Director Urgent Help Needed: Unresolved Party from September 30th | October 15th Update

[Koolotus]

Sooooo....
Today is October 15th. Surprise surprise I still have an outstanding party from September 30th.
The host sent me an email on 10/9 that said:
"This what I have withthe checks to mail out. Matt and I haven't picked our stuff yet But when Ihave time I will email it to you. Thanks"

I responded with:
"I put in the orders you gave me. You are entitled to $60 Free 2 1/2 priced and and unlimited discount of 20%. You can also pick any one piece or set of the cookware at 60% off.
I would love if you called me to give me your order that way if I have any questions we can resolve it right then. Please put any checks you have for me in the mail now so that I am able to close your show by the deadline. If I do not have the checks I cannot send in your show and that would mean both you and Jen would not get your cookware at 60%.
You should have payments for me from
Sandy
Carole
Kathy
& Ashley which was $44.01

I will be in my office tonight until 11
Tommorrow morning until noon & tomorrow night.
Talk to you soon!
Thanks,
Cheryl"

I have left 3 messages since then, asking for a call. The last one being. Hey Susy, I hope everything is alright. I need you to call so you can get the cookware and so can Jen. yada, yada.
So today is the day. No checks, no call, no email.
I have a call into the past host and I want to send an email to susy.
What do I say?!?
everything I type sounds massively b*tchy.
HELP!

 

[pamperedbecky]

Oooh yuck, what a sticky situation to be in! Did your messages state the deadline date of today? If so, I think you've covered your bases and given her sufficient notice. THere's really nothing more you can do. I'd hate to keep holding the show because then that means the guests aren't getting their stuff, but if you haven't gotten payment for it yet, then I would wait. Would one of the guests know her situation? If you know if the guests are close friends of hers, I'd suggest maybe calling one of them and let them know you're trying to close out the show and you're having trouble getting in touch with her.

Good luck!

 

[Koolotus]

Thanks Becky
Yep, told her about the deadline EVERY time. Just annoying me.
I guess there are worse things but it burns me up. I so don't want to screw the past host. AND, you know how it is. This is a new crowd for me and they will not see it as the hosts fault. I guess that is why I am stressing. She was so good in the beginning. I don't know. Maybe no money?
I can't figure it out. Honestly I liked her and I hope nothing bad has happened. I am just annoyed right now.

 

[pamperedbecky]

That IS a bummer that the past host will get screwed out of her bonus. Is this someone close with the host? I wonder if you could contact her and explain it.

I'm sorry!!! This stinks!!!

 

[BethCooks4U]

Tell her that if you don't hear from her by 9pm tonight you will choose her free items. If she SAID she wanted cookware I would also select something for her. Then, have the show shipped to you. When it comes you can show her what she got and tell her that you knew she wanted to take advantage of the cookware special and ask if the piece you chose was what she wanted. If she wants something different, tell her she can exchange it (of course collect what you paid for that piece). If she doesn't want it then send it back to HO.

 

[chefkathy]

Tell her that if you don't hear from her by 9pm tonight you will choose her free items. If she SAID she wanted cookware I would also select something for her. Then, have the show shipped to you. When it comes you can show her what she got and tell her that you knew she wanted to take advantage of the cookware special and ask if the piece you chose was what she wanted. If she wants something different, tell her she can exchange it (of course collect what you paid for that piece). If she doesn't want it then send it back to HO.

I've been thinking about this scenario as well. The only problem is then HO is eating shipping costs because the host can't get her act together.

I know we want to keep her happy, but at what cost?

(I'm not saying that I lean one way or another on this, just providing another thought--something else to think about because unnecessary shipping costs eventually drives our prices and shipping costs up for our customers.)

 

[Koolotus]

right there with you Deb.
I just hope that there was no actual reason for her delay.
I have calls in to everyone involved and I just hate when it comes to this.

 

[BethCooks4U]

I agree that HO having to eat shipping costs would be a shame but if it would keep a customer - especially if she has a REAL reason. lol

I have not ever had this situation but I would think that if you have called and emailed with the absolute deadline she would call. (Email too so you have a dated doc to prove you tried.) Call the person she booked from too or people at her show (was her mom or sister there?) and tell them you're worried about her since she hasn't responded and tell them that there's nothing you can do but she will lose the benefits if it doesn't go in NOW!

 

[Koolotus]

She was in Vegas.
I am picking some things I think she will like for the free stuff. I won't buy cookware for her. I am not that kind. It's not like she took ME to Vegas!
Thanks for the great advice. Rarely I am at a loss for words (ask Kris )
So I needed the help!

 

[chefheidi2003]

When I have this situation, I put the show in someone else's name. So, put the show in the past host's name so she can still get the cookware, ship her order directly to her. For the orders that you have collected checks put it all into one order and ship it to the host that wouldn't close. Usually everyone's $4 shipping charge added together will cover direct shipping fees. If not, try putting them into a couple smaller orders but still direct ship them to the current host.

Michelle

 

[Koolotus]

Michelle,
Why do you do that?

 

[chefheidi2003]

If a show is several weeks past the date held and I still can't close the party, all those guests are mad at me because they haven't gotten their stuff. I will leave a message for the host saying that if she doesn't call me by _______ date, I will send it in without her receiving any host benefits.

If I don't hear from her, I will submit the show in the past host's name that she scheduled from so she can at least get the host bonus. I send all the orders to the orginal host so she can do the deliveries. The substitute host doesn't know all the guests so it wouldn't be fair for her to deliver them and I am not doing it because I travel up to 1.5 hours for a show.

Then, about two weeks after I submit the show I call all the guests to see if they have received their product and if they have tried them out. Of course no one has gotten their stuff. This "out of the box" call covers my butt. Now everyone knows that I submitted the show and that the host has their stuff, they will all call the host to get their stuff. They are no longer thinking I am the one holding up their orders.

I no longer have these outstanding shows, I give the host plenty of opportunity to close.

Michelle

 

[pamperedlinda]

I had a Sept show that did not close last night. It was a catalog show that has been going on forever! I had talked to the host several times last week and she was well aware of the dead line. I even talked to her last night and she told me that she had just gotten home from work and would call me back. I called her again at 10:00 - no answer - I even left her a message to still call so we could get this in by midnight - never heard from her. I called HO this morning to see if I could really still submit it as Sept and she told me NO WAY (which is what I suspected). She said that the system (I'm assuming P3) will not even let me submit a show with a Sept date now. I don't feel bad for the host, she knew the time frame. One of her guests did qualify for the free gift, but I don't think she knew it b/c she didn't select one.

 

[Koolotus]

I did have one hold out. Didn't get her check in time. Came today. Oh well, I will pick the October bonus for the one guest who got it.
I did get a sort of nasty email from the "hjost in question" this morning. Left a message with her husband . whatever. I called the past host chatted with her and told her I submitted it so she could get her skillet. She was thrilled! Said not to worry about the host, she really wouldn't care, did warn me not to call her till she gets some sleep though.
Funny now, not so much yesterday. I feel for you Linda
Nothing we can do.
I am happy to teach you to cook, I won't also teach you to read.:yuck:

 

[Koolotus]

Michelle, thanks for the explanation.
I very rarely have this problem. I usually close by the end of the month. If they are close to the end I let them know to collect outside orders right away so that we can close that night. I joke that I am working in September and don't want to get paid for it in November. It is light and silly but it gets the point accross.
But we all know, make the exception and here we have this whole flippin post!