Is It My Fault My Consultant Went Inactive?

[finley1991]

This is when I wish I could just pick up the phone and call my director!...and I can't bother my NED with this, plus she's at Chairman's Circle. And I know she's just tell me that the policies are the policies and that's how it is.

I just got an upsetting e-mail from one of my consultants who just got an e-mail from HO saying that she went inactive October 1st. She thought she had until November 1st before she went inactive.... and she has $12k in career sales which are now gone.

Here's the deal... she submitted $55 in May and took maternity leave June-July-August. She thought she had 2 months after her leave was up (Sept & Oct) to submit her $200. As I looked at her IPT, it would have been May & Sept she needed the $200 since she didn't do the $200 in May.

She's really upset and I don't blame her. She works SO hard... she and her husband have the 2 kids, both work full time and she's in grad school full time. They have one car and she still manages to do normally $500 a month.

And I should have been more on top of this as her director. I have such a sick feeling in my stomach. I can only communicate with her through e-mail as she and her husband share a cell phone which he always has on him so it's almost impossibe to get ahold of her. Due to her work & school schedules she can't attend our team trainings and I offered to meet with her one-on-one but I'm afraid it's too little too late. Now I'm afraid that she's going to think it's not worth it to stay (and I keep telling myself that that's what I think... she might be thinking something completely different and I won't know until I hear back from her...)

I guess I just need right now some words of encouragement that I'm not a horrible director and that it's not ALL my fault that this happened.

And I really want to call my director right now but with the way things have been going with us, she'd be so happy to see something bad happen in my business.

Okay... thanks for reading. I have a recruit lead I need to call right now anyway... hopefully that will perk me up!

 

[kcjodih]

I am so sorry this happened. As hard as it is, it is HER business! And it isn't your job to hold her hand. If she does about $500 a month and is at $12000 then she has been doing this for awhile, and probably should have taken the time to read the policy regarding waivers. I would feel really bad about it too, but you really didn't do anything wrong. I don't think you are a horrible director. Give yourself a brake! I hope you lead call goes well!

 

[pamperedbecky]

One option (although I've never had anyone try it) is I believe you can get a retroactive waiver. Someone else on here will probably know more about it, but she'd have to pay $25 or something like that. So, maybe that will help.

Don't feel bad about it! I know it's easy to do in situations like this, but you can't be expected to hand-hold, especially after that long. I had a similar experience....had a consultant move to a new state. She stated she'd be interested in attending hospitality meetings out there. I happened to know a consultant in that state, so tried to track down a hospitality director through her (hopefully her director). After much waiting, she finally emails me back that her director went inactive. So, then I started going through HO hospitality requests. Went through 2 - found one who would take her. I contacted my consultant about it and was told I took too long and she was kind of burned out with PC. Personally I think it was an excuse because she didn't want to do the work to rebuild her business, but I also felt very guilty. Sure a lot of it was my fault in taking so long, but I never heard from her during that time (other than the initial mention of wanting to look into a hospitality director in her area). I would have thought if she was REALLY that interested in it, I would have gotten an email saying "Hey, what's taking so long." Who knows. Plus this was around Christmas time when I was finding out most clusters weren't doing a regular meeting.

Anyway, hold your chin up!!! You did the best you could and maybe this retro option might work.

 

[cmdtrgd]

She may not be able to get a retroactive waiver because, if I remember correctly, you can only have 3 months of waivers in a 12 month period. Since she took maternity leave for 3 months, that may have taken up her time. Call HO and see what can be done about it!

 

[chefkathy]

Call HO immediately and ask for Career Solutions. Ask if she is still eligible for a retro waiver. If so, have your consultant call right away.

That said, I had a similar situation and by the time my consultant called, she was too late. Lost a nice chunk of career sales. Like others have said, we can't hand hold.

 

[finley1991]

Consultants cannot do a retroactive waiver if they've taken a leave in the last 12 months.

Thanks for your kind words! I really appreciate all of you responding!

 

[pamperedbecky]

She may not be able to get a retroactive waiver because, if I remember correctly, you can only have 3 months of waivers in a 12 month period. Since she took maternity leave for 3 months, that may have taken up her time. Call HO and see what can be done about it!

