Host Cancelled Show to Use Another Consultant

[janel kelly]

I personally think if a host has already agreed to do a show with a certain consultant and set a date and has the host packet and everything, I think they should do the show with that consultant. If they want to use another consultant after that more power to them but at least keep up your end of the bargain if the consultant has been spending their time and energy planning for your show. Now if I've already done a show for you and you want to switch to a different consultant by all means go right ahead. Thats whats great about pampered chef vs. mary kay or something like that, our customers don't have to feel like they have to just order through us or hold their shows with the same consultant all the time. I do draw the line though if a host has already scheduled a show with a consultant and then cancels on them to do the show with a different consultant even on the same day. Come on now, you have to admit that is rude and you would be hurt if you were that consultant.

 

[fruit76loop]

Wow! what comes around goes around! Stealing shows is pretty low. How would you feel if that was done to you? You have already put this person on your calendar, possibly given them the hostess packet. And then another consultant agrees to do her show because she has been told she is more fun than you! So much for being a team!

Wow, I did not expect this type of response.

I am very much a team player; however, when someone is told the wrong information so they will book a show...I think that is dishonest and wrong. This person has been my customer for over 2 years and has wanted to do a show for about a year...she was waiting to move into her new house. Well, she wanted to help the host out by booking a show and was told that the show would have to be held with that consultant to get the credit...a load of bull! Talk about being a team player??? Does a team player lie to customers to get their bookings? I think not. Maybe my customer misunderstood her, but the point is...THIS CUSTOMER WANTED TO HAVE A SHOW WITH ME AND APPROACHED ME. I did not go running to her trying to steal a booking and I take offense to the incinuation that I did.

 

[LindaK]

So, you shouldn't do a show for someone if you know they know someone else who sales? I'm wondering where the line is drawn.

The line is drawn by our own consciences.

If I know that a person has already booked a show...I wouldn't interfere. That doesn't mean I wouldn't try to get him/her to do another show down the road with me.

Just because a person knows someone or lives near someone or is related to someone who is a PC Consultant doesn't mean I'm not going to ask.

The differences might be subtle, but in my mind they are different.

 

[afshea]

SemanticsA lot of this conversation comes down to semantics. I would not want to knowingly STEAL a show or customer from someone. Having a customer make the CHOICE to use you as their consultant is a completely different thing though! Can we all at least agree on that? Stealing is deliberately going after someone elses show...that is bad. If you do a good show and someone CHOOSES you...that is good for you...even if the other consultant is disappointed. I once got a call from a customer and she was telling me that her friends PC consultant was slacking off and hadn't done something that she said she would. Now what should I do in that situation? I said that I would be happy to help her...then I found out that the slacking consultant was ME!!! I had not followed up with this one gal...so if she would have found another consultant...my bad...lesson learned. Since then, I have repaired that relationship using HONESTY AND INTEGRITY. Honestly admitting that I didn't do right by her...and then making good on it. Anyone could have STOLEN that gal at that time....and it wouldn't have been stealing.

 

[Tamara Foster]

The good, the bad and the uglyDoing a show for someone who knows someone else is fine if the customer/host says yes and IF THEY HAVE NOT ALREADY BOOKED WITH SOMEONE ELSE! We don't have territories but we should be a little considerate. If I talk to someone and they book a show with me and I find out they already knew someone else I may ask why. (they may not like or trust that person) but I would never try to steel a show that was already booked with someone else. It's like when I find out someone is interested in trying TPC, the first thing I ask is if they are already working with another consultant. I can get enough of my own business.

 

[luvs2sellit]

Well said ladies! All I was trying to say was to be courteous of others and treat them how you would want to be treated. I would never expect my business to be blessed if I knowingly took shows from other consultants.

 

[KennethandTiffany]

Whoa!I started this thread because I was frustrated and wanted to know if anyone else had any thoughts on how to keep this from happening in the future. My hostess wanted to book with me, approached my mother actually. Then she cancelled bc her friend had starting selling and she wanted to do her show instead. I understand helping out a friend, but I am just the kind of person that feels like a commitment is a commitment, you are giving your word. She was a past consultant and I thought she would understand that. I have NO problem whatsoever with a customer using another consultant. It's like McD's getting offended because when I was at the mall I ate there instead of waiting to eat at the one by my house. We all run our business differently, some of us are more fun, some of us play games, some of us give out more freebies, etc. We should be supporting each other and helping each others businesses grow, if that means letting your repeat customers use someone else, then so be it. They don't belong to you! Just like in the regular marketplace, businesses adjust prices and services to "win" more patrons. I think that's fine, if you work hard enough and people like the way you do your business enough to change consultants, you didn't steal them, you earned it! I think the previous post about the consultant who found out she was the slacker was the best example! If you lose a repeat customer, there just may be a reason why! Sometimes when you start to lose business, it's a great time to step back and re-evaluate how you do things. It's not that you're doing it wrong, but sometimes we get stuck in a rut, take the time to breathe and have fun! That's what guests like, FUN! If you aren't having fun, they won't be, trust me! I worked in food service for what seems like eons, and I can tell you when I was having fun, my guests were too and my tips definitely reflected that. Just smiling at someone and being genuines can make all of the difference! Happiness and laughter are contagious, but so are bad attitudes!

 

[pampered1224]

It may not have happened if...The person who bboked from had NOT been a past consultant. Sounds rude of me but I have had encounters with EX-consultants, I always wonder why the EX part after meeting them, That are a total pain in the you know what.
I have never met 3 more all knowing, lets tell the person thinking about order this that it is an awful product, and that the consutlant did not demo that correctly, (I heard this as I was taking orders about the Food Chopper, apparently this ex-consultant ALWAYS used the rubber lid to chop on.)
But you can take that as you will. FREE WILL folks. We have no control over it. A host is gonna do what a host is gonna do. I had a lady call me one week before her show. She wanted me to do her show that same day as she already had the invites out, catalog orders and what not all set. I asked her why. Now I ask, is this stealing or saving a life? She had gotten so P.O'd at the consultant she wanted to kill her.
So where do we draw the line. I did the show!

 

[beepampered]

inspirationperhaps your great show just pushed someone over the edge. Maybe they were seriously considering joining and just needed to see how another show was done before deciding....BEE