. You will receive the $50 from her for the cost of her time. Make sense?

 

[linojackie]

As I understand it, directors are not required to "give" this away. My director is great, but has never offered to reimburse me for my booth fees. I wouldn't expect her to either as that is her benefit, not mine.

 

[cmdtrgd]

They can't give it away!!! They must be working at the booth, even for a short amount of time, in order to get this perk.

 

[DebbieJ]

Not to rain on your parade, but this is a DIRECTOR benefit and is not for consultants. If you director made it sound like it was for you, then you need to take it up with her, not the HO.

 

[jillbean]

The point that I am making is this...First my director, if she knew the policy sould have been clear with me, second HO should have know, third I understand that they have to have proof...I will have that...I understand making a director submit it but I DON'T think that it's fair that that BOTH sources of "support" told me wrong and now I am the one holding the bag because it doesn't fit into my director's schedule. Nor do I think that it's fair to only allow the directors to have this benifit when I have been on this team for 10 months and she hasn't done any booths and, as of last cluster meeting , had no plans of doing one.
As far as this being an investment...yes, it is but I have two fairs in less than a month and I don't have that kind of money right now!

 

[jillbean]

Not to rain on your parade, but this is a DIRECTOR benefit and is not for consultants. If you director made it sound like it was for you, then you need to take it up with her, not the HO.

I never said I was "taking it up" with home office.I spoke to them BEFORE the fairs were booked. However, I do think that it is a bit irresponsible for them to be giving out false information.

 

[DebbieJ]

Perhaps the HO person you spoke to misunderstood--if it was a "cluster event" then that would lead them to believe that your director was participating.

 

[jillbean]

I told them that I was looking into booking the fair and didn't know who, if anyone, else would be at the booth. This was when I was looking into the one that is only two days and I knew that I could do it myslef.
I told them that my hubby knew the lady that was over the fair so it would only make sense for me to book the show, no matter who would be involved, as I knew we would most likely get the booth over other Consultants...they were just starting to accept applications and I had her personal contact information.
I don't think that she understood.

 

[PCGINA]

Bottom line is -- it is a Director perk and they do not have to share it with anyone.

sounds like you need to talk this one over with your Director.

 

[jillbean]

That was part of my origianl point. BEFORE I booked the fairs I sent an email to her that I asked her to forward to the rest of the cluster. The email explained the cost of the fair but that the adjustment would be made after the $50 was returned. She knew that I had not spoken to her about this and that she did not plan to attend. Rather than correcting me she let in go unchecked.
When I asked her why she didn't correct me she said that it was my responsibility to read the PC material. Gee...maybe I should have memorized everything that I have ever read but couldn't she have corrected me? What is the use in having a director if they aren't going to help you grow in the company... and that includes learning how things are done.
Had I know that it was a directors' perk I wouldn't have asked for it. It wasn't as if I expected her to hand out her rewards to me...that's the whole point! Since I now know it, I am just wondering why she didn't correct it and why HO didn't give out the right info.
It really doesn't matter now. I just know that, in the future, I won't be relying on her for any information...I'll just go to the site and I won't do anything outside of booking a show without reading up on it!

 

[chefmeg]

That was part of my origianl point. BEFORE I booked the fairs I sent an email to her that I asked her to forward to the rest of the cluster. The email explained the cost of the fair but that the adjustment would be made after the $50 was returned. She knew that I had not spoken to her about this and that she did not plan to attend. Rather than correcting me she let in go unchecked.
When I asked her why she didn't correct me she said that it was my responsibility to read the PC material. Gee...maybe I should have memorized everything that I have ever read but couldn't she have corrected me? What is the use in having a director if they aren't going to help you grow in the company... and that includes learning how things are done.
Had I know that it was a directors' perk I wouldn't have asked for it. It wasn't as if I expected her to hand out her rewards to me...that's the whole point! Since I now know it, I am just wondering why she didn't correct it and why HO didn't give out the right info.
It really doesn't matter now. I just know that, in the future, I won't be relying on her for any information...I'll just go to the site and I won't do anything outside of booking a show without reading up on it!

This is really good advice for all of us~we should all go to the source, which is the P&P not humans of any level! I am sorry you had to figure this out the hard way, so to speak.

 

[pckrissy]

Is anyone from the cluster doing the fair with you? When I have paid alot for a fair or event in the past and if it is going to be attended by a alot of people I have asked my team or clustermates if they would like to do it with me...then we split the cost...just a suggestion.

 

[cmdtrgd]

Just a note from a director...when my team members email me about something and ask me to just forward it to the group, I will scan it. If they ask me to check it before, I read the whole thing. Not saying what your director did or didn't do was correct, but that she may have lots to do and correcting an email could be not top priority.

 

[jillbean]

The information was for her as well. I don't need her to proofread but it would be nice for her to give me enough consideration to read what I sent her and let me know when I have misunderstood a policy.
I could have made the corrections myself.

 

[fikibiff]

Interesting - my director's director has told us that she can give anyone the $50 if they are doing a fair. She gave us the impression that it was up to her to use the $$ or give it to her cluster (for booths).

 

[jillbean]

You would think that this would be the policy as it helps the cluster. The consultants are usually the ones needing such things, more so than the directors, but whatever.

 

[BethCooks4U]

Jill, I know that you are disappointed but you need to let this go. Several people have given you ideas and have sympathized with you. I am sorry that you feel as you do but you need to resolve this with your director and then go on with things.

