What If a Consultant Refuses to Fulfill Their Obligations? - A Kitnapping Story

[Liquid Sky]

I am working on getting an alleged "kitnapper" to fulfill their obligation to PC. This person signed in August and has done NOTHING. Has every excuse in the book....but I am not putting up with it anymore. I am DONE with excuses.

It has gotten to the point that this person asked what it going to happen if they don't turn in 4 shows or $1,250 in sales. I didn't directly answer that b/c if I did then she'd SURELY skip her way off and do nothing. She asked me to call HO to ask. I told her she can call....I am not taking my sweet time to help and support someone on my team who wants to do nothing.

I wonder what HO would say if someone were to call and be like, "I signed up to be a consultant and what will happen if I don't turn in any shows or sales at all?"

I'd be REAL curious of their wording....

 

[pkd09]

Would love to hear the answer to this too. I, too, had a recruit in April of 2009 that didn't produce one show. I trained her, she attended one of my shows, etc. and still nothing. At one point I actually told her she at least needed to do the $1250 to keep the products or return them and still she did nothing. She even had 3 people who stated to her that they would have shows and she didn't follow through. In September I finally just "released" her. We can do everything right as recruiters but if the individual doesn't work the business, they is exactly what they will get...nothing.

 

[jwpamp]

How about:"Kathy Kit-napper, when you signed, you struck me as a woman of integrity. The Pampered Chef sold you the business kit at a significant discount in exchange for your first $1250 in sales.I am here to help you keep your word to the company. Let's just get thru that $1250 and then you can leave with a clear conscience."

 

[LeslieSGI]

Awesome answer Janice!​

 

[cookingwithdot]

Or tell her that you spoke to them and she has to return everything to you because they are picking it up! Then you can have it all! Sounds like you deserve it for the work you have put into it.

 

[Kelly8]

Love your answer, Dottie! I called HO about this before because I thought it's such a waste that all these kitnappers get this kit and don't do anything. HO said they really can't pursue it. Bummer on our end! However, I now have every consultant who signs up actually physically sign the consutlant agreement. This way I can always go back and say to them that they signed a contract saying they would submit $1250 in sales in exchange for the kit price. Sometimes that even works. So instead of saying what HO will (or won't do), remind them of their legal obligation. Then do what Dottie says!

 

[Liquid Sky]

Or tell her that you spoke to them and she has to return everything to you because they are picking it up! Then you can have it all! Sounds like you deserve it for the work you have put into it.

LOL...this is EXACTLY what I told her. Then she asked, "what if I don't return it?" I replied, "then they are going to charge you full price for the kit for not meeting your obligation to them". She literally GASPED on the phone. Then proceeded to ask how they would garnish her wages if she gets laid off. I told her that I don't work in the Finance Dept. of PC so I don't know exactly how they do it...but they do do it...and she could call to find out. ROFL.

She then asked to see a copy of the agreement. Geez girl....you should HAVE YOUR SIGNED COPY. Of course she didn't and wanted me to fax her one. Blah Blah Blah, I basically had her upline take a blank agreement to work to give it to her. This wanna be kitnapper is an indirect recruit

I have her scared and now more open to fulfilling her obligation. This conversation took place before Christmas. I told her I'd get in touch with her after the holidays to get an action plan in place. So I have it on my calendar to call her tomorrow night to hash it out.

Another point I want to drive to people is I don't want them kitnapping, then spreading the word to everyone how you can sign up and get all these products and DO NOTHING. I don't want her friends/family all of a sudden signing up knowing they can skip out. Not to say this would happen but I am downright DONE with people who do this!

 

[crystalscookingnow]

LOL...this is EXACTLY what I told her. Then she asked, "what if I don't return it?" I replied, "then they are going to charge you full price for the kit for not meeting your obligation to them". She literally GASPED on the phone. Then proceeded to ask how they would garnish her wages if she gets laid off. I told her that I don't work in the Finance Dept. of PC so I don't know exactly how they do it...but they do do it...and she could call to find out. ROFL.

She then asked to see a copy of the agreement. Geez girl....you should HAVE YOUR SIGNED COPY. Of course she didn't and wanted me to fax her one. Blah Blah Blah, I basically had her upline take a blank agreement to work to give it to her. This wanna be kitnapper is an indirect recruit

I have her scared and now more open to fulfilling her obligation. This conversation took place before Christmas. I told her I'd get in touch with her after the holidays to get an action plan in place. So I have it on my calendar to call her tomorrow night to hash it out.

Another point I want to drive to people is I don't want them kitnapping, then spreading the word to everyone how you can sign up and get all these products and DO NOTHING. I don't want her friends/family all of a sudden signing up knowing they can skip out. Not to say this would happen but I am downright DONE with people who do this!

I couldn't agree more about this. I've got someone on my team now who is trying to do this & I won't let her off that easy. LOL

 

[baychef]

One thing I noticed is having them physically sign something may visually have an impact on them, but when they sign up online, they have to agree to the agreement and this would probably be an electronic signature which is just as binding.

Personally, I would not waste one second on them. If they want to know what PC would do, have them call HO. It is PC's agreement and not ours. Sure, I would love them to do a party and submit a show to qualify, but scaring them will teach them no lesson. They will find out eventually that nothing will or would happen. If their intension was deceptive in the first place, I don't want them giving us a bad name by possibly not submitting parties and taking party money for themselves. I have had this happen once and heard someone else tell how they were the host and the consultant charged them and took their money. PC covers these products as a good will gesture.

We had a consultant sign up on our team and she admitted it was her second time. She donated the first kit to a church because she felt guilty that she did not submit one show. So on her second attempt with us, she submitted one maybe 2 parties, but never qualified. Then she came back again, signed and did nothing again. We have heard that she signed up again under yet another consultant and told them that we never trained her. YIKES! We were amazed that HO let her sign up a fourth time.

 

[DebbieJ]

HO will do NOTHING.I had a gal who signed up and then later change her mind (after not turning in any sales) and when I called PC, they said she could just keep the kit and they wouldn't "go after her" so to speak.

 

[NayNay]

Free speech alert*** You're probably not going to like my opinion but here goes. I have recently moved to attend school and have to put pampered chef on hold. I am still in my 3 months. If my director had the nerve to ask me for my kit it would not be pretty. For one, I technically did pay something for it. So if the director wanted the kit that badly I would DEMAND my money returned to me. If someone is a kit-napper, try to help them start their business and then let go. Your wasting your time and effort on a lost cause. Live, learn, and move on. Like I said you might not like my answer, so I would appreciate no retaliation to my comments please. Free speech is welcome.

 

[lockhartkitchen]

We only have control over ourselves. I agree with Naydeen. We put effort in, but ultimately, it's up to the new consultant. Maybe she will pick it up seriously in the next 5 months. I looked up information on HO website recently and didn't realize that I have recruited 13 people in my career! Wow! If only they had'nt been kitnappers, etc. I just bless, release and work on who I'll meet next.

 

[Nanisu]

Home office will return 90% of their money when they send the kit back. Had someone take advantage of that once. I hate kitnappers.

 

[MLinAZ]

This way I can always go back and say to them that they signed a contract saying they would submit $1250 in sales in exchange for the kit price. Sometimes that even works. So instead of saying what HO will (or won't do), remind them of their legal obligation. Then do what Dottie says!

But see, the contract itself does NOT say anything about the $1250 or 4 shows. Nothing. It says stuff about it can be retracted within 30 days, it says it's good for 6 months and if you don't submit $150/mo for 6 consecutive months then it's terminated, etc. But nowhere in the terms and agreements does it actually state that you are obligated to any sort of minimums.

That's what I think stinks. Because Caressa and I are getting ready to try and work with my recruit who is literally 1 show and less than $400 away from having her 4 shows and $1250 in sales but her 90 days is up 2/3 and she has nothing on the books for January and claims she's "bored". I'm trying to get her to just fulfill that last bit of sales so SHE earns the extra "free" produts (PC dollars), and yes, so I can get my incentive points and recruiting bonus, but she's just not doing anything. It's frustrating. I want to tell her she's breaking the contract, but really...is she? It's not stated in there.

 

[Liquid Sky]

Well, I HAVE tried working with her. I work very closely with my team and she flat out ignored me until I got serious with her. She signed in August, so her 6 months are up at the end of Feb.

She hasn't even TRIED anything. She gave me excuses left and right about how she can't leave her baby at all (but yet she works FULL TIME outside the home and doesn't take her baby with her)....ok...let's get some catalog shows rolling. "um.....I can't...." UGH! Seriously!

Sure, I am so going to pick up her kit and return it to HO. She physically SIGNED the contract herself!!!! I was careful to explain what the requirements are and she signed, thus agreeing to the terms and conditions. When you sign a contract, you are obligated to fulfill it. You don't sign a contract for a bank loan then never pay...then get mad and demand your $$ back when the bank repossesses the home. PC is also not a rental program....you don't buy the kit, use the products then return them for a full refund.

Nope, I don't agree one bit at what she is doing. I have had MANY people not fully do the 4 show thing or $1,250 in sales (one got diagnosed w/ thyroid cancer...etc) and I blessed and released. At least they did SOMETHING w/in that 6 month time frame and not ignore my calls/emails.. Downright RUDE. My FIRST 5 recruits never fully qualified (very first one was a kitnapper) so it's not like this is the first time I am dealing w/ this.

I now have a team of 14, 13 of them active every month and 1 not doing a dang thing. I know, they are out there....but I am not going to sit idly by anymore.

 

[pamperedlinda]

I wouldn't waste any more of my time on her. Bless and release and move on. She is taking up too much of your energy that you could be using to focus on something positive. Leave her on your team communication mailing list if she wants to come back she will - if not well then you know that you tried your best.

 

[chef131doreen]

You may have heard this before Bless and Releass Put all this energy to good use New People to join your team . Don't give her another call E-mail her with the steps to take on getting some catalog partys then nothing else Move on is my 2 cents

 

[babywings76]

LOL...this is EXACTLY what I told her. Then she asked, "what if I don't return it?" I replied, "then they are going to charge you full price for the kit for not meeting your obligation to them". She literally GASPED on the phone. Then proceeded to ask how they would garnish her wages if she gets laid off. I told her that I don't work in the Finance Dept. of PC so I don't know exactly how they do it...but they do do it...and she could call to find out. ROFL.

She then asked to see a copy of the agreement. Geez girl....you should HAVE YOUR SIGNED COPY. Of course she didn't and wanted me to fax her one. Blah Blah Blah, I basically had her upline take a blank agreement to work to give it to her. This wanna be kitnapper is an indirect recruit

I have her scared and now more open to fulfilling her obligation. This conversation took place before Christmas. I told her I'd get in touch with her after the holidays to get an action plan in place. So I have it on my calendar to call her tomorrow night to hash it out.

Another point I want to drive to people is I don't want them kitnapping, then spreading the word to everyone how you can sign up and get all these products and DO NOTHING. I don't want her friends/family all of a sudden signing up knowing they can skip out. Not to say this would happen but I am downright DONE with people who do this!

It must be very frustrating, but I also would say to just bless and release. They signed a contract with HO. If they aren't going to go after them, then you shouldn't either. I wouldn't tell them things that aren't true. You don't have to pay and cover the cost of them not fulfilling their understood obligation, so try not to let this get the best of you.

I know it stinks, though.

 

[jwpamp]

Oh, and Deb is right, they won't do anything. I always just give it one last shot with that statement (or something like it) and then move on. I have recruited 30 and had 5 or 6 Kitnappers. It happens.

They steal and waste your training time. They suck.

Move on!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Well, I HAVE tried working with her. I work very closely with my team and she flat out ignored me until I got serious with her. She signed in August, so her 6 months are up at the end of Feb.She hasn't even TRIED anything. She gave me excuses left and right about how she can't leave her baby at all (but yet she works FULL TIME outside the home and doesn't take her baby with her)....ok...let's get some catalog shows rolling. "um.....I can't...." UGH! Seriously!Sure, I am so going to pick up her kit and return it to HO. She physically SIGNED the contract herself!!!! I was careful to explain what the requirements are and she signed, thus agreeing to the terms and conditions. When you sign a contract, you are obligated to fulfill it. You don't sign a contract for a bank loan then never pay...then get mad and demand your $$ back when the bank repossesses the home. PC is also not a rental program....you don't buy the kit, use the products then return them for a full refund. Nope, I don't agree one bit at what she is doing. I have had MANY people not fully do the 4 show thing or $1,250 in sales (one got diagnosed w/ thyroid cancer...etc) and I blessed and released. At least they did SOMETHING w/in that 6 month time frame and not ignore my calls/emails.. Downright RUDE. My FIRST 5 recruits never fully qualified (very first one was a kitnapper) so it's not like this is the first time I am dealing w/ this. I now have a team of 14, 13 of them active every month and 1 not doing a dang thing. I know, they are out there....but I am not going to sit idly by anymore.

My advice is the same as others - Bless and release. If you continue to recruit, it won't be your last kitnapper, and it takes up too much precious emotional energy to get so worked up over someone else's bad choices. You can't force her to fulfill her commitment, and HO isn't going to do anything about it....and it's never a good thing to tell someone something that isn't true to get them to do what you want.Spend your energy on the ones who want help, and want to grow their businesses!

 

[chefann]

Telling kitnappers that HO will charge them or come and repo the kit is not ethical, since we know that HO will do neither of those things. By telling a kitnapper that, you are lowering yourself to their moral level (stealing vs. lying). Don't do it. If kitnapping becomes a problem, then HO can choose to put procedures in place to recoup kit costs from kitnappers.

 

[wadesgirl]

Telling kitnappers that HO will charge them or come and repo the kit is not ethical, since we know that HO will do neither of those things. By telling a kitnapper that, you are lowering yourself to their moral level (stealing vs. lying). Don't do it. If kitnapping becomes a problem, then HO can choose to put procedures in place to recoup kit costs from kitnappers.

