Sooo... Irritated With a Customer!!!

[kaylasmommy12605]

I guess it is party my fault, because this was my first submitted show ( I should have waited for check to clear).... when I looked at my account everything looked good (enough money for party). Then I looked again the customers check bounced, I had a $10 return fee, and pampered chef tried to get $ (insufficient money charge)... so I am out like $80.00 , in all, products were mailed out beginning of last week. I was supposed to get money fri. nothing, then she called and wanted to use credit card, called and it was too late to change the payment method, So I put my money in to cover order, and am supposed to be payed on Thur. A LEARNING EXPERIENCE.

Then a customer from that show ordered the knife block set, and was upset that it didn't come with any steak knives (which for $400, I might have been upset too) But I apologized and read her the what the catalog said it included. I wrote her a note I am going to mail as well.

Then I hosted my 2nd show Sun. night and it was a waste of time and gas, no one showed up, just the w omens daughter and law and a few of her friends (which were bored and didn't cook, and said soo). I was just ready to get out of there, two girls ordered, but the host wants to turn in and she isn't even qualified yet.

uuuggghhhhh..... I know I will get over it, but so frustrating.

 

[PChefPEI]

Sorry you had to go through all that so early in your PC career! Things will get better...

I have learned the hard way too about the money thing. Not fun, but as long as you learn from it, you'll be fine. Bless and release........

And, as far as the customer who bought the knife block set. Knowing she was spending that kind of money, she should have read the description to see what she was getting for that!! And, I'm sure that if you had any idea what she was thinking, you would have told her the difference.

 

[jrstephens]

It will get better. Look at it this way, your learned a lesson soon that it sometimes takes other a year or longer to learn.

As far as the "knife block lady," I can assure you before I spend $400 I would know EXACTLY what I was getting. And she should have read the descirption. You could always tell her the individual prices of what she would have gotten and show her what $ she saved. And she does have 30 days to send it back if she is not satisfied with it. PC will even pick it up for her!

I hope you feel better. Keep your head up!! We all have those bad days/shows, but they are not often.

 

[kam]

You will notice it may go up and down. You will have really great shows and then all of a sudden be hit with bad shows/problems.

Things do improve.

Advice on the bounced check (that I did not take):
I just got my first bounced check after a little over a year of doing this.

Mine was from a catty show (so I never met the guest). The show was a Sept show and I couldn't get the host to close (etc etc) and I didn't get the checks until around the 20th of Oct. I made the deposit the next day or so and then closed the show. I wasn't notified from my bank that there was a bounced check until Nov 4th. (By then the host rec'd everything).

When I looked at the bounced check I noticed it was written on 9/10!!! No wonder it bounced. It took 6 weeks to be cashed (since my host took so long).

So I call this lady and she is upset. I am also trying to get my $10 fee from her too. She is insisting she has the money and it shouldn't have been cashed so late (yes, I know). So she is going to mail me a new check with the $10 tacked on. My director told me to accept only MONEY ORDERS or CASH. Well, I am feeling like I might not get anything from her, so I agree to have her mail me a check. (I also felt bad that it took so long to cash.)

I am trusting her - but think better of it and decide to stop by HER bank and try to cash the check. Well, there are INSUFFICIENT FUNDS! :grumpy: This is the day after I rec'd the replacement check that she had insisted 2 days earlier the money was there! This time she can't use timing as an excuse! So now I am stopping by the bank again tonight to try to cash it. I am hoping I will catch money in the account.

So when getting money for the bounced check - don't accept anything other than a MONEY ORDER or CASH from the guest. I have learned the hard way too.

This also a lesson about letting shows drag on!

Good Luck! (And according to my director bounced checks are rare!)

 

[pcchefjane]

I had a lady give me her debit card and wanted it run through the day she gave me the order. I told her it would be Tuesday when I submitted the Show I was putting her Outside Order on. She said okay. Got an email on Wednesday morning from HO that it was denied. I entered it again, called and left a voicemail, then called HO to tell them to switch it to my PC debit card to release the Show. She called me to say she had the money but "you waited too long to put it in" on her voicemail. I left another voicemail to tell her that I was delivering her order on Monday and needed cash. She had it for me. She told me then she "got mixed up because her paycheck was not the same amount". She didn't place another order...thank goodness. She is moving but may do a Wedding Registry. I'm not holding my breath! LOL!

