Disappointed with the Home Office Tour?

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Discussion Overview

The thread discusses participants' experiences and feelings regarding the Home Office tour, with a focus on the format of the tour being self-guided this year compared to previous guided tours. Participants share their thoughts on the effectiveness and enjoyment of the tour, as well as their expectations and disappointments.

Discussion Character

  • Opinion-based
  • Anecdotal
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant, identifying as a consultant, expressed disappointment with the self-guided format, feeling it was a waste of time compared to previous guided tours.
  • Another participant found the self-guided tour acceptable, noting that the areas were self-explanatory despite a preference for a guided experience.
  • Several users mentioned that a guided tour would have enhanced their experience and provided more information.
  • One participant shared a positive perspective, stating they enjoyed the tour and felt appreciated by the staff, despite some logistical issues.
  • Another participant noted that the tour's format may have changed to accommodate more attendees, suggesting it was a compromise.
  • Some participants expressed frustration over the cost of the tour and the perceived value, particularly regarding the lack of lunch provided.
  • One participant recounted a personal experience of disappointment, feeling they learned more from their director than from the tour itself.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Views differ on the effectiveness of the self-guided tour, with some participants expressing disappointment and others finding it satisfactory. No clear consensus emerges regarding the overall value of the tour experience.

Contextual Notes

Participants' experiences reflect a range of expectations based on previous tours, with some highlighting logistical challenges and others focusing on personal interactions during the event.

Who May Find This Useful

Consultants who have attended or are considering attending the Home Office tour may find these shared experiences relevant to their expectations and planning.

HO Tour that wouldn't end!!!OMG!!! Since this was my first year to National Conference, I was told that I had to go to the HO Tour so I could try to win the Shopping Spree. I was so excited to get my spot. So the tour I signed up for was the 8am tour! Well, let's just say I will NEVER forget Conference '06.

So we get on the bus and take off. Well after about 15 minutes, my recruiter who was with me mentions to me that she thinks we may have taken a wrong turn and she thinks we're lost. I wasn't paying attention to which way the bus driver was going, because I didn't even know where HO was. So after about an hour she says, "oh yeah, we're definately lost!" So after about an hour and half, we finally make it back to McCormick Place. So they ask if anyone wants to just stay at McCormick Place or if we still want to do the tour. We of course everyone still wanted to tour. So here we go...round 2!!! Well, we get lost again!!! 55 Consultants on the bus trying to tell this poor old man which way to go...meanwhile he's trying to call the bus company, I guess to tell them we are yet again lost. So once again we fainally make it back to McCormick Place. By this point, everyone is fuming mad! We demanded they get someone from HO on the bus to speak to us.

Of course they apologized for the inconvenience and told us that if we still wanted to go to HO, we could get on another bus with a different driver who had driven with PC for years and knew exactly how to get there. Everyone asked if they would be refunded their money and we were told yes. So I was HOT!!! Talk about major let down...and we were only on Day 1! So before I got on the other bus, I asked tyhe girl from HO if they really thought that just refunding our $ was going to fix everything. I explained that I wasn't at all trying to be rude to her because I knew it was not her fault, but she had to realize that we had spent all morning on the bus, still didn't get there yet and I was really concerned that If we still chose to go on the tour we paid for, would we make it back in time for our first workshop. We were assured that we would be back on time. She also said that she would talk to HO to see what else they could do to make things right. So I said okay. We finally get there and the good news for whomever the lucky winners were, was that they were pulling FOUR winners for the shopping spree!!! And they would provide us with lunch.

So all in all, I didn't think it was worth all that hassle! The only thing that would have made it worth all the hassle would havee been if I'd won a shopping spree. But of course, no such luck.

I am going to send HO an email, since we've been home a week already and have heard nothing. I just thought, what a total let down!:(
 
I totally understand your frustration but it sounds like they did everything they could. Sometimes we get to the point that they could give us the stars and it wouldn't be enough.

Have a better day.
 
Cookin'InTX said:
OMG!!! Since this was my first year to National Conference, I was told that I had to go to the HO Tour so I could try to win the Shopping Spree. I was so excited to get my spot. So the tour I signed up for was the 8am tour! Well, let's just say I will NEVER forget Conference '06.

I will never forget it either. I was on that bus with you. I was furious that we did not make it back for the beginning of the sessions. I was lost when I got there. I also have not heard anything and since they said something would be coming to us, I think I will email them tonight and ask what and where it is. I did not win one of the shopping sprees either but the girl next to me and the one behind me did lol. All in all, I had a not so impressive conference and really ripped them on the eval they sent. I will give it one more chance but if it is as bad next year, I will not waste my money again.
 