Oops, yes, I forgot about that part. Duh!!

Sorry that's not an option then. Don't beat yourself up about it though, Colleen.

 

[finley1991]

Thanks Becky! I'm feeling better about it...

 

[BethCooks4U]

As Becky said, you are not her baby sitter! I try to keep up with my team and remind them when they are close to anything (good or bad) but we are all human and things get missed.

PC is so good at sending reminders out via email when someone is close to going inactive, etc. I would bet they notified her that she had to get sales in by end of September. My guess is that she mis-read it (or didn't read it at all because she KNEW what it said). It is her business and her responsibility to know the details.

We try to help our consultants as much as we can but don't feel bad - it's not YOUR fault!!

 

[cmdtrgd]

So, the title of the post.....can't you call your director's director?

 

[finley1991]

No... she's a NED so we really need an appointment to call. She not in the position for us to just pick up the phone and call her on a whim. But that's okay... I'm feeling better about all of it tonight!

You all are the best!!!!!

 

[chefkugler]

Like everyone said, don't beat yourself up over it. Again it is HER business.
So how did the recruit lead call go??

 

[cmdtrgd]

Colleen - My suggestion is to do your best to get closer to your NED. Mine is a call or email away. She is my immediate director, but she still does have to choose who she works with. You are successful and could possibly be in her 1st line if your director were to resign/go inactive and it is to her benefit to get to know you and train you.

 

[finley1991]

Here's the end of this saga... I suggested to my consultant she CALL HO and talk to someone so she would be clear as to why she went inactive (last Thursday I made the suggestion).

Last night I got home from a meeting and was cc'ed on some e-mails she sent to HO about the situation (no call... just e-mail). They told her the same thing I did.

So this morning I get this e-mail from her:

I noticed that you have been receiving the email responses from home office as well. Apparantly this was some oversight on my part, not seeing the "you must submit $200 in September" bit. I am still very angry at the whole situation, especially that I didn't receive any reminder before they cut me off from active status. I hate to say it, but I am thinking about quitting with the Pampered Chef and starting up with another company whose commission starts at 25% (especially since I was so close to my $15,000 and commission raise and they just took it away from me). I would have hoped that home office would be more willing to work with me on this issue, but apparantly not. I don't think I can continue to conduct shows with the negative attitude I now hold towards the company.

I did end up getting to talk to my NED about it on Friday and she gave me some great words to use so I'm going to sit down and write an e-mail to her this morning. (I'm stil in bed! So I will do it when I'm up with my face washed and really ready to go... not groggy!). I know people come and go and I feel okay about it if she does decide to move on. I guess that's because she will never find another company who treats their consultants better than PC does, even if she can get 25% commission.

Anyway, thanks for listening (reading)!!! Have a great day!

Plus I have a show tonight and I will be looking for another consultant anyway!

 

[BethCooks4U]

Obviously a bless and release situation here! Good for you!:sun:

 

[chefkugler]

I can understand her frustration, but really she only has herself to blame. Don't let her make you feel like it is your fault she didnt' know.

 

[finley1991]

I'm so happy I have all of you here... you have NO idea how blessed I feel right now! Sometime we can feel so alone in our businesses because it's not like we can talk to our downlines about some of these things! That's why I SO HAPPY we have this forum!!!!!

I dug out my notes that I took while talking to my NED about this and here is the e-mail I composed to her based on how my NED suggested I handle it. Maybe it might come in handy someday for one of you down the road. Well, hopefully not!!!!! Here is my response anyway!

Hi Jen,

I just got to my e-mail and read it all.... I checked to see if I could find the original e-mail from HO when you applied for the leave and couldn't find it. I feel as though I have let you down by not realizing the September deadline as well. I'm very sorry for that and understand how you are feeling.

Having this happen really sucks... and as a result, we have learned a painful lesson. I've had this happen to me so I understand all of the feelings that go along with this. We are responsible for following the policies. With a new baby you can't be hard on yourself... you took your eye of PC to take care of your family. And in the end it still doesn't change the policy.