 

[pcsharon1]

Seems to be a lot of this lately - both people ordering and not really having the money to cover it and hosts dragging out their shows and consultants trying to be too accommodating (trust me I speak from experience - remember my host didn't send me any payment from her show until three weeks after she got her stuff!). Don't know what the answer is - just hoping everything evens out in the end and this, too, shall pass.

 

[LCOLACHICO]

I guess it is party my fault, because this was my first submitted show ( I should have waited for check to clear).... when I looked at my account everything looked good (enough money for party). Then I looked again the customers check bounced, I had a $10 return fee, and pampered chef tried to get $ (insufficient money charge)... so I am out like $80.00 , in all, products were mailed out beginning of last week. I was supposed to get money fri. nothing, then she called and wanted to use credit card, called and it was too late to change the payment method, So I put my money in to cover order, and am supposed to be payed on Thur. A LEARNING EXPERIENCE.

Then a customer from that show ordered the knife block set, and was upset that it didn't come with any steak knives (which for $400, I might have been upset too) But I apologized and read her the what the catalog said it included. I wrote her a note I am going to mail as well.

Then I hosted my 2nd show Sun. night and it was a waste of time and gas, no one showed up, just the w omens daughter and law and a few of her friends (which were bored and didn't cook, and said soo). I was just ready to get out of there, two girls ordered, but the host wants to turn in and she isn't even qualified yet.

uuuggghhhhh..... I know I will get over it, but so frustrating.

I so hear you, I am still dealing with a nightmare show from early Oct !! But it does get better

I saw a post that one consultant will not accept anything except cash or card.. I am thinking that I will try this at my next show and see what happens.

Chin up, this to shall pass.. I am telling this to myself over and over

 

[kristyjab]

My past show I had a declined check card... PC HQ had to try and manually take the $$$ 3x after it had been ran auto 3x as well! Yup, it's going around. Good luck!

 

[darlinclem]

I really wonder why so many people don't keep their checking accounts balanced? Doesn't anyone know how to use a register anymore? The amount the bank tells you is in the account does't mean that you have that much to spend. My mother has this problem, she just can't seem to get that you still have to subtract the outstanding checks from that balance before you go out and spend it. I know things are tight but quit robbing Peter to pay Paul!

Sorry- rant over :blushing:

 

[pcchefjane]

AMEN! As much as I want sales, if you don't have the money, I would rather you didn't buy it and cause even more problems for me! JMHO!

 

[kaylasmommy12605]

Well I see I am not the only one!!! It makes me feel a little better to have someone to complain to (Which I dont do too often):blushing: But I know I will get over it, like I said Im glad I learned from it. And it seems like you guyz have had some crazy experiences yourselves!
Thanks for everything,
Ashlee

 

[ChefPaulaB]

If I have to close a show and I don't have all of the money in my account, I have the show shipped to me, that way the host has to hand over the money before she can get her stuff. I've had to hold stuff for a few days before, but they get the money to me. Of course, that won't help if a check bounces and you don't find out for a few weeks... but it does help with the no payment thing. It is kind of a pain having all the boxes sitting around for a few days, but that's worked for me so far. Knock on wood, I haven't had a bounced check yet.

 

[cookingwith_tara]

Besides, the host should be the one collecting the money for HER SHOW not the consultant! We are to give them the best show we know how but that doesn't mean we collect orders for them. If that were the case - I would be the host!

Does this make sense to anyone else?

 

[cookingwith_tara]

And another thing - if a guests check bounced or payment wasn't received, it affects the host benefits. I love the idea of having it shipped to you so that you can clear things up before they get the product BUT if it never gets cleared then your stuck paying for it - which I don't have the money for. PLUS, if it affects their benefits I tell the host we're having a problem with someone's order. After all, their HER friends.

Is that mean or unproffessional? In order to have a successful business I have to make sure I RUN IT, and not the other way around. Again, make sense?

