Managing Show Frustrations: Tips for Canceling a Party with an Absent Consultant

[Brianne]

A friend of mine moved from California to Minnesota after I joined PC. She called me Sunday night with a question.

She booked a show off of her sister-in-law's show. The consultant came in and did the show, but my friend did not have a good experience with her. Now it is three days after the show was supposed to close and my friend cannot get a hold of this consultant! She's called and left messages both on the answering machine and with the husband.

My friend is a very reasonable woman and is incredibly patient, but she's pulling out her hair over this! She had wanted to close the show on Friday because her other sister-in-law will be leaving town soon and they didn't want for her to pay the direct shipping.

In her frustration, my friend called me to find out if she could cancel the show with the consultant who did the show and have me close it for her.

Of course, I'd love to add that show to my paycheck... but I know it doesn't work that way. I gave her the phone number for Customer Service and told her to call and complain. I also left a message for my upline director (who happens to live in Minnesota) explaining the situation and asking for advice.

The way I look at it, at the very least the sister-in-law who lives out of town should not be paying for the direct-shipping charges.

 

[chef131doreen]

try this

The consutant is probable holding out till June 1 to close the party because of the consulant promo, somethimes people are just very hard to get a hold of. ( this happenen with Host alot ) Im sure she will pay for the direct shipping if she asks her too,and maybe next time as a friend she will do a Catalog party with you Doreen Ct

 

[sweet]

It's sad to say that this consultant will be losing a lot of business with other people, 1 unhappy customer can do her reputation. Even if she want to wait until june 1 to close that show, she should of get in touch with your friend and explain to her the situation and offer to pay the shipping difference for the sister-in-law. I am sure that your friend would have understand the situation. Maybe you should call head office youself and explain the situation to them and see what they have to say, I know that is not the way to do business but it might be the only way this time specially if she doesn't call back after your friend left messages after messages. She could of at least left your friend a message on her voice mail if she has one, but not returning custumer call is not a way to do business even if we do not reach the hostess when we are suppose too it's the down side part of our job but we should never let down a custumer, what ever the reason is.

 

[noradawn]

I think that it would have to be a much longer wait- like 2 weeks of not being able to get a hold of the consultant- before you could really morally consider closing the show. But I agree, that consultant should pay the difference in the direct shipping charges.

 

[dawnsclassycupboard]

To play Devil's advocate here, this was a hoilday weekend. Yes, if the consultant went away, she should have followed up with her host before she left but given that this is a big weekend for family outings I would tell your friend to try to call her today. She will probably get home from wherever she went and apologize all over the place for not being available to return messages.

I would hate to think that any of us would intentionally ignore our customers. I know there are some pretty slack consultants out there but I am sure there is a good reason why this lady did not get a return call the day she left a message.

 

[Brianne]

I understand what you mean, Dawn...

I know that most of the people I know were either out of town or out on the town the whole weekend. The problem is that the consultant said that she would be in and would be closing the show on Friday.

I've had times when a customer needed to push back a closing date (I think we all have), but I always make sure I call on the agreed closing date to make sure we're ready to close. I think that to push back a closing date without the host's agreeing just to add the show to the June promo is thoughtless and irresponsible.

 

[rwesterpchef]

Holding out until June is probably not this consultants intention. In order to get the June promo, the shows have to be held and submitted in June...that means June specials, not the May HWC specials.

If the show was to close weeks ago, I'd be contacting HO to get the upline for that consultant. But, only by three days, I wouldn't get too jumpy. You never know what kind of personal conflict could have come up. And, we all know that when messages are left with spouses or children, we are often LUCKY to receive them with accurate information, if at all.

It could also be possible that she simply misplaced the host's phone number, etc. I hadn't keyed all the personal info into Pampered Partner for a host one time and had a similar crisis when I had not carried my binder (with written contact info) on a trip with me. I had to wait two days until I returned back home. Because I always tell my hosts orders will be delivered in about two weeks from the date we close the show, and HO is really shipping them within 2-3 days, my host thought I "expedited" her order. Part of excellent customer service......Who am I to tell her different
My bad, I know - tee-hee

 

[dawnsclassycupboard]

Brianne- how did this work out?

A friend of mine moved from California to Minnesota after I joined PC. She called me Sunday night with a question.

She booked a show off of her sister-in-law's show. The consultant came in and did the show, but my friend did not have a good experience with her. Now it is three days after the show was supposed to close and my friend cannot get a hold of this consultant! She's called and left messages both on the answering machine and with the husband.

My friend is a very reasonable woman and is incredibly patient, but she's pulling out her hair over this! She had wanted to close the show on Friday because her other sister-in-law will be leaving town soon and they didn't want for her to pay the direct shipping.

In her frustration, my friend called me to find out if she could cancel the show with the consultant who did the show and have me close it for her.

Of course, I'd love to add that show to my paycheck... but I know it doesn't work that way. I gave her the phone number for Customer Service and told her to call and complain. I also left a message for my upline director (who happens to live in Minnesota) explaining the situation and asking for advice.

The way I look at it, at the very least the sister-in-law who lives out of town should not be paying for the direct-shipping charges.

Brianne,

It has been a few days now and I ws wondering how everything worked out with your friends show??? Did you have to help things along or did everything end up working out?