Replacing a Customer's Cracked Mix 'N Scraper: A Pampered Chef Experience

[pcgogetter]

if a customer came up to you at a show as soon as she got there and confronted you with a cracked mix ' n scraper wanting it replaced? She didn't have ANY information on when it was purchased, from the host or consultant. NOTHING!
Then she sat there and acted like I was the worst inconveice of the night. Didn't place an order(well she said she did on annother ladies order that night-I never saw anything of such & it wouldn't have amounted to anything because that ladies order was under $30). Then I finally pried her name phone number and address out of her before she left and called HO to find she earned it on a show SHE hosted back in July 29th 2002. 5 yrs ago. Needless to say the handle looked a bit used to say the least. Oh yeah and to top if off, it cracked shortly after she got it but she didn't do anythign about it then, & also she had something happen to her ice cream scoop to which another consultant "replaced" for nothing no questions asked! I tried to explain to her everything you normally would be she interrupted me several times and wouldn't listen to me at all. She said how disappointed she is that PC won't stand behind their products blah blah, I said they would if it were under warranty etc. Then she said this experience has left her with a bad taste for anything like this again. And she regrets placing the order she did. I did offer her HO # she declined once then finally she said she would write it down but doubted she would use it as she doesnt' plan to take this further.

Would you replace it for her and make sure she is aware YOU replaced it not HO etc? Or would you just say forget it?

Thanks Michelle

 

[dannyzmom]

Oy...she sounds like the type of person who once you fixed this "issue" for her she'd come up with three more. I wold call HO and talk to someone there and have them call her and explain the policy to her and try to appease her.

 

[sailortena]

If it is cracked, is it still usable? Or did it break? I would call her, and tell her when she got the item, saying it is no longer under warranty and say you are more than happy to replace it for her if she wants to place another order. (Don't give her a free one unless you have one laying around the house you can sell her at a discount or something.) But do send her item back to her, with say a season's best, saying sorry you can't to much more for her since the item is no longer under warranty after five years. The mix n scrapers don't have a lifetime guaratee.

 

[chefann]

That's a good idea, Carolyn. Maybe HO can beat a little sense and courtesy into her.

Really- customers like this are almost never happy. They think that we're making 90% commission (we must, because the scraper is $10 and they can get one at the dollar store!) and replacing an item ourselves is only a drop in the bucket. You can also send HO an email, then print their response (with your inquiry on it) and mail that to the customer. Then they can see that you're not making it up.

 

[PCJenni]

I had the same thing happen at a show last month! The hostess called me and asked me how to handle it before the show. I gave her the phone number. Of course the guest came to the show with an old mandoline and a chopper that had melted in the dishwasher. I asked if she had called... of course she had not, but she said she had emailed but not heard back. I explained that I was not the consultant who sold her the products so I did not have any warranty info for her. She kept trying to get me to "give" her new products and take the old ones from her. I then had to explain that I do not carry inventory. She left the show half way through and then called me the next week to book her own show!!! People are scary!

 

[dannyzmom]

I had the same thing happen at a show last month! The hostess called me and asked me how to handle it before the show. I gave her the phone number. Of course the guest came to the show with an old mandoline and a chopper that had melted in the dishwasher. I asked if she had called... of course she had not, but she said she had emailed but not heard back. I explained that I was not the consultant who sold her the products so I did not have any warranty info for her. She kept trying to get me to "give" her new products and take the old ones from her. I then had to explain that I do not carry inventory. She left the show half way through and then called me the next week to book her own show!!! People are scary!

Youi'll have to let us know how her show turns out!!

 

[janetupnorth]

Customers like that are scary but sometimes I wonder if they often test us...around here many have had consultants take their items for replacement then move or drop off the face of the earth. I always explain to "new people" that I will give them the 800# or 888# and facilitate the return but I cannot accept product from them (of course I'd make an exception for a VERY close friend). I just had one who had the grab and go happen to her and she watched me in my business and asked people questions about me for 2 months then showed up at a show and booked. It is hard to figure what goes through their heads. Some are really confused about procedures and pushy and some I think just don't know. I try to treat them the same and "by the book" so they know I'm consistent, fair and honest.

 

[JAE]

I don't mind making the product adjustment calls for people if they know the hostess name and approximate show date because HO will be able to find the order. I don't take the product, though. Also, it seems even if the customer was at the show, she/he doesn't hear me say that I don't need the item back! I really stress that fact. I tell them the policy, but it doesn't click in their minds because they don't think they will need to know this information. In one ear and out the other.

 

[DebbieSAChef]

No INFOThose people with no helpful information and that probably purchased the item about 10 years ago (way past the warranty date) are pretty unreasonable people to deal with.

