Missing Guest Payment, Host Is Upset!

[peichef]

Thanks Jane, you know, it's things like this that make me wonder if I am right for this business...I take things too personally and right now I feel like a million pounds are on my shoulders, I made a mistake, yes it was stupid and I feel like hiding. I am waiting for the host to call me and start on me too...I wish this had happened to a past host I already knew... :cry:

I just feel like such an idiot...

That just shows what a good person you are. You hold yourself to a high standard. Maybe too high -- you are allowed to make mistakes, you know .
This woman sounds like "hurting unit" as my dad would say. She's unhappy in life and wants to make you feel the same.

Hopefully she'll be decent enough to get you the info you need. Once she does, bless and release & move forward.

And of course you're right for this business. YOU ROCK!

 

[wadesgirl]

I would require proof of it being cashed and a duplicate if you even consider refunding her. Just because she gives you a date doesn't mean she didn't make it up.

 

[pcchefjane]

You are doing all the right things! It makes me a little suspicious that she wants a refund and refuses to tell you the # of the check and when it was cashed.... Hopefully your bank can go through the last month's deposits and not find it to prove you don't have it!

 

[PamperedK]

Why would anyone cancel an order or ask for a refund for this? Are people really that untrusting??? I had a similar situation - a guest sent in 3 orders for a catalog show. She swears she mailed me 3 cheques but I never got them. The guests were a bit miffed when I told them I needed new cheques but I think generally they understood because they just re-wrote them and asked me to mail them back when they came in the mail. They never did show up so I'm thinking the guest never did send them. Or she sent them to the wrong address.

 

[crystalscookingnow]

I would definitely ask to see a copy of the check, front and back. Just b/c she gives you a date doesn't mean that she didn't make it up. If someone asked me for that info, I'd gladly provide it, then keep my order! Sounds like she's looking for some extra Christmas $.

 

[chefsteph07]

Well, I made one deposit for PC in November and I know the date of the deposit, that's why I'm thinking if she gives me a date that it was presented I can match it up w/ the date I deposited the money if I put her check in by accident. If she is way off base on the date it was cashed by her bank then I will ask for a copy of the front and back.

I was thinking last night about something else she said, she said "well, how do I know my check isn't floating out there somewhere?"..AFTER she told me she knew it had been cashed by her bank! I said to her that if she knew it had been cashed then she knew it wasn't floating out there...I thought that was weird.

I know what you mean Crystal, I wouldn't cancel my order if something like this happened and I would DEFINITELY cooperate w/ the person who was simply asking for help determining where this money was. I basically told her that unless she cooperated w/ me on this I can't do anything for her as far as a refund.

 

[janezapchef]

Sounds to me like you are totally handling it professionally, Steph! Don't doubt your ability to do this business because of something like this. If it was a reasonable person you were dealing with, I'm sure you wouldn't feel nearly as bad, right? I pray that if I am ever in a similar situation with someone unreasonable that I have the smarts to handle it as well as you have! Keep us posted how it turns out though.

 

[pamperedlinda]

...... I already contacted my bank and they can not give me an itemized list of checks that were deposited.

This is absolutely not true. Everything that goes through a bank processing center is digitally photographed. You can get a copy of that deposit (front and back) and all of the items that were with it. Some banks may charge you for it, but you can get it. Talk to someone else, you were misinformed. It may be that the office you were at cannot pull it up on the computer, but it can be ordered and it is your right to see it.

 

[Sheila]

Sorry, the retired Police Dispatcher in me says that she's trying to pull one over on you. Why else would she get so defensive? Then to demand a refund? Really weird.

 

[K_Jurich]

Thats what I am thinking to weird. . . .very wierd. But yes the bank CAN give you a copy. . . I would call again I worked in banking for many years. If you talked to someone in the branch then I would call the main office. Good luck keep us posted

 

[chefsteph07]

This is absolutely not true. Everything that goes through a bank processing center is digitally photographed. You can get a copy of that deposit (front and back) and all of the items that were with it. Some banks may charge you for it, but you can get it. Talk to someone else, you were misinformed. It may be that the office you were at cannot pull it up on the computer, but it can be ordered and it is your right to see it.

Thanks for the info..maybe the person I spoke with just didn't want to deal with it at the moment..I wondered if everything was individually photographed or recorded in some way. I put the checks in all in one lump sum so I wasnt sure and I didn't itemize them on my deposit slip.

