Venting--Crazy, Uncoachable Hosts

[chefkathy]

I've had two--one tonight, one last weekend--and they are driving me nuts!

Writing out the whole stories would take forever, so I won't.

Just need to get out an UUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

 

[PampMomof3]

Here's an UGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG with you!!! Big hug for you!! Miss you! Thanks for calling last night, it's what I needed!!

 

[chefkathy]

Go get 'em this week, Kristi!!!!

 

[PampMomof3]

I will and am!! I'm host coaching myself today for an AWESOME turnout for my 4th annual mystery host show. I'm calling all past hosts today to find out if they're coming or not.

I'm also don't know if I for sure have my room or not (have to wait until tomorrow to call when they open) so Anthony and I decorated our ENTIRE inside/outside of house yesterday for Christmas! Whew! Glad it's over but my house is in uproar with things everywhere! So, laundry, put all this "stuff" away and phone all with 3 kids calling "MOM" every few minutes and my husband just went to work until 11 pm tonight.

I'll check in later to let you know how the phone went. I right now have 9 RSVP's for it.

 

[finley1991]

Can't wait to hear about it Kristi! Good luck!!!

 

[PampMomof3]

I left tonight at 5 and just got home but sat on the phone for almost 2 full hours! I called 43 past hosts (they also received emails) and got a few yes's or no's but mostly answering machines. :cry: I left fun and energetic messages saying that I would love it if they could come out so we'll see what happens. I'm excited to see the turn out.
I'll let you know what the final numbers are. I now have 12 coming with some people bringing guests so I really can't wait!!

 

[pamperedbecky]

Woo hoo1!! I hope it's a huge turn out. Keep us posted!

 

[chefkathy]

the saga continues...The host didn't call me when she had all her outside orders together (as I had told her to do so), so when I contacted her to close she said she was waiting for me. ?????so we finally closed last night and she wants everything in time for Thanksgiving. We are cutting it WAY close. We finalize everything and she asks me to submit it in the morning so she can go to the bank and make a deposit first.So as I told her I would do, I brought my son to school, came home and hit submit (it was all ready to go, so I hit one button, you know), and then ran a few errands. I came home to a frantic message from her to call her first before submitting because she changed her mind on one of her half price items. UGH!! Too late!I am calling HO in vain I'm sure--current hold time is 4 hours. Ha! I am holding instead of call back right now...we'll see how long this takes. She is all worried about the order being held up now because of this. But if she had called me when she had her outside orders together and then also had her host order ready.....(she had to call me back after she gave me the OO's to decide on her order).This woman is truly crazy. She is just not normal. I can't put my finger on it....

 

[pamperedbecky]

Oh geez, that's totally NUTS!!! I just did the call back feature from the HO and they were pretty accurate. I was told at 8:55 this morning that it wouuld be 2 to 2 1/2 hours and they called back a little after the 2 hour mark. Wow, I hope this isn't the case closer to the Dec. 15th cut off date because can you imagine if we need to do adjustments AND get them shipped to customers by Christmas or whatever. That's nuts too.

Sorry about your crazy host.

 

[chefkathy]

Oops, hold time is down to 2 hours

 

[chefkathy]

Update:I chose to wait instead of get a call back and my call was answered in 7 mins. The rep told me it wouldn't be a big deal to do an adjustment since with a half price item no commission is involved. The show wasn't in the system yet, so I have to call back this afternoon and they'll do it for her. Whew!

 

[PampMomof3]

Yay Deb, that's awesome!!

Update on my show~17 confirmed!!

 

[chefkathy]

So.....I do the adjustment for this woman and she's getting her baker and I just got a message that HER CARD IS DECLINED!!!!!UGH!!!! This is never ending! This woman is pissed at me as it is. She told me I was unprofessional because I didn't check my business messages before submitting her show and she is very unhappy. I am bending over backwards for her, have spent a lot of time going to bat for her with the HO and now this????She called and told me she had gathered orders over Thanksgiving and might have enough for another show. That's great and all, but I just want this woman to go away.

 

[finley1991]

Now i've got one!This is a vent as well as a plea for advice.

I have a host who as CONSTANTLY blown me off and stood me up for hosting (canceling a week before her show saying she suddenly had to work... happened twice) and I know it's my own fault for actually working with her! And this will be THE LAST TIME.

Long story longer, her work had a vendor event on 11/11. She asked me to come and I did. I ended up getting sales and put it in as a show for her. Thankfully no one has ordered the November specials or I would be screwed. I told her I needed her order by last Friday as I had a deadline to submit the show. She e-mailed me her order and now I am waiting on her check for payment. I WILL NOT submit the show without payment as I do not trust this woman to keep her word that she will pay me and I have zero doubt that if I submit it and she gets her products, I will never see the $$$.

I e-mailed her today saying that I needed her payment in order to release the show for shipment (fancy wording, eh?) and get an automatic e-mail saying she's out of the office until December 15th. Whenever I try to call her (always get voicemail) she's always too busy to deal with me (and reminds me how *important* she is and that is why she is so busy and then says something condescending about me being a PC rep). To add insult to injury, I know she is in town and is checking her voicemail/e-mail several times daily just not in the office.

Anyway, I have orders sitting here and it will be 6 weeks at least before the customers get them.

Any suggestions on what to do now?

