How can I manage my Pampered Chef shows while traveling?

[workinitout]

Hi Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am planning a long trip this summer to visit friends and family. I am going to be doing shows along the way. I will have my laptop with me and am wondering how to enter my shows.

Maybe I'm just not seeing outside of the box. Ideas?? And to deposit checks from the hostess to my local bank, do I just send them in the mail?

Thanks for any help I can get!!

 

[janetupnorth]

Hi Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am planning a long trip this summer to visit friends and family. I am going to be doing shows along the way. I will have my laptop with me and am wondering how to enter my shows.

Maybe I'm just not seeing outside of the box. Ideas?? And to deposit checks from the hostess to my local bank, do I just send them in the mail?

Thanks for any help I can get!!

For deposits, if you have a Tyme card, you can endorse them as "For deposit only to X National Bank" or whatever bank, sign them and deposit them that way.

If you have a wireless card in your laptop you can enter shows...

Or...you can do the old fashioned way and mail them in...

 

[BethCooks4U]

For deposits, if you have a Tyme card, you can endorse them as "For deposit only to X National Bank" or whatever bank, sign them and deposit them that way.

If you have a wireless card in your laptop you can enter shows...

Or...you can do the old fashioned way and mail them in...

I am from WI so I know what a Tyme card is but many places haven't a clue. It's "atm".

 

[workinitout]

ok, so maybe i am really off, but you can deposit at an ATM?? I haven't ever tried that.

and is it okay security wise to send it with a wireless card??

 

[yummybytes]

Sounds like a great trip ahead of you.

Yes -- it's safe to send it wirelessly. P3 is an encrypted program that will transmit the data directly to HO. As long as you're using a reputable wireless service provider you will be safe. Find a business like Panera, Starbucks, hotel, Heck -- Chick-Fil-A has free wireless here -- and that will be the safest way for you to connect wirelessly. Get a cup of coffee and let the fingers fly

Be careful with the ATM's though. I would personally contact my bank and ask them what they suggest to be the best way. I would honestly have someone I know and trust at home make the deposits for me after I mail them to them.

 

[beepampered]

I make ALL my show deposits through my local ATM. In fact, the person who processes my checks asked for a catalog when I had a bounced check. Still haven't heard back from her but have put my card or mini-catalog in with my deposit slips. I would call my local bank and ask if you can make deposits in another bank's ATM but have never had a problem with things working correctly.

 

[workinitout]

Awesome!! Thanks for the help! Yes, I plan to be gone for 2 months and I have 9 shows lined up!! That is the good part of living so far away from my family and good friends!!

My trip will pay for itself, I will have built in babysitters, and it will all be a big tax write off!!!!!!!!!!

Too bad hubby has to stay home and do a ton of school work!!!

 

[clshirk]

Yeah- my family lives 5 hours away and I'll be going home to do a show in May and in June- great excuse to get to see family. I am hoping to get some people from these shows to set up so I can go down for a week and do 2-3 shows in a week/weekend.
Great ideas.
Another thing I did to make this easier was I opened a bank acct at a BB&T so that I could deposit and access it from anywhere when traveling (at least they are really common on the east coast). So when I did my mega show in March, I went and deposited checks there the day after the show. The only thing I haven't figured out is how to enter the show since my family doesn't have DSL and I can't imagine trying to enter doing dial-up. And I don't have my laptop anymore. Anyhow, great ideas everyone.

 

[GourmetGirl]

The only thing I haven't figured out is how to enter the show since my family doesn't have DSL and I can't imagine trying to enter doing dial-up. And I don't have my laptop anymore. Anyhow, great ideas everyone.

My best tip is find a local coffee/bookstore/bagel shop. A ton nowadays offers free high speed while you are there!

 

[sillylittlechef]

You should be able to get envelopes from your bank and just mail in your deposits. You could insure the envelope at the post office if you aren't comfortable just sending it.
My bank does not have deposit at their ATM's.