 

[Hathery]

As far as only having a few guests at your second show, that can be worked around. My last party had only 4 people show up (there was supposed to be 17.) Just encourage your hostess to gather outside orders (help her brainstorm ideas of who to show the catalog to), it can make a huge difference. My party with the four guests ended up being over $700

 

[kaylasmommy12605]

As far as only having a few guests at your second show, that can be worked around. My last party had only 4 people show up (there was supposed to be 17.) Just encourage your hostess to gather outside orders (help her brainstorm ideas of who to show the catalog to), it can make a huge difference. My party with the four guests ended up being over $700

Yeah, I had 3 show my first party and it was $863.00, but this last one just stunk! They didnt wanna be there.

 

[princessmeshelle]

just had my first check bounce today, man it sucks! to top it, i only keep what i need for my show in my biz account (can't afford to keep more right now) so when the check bounced it overdrew my account. don't you love rediculos bank fees? i don't understand why I should have to pay for somone else's inability to make good on their fincial commitments. more than kinda irksome.... lesson learned, cash and card only!

 

[crystalscookingnow]

Contact the customer about the bounced check. Require them to pay the fees that were imposed to your account due to their bad check. Take only a money order or cashier's check from them.

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

I don't tell customers they can't write checks. But I DO second guess EVERY CHECK I am given. I go to the bank (in person if possible, this week mostly via phone) to verify funds on EVERY CHECK I am given. I have learned the hard way that if my own family will bounce a check, why won't a stranger?

 

[esavvymom]

I haven't had this happen to me YET, but I'm new. Can we somehow state somewhere in our 'stuff' that a bounced check fee will be charged on all returned checks? My bank charges $35! I, too, can't keep alot to cover mistakes, but I'm hoping to build it up a little over time.But I can't believe the NERVE of someone telling you that "you took too long to cash it". I think I'd be tempted to say, "Didn't you write it down in your checkbook?? That's what it's FOR!" I think i would definitely make notes of that transaction and either ignore all phone calls/orders from that person not attached to a credit card. If the economy starts making this problem more common, I'd be submitting shows only after the checks cleared! If it's local, that shouldn't add too much time I'd think. But hey, as long as I don't promise anything to them about shipment and orders, then they still will get it within a reasonable time. PC is pretty quick anyway...a few extra days for checks to clear probably won't hurt much. We shall see.

 

[princessmeshelle]

i'm not sure i like making my host and her guests wait. i don't want the return check, but i also don't want it to take a month. i deposited the afore mentioned rubber check the day after i received it and it just came back. infact, it came back a day before funds were drawn from my account for that show. why does it take PC so long to take the money out of our accounts? i'm lucky though, the customer is meeting me tomorrow to give me cash, even offered to cover the bank fees. but i'm still limiting my orders to cash and cards. if a host wants to take them, that is on her. as for me, playing "musical bank accounts" after playing "will it bounce?" is not my idea of fun.

 

[cookingwith_tara]

Someone once told me that PC waits so long to take the money out just in case there is a problem on our end (like a bounced check) they try to give us time to clear it up. Doesn't seem like it's even long enough now, given your situation, does it?

 

[shannonjennings]

Why don't you use the PC credit card to submit your shows? That way you have time to clear the problem up and you are not charged. They also give you cash back rewards on your account. I get back anywhere between 25-50 dollars per month. That is kind of like an extra little check. I have been doing the business for 2 1/2 years with 130 shows and have only had 3 checks bounce and only 1 gave me trouble. Because I had the show on the credit card, it allowed me 4-6 weeks to resolve the problem.

 

[suzyhook]

I also use my pc credit card. Then, I cash my checks, put the cash aside and at the end of the month when the bill comes, I use all the cash on a money order and send it in with them bill. I do this to protect my account but also to ensure that I get my money if I end up having to chase someone down.

So far it has worked for me. No bounced check charges and no additional fees, plus no argumnts from customers including those who ask me to "hang on" to a check for few days before cashing them.

 

[annaboop]

I go to the bank (in person if possible, this week mostly via phone) to verify funds on EVERY CHECK I am given.