PS: I've already tried prayer. :angel:

 

[Koolotus]

pick out her free stuff, if she has any and skip whatever she ordered. I would send an email stating that if you do not recieve contact with payment arrangement by Friday you will submit the rest of the show and asssume she changed her mind on what she wanted. Then come Friday, I would submit it. Had my first of those sunny girls in September, I completely understand. Be firm and no worries, you don't want to lkeep her anyway ((HUGS))

 

[finley1991]

Thanks... my concern is (She's a lawyer by the way) is that I said that I needed her *order* by last Friday, not her payment. And now I'm stuck with no payment. I'm afraid she is going to use her loophole that she is out of the office until Dec. 15th and *didn't get my messages* about needing the payment. I guess I just need to wait this out until next week and then start stalking her!

 

[Mel5497]

Can you have the show sent to you? I know that is a bit of a pain, but I've done it a couple times when my internal alarm was sounding. If she doesn't pay, then you can send her products back.

 

[pamperedlinda]

I had one of these recently. Her catalog show started the end of Aug - Sept show for cookware. Had the dangest time staying in touch with her. She wouldn't return my calls to get it closed by Sep 30. Talked to her at baseball (her son was on the team). Talked to her on Oct 15th she said shejust walked in the door and she'd call me right back....never did, said she was really tired and fell asleep. So, we turn it into and Oct show. Still cannot get in touch with her until Oct 31st. I really needed it to reah my $4000 for Oct - I was $99 away and this was a $300 catty show. I finally get in touch with her @ 9:00 and she gives me her order - it included cookware and was $300. PROMISING me that she'd bring me a check to baseball the next night. I had extra money in my account so I decided to cover it - but I had it shipped to me. Of course, at baseball she's out of checks, promises me that her bank is sending me one. Well, another weekk goes by....nothing. I can't get in touch with her - but I have her friends orders (which were paid for). I did a reverse address look-up in 411.com and got her home phone number (all I had was her cell) she still insisted that payment was coming to me. I called HO and talked with them b/c I did not want anyone complaining about me. I went to the bank to get a copy of my deposit so I'd have their info from the checks. I was able to get in touch with one of them and she told me that she was not surprised that Casey did that to me b/c she does it all the time and that she owes money to alot of people! she gave me the number to the hospital where everyone works so I was able to call them and tell tham that this other person was going to get their orders and deliver them. I also talked to Casey and she still insists that she has mailed me a check. I told her that it didn't matter if she mailed me a check or not that now I would only accept cash from her....of course the check never came. I had HO pick the order from me on the 29th day and am waiting for my account to be credited. I also called Casey and told her what I did and that I was deeply dissapointed in her as a person and that I hoped no-one ever does to her what she did to me. I'm sure she deleted the message w/o listening to it, but it made me feel better. Her friend apologized to me and said that she had a heart-to-heart with Casey about it too. I gave everyone a SB, apologized for the delay and offered them 15% off of their next order for the delay.

I feel for ya! It's sad that the actions a few can put a damper on things.

 

[chefkathy]

Linda, it sounds like you handled that very well.

 

[pamperedlinda]

Thanks Deb. It was tough b/c all I wanted to do was call this person a liar and tell her off! She knows she lied to me and she knows that I know it too. I had my first up-close glimpse into the life of a compulsive liar - wow, they are a piece of work!

I really feel badly for her son though. He was a pain in the ass at baseball and no-one liked him (loud, obnoxious, cussing, wouldn't listen to anyone, thought he was the next Cal Ripkin...). I thought he was just a bad kid - nope, he's just screaming for attention from his mother! Most of the time the baby-sitter brought him to practices and the games.

Ya'll just be sure and call Career Solutions and let them know what is going on. They will make a note of it on the show and give you advice on the best way to handle the situation.

 

[finley1991]

UpdateSo I was SO tired of waiting for this host to wrap up her show... so I *created a sense of urgency*.... what that means is that I lied. I confess. I lied to her to get her to close her show. After 4 e-mails in the last 2 weeks, I left her a voicemail today and followed it up with an e-mail saying that the show would be submitted Friday at 5pm and she would forfeit her host benefits if she did not call me with payment. She called ASAP. I was just tired of putting up with her crap and waiting on this. So the show is IN and done! Whew!!!!!

 

[pamperedlinda]

sounds like it's time for a glass of wine Colleen

 

[finley1991]

sounds like it's time for a glass of wine Colleen

Got it right here next to me!

 

[pamperedlinda]

Got it right here next to me!

Great! I'll get one too - I hate for you to drink alone

 

[chefkathy]

I'm about to open a bottle of Merlot. Anyone need a glass?

 

[finley1991]

Hee hee hee... anyone else want to join us in our virtual happy hour?

 

[Koolotus]

on it

 

[pamperedbecky]

Yes, please! I'm in! I'd love to join in because I just snowblowed the driveway and our LONG sidewalks (we're on a corner) so my first thought is I need to warm up with SOMETHING. Wine would be good. Or one of those good hot drinks but I'm not really sure which are good "adult" ones. I don't feel like making coffee. I don't even know if I have Bailey's but that may only be good in coffee. I only have little packets of hot chocolate or TS's Oh My Chai but I don't know if mixing alcohol in there would be good.

Maybe it's just red wine for me.....

 

[pamperedlinda]

My latest hot drink is a Hot Apple Pie = Cup of hot apple cider, shot of Tuaca, whipped cream on top and cinnamon (or use a cinnamon stick as a stir-stick) - yummy!

 

[Gagescorpages]

My latest hot drink is a Hot Apple Pie = Cup of hot apple cider, shot of Tuaca, whipped cream on top and cinnamon (or use a cinnamon stick as a stir-stick) - yummy!

OH YUM! What is Tuaca?? I have never heard of that...

 

[pamperedlinda]

OH YUM! What is Tuaca?? I have never heard of that...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuaca

http://cocktails.about.com/od/cocktailrecipes/r/hot_apple_pie.htm

mmm mmm good!