If you really want this perk then get busy recruiting and promote.

And, by the way... directors need it too. Sometimes a fair is what saves our directorship and our personal businesses when our team isn't "into" PC at the moment.

 

[kisrae]

I'm sorry to see you so upset. But let it go and turn it in to a postive. Set your goal to recruit at this fair. If you don't feel your getting the support from your director that you feel that you should just use it as a learning tool and do things differently when you become a director.
I'm starting to go outside of my area to expand my buisness and have paid for booths on my own or have split them with a cluster mate,it much more fun this way because you are in charge of your booth.

Like Bethcooks4u said....not all directors can put out the money that we would like to for our team or for booth, we have the same issues as consultants. Becoming a director is great but it still is work to keep our directorship...so maybe you should think about what is going on in your directors life right know and take steps to leading your own team.

Just let it go and move on. This will only keep you down.

 

[jillbean]

I agree that moving on is best for me. As for the money I was paying for the booth and asking only for what the company would have given in return and only asked that because I thought it was available to everyone. I don't expect her to pay my way.
Seeing as she has asked me not to attend any more of the cluster meetings, and that was my wish anyway, it doesn't matter. I only wish there was a way to truely break away without having to leave the company for a full year.
It also stinks that there isn't another cluster that is seperate from her upline within driving distance!
Oh well!

 

[kisrae]

I'm in a similer (sp?) place with my director. But it is what it is. Just think down the line if this happens to you how would you handle it?
You are making the choice to build your business so she really doesn't owe you anything. Pay for the booths and make contacts and you'll get your money back that way. The more you get yourself out there it will come back to you sooner or later.
I'm sure that there are many people who wish they could change their recruiter but deal with it and make the most of it. I think that is one reason some of us come here for help...because not all of us get what we need from our upline. It will get better.

 

[Teresa Lynn]

Did She Ask You To Quit Attending Meetings Over This?

 

[smspamperedchef]

I agree that moving on is best for me. As for the money I was paying for the booth and asking only for what the company would have given in return and only asked that because I thought it was available to everyone. I don't expect her to pay my way.
Seeing as she has asked me not to attend any more of the cluster meetings, and that was my wish anyway, it doesn't matter. I only wish there was a way to truely break away without having to leave the company for a full year.
It also stinks that there isn't another cluster that is seperate from her upline within driving distance!
Oh well!

WOW! You need to call HO about this one. Doesn't seem quite right even though I don't know the story between the two of you. However, maybe HO can find you Hospitality.

Also, believe me the $50 is a nice perk especially when I have gotten burned working booths, even lately! As a Director (and it took me 8 years!) we are supposed to come to the event for even a little bit before we can get a reimbursement, and boy getting that reimbursement is kind of a pain as they want all kinds of documentation and if someone else paid in full up front for the event and you paid them then it is even tougher as they want copies of checks or credit card receipts plus some kind of flyer of the event as well. However, I may not have been able to work these booths if I didn't know I would be reimbursed for some of it. I still need these kinds of events too. Any bookings on my calendar will help me with all of my expenses and help me keep my Director status that I worked so hard to reach.

 

[jillbean]

Yes, she asked me not to come to any more of the meetings and I contacted HO yesterday to find a cluster to transfere to. There isn't one, within driving distance, that isn't somehow connected to her upline so I'm on my own.
When HO called me back, after speaking to her about the transfere, they said that she just wanted to put it all behind her and that she was upset and maybe after attending another meeting for a while...and giving time for things to die down...I might want to come back to my cluster. HO said that she got all choked up and she hadn't slept but a few hours on Sunday night...blah blah blah. She sent me the message about not attending the cluster meetings yesterday morning.
I told HO that she admitted to me,yesterday afternoon, that she had avoided as much personal contact with me as she could since a few weeks after I signed. I had an issue with 2 of the company policies and she took it as a personal attack against HER. She is glad that she is rid of me and I told HO if they wanted to believe that she was all torn up they could...but I didn't. HO also said that she had voiced how upset she was that I had nasty blogs about her on this site and I told HO that she had told me that she didn't get paid to be my babysitter or my proofreader so she had no business telling me what I could or could not write. This is a site where people go to get advice and support and that was what I was trying to do. If she hadn't wanted things written on here about being unsupportive then she shouldn't have been indifferent to me.
I also told HO that I would NEVER again attend one of her Cluster Meetings because she has proven to me that she can not be professional when we have a difference of opinion and she always takes it as a personal attack and I am not willing to be under a director that is not willing to help me succeed as much as everyone else in the Cluster.
So, we'll see. If I can find a Cluster great! If not...I'll have to deal with it. The only thing that bothers me is what happens to anyone that I recruit at this point? And what happens when it's time for conference and things like that? I hate to feel that I am all alone when it comes to going to things!
Like I said...we'll see!

 

[cmdtrgd]

I am so sorry she is treating you like this! The best advice I have for you is to recruit and start your own meetings.

 

[legacypc46]

Don't feel like you can't attend a cluster meeting that is associated with her upline. Try one out; you may find a group and director you click with. In the long run, this is your upline too. Yours isn't the first consultant/director falling out that ADs, SDs, Executives, etc have dealt with. Personalities are personalities, and so disconnets are part of any working environment.

Call your AD and ask for help finding another cluster. I just strongly recommend against continuing the character debate when you call. The falling out has happened; let everyone move forward. Eventually, you and your director may find common ground again.

 

[Chef Kearns]

Well said, Kristin!