How do you call the bank and verify funds? I have had a HOST ask me to hold checks for her at each and every party she has attended. She even cashed one of her outside order checks and kept the money for herself. She then had the gall to ask me to hold her replacement check for three weeks until she had the money to pay it back. This request being made while I was still holding another check from her for a previous date. I have now learned my lesson and this thread could not have come at a better time for me. I will be sure to verify her funds, but is that a guarantee that if I call today then I can deposit it at my bank and it won't bounce?

 

[kam]

How do you call the bank and verify funds? I have had a HOST ask me to hold checks for her at each and every party she has attended. She even cashed one of her outside order checks and kept the money for herself. She then had the gall to ask me to hold her replacement check for three weeks until she had the money to pay it back. This request being made while I was still holding another check from her for a previous date. I have now learned my lesson and this thread could not have come at a better time for me. I will be sure to verify her funds, but is that a guarantee that if I call today then I can deposit it at my bank and it won't bounce?

I am curious too!

I am in the process of trying (unsuccessfully) to cash a check from a guest. I have gone into the bank that the check is from twice and each time they have been unable to cash it - but can't actually say "why". Though we know why - apparently they can't actually say. So I was wondering if instead of me stopping by, if they could actually provide the info over the phone.

 

[muffetts]

Something my Nana always said....

A bad beginning makes a good ending....

You are on your way to a GREAT career with the Pampered Chef!

Smile. Breathe, smile again and move forward.

 

[Sprink]

I really wonder why so many people don't keep their checking accounts balanced? Doesn't anyone know how to use a register anymore?

I blame the internet and online banking. There is a whole generation being taught to rely on the computer rather than common sense (i.e., what they know has happened).

Just a thought.

 

[ThePampered1]

I had the same problem with people not showing up to shows... I hold the show package until I get 40 names, numbers, and addresses. I coach my host that her show will be closed within three days no matter what! I do this for catalog shows as well, with the exception of I give them two weeks to close. I do 4 coaching calls and each time I tell her our closing date. Two days before the show, I use Calling Post to call her guests for her; I call it my "No Hassle Hosting". When I leave each show, I tell my host that from now on all orders she collects need to be payable to her and she has to pay me with a debit/credit card and we close over the phone. I also give her a copy of the guest list she gave to me and advise her to call each person on her list to either thank them for coming or to see if they would like to order before her show ends. I also don't set myself or my host up for failure by doing a show in the last 3 days of the month. I use the 3 days for setting up new shows, collecting orders, and submitting end of the month shows. AND balancing my check book! My director taught me this, I hope it helps.

 

[darlinclem]

I am curious too!

I am in the process of trying (unsuccessfully) to cash a check from a guest. I have gone into the bank that the check is from twice and each time they have been unable to cash it - but can't actually say "why". Though we know why - apparently they can't actually say. So I was wondering if instead of me stopping by, if they could actually provide the info over the phone.

They are supposed to let you know if there are sufficient funds if you have the check in hand when you call. Let them know the account name/s, number, check number (sometimes) and amount of check. Then ask them if the check is cashed at their bank today, will it clear? Some banks try not to answer but under law, you are holding the money so you have a right to know (at least that is what I have been told).

If it will clear make a special trip immediately!

 

[PChefPEI]

I had the same problem with people not showing up to shows... I hold the show package until I get 40 names, numbers, and addresses. I coach my host that her show will be closed within three days no matter what! I do this for catalog shows as well, with the exception of I give them two weeks to close. I do 4 coaching calls and each time I tell her our closing date. Two days before the show, I use Calling Post to call her guests for her; I call it my "No Hassle Hosting". When I leave each show, I tell my host that from now on all orders she collects need to be payable to her and she has to pay me with a debit/credit card and we close over the phone. I also give her a copy of the guest list she gave to me and advise her to call each person on her list to either thank them for coming or to see if they would like to order before her show ends. I also don't set myself or my host up for failure by doing a show in the last 3 days of the month. I use the 3 days for setting up new shows, collecting orders, and submitting end of the month shows. AND balancing my check book! My director taught me this, I hope it helps.

Wow! Sounds like you have a great system!