I was just going to say this. Lying is not the way to get around this. And I agree with Nadeen. There maybe reasons why she cannot start or won't start that you don't know of. Just bless and release. I had one last year that kept saying she would do something then talked about returning the kit (HO will give you 90% of your money back) and then talked about doing something again. But as of October she is no longer a consultant. There is only so much you can do. Do not tarnish your reputation over this person. She's not worth is.

 

[baychef]

Caresa, everyone of us understands your frustration and anger with people that have this dead beat attitude. As you say, you have dealt with it before

I am impressed that all but one of your team members is active each month! Your hard work with them is paying off.

 

[pampered1224]

Not only is it stooping to their level but it is illegal! It is called harassment and can get YOU in more trouble than it is worth. Do you really want to become the UGLY PAMPERED CHEF LADY that only threatens others to make money??? What if she does decide to call HO and she she tells them what you are threatening her with? How will that sit with HO? And remember, you do not know who she knows and it may hurt your business. It only takes one person saying something about you that is ugly to put off hundreds of others when your name comes up. I mean seriously! Is it worth possibly ruining your own reputation?

 

[Liquid Sky]

Not only is it stooping to their level but it is illegal! It is called harassment and can get YOU in more trouble than it is worth. Do you really want to become the UGLY PAMPERED CHEF LADY that only threatens others to make money??? What if she does decide to call HO and she she tells them what you are threatening her with? How will that sit with HO? And remember, you do not know who she knows and it may hurt your business. It only takes one person saying something about you that is ugly to put off hundreds of others when your name comes up. I mean seriously! Is it worth possibly ruining your own reputation?

Um, yeah....that's pretty "low" of you to say.

I never "threatened" and harassing is not what I did. I simply had ONE conversation about that ONCE in the past 4 months. I fully told her to call HO and take it up with them and that I don't know exactly HOW they do things.

Of course, I can't begin to break down the timeline and have you all completely understand the dynamic of the situation. Plus, I don't have to worry about ruining my reputation when I have a solid and strong business and that I take care of all my customers and recruits. I won't back down and save face to ONE person for fear that my reputation will be put on the line.

I understand this is on HO and their policies...and trust me..I am not losing sleep over this nor spending precious time on it. Again, it was ONE phone conversation. This has only taught me, going forward, how to make sure I CLEARLY explain to recruit prospects that this takes "work" and I want to make sure they are ready for it.

 

[baychef]

Caressa, I am butting my nose in, but I think people are not attacking you but rather trying to protect you. You already know that the written word on postings are without emotion. And therefore, can be taken the wrong way. (I had a host that told me I "sounded" mad in my posts because I used "!" a lot. I had to explain that when I used it, it was for excitement.)

Only my opinion, but it sounds like you have clearly thought this through and are frustrated to no end with this deadbeat. And yes, we do not know the timeline or the conversations with her. The title of your thread was a question and others answered. They shared what they would do or how they feel. And bottom line, we all like to look after one another as consultants on CS.

It is your business and you have decided. Let us know how it turns out. Hopefully she will follow through.

 

[Chef Kearns]

Very well said Ann! (and I use !! alot, too)

 

[Liquid Sky]

Caressa, I am butting my nose in, but I think people are not attacking you but rather trying to protect you. You already know that the written word on postings are without emotion. And therefore, can be taken the wrong way. (I had a host that told me I "sounded" mad in my posts because I used "!" a lot. I had to explain that when I used it, it was for excitement.)

Only my opinion, but it sounds like you have clearly thought this through and are frustrated to no end with this deadbeat. And yes, we do not know the timeline or the conversations with her. The title of your thread was a question and others answered. They shared what they would do or how they feel. And bottom line, we all like to look after one another as consultants on CS.

It is your business and you have decided. Let us know how it turns out. Hopefully she will follow through.

Oh, I know this and that's why I come to this board to post questions. I agree that it's hard to "hear" what others are saying thru text....but word choices are a different story. Maybe I am just more conscious of that and felt a little attacked by saying I am harassing, threatening my team in order to make $...etc. That was WAY off base...IMHO.

 

[elizabethfox]

I would not tell a customer something that is not true.

Yeah it stinks to have a recruit not follow thru.. but all you can do is move on to those who you can help succeed at this biz instead of getting down about one who is kitnapping.

 

[wadesgirl]

Oh, I know this and that's why I come to this board to post questions. I agree that it's hard to "hear" what others are saying thru text....but word choices are a different story. Maybe I am just more conscious of that and felt a little attacked by saying I am harassing, threatening my team in order to make $...etc. That was WAY off base...IMHO.

I think John was more saying you don't want people to be saying that about you behind your back, not that you would ever do that.