Rant: I Wish I Could Just Pass on This One...

[deanna_g]

Sorry for the rant. Totally unlike me to rant about something/someone. This just needs to get off my chest.

I have a former acquaintance from back home (I moved 1.5 years ago) and she has wanted to become a PC consultant since 2008. Thing is, she has some major medical issues (MS, mostly) and has been scheduling/rescheduling/canceling since then (practically) due to not feeling well or being on a new medication, etc. I can't just ignore her calls and emails. She attends my former church back where I moved from. So I just can't do that, ya know?

So, she finally actually held one of her dates and had a show (on October 21). She had 3 people there and only 1 ordered. Blah. She collected 2 outside orders (and yes, I host coached the beans out of her). I collected 3 more orders from people she doesn't know to get her show just over $200. So now I've been trying to close with her and she was ignoring my texts, calls, and emails until I told her I was going to have to close her show and she wouldn't be awarded benefits unless she got back to me. Amazingly she gets in contact with me then, thanking me for being so patient. Ugh.

So now, get this, she STILL wants to become a consultant. *sigh* I can't tell her she wouldn't do so well, so I try some other words. "Are you sure that now is a good time for you?" She says, "Yes. I'm feeling really good. I just need to wait until my bank account isn't in the red to purchase the kit." So, she uses $20 of FPV toward her host kit. Now I get to train her. Joy.

Oh, and I still have yet to get her card number to pay for her stuff. I'm really worried about this one. Yikes.

 

[Sheila]

If she needs the money (and it sounds like she does) she might just make it work! She was probably avoiding closing her show becase she was in the red & wanted some stuff that she couldn't afford.

Just make sure that she understands that hosts won't be super understanding if they've already sent out the invitations, have the guests coming & the groceries purchased and then the consultant has to cancel because she's not feeling well. If she commits to doing this, she has to commit 100% or have a backup plan ... somone who can go with her to help her with the heavy lifting and/or have other consultants on standby and be willing to hand over the show to someone else if needed.

Never underestimate someones motivation or willingness to succeed. Sometimes the ones you least expect will be your shining stars.

Another suggestion, when you train her, make sure she understands that when someone hands her cash or a check, that it is NOT her money to spend. She's just the middle-man handing it over to PC. Some people really do not get that concept & don't understand why they can't just spend the money & pay PC later.

 

[deanna_g]

Thanks Sheila. You're right. I shouldn't judge before I see what's going to happen. She has her 14 year old son to carry her stuff for her, thankfully. I really hope that getting the money is motivation for her to sell. (-: And I'm glad I can afford her the opportunity. Just so I'm clear, they do have 6 months to use their kit credit, correct?

 

[loreo]

Don't underestimate her. I was the worst host ever! I was the one with a few order who showed up and little sales. I signed up and I'm sure my recruiter said the same thing. Fast forward 2 years- my sales are pushing $70,000 and I have had 13 personal recruits. You never know what a person is capable of accomplishing.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I had someone very unexpected join my team. She is a retired lady with some serious health issues. In my non-judgemental, ask everyone way (said with sarcasm) I had never offered her the opportunity. But she pursued it on her own, and signed up and joined my team during the Anniversary weekend promotion.

When she did join, she said she only wanted to do catalog shows. Fine - and again, I wasn't expecting much from her...but she has started the training, and of the 3 new consultants I'm training right now - she has the most excitement and enthusiasm! I would have never believed it if I wasn't seeing it with my own eyes. She is pampering her Bank (because they wanted to see a catalog when she opened her account there), She has her DIL doing a catalog show...and then, through the training, she realized that she could have the Shows right at her own house! She has a perfect Kitchen Set up - lots of room and a big island...so now she's already thinking she's going to offer Kitchen Shows, if the hosts want to bring their guests to her house!

So, yes - you just never know! Sometimes the people who you think are going to be your Super Stars, are more like Falling Stars...and sometimes you get someone who you discover is a diamond in the rough!

 

[deanna_g]

I'm more concerned about her health, honestly. She delayed her show an entire 2 years because of her health. I just want to make sure, as Sheila said, that she realizes that hosts won't be as forgiving to her for canceling last minute.

 

[lesliec]

It's her business. Train her the way you know best, and let her run with it. I have had some pretty good catalog show, so just being a catalog consultant could work out for her.
People aren't going to judge you if she doesn't do it well. This also may give her some self worth and may improve her health. I don't have health issues, but I know I am more motivated and get more accomplished when I am busy and have lots of shows.

 

[wadesgirl]

I'm more concerned about her health, honestly. She delayed her show an entire 2 years because of her health. I just want to make sure, as Sheila said, that she realizes that hosts won't be as forgiving to her for canceling last minute.

Maybe her health wasn't the real issue but she was just using it as an excuse. You never know what will happen!

 

[deanna_g]

Wadesgirl - No, it's definitely her health. She has really really bad MS. Some days she can't even get out of bed. It's awful. I hate to see anyone going through it. And to top it off, she has an 18 year old daughter addicted to meth and a severely autistic son. And she's a single mom. She's on and off of steroids and other medications, trying to find something that helps her for longer than a week or two. I can't imagine going through that kind of pain and illness.

 

[cookingwithlove]

Sign her and let her work her business her way within her abilities. We have all sorts of consultants with disabilities in Pampered chef. You are just providing her with the opportunity to acheive her own level of success. It is not your job to tell her what that level of success is. You might be right and she might not be able to do it, but at least she will have tried. Or you might be pleasantly surprised by her. Either way sign her or give me her name and I will !

BTW, I have a neighbor who was diagnosed with MS over 25 years ago she went on to be an excellent skier and cyclist and even gave motivational speeches at MS meetings. Never under estimate what people can do when they have a purpose.

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

I, too, was the worst host ever. Exactly five people came to my grand opening, another two to my second grand opening, and only one order was placed at either. But the other two guests booked shows. And I had enough orders to make it a show. So it wasn't a total loss.Like Sheila said, make sure she understands that she must have a backup plan for when she's not feeling well. And that if that backup plan is YOU, then you need sufficient notice, you may not always be up for taking her show so she may need a second back up, and if you take the show, the commission is YOURS. MS people have good days and bad days and never know when a bad day is going to hit. But keeping active keeps them healthy. So this may be what she's looking for.