 

[pampered nicole]

It all depends what bank you bank with. I used to work as a teller. Do you have a checking acct with a larger bank (Regions, CB&T, Wachovia, etc.)? You'd have no problems then. I worked for Regions. We had a deposit function at all of our ATMs. If you got your deposit in the ATM by 8:00pm, it posted on the same business day. Just a suggestion. If not, you could always mail if you don't need the money in there ASAP. It's about $15 to wire it from bank to bank!

 

[dwyerkim]

A different suggestion... you could ask your hosts to close out their shows with credit or debit cards. That way you don't have to touch checks and wait for them to clear. Just have anyone writing a check make it payable to the host, and ask her to pay out for her order and for any checks she receives with credit/debit card. Any customers that pay with a card you can just submit those like normal. I do this for catalog shows to save time so people aren't having to mail me things and so far it has worked fine and no one has complained about it.

On a slightly diff. topic, how are you deciding what to bring with you? I have two trips this summer and wouldn't mind doing some shows but I will be flying so it won't be terribly feasible. Except that one trip is to my mom's and she has tons of stuff so I could probably make do!

 

[workinitout]

A different suggestion... you could ask your hosts to close out their shows with credit or debit cards. That way you don't have to touch checks and wait for them to clear. Just have anyone writing a check make it payable to the host, and ask her to pay out for her order and for any checks she receives with credit/debit card. Any customers that pay with a card you can just submit those like normal. I do this for catalog shows to save time so people aren't having to mail me things and so far it has worked fine and no one has complained about it.

On a slightly diff. topic, how are you deciding what to bring with you? I have two trips this summer and wouldn't mind doing some shows but I will be flying so it won't be terribly feasible. Except that one trip is to my mom's and she has tons of stuff so I could probably make do!

I was thinking of trying to do mostly credit cards, that would save a lot of hassle!!

As for the shows, I am going to just have two shows to chose from. Most everyone I will be doing a show for doesn't have much PC, so it will be tight. Usually I only bring 2 totes full of product anyhow, so I think that should fit in my car. If I were you I'd double check with what your mom has and then use her stuff for the other show as well.

 

[momoftwins]

workinitout - where are you going for your trips this summer?? I am originally from ND (Bismarck actually - and went to college at NDSU) but have been in NE for 13 years. Since we travel to ND at least once a year I personally know that you can not make a deposit in a different state than from where your bank account was opened due to the interstate banking laws even if the deposit is at an ATM. I personally bank at Wells Fargo because that is a bank that is also in ND (saves on foreign ATM fees). I would call your bank and double check with them though to be certain.

 

[workinitout]

workinitout - where are you going for your trips this summer?? I am originally from ND (Bismarck actually - and went to college at NDSU) but have been in NE for 13 years. Since we travel to ND at least once a year I personally know that you can not make a deposit in a different state than from where your bank account was opened due to the interstate banking laws even if the deposit is at an ATM. I personally bank at Wells Fargo because that is a bank that is also in ND (saves on foreign ATM fees). I would call your bank and double check with them though to be certain.

Good to know!!! I think I'll be doing credit cards and mailing my deposits.

For my trip I will be going to MT, WA, and OR. I have at least 9 shows set up so far!!

 

[beepampered]

I am so impressed that you have so many shows lined up for your trip. We have a trip this summer and I haven't even thought of trying to book shows but perhaps I should. Good job....

 

[dwyerkim]

I am so impressed that you have so many shows lined up for your trip. We have a trip this summer and I haven't even thought of trying to book shows but perhaps I should. Good job....

Yes, that is impressive! Mind sharing how you booked them, is it all friends and family or did you figure out some ways to connect with new contacts? I am traveling to my parents' house in late August/early September, she, one of my sisters, and one of my mom's friends all hosted for me in early jan. when I started. Once we get a little closer I can call all those customers/hosts and see if they will book, but I would love some other ideas to keep my business going while I"m out of town.