I has someone like that at my show once and quickly got everyone to open up their catalogs to show them the warranties of each item (not everyone single one but I picked a page to go over the warranties). I did this to show that PC is very generous in replacing items that are within the warranty and of course our lifetime products are a great investment.

I told the woman that I would need more information in order to help her, and that if her product was past the warranty date (which it was) I would be more than happy to get her a new product for 20% off with her order. I really wanted to stress that if she ordered, I would help her out. IF she didn't order, I was really under no obligation to do anything. So she agreed and I even gave her an SB and she was happy with that.

Some people are unreasonable and unfortunately we can't please everyone, but we also shouldn't be stressed about people like this. They probably give every host, employee at department stores and at Walmart problems with returned items and complaints. Don't take it personal.

Debbie

 

[Pampered Laura]

Uh yeah. I had a customer come up to me at a show saying that she gave a SKILLET to a consultant here in the Ft Worth area to be replaced. Consultant never called her or replaced her skillet. After dealing with the home office, the home office found out who the consultant was and never heard back from her either. HO sends the customer a new skillet, and says that they're going to dock the consultant's commission check if the consultant doesn't call them back. No idea on the result from the consultant, but I do know that the customer is now MY customer for life and has hosted 2 shows which a couple of recruits have come from.

Lesson learned: Don't take a product from a customer at a show
AND...
Have the customer handle their own returns but with you as a facilitator if needed.

 

[Jennie4PC]

I had that happen with a consultant she took a ladies stone and never got it replaced I called HO and they told me she had to call HO with the consultants name but the lady didnt want to cause any problems Luckily it was stoneware month and my mom hosted a show and gave her the stone at 60% off.

 

[Jennie4PC]

I have also noticed my spatulas have slits in them and my director said they were more then likely from a can opened without the smoothedge can opener or from knives in the dishwasher.

 

[janetupnorth]

I have also noticed my spatulas have slits in them and my director said they were more then likely from a can opened without the smoothedge can opener or from knives in the dishwasher.

Or if you use them with a traditional mixer running...

Otherwise, I have had some of my scrapers for 12 YEARS!!!!

A little yellowed, but work as good as new!

 

[pamperedgirl3]

I have also noticed my spatulas have slits in them and my director said they were more then likely from a can opened without the smoothedge can opener or from knives in the dishwasher.

My skinny scraper had that problem. It's the only one I would use to get stuff out of smaller cans with the pop tops & then I noticed it split. Now I only use a dollar store one with those cans.

For the original question...do you really want someone that rude as a customer?! My experience with people like that is that they will get their problem resolved & then never place an order, etc. Pampered Chef does stand behind their product, that's why we have any warranty at all.

 

[raebates]

I usually bend over backward for customers. However, this woman is not really one of your customers. In a case like that, I'm glad to help her contact the HO with the party info. However, I don't "do returns" for other consultants.And, I agree with some of the others. This person sounds like trouble.

 

[Paula R. Lewis]

I really like Debbie's suggestion of offering her 20% off of a new one, "with her order tonight"!! I also like how she immediately shows EVERYONE at the show how our warranties work.

What I've done in the past is, explain that, without the details of where/when/who she previously ordered, I have no way of knowing her warranty information, but if she wants to go home and look it up and call me back, I would be happy to try and help her. If she still has absolutely no idea, I usually offer to buy them a new one if they book a show with me next month. This happens occasionally on a broken stone, and sometimes they do take me up on that offer!

But, if she's really "bothered", I'd probably let it go after that. I mean, at some point, some people are just not worth the extra aggravation. My mother used to have a saying, "some people! You couldn't please 'em with a pleaser!!"

Hope this helps you!!

Blessings,
Paula

 

[Christ Follower]

I can't tell you how many times I've done shows where the guests have walked in with their old damaged products!!! 9 out of 10 of them never called HO! This makes me crazy! Plus, even the ones who do have their receipts, want me to pay to send it in. I only do that for family or my really, really prefered customers. Most of the time, I just call HO and get their reference number for them and give them instructions on how to mail it back. People just don't want to call.

 

[finley1991]

The other problem with your scrapers and little nicks in them could be from putting them in the dishwasher next to knives. During the washing cycle, the knives bang against them and nick them. This happened to my mom... she never used the scrapers in open cans or for anything other than mixing pudding. But the dishwasher did it to them! Now she puts the scrapers UP in her dishwasher and her knives DOWN. Problem solved! Hope that helps!

 

[pcgogetter]

I called HO to see if she ever called and she did and the replaced it for FREE BUT she has no warrenty with it what so ever.