At this point we are looking at two options... first, we can decide that this totally sucks to no end... being so close to the $15k point and now it's gone and it's so frustrating. You can decide that you want to pack it in and move on. That is something I would completely understand if that's the direction you decide to go in. The other option is to say that this does royally suck and that I'll have to start over and I will do it even though I'm bummed because I like the company and what it has to offer ... the flexibility, the great products, the writing off of my groceries on my taxes and the income potential that PC does offer. You are good shows and your show average proves that. And all wounds do heal...

As I said, if you decide to move on, I completely understand. If you decide that you'd like to give PC another shot... since you already know the products, programs we offer and have already built a customer base, it's not totally starting at zero. Plus, we are in our busiest season with the holidays ahead of us. I will make the offer again to work with you via coaching calls or one-on-one at a time that's good for you.

Let me know what you decide. --- COLLEEN


I feel so much better... I know that it's not my fault and that policy is policy. And I will do better at tracking when the next consultant takes a leave of absence. Lesson learned!!!!!

 

[chefkathy]

Great reply, Colleen!

 

[finley1991]

Thanks Deb!

 

[BethCooks4U]

I agree! You did a great job. You gave her permission to go which ever way she wants and kept the door open for a comfortable working relationship down the road.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[pamperedbecky]

That's a great response! There's nothing more you can do and I think you've handled this really well. It's great to have this as a draft if any of us ever have to deal with this situation. Thanks for sharing. Be sure to let us know how it it turns out.

 

[finley1991]

I heard back from my consultant:

I couldn't find a copy of that email they are talking about either. In any case, I am still really miffed at the whole situation. I haven't told my hubby about it yet...I know he will be upset too. At this point, I am going to go ahead and carry out the shows that I have planned. And if I continue to have interested people in hosting, then I will hold their shows. but once business begins to dwindle, I do not know if I am going to put in that effort to continue. I might decide to move on at that point. I am still unsure. I see the situation as a failure, and I do not typically do failure (ok, I pretty much never do failure) so it weighs on me heavier than it probably would most people. Regardless, my financial situation right now is horrible, and I need to get additional income from somewhere. So for the moment at least, I am still in the running. As for the coming months, the jury is still out. I do thank you for your advice. Even though it did not help me feel any better, it was well thought out and well intentioned.

 

[chefkugler]

Well lets hope she has some great shows and bookings to keep her happy in her business.

 

[finley1991]

That's what I'm hoping! It's a great time of year for her to have some good shows too!

I just wish (and this is about me, not her) that she would be open to some coaching!

 

[chefkugler]

Yeah that would be even better. I'm starting coaching calls this Sunday with my team. Some need it.ray:

 

[JaimeQ]

Ok I adopted a table top christmas tree to decorate and be auctioned off. I can decorate it however I want and I also have to name it. I need ideas for decorating it... it can be PC related or not. The tree isn't very big so i'm thinking doing PC will kinda hard. But any help would be great. Thanks

 

[chefheidi2003]

Ok I adopted a table top christmas tree to decorate and be auctioned off. I can decorate it however I want and I also have to name it. I need ideas for decorating it... it can be PC related or not. The tree isn't very big so i'm thinking doing PC will kinda hard. But any help would be great. Thanks

How big of a tree are we talking...can you put creative cutters on it...that would be cute...how much money are you looking at spending??

 

[Christ Follower]

If you do PC, you can do a Ribbon around the tree with twixits hanging off it every foot or so. Then the creative cutters. How about the towels at the bottom for a tree skirt?

Hmmmm... I'll keep thinking.

 

[chefheidi2003]

If you do PC, you can do a Ribbon around the tree with twixits hanging off it every foot or so. Then the creative cutters. How about the towels at the bottom for a tree skirt?

Hmmmm... I'll keep thinking.

Ellen...those are great ideas...I am sitting here trying to think of a great tree topper.

 

[Christ Follower]

Maybe the RUFTH Trivet if you had a really strong top?

Or you can roll the silicone one into a cone shape?

 

[Christ Follower]

Do you have any of those tassel napkin rings from last year? You know, