• Join Chef Success Today! Get support for your Pampered Chef business today! Increase your sales right now! Download 1000s of files and images, view thousands of Pampered Chef support threads! Totally Free!

Venting Frustration After Difficult Fundraiser

In summary, the woman who took the orders under her name without contacting the organizer received an order for $575 more than anyone else. The organizer attempted to contact the woman but received no response. The organizer was also struggling with credit card problems and was forced to take the order from the customer.
lisasfuncooking
255
Help! I know there is not much that could be done, but I really need to vent.
I had done my first fundraiser in June for our local baseball team with 500 families. I had put so much time and money into this to make sure everything was perfect. We had a kickoff and tried to have 1 team mom per team in charge of handing out the mini catalogs, orderforms and flyer. I had given specific instructions on how to do this. Anyone who was interested could use my website for ordering or call me directly, this was I had direct contact with everyone and not have to go through a bunch of moms. Everything had worked out well, even though the sales were alot less than I had thought they would be. I closed around $2,700 in comission, but only had about 5% of people ordering. I had this one team mom who called me and said she did it a different way and took 18 orders and put it under her name with an order of $575.00. I explained to her that it would be difficult if anyone ever had a problem with there order, she had the reciept under her name. She said she didn't care. She had already taken everyones $ and gave me her credit card.
By this time there was nothing I could do but take the order. I wanted to close it but was still waiting on last minute payments.
In the mean time I got very sick, I thought I had the flu or even the swine flu.
I had gone to the hospital and they said it wasn't. After a week on the coach with a 103 fever I went back to the doctors. A week later, still sick, she called me and told me to come in right away. My blood work showed I had 3 different kinds of tick diseases, on of which in new to the area and very severe. I had to go on anti-malaria medicine and a bunch of other stuff.
Not to be mean but pampered chef was the furthest from my mind. I was never so sick in my life. I had called the director and let her know I was very sick and the order was going to be delayed because of it. I had also called the woman who gave me the big order because she left a pissed off message for me. She acted like she really didn't care. Meanwhile I truly was very sick. Didn't watch tv, use the phone or check my emails. I finished getting the $ and closed it out. Unfortunately, there were some problems with credit cards that put the show on hold, which I did not know.
Then I get a call from HO saying this woman is calling and wants her order shipped directly to her, gave them wrong information and had them terribly confused. I told the HO to put the balance on my credit card and I would get it from the customers so this woman would get her stuff for this weekend. The order was shipped and is coming today.
I had tried to contact this woman and left a message with her nasty husband telling him I will have everything on Friday and would drop it off to her, or if she gives my the 18 names and # of the people who gave her the orders, I would contact them and deliver it to them. She has not called back, I had even emailed her a nice letter apologizing for the delay and explained the situation. Even after she new that the order was shipped she is still calling the HO complaining she wanted it shipped to her. She lives 10 minutes from me. For someone who had to had the order asap, now she won't call me back to get it. At this point I don't know what to do. I tried so hard to make this a great fundraiser and pride myself on customer service. Now I feel like a failure. I had also contacted everyone else and they were very nice and understanding.
While I take some responsibility, what else could I have done. Thank God I didn't die, she would be at my funeral throwing stones at me. Even the woman at the HO said she is dificult. She asked me when I deliver her order, not to go alone.
I would really appreciate you honest opinion.
 
Don't let her attitude bother you. I think one person at every fundraiser thinks everything circles around them! I had one parent turn hers in the day after it closed (turned in April 1st for the March 31st deadline) and complained the whole month that she was losing "her" money because I didn't pick up the orders at the Gymnastics Club on time! You had a great show. Don't let this woman dictate how it will go. I ended up putting in the attached "thank you" notes for each person so if there was a problem with anything, they could have my contact info.
 

Attachments

  • SONRISE TY NOTE.doc
    22 KB · Views: 412
Jane,
I love this note and will be keeping for future reference for fundraiser I do.

There's always 1 person who ruins what you're trying to do.