 

[pamperedlinda]

Thanks for the info..maybe the person I spoke with just didn't want to deal with it at the moment..I wondered if everything was individually photographed or recorded in some way. I put the checks in all in one lump sum so I wasnt sure and I didn't itemize them on my deposit slip.

Everything in the deposit will be photographed (front and back). And, it will all be processed together so they won't have to look the individual items up. Just ask for a copy of the deposit, they have to give it to you (again, some banks charge for this service). They legally have to keep these records for years.

 

[chefsteph07]

I"m going to call again this afternoon and ask to speak to a manager to see if I can get to the bottom of this. Thanks for the help Linda!

 

[pamperedlinda]

Great, let me know how it turns out for you.

 

[pcsharon1]

Don't give her a refund until you know for sure you deposited the check - no matter what she said. You may not have seen my post last month but my hostess told me she had mailed me the checks and they must have gotten lost, she even said she would mail me new ones and asked what I would do with the old ones when they finally showed up. Then she assured me that she was mailing payment overnight mail to arrive by a certain date and apoligized over and over that the checks had "gotten lost in the mail". When I still didn't have them and I called her she told me I would have to get payment from everyone myself because this would be the third time she had asked her guests for payment. This went on until she told me that I had her money in my mailbox and just refused to admit it. She then demanded to send her products back and just be done with the entire mess, which made me think - she didn't ask for a refund and she wanted to send her products back RATHER than pay me. I got payment from two of her guest the next day, they were mailed by her and they were the original checks the guests had given her and there was still one payment missing that she had never collected to begin with and told me I would have to do it. Then when I picked the products up from her she said "Sorry about this whole mess and me NOT BEING ABLE TO PAY" I was furious. Moral of my story - some people are dishonest, and it seems to be happening more and more lately.

 

[janetupnorth]

...just caught up with this. IF I paid someone and they thought they lost a check, I'd be more than willing to print the signed copy that shows up in my account or show them a portion of statement that it cleared. Even if I did want my money back at that time, I'd prove I paid it.Sounds like she is trying to pull a fast one since she knows you don't have it and don't know where it went.If you deposited it wrong. Great, let her prove it, let HO refund her money and give her a Season's Best or something for the hassle.If she didn't give it to you - SHAME on her! If she threatens to report you (which brings up red flags to me too), I'd call her bluff and say, go ahead and then call HO, put the situation on file first so they know to deal with it.I am thankful to overall have some great customers, but every once in awhile we run into those who want to use others and get something for nothing.

 

[MissChef]

Steph.... this whole situation just screams "wrong!" I tried my best to read through this..... may have missed a post or 2..... almost every bank has on line banking and almost every bank provided an option to see your deposited check. front and back.... this would not be hard for her to do..... I personally would get home office involved if she doesn't resolve it for you.... keep yourself protected.... they are here to help us too....
Good luck hun.... don't let this get to you too much and do not give her a refund or submit that show without payment....

 

[chefsteph07]

...just caught up with this.

IF I paid someone and they thought they lost a check, I'd be more than willing to print the signed copy that shows up in my account or show them a portion of statement that it cleared. Even if I did want my money back at that time, I'd prove I paid it.

Sounds like she is trying to pull a fast one since she knows you don't have it and don't know where it went.

If you deposited it wrong. Great, let her prove it, let HO refund her money and give her a Season's Best or something for the hassle.

If she didn't give it to you - SHAME on her! If she threatens to report you (which brings up red flags to me too), I'd call her bluff and say, go ahead and then call HO, put the situation on file first so they know to deal with it.

I am thankful to overall have some great customers, but every once in awhile we run into those who want to use others and get something for nothing.

I never ordered her products w/ the show because I wasn't sure if she paid..I had enough in orders that I could leave hers off and the host wouldn't lose her benefits. If there was proof she paid it I was just going to put it on another order and deliver it to her myself but since she wants a refund..whatever, that's fine, and I totally agree now that I am hearing from all of you that she should prove she paid for it.

When she started in on calling PC, I really didn't have much reaction except to tell her I guess it's her right to do that but I don't know what they could or would do since I am admitting I made a mistake and I'm trying to clear it up but I can't do it w/o her cooperation. She pretty much dropped the subject after that.

