Need Advice: Delayed Cooking Show Orders

[Chandreena]

Hello! Hoping I can get some input on a situation from the helpful group here, sorry it's kind of long:

I held my first cooking show for my boyfriend's aunt early this month. Show went well, sold $500 worth, and booked 2 more shows. The show was on Sunday, so I told her that I would like to close Tuesday. I stopped at her house Tuesday, got her last few orders, and her personal list of products. I called her that evening to tell her the great news that she was getting $407 worth of products for $158!! She was very excited, said I could pick up check the next day. Wednesday came and went, as I tried to contact her repeatedly... same thing Thursday...and Friday...FINALLY, Sunday, she sends me a text that says, "Please get my order down to $50, some things came up" OK, no problem. I tried to call her, with no success, so I sent a message back that I would pick up her check Monday. Tried to get ahold of her Monday....and Tuesday...and Wednesday...Thursday, she sends me a text, "I only want my free products right now. Sorry."

SO, I closed the show Friday, had everything shipped to my house (I got a sneaky, uncomfortable gut feeling from this whole situation), and everything is coming tomorrow. I would like to add a handwritten note to people's order's apologizing for the delay, without directly calling out the Host. Any thoughts? This is my new business, and I don't want people to think, "MY GOSH! It take's her FOREVER to do an order!"

 

[esavvymom]

First, I would not add any such note. It sets a bad tone because you are being negative about their friend. You don't know the circumstances surrounding her situation.Second, most people have no idea how long shipping is supposed to take!! Most DS shows take a couple of weeks before they get hte products. We are all spoiled that PC is so fast! They say to allow up to 2 weeks once the show closes, so it sounds like everything is going to be arriving in close to a "normal" timeframe.So don't sweat it. Just give them great customer service, if you have some recipe cards, stick one in their bag of products. And do not indicate anything was out of the ordinary at all.

 

[Chandreena]

Thanks!! I guess I never thought of it that way...

 

[Grandmarita]

If you have enough Twix-it clips, you can secure the bag with a Twix-it - or at least the
larger bags. Good for you, in Trusting your gut. It would be smart of you to check anything that could be breakable too, and reseal the box. That way you will not get a call that a product was damaged, or a lid missing, as I have.

 

[Wildfire]

Hi there! I'm sorry to hear about the situation you've experienced with your host. It can definitely be frustrating when things don't go as planned, especially with a new business. I completely understand your concern about not wanting people to think it takes a long time to receive their orders.One option you could consider is sending a general email or social media post to all your customers, apologizing for any delays in their orders and assuring them that you are working to get everything shipped out as soon as possible. This way, you're not directly calling out your host, but still acknowledging the issue and showing that you are proactive in addressing it.Additionally, you could include a small handwritten note with each order, thanking your customers for their patience and understanding. This will show them that you value their business and are committed to providing a positive experience.I hope this helps and that your future shows go more smoothly. Remember, every experience is a learning opportunity and will only make you stronger as a consultant. Best of luck to you!