I will give it one more chance but if it is as bad next year, I will not waste my money again.

What aside from the home office tour was bad? Just curious.

I've been to two other company's conferences and they all run them pretty much the same - so I was not disappointed nor was I greatly impressed. But overall, it was a positive experience for me!:cool:
 
  • Thread starter
  • #35
I guess I really don't have naything to complain about after reading your stories!:eek:
 
I think I had that same bus driver after the Director's dinner....It took us an hour :eek: to get from the Sheraton back to the Hilton! We just kept driving in circles - and almost hit a bridge support! It was scarey! Maybe it was the same guy - our clueless driver was an older white man?
 
Same bus driverYeah it probably was the same old man. You know, I put part of the blame on the bus company and part on PC. PC should have had someone on the bus to make sure nothing like this could happen, but also you would think that the bus company would have sent someone who knew how to get there. I don't know, I sent HO an email last nite and got the generic response that they always send out. So we'll see what happens!? Melissa, let me know if you hear something before me, okay!
 
  • Thread starter
  • #38
Cookin'InTX said:
Yeah it probably was the same old man. You know, I put part of the blame on the bus company and part on PC. PC should have had someone on the bus to make sure nothing like this could happen, but also you would think that the bus company would have sent someone who knew how to get there. I don't know, I sent HO an email last nite and got the generic response that they always send out. So we'll see what happens!? Melissa, let me know if you hear something before me, okay!

As someone mentioned, maybe in another thread, PC used to have someone from HO on the buses.
 
loreedfk said:
What aside from the home office tour was bad? Just curious.

I also had a couple of bad sessions. The first one that I walked out on was probably not that bad but I was lost as I had missed the first 20 minutes of it and on top of that, the guy talked so fast I couldn't understand him. Then the class about the new products was horrendous. They put a picture on the projector and picked up a piece of paper and read from it. It was the same information that we got in general session. I (and most of the class) walked out. I then went to the product showcase room and learned more about the products than in the class. The only class I can say I was really really wowed by was Belinda Ellsworth.
 
Melissa, I'm sorry to hear that conference wasn't the best experience for you. Just focus on the Belinda session, being among the first to know about the new product and just the great break to recharge your batteries - try to forget about the bad stuff - the bus ride will be a great fun story to tell once your annoyance with it fades!!! :D
 
Cookin'InTX said:
...So we get on the bus and take off. Well after about 15 minutes, my recruiter who was with me mentions to me that she thinks we may have taken a wrong turn and she thinks we're lost. I wasn't paying attention to which way the bus driver was going, because I didn't even know where HO was. So after about an hour she says, "oh yeah, we're definately lost!" So after about an hour and half, we finally make it back to McCormick Place. So they ask if anyone wants to just stay at McCormick Place or if we still want to do the tour. We of course everyone still wanted to tour. So here we go...round 2!!! Well, we get lost again!!! 55 Consultants on the bus trying to tell this poor old man which way to go...

We heard about this - didn't someone on the bus get sick too??
 
Yes a lady did get sick and the bus driver dropped her at the edge of the parking lot at McCormick place and she had to walk to the building. At least someone got off with her so she wasn't alone but I wanted to choke the bus driver.
 
  • Thread starter
  • #43
Good Lord!
 
Cookin'InTX said:
Melissa, let me know if you hear something before me, okay!


Have you heard anything yet? I haven't
 
Well I guess I am not going to hear anything as it has now been over a week since I emailed them and other than the canned we will respond to emails as we get them, I haven't heard anything. This really dissappoints me and makes me question whether or not I want to continue. If the company tells me the consultant something and then can't be bothered to reply when sent an email questioning 2 weeks later, how are they treating the customers?
 
  • Thread starter
  • #46
It may take some time. I emailed the HO the minute I got home, before I even unpacked. If I had found WIFI access, I would've done it from conference. They probably have gotten a TON.
 
Park N RideI utilized the park and ride and instead of waiting for the bus @ 3:00 I stood in the stand by line for the HO tour - I figured what the heck, there worse things to do waiting until 3:00 and the bus ride could have taken longer in traffic etc. Any who I did get on the HO tour, didn't win the shopping spree:( left HO around three (instead of McCormack Place and then sitting on the bus) to drive home.

