What Should I Do About My Unresponsive Host's Show?

[kdangel518]

I had a show on Saturday July 25. I told her we would close out her show on the following Wed (July 29) and I wanted to do it no later than that day because I was moving that weekend and didn't want her guests orders to get delayed, etc. because I probably wouldn't be available for a week or so after that time.

I tried calling my host, she didn't answer, and didn't call me back before I moved. Since then I've tried to get in touch with her a few times, and she did leave me once voicemail saying she "was busy and forgot to call me to close out her show" (ok fine) but I didn't have a chance for two days after that to get in touch with her. I have been contacting her every day since then to tell her we MUST close her show BY TODAY for her guests to receive their guest specials (free peelers for July) to no avail.

Now, without getting into too much detail, I know for a fact that this host is around and available- she is unemployed, doesn't have a car or a drivers license, and in fact, the phone I am calling her on isn't even hers, it's her aunts. And the worst part is that her aunt doesn't have vmail, but gets text messages, so every time I call and no one picks up I have to text her with a message for my host. Anyway, my SIL works with the aunt and I know the host is around.

Up to this point the aunt has been VERY helpful with getting the messages to my host, so I am not TOO worried that she's not getting my texts...

Anyway, if she doesn't get back to me today, what do I do? I can't submit it as a July show anymore... do I just change it to an August show and select free cookbooks instead of peelers for the guests? I feel like it's not fair for the guests to loose out on their original guest special because the host didn't get back to me in time...

What would you do? :grumpy:

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Are you just waiting for the host's order?

If so - call and let her know one last time that the show must be submitted today. If you don't hear from her by XX:00 time, then you will pick her free product for her, and she will have to forfeit any 1/2 off, 60% off, and discounted products. But the show will be submitted today.

 

[esavvymom]

I'd do what Becky said.

 

[cwinter474]

I would give her a 6pm deadline. Then I would place the orders for the money that I have recieved and have the orders shipped to you home. OR, call the guest if you have not been paid, play stupid and say I've not heard from "Jane Doe Hostess" I hope nothing is wrong, I just want to see if you would like to pay for your order so that we can get it placed. That way they can either pay you and get their freebie or, they can start applying pressure to the hostess.

Just my opinion

 

[ChefJoyJ]

Ditto what Becky said. Hopefully she'll get back to you. If not, then you get to spend the FPV for her! And she'll get what she gets...

 

[kdangel518]

I do not have all the guests payments, and she is JUST at $150 with all the orders. I do not feel comfortable submitting the show without speaking to her to at least know the $$ is going in the mail today or Monday...So I guess this adds a whole new twist?

 

[ChefBeckyD]

If you don't have the money - then really, it isn't a show.

The best you can do at this point is call the customers and ask them if they want you to place their orders.

 

[cwinter474]

Don't pay for orders you haven't been paid for - PC Rule #1

Follow Becky's instructions, she a 6yr veteran.

 

[Shawnna]

Well, if its just a $150 show she isn't going to get much free anyway. I would do as suggested above. call and tell her the show must be submitted today and that she must call you by xx or you will have to pick her free items for her.

If you have the guest numbers call those who haven't paid and ask if they want to meet you to pay for their orders...they probably haven't paid the host...if not, then you don't even have enough to submit. If that is the case you need to call the guests who have paid and let them know what has happened.

 

[Sheila]

My instinct tells me that she collected cash, spent it & is now in a bind & doesn't have it to give to you.

 

[kdangel518]

Re: What do I do about this show?---UPDATEOk, here is the update. I FINALLY got my host on the phone after calling her 4 times today!!!

I had an outstanding balance due on her mother's order, she said her mother won't have the $$ until 9/1 to pay for her order. I said well, I need to submit this show tonight, and I can't do so without a payment, so we will either have to come up with a payment for her order or take it off. She said take it off.

Ok great, but now that brings your show down to $114. She asked me what was in the catalog that would bring them up to $150. Umm... any number of things! So she asked me to call her back in 20 minutes so they (her and her aunt) could figure it out.

Aunt ended up ordering a batter bowl, prep cups, and season's best to bring the show to $150. Aunt is putting a check in the mail for me on Monday. I know the aunt is trustworthy, so I'm going with my gut on this one... let's hope I'm right.

Host ended up getting a batter bowl with her $15 in free product and that's it.

I'm just glad that it's over... thanks for all your help!:sing:

 

[pampered1224]

THANK GOODNESS!!! I had this happen a few years back when a host took the money and ran. Yes, she had a good reason, her husband. She was a battered wife. But you gotta come clean. We ended up making arriangements with every guest to sub in the following months host special but, there was one problem. The hostess had collected all their money but none was to be found. So I had to get on the phone with her, give her all the guests phone numbers and then she needed to explain what happened. I got checks from each guest and they let her keep their original payments. Then the rest fell part. Apparently two guests thought they had the money give up but bounced two checks. It took me two months to get it all fixed. Then of course, I ended up mailing in parties to HO for 6 months because that whole thing made me bounce two parties in a row. I am so glad though that you did not have to worry about that!

