What Do You Think This Email Is Asking Me?

[ChefBeckyD]

I seem to always get the most interesting emails from customers and hosts....

Here is one I received this morning....I've emailed her back for some confirmation, but I'm just not sure what she is wanting from me....am I supposed to recruit this person, or what?

(oh - and this email comes from someone who has fizzled out on catalog shows for me 3 times - without any response to my emails or phone calls...)


Hi Becky,



I have a friend who has many talents. She is from Syria originally and has taught me some cooking from that region. She is staying with Michael and me, having interviewed with Priceline.com here in town to be one of their customer service people speaking Arabic. As a result we were talking about some of the Pampered Chef products in my kitchen and she has been using them. Previously she has taught cooking classes in homes and we wondered if you might be interested to offer some shows with a twist of her cooking these dishes.



Her name is Wxxx Hxxxxxx and she can be reached through my contact information. Or I can pass on her email address. Just a thought as to be a benefit to Waxx and to your business.



Lynn

 

[susanr613]

Sounds like she's asking you if you'd be interested in partnering with W to offer Middle-Eastern themed shows at the very least. Maybe you can recruit her too!

Go for it and enjoy the cuisine!

 

[rennea]

I would contact the "friend" directly. I hope something good comes of it!

 

[pampcheflisa]

Definitely strange!!
The way I read it, is that she is wanting to know if you'd be interested in taking her friend along with you to teach some type of "ethnic cooking". I wonder what she thinks the friend will get out of this. I wouldn't even know where to begin in responding to her. But, it doesn't really sound like the friend is really interested in becoming a consultant though. Very odd.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Sounds like she's asking you if you'd be interested in partnering with W to offer Middle-Eastern themed shows at the very least. Maybe you can recruit her too!

Go for it and enjoy the cuisine!

Hmmm, I guess I'll need to hear back from her first - it's not clear to me whether she can actually work in this country...she has interviewed for a job, but she doesn't say if she got the job. She would have to have green card, correct? I wonder how PC handles that? Can someone not a US citizen sell PC in the States?

And if we did them together, would she want to be payed?

 

[pamperedlinda]

....Can someone not a US citizen sell PC in the States?.....

They need a SSN. A consultant in my cluster when through this and lost a recruit because of it.

 

[DessertDivaFL]

I don't think this was a recruiting email but rather someone wanting to show off their ethnic cuisine.

If I were you I would say "I am glad W is enjoying the PC products. At this time, I haven't had any requests for Syrian dishes. Perhaps in the future, she could host her own show featuring one of her favorite dishes."

 

[kam]

...
Hi Becky,

I have a friend who has many talents. She is from Syria originally and has taught me some cooking from that region. She is staying with Michael and me, having interviewed with Priceline.com here in town to be one of their customer service people speaking Arabic. As a result we were talking about some of the Pampered Chef products in my kitchen and she has been using them. Previously she has taught cooking classes in homes and we wondered if you might be interested to offer some shows with a twist of her cooking these dishes.

Her name is Wxxx Hxxxxxx and she can be reached through my contact information. Or I can pass on her email address. Just a thought as to be a benefit to Waxx and to your business.

Lynn

Sounds almost like she would want to be paid for teaching the classes???

 

[pjpamchef]

Sounds like to me they were being creative. I would contact her and tell her I would Love to do a show for her. I will provide the tools and she can provide the rest, and when it's all said and done she should have a kitchen full of Pampered Chef! If anyone books off her show, she would get the usual past host benefits. And if they want to do any of her recipes, she would be welcome to come along, and I would extend the host discount from each show so she could get more products. It might be fun!! And it might open a whole new avenue of customers for you. You can't actualy pay her in $$ but you could help her get free and discounted Pampered chef Products.

 

[janetupnorth]

Sounds like they thought she could do some demos for you and you can get paid.Be smart, tread lightly and explain that you can have guests demo, but you could not compensate her for demoing because you would need to be a consultant, have the insurance HO provides, etc.They were being creative!But yes, say you'd be glad to do a show for her with her cuisine and have it a learning experience, you just can't "pay" her. Then offer the opportunity.

 

[jrstephens]

I would offer to consultant with her as a host if she wants to host her own shows using her recipes. I think she is asking if you want to "team" up to offer a variety of dishes.

 

[pamperedlinda]

Does she think you need an assistant?

 

[cookingwith_tara]

I think it's a creative question, as well. I would definitely ask your friend out right what she wants you to do. She may also be looking for something for her 'live-in' friend to do so she's not just at the house all the time and at the same time she could be thinking cooking is what 'W' enjoys so this would be perfect. I think I read in the email that "W' is staying with them for awhile, right? None the less - ask her to explain. You already know how to answer if it is an ethics question.

 

[Teresa Lynn]

Danielle's response made me choke on my almonds
I can't imagine soemone asking if we had a Syrian themed show!

 

[raebates]

I'm with Janet. Tread lightly. Make very sure what they mean.

 

[esavvymom]

Sounds like it would be asking for a headache. I think like others suggested- offer her the recruiting opportunity or to host a show, but I'd be very hesitant to 'partner'. To me, it sounded like she's not going to want to do it for nothing based on this last line: "Just a thought as to be a benefit to Waxx and to your business." And given your history with the lady making the request, not likely this is the kind of thing you want to get too involved in. (IF you were even allowed to, since the insurance is for YOU doing demos/consultant job.)Middle-eastern food/cuisine wouldn't seem to be a huge draw to me anyway.
Good luck!

 

[cmdtrgd]

I would say something like "I'm not exactly sure what you are suggesting. Maybe you, she and I should get together over coffee and chat"

 

[DessertDivaFL]

Danielle's response made me choke on my almonds
I can't imagine soemone asking if we had a Syrian themed show!

Sorry Teresa! I will come over and do the Heimlich Maneuver! LOL