Before conference I had called and they told me if I was able to get on that HO tour they would credit me for PNR I didn't utilize (one way = $5.00) and to just e-mail after conference. I didn't do it right away - maybe a week later and they responded that they would get the credit processed, it did take a few days to get the response.

Maybe if it has been more than a couple of weeks I would contact HO again and just let them know this is your second inquiry with no response from your initial contact and you just wanted to make sure that inital inquiry was received or maybe a response from them had not been received on your end.

'Once is asking - Twice is reminding - Three times is nagging'

Leea
 
I had to call about an adjustment this morning so I asked then. I got an email stating that a "gift and apology letter" had been shipped via UPS ground yesterday to all consultants on the bus. So now I guess I just have to wait but at least I should get it by this weekend
 
pamperedlinda said:
I think I had that same bus driver after the Director's dinner....It took us an hour :eek: to get from the Sheraton back to the Hilton! We just kept driving in circles - and almost hit a bridge support! It was scarey! Maybe it was the same guy - our clueless driver was an older white man?

Linda, I think I was there - did the bus start singing "The Wheels on the Bus"???? I was sitting in the front.

:)
 
its_me_susan said:
Linda, I think I was there - did the bus start singing "The Wheels on the Bus"???? I was sitting in the front.

:)

I was sitting in the back of the bus and I don't remember hearing anybody singing....but then my director and I were talking and then all of us in the back started taking bets on how many more times we were going to circle the same block!

I was in Wave 2 so it was the directors dinner that was held on Friday night.
 
  • Thread starter
  • #51
Sounds like some of you really had an unplanned (maybe unwanted) adventure!
 
I was thinking, maybe HO could offer Guided Tours for first-timers? They could have them set up at different times? I've never been to conference, but I'm thinking of next year already!!
Thanks!
Joanne
 
Finally got response Wednesday!Okay guys,

I after I sent HO an email, I thought I was never going to hear anything back. Wednesday when my husband got home, he asked why I didn't pick up my stuff from outside. There was a padded envelope with a letter stating the following:

"Dear Erika,
we want to acknowledge your Home Office Tour experience, and apologize for the amout of time you spent on the bus and for the hurried tour. We tried to get you back downtown for your first workshop, but understand you were late for it anyway. This was not the way we wanted to start your Conference.
Enclosed please find the Cranberry Microfiber Towel as a small gesterure for your inconvenience. Also, your $25 payment for the tour has been fully refunded."

Anyways, I haven't seen the monmey back in my account so I'm thinking that maybe it will be on the next commission statement!? Melissa, you still haven't heard anything?
 
  • Thread starter
  • #54
Cookin'InTX said:
Anyways, I haven't seen the monmey back in my account so I'm thinking that maybe it will be on the next commission statement!? Melissa, you still haven't heard anything?

I haven't seen the money, either.
 
I was told that the money would be done as a commission adjustment. Yes I got my towel and it is nice but I have to say I was kinda disappointed. Since the HO tour set the whole tone for the conference and at that point I was ready to leave and go home, it seemed a little lame. Anyway I think I am just regretting spending the money to go as other than Belinda Ellsworth, nothing I heard or saw has made any difference in my business.
Several people told me that this year was not as good as normal and that I should give it another chance so that is what I plan to do but if I have another disappointment next year, I will not go again.
 
This was my first time attending confernce!!!! I didn't even know if I could go on the HO tour becasue I didn't purchase a ticket!!! But I got in the standby line for the 630 tour..... and I got one... I didn't even stand in line very long at all... maybe about 2seconds!!!! It was such a rush and whirlwind I didn't realize what was going on until we were on our way back to the confernce center!!!! I had a total blast!!!! I want to go back on the HO tour next year becasue I didn't get to see very much hardly at all!!!!!
 
  • Thread starter
  • #57
UPDATE: I just sent another email regarding the refund. I did not see it in my commission statement for July. They did however, deduct the adjustments I did for shipping and conference club. :mad:

I'll let you know what I hear.
 
  • Thread starter
  • #58
UPDATE: This is the response I just got.
Anne:

I was told the refund was done as a commission adjustment; did you check your last statement?

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you,
Patty


So... I'll let you know what else I hear! Was anyone else's done this month?
 
AJPratt said:
UPDATE: I just sent another email regarding the refund. I did not see it in my commission statement for July. They did however, deduct the adjustments I did for shipping and conference club. :mad:

I'll let you know what I hear.


Hey guys, I was credited the $25 on my comission statement. Of course by the time they took out for UPS shipping, the change over kit and insurance...it was all gone!:(
 

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