Lisa
 
Jane, Thank you for sharing the note. It is great and I will also be saving it in my files.
 


Hello, I am so sorry to hear about your difficult experience with your first fundraiser. It sounds like you put a lot of time and effort into making it a success, and it's unfortunate that it didn't go as smoothly as you had hoped.
First and foremost, I am glad to hear that you are feeling better after your illness. Your health is the most important thing and I hope you continue to take care of yourself.
In regards to the issues with the team mom and her order, it sounds like you did everything you could to try and make it work out. It's understandable that you were concerned about having her as the main contact for the orders, and it's unfortunate that she didn't seem to care about that. However, it seems like you handled the situation as best as you could, given the circumstances.
As for the other issues with the credit cards and the customer wanting her order shipped directly to her, I can imagine how frustrating and overwhelming that must have been for you. It's unfortunate that the customer is being difficult and not responding to your attempts to deliver her order.
In terms of what else you could have done, it sounds like you did everything in your power to make the fundraiser a success. Sometimes, despite our best efforts, things just don't go as planned. Please don't feel like a failure, because you did your best and that's all anyone can ask for.
I would suggest reaching out to your director or another consultant for support and advice on how to handle the situation with the difficult customer. They may have some helpful tips or suggestions on how to handle difficult situations like this in the future.
Again, I am sorry to hear about your experience and I hope things improve for you. Remember to take care of yourself and don't let this one difficult experience discourage you from future fundraisers. Wishing you all the best.
 

1. How can I effectively vent my frustration after a difficult fundraiser?

Venting frustration after a difficult fundraiser is important for your mental and emotional well-being. One effective way to do this is by finding a trusted friend or family member to talk to. You can also journal about your feelings or engage in a physical activity like exercise to release built-up tension.

2. Is it okay to express my frustration to my team or donors?

While it is important to acknowledge and process your frustration, it is not recommended to express it to your team or donors. This could negatively impact morale and relationships. Instead, find a private and healthy outlet for your emotions.

3. How can I prevent feeling frustrated after a difficult fundraiser?

Preventing frustration after a difficult fundraiser starts with setting realistic expectations and goals. Make sure to communicate clearly with your team and donors and have a solid plan in place. It is also important to take breaks and practice self-care throughout the fundraising process.

4. Should I dwell on the negative aspects of the fundraiser?

No, dwelling on the negative aspects of the fundraiser will only prolong your frustration and hinder your ability to move on. Instead, try to focus on the positive aspects and lessons learned. This can help you improve for future fundraisers.

5. How can I use my frustration to fuel future fundraising efforts?

While it is important to acknowledge and process your frustration, you can also use it as motivation for future fundraising efforts. Reflect on what went wrong and how you can improve, and channel that energy into planning and executing a successful fundraiser in the future.

Similar Pampered Chef Threads

  • lisasfuncooking
  • Business, Marketing and Customer Service
Replies
4
Views
1K
AnaCash
  • pattikake
  • Business, Marketing and Customer Service
Replies
34
Views
5K
pamperedlinda
  • vanscootin
  • Business, Marketing and Customer Service
Replies
9
Views
2K
byrd1956
  • chefsteph07
  • Business, Marketing and Customer Service
Replies
31
Views
5K
lt1jane
  • GingerChef
  • Business, Marketing and Customer Service
Replies
2
Views
1K
Jolie_Paradoxe
  • byrd1956
  • Business, Marketing and Customer Service
Replies
5
Views
5K
byrd1956
  • Niki Kate
  • Business, Marketing and Customer Service
Replies
4
Views
6K
AnaCash
  • Bluiydangl
  • Business, Marketing and Customer Service
Replies
7
Views
2K
Nanisu
  • andrealynne719
  • Business, Marketing and Customer Service
Replies
14
Views
2K
cookingwithlove
  • esavvymom
  • Business, Marketing and Customer Service
Replies
4
Views
2K
Maggievl
Back
Top