I'm going to wait until later this afternoon to call the bank to make sure everyone's back from lunch before I deal with this. Hopefully I did just make an error and deposit it with my other things but I just don't know. I have NEVER done anything like that before and I always double check my payments against what I have (that's how I knew I didn't have this person's money) and I don't remember there being an extra one with the group I put in the bank that day. If there was I would have removed it and put it w/t he right show. Oy vey!

 

[MissChef]

I just read your post back to janet and I see you submitted the show because you had enough orders.... good! But don't give in to her.... make her prove that you deposited it.... if not call pc and let them help you then wash your hands of it.... we've all made mistakes and we are all just human.... we believe you've never done anything like this so forgive yourself and move on.... this is not worth beating yourself up over... 1 check in 5 years is not a big deal! and again you are only human.... i can guarantee by the witch this girl is being with you that she has messed up a lot in her life! most mean people have!

 

[janezapchef]

Hey Steph,
Did this all get resolved yet? Just wondering!

 

[chefsteph07]

The guest left me a message on Friday night and told me a date that it was cleared by her bank and I am waiting to hear back from a manager on Monday to verify that it had gone through. The date she gave me is pretty close to when I deposited the check so I probably did deposit it by accident. If so, I'll send her a refund this week and hopefully be done w/ the whole thing.

 

[janetupnorth]

If you get that proof, good for you for making it right. Write a check back, not cash! Give her a Season's Best or something for her trouble too.

 

[BettieC]

Any update? I've been following this...lol

 

[tabailey]

Just to add my two cents here, if this had happened with say the water or electric company you can bet your bottom dollar those companies would want a real copy of the cancelled check with absolute proof they had deposited it and misrecorded the payment, in their hands not just your word over the phone. Pampered Chef is our business just as much as Duke Energy is in the electric business.

Let us know when you've closed the door on this one!

Tara

 

[K_Jurich]

any update?

 

[pampchefrhondab]

Wow, what a mess. I hope you get is resolved soon. It sounds like my problem w/the guests who said I made her account overdraw!

I always make a copy of the checks I deposit with a total and then write down the cash total w/the grand total amount I deposit. I keep this in the show folder until everything is received by everyone and all checks are cleared. Then I schread the sheets and just list the deposit amount in the inside of the folder (about a month later). I started this mainly because I sometimes do multiple deposits at the same time. I also sometimes do the deposits a few days before the show closes. I always compare what is going to come out of my account when I finalize the show to what I deposited in the bank. If there is a descrepancy I try to find it.

I don't know if it is illegal to copy checks or not. I put them all in row on my scanner and only copy the front in b&w. My schreader is one of those that cuts it in multilple directions in little pieces. I started this because I was afraid I would do what you did - not sure you deposited it or received it. I also write the date on the sheet that I made the deposit.

Now I do have a funny story. One time I had a huge show and had my deposit amount written down. My bank deposit didn't match. I called the bank and they said they were correct. Stupid me - I left the last two checks in my scanner!!

 

[kam]

Good idea, Rhonda about making copies.

I make separate deposits for each show and write the host's on the deposit slip (and in my check book). Many times I am making 3 or more separate deposits at one time. In fact, yesterday I went to the bank with 5!

 

[Madsen7]

I'm glad the situation is almost resolved but I just wanted to add that this is another reason to have the guests write checks to the host (not to you) and then the host can write you the total for all checks. You only have to manage one check, you know it's the right total and if the host misplaces her friends check or it bounces or whatever, you know she'll be able to fix the problem far easier than you will.

 

[chefsteph07]

Well, just heard back from my bank...I did make the error...I am sending the guest her check today. I have learned from now on to write the check number on the guest receipt! That way I will KNOW if I got the check in my hand, although, like I said, I never have lost a check before.

I wanted to respond to the post about having the guests make their checks out to the host...I'd rather not do that, I would rather have one problem w/ a bounced check or something rather than having a whole show bounce and to recover hundreds of dollars from the host or the guests. This is the way I have been doing things from the beginning and I don't want to change that.

Thank you guys so much for you advice and words of encouragment! I really needed it!

 

[pcchefjane]

Wonder how the lady will react now that you have found the check? I write it on all the receipts but now feel almost paranoid after what happened to you! Hopefully nothing like this will happen again!