 

[cmdtrgd]

I would also suggest you have the show shipped DIRECTLY TO YOU so you have recourse in case the trustworthy aunt accidentally forgets to mail the check.

 

[cindylpal]

I was going to say the same thing...I've been through this a few years back...have the show shipped to you and deliver once you have payment!!!

 

[kdangel518]

I would also suggest you have the show shipped DIRECTLY TO YOU so you have recourse in case the trustworthy aunt accidentally forgets to mail the check.

I would do this, but honestly, they live 60+ miles from me. For $36... It would cost me about the same to eat the amount of her check than to pay for the gas to drive the order up there and come back! I'm having it shipped to the host's house, and now I'm DONE with it!

 

[pcjenr]

So I'm dying to know - did you get the check?

 

[kdangel518]

Yes I did! Aunt mailed me a money order and I rec'd it Monday after we closed the show on Sat Aunt also has a Halloween show booked, so hopefully that one will work out better, lol.

 

[AJPratt]

I am glad it worked out for you!

 

[cookingwithlove]

So after reading this... I have a to ask, what do you guys do when closing a show. Up until recently, I would chat with the host over the phone get any outside orders she collected after the show and get her order. I would ask her to send me the checks and the orders in the mail and I would submit the show, BEFORE I received payment. But recently, I have been burned twice. One host never sent me her payment for her order (not much, less than $40) and the other is giving me the run around about the check being sent but somehow it was lost.

What do you all do?

 

[Sheila]

I do not pay up front for any guest or host. If I don't have their money in hand, their order doesn't get submitted to corporate. I just recently had a show where the host paid for FOUR guests because they didn't have the money to pay right then. Her problem if they never pay, NOT mine. (And the orders are shipped directly to the purchaser here ... we are prohibited from doing "ship to host" in Japan ... so if the host does not get her money, she can't hold the products for ransom.)

 

[PamperedMom07]

Okay after reading everyone's replies, I'm a little worried. I really don't want this happening to me and I'm sorry it's happened to a few of you.I was wondering something, from what I've seen at shows and information my old director gave me when I was selling a year or so back. Is to have the show close that night instead of in a few days. Because you give them at least a week or so to invite guest along with getting outside orders before the show. So when the show does roll around your host will have the outside orders along with payment and everyone at the show will give you their payment along with host. So it would make sense to close it that night right?For me that's how I would do it and I plan to do that when I start back up next month.~Heather

 

[Sheila]

If you can get them to close that night, that's great! I've found that a lot of my Saturday night hosts like to keep the party going after I've left. So it would be hard to get them to sit down with a house full of guests and choose their products. I've also found that when they realize how close they are to a goal, that they'll work at getting to the next level over the next 2-3 days. I had one recently bring back almost $500 in outside orders when we closed her show. So in my experience, the extra few days has usually paid off.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

If you can get them to close that night, that's great! I've found that a lot of my Saturday night hosts like to keep the party going after I've left. So it would be hard to get them to sit down with a house full of guests and choose their products. I've also found that when they realize how close they are to a goal, that they'll work at getting to the next level over the next 2-3 days. I had one recently bring back almost $500 in outside orders when we closed her show. So in my experience, the extra few days has usually paid off.

This is my experience too.

I left a show Thursday night and the host was at $395 in sales. Since then, she has gotten an online order from someone who had a last minute emergency and couldn't come, and I had a phone call from someone there who decided they needed to add the DCB to their order. She is now at $500 in sales, and has a couple other outside orders to give me tomorrow when we close her show. If we had closed that night, her host bonus would have been much lower than it will be when we close.

One thing I do that helps keep the closing date is that I announce at the party when we will be closing the show. Everyone knows that they can add to their order or bring in outside orders until that time.

 

[beckyjsmith]

I remember when I was having my weekly new consultant training calls with my director, and how during the first call she talked about the benefits of telling my hosts we would close the night of. I think that this is a beneficial way of thinking for new consultants because it puts them in the mindframe of doing all of the host coaching ahead of time.
HOWEVER, I have found that it is not necessarily realistic. My standard is to set the closing date 2 days after the show. I send out an email the night of the show thanking the guests for coming and letting them know they have until xxx day to change or add to their order, etc. It's helpful to have a system and a short time frame for closing.

 

[AJPratt]

I usually close my shows within a week of the actual show. I have tried to close e night of (I would love it!) but there is always someone who doesn't show up. "Oh can we keep it open? Susie wanted to order such and such." So, I could close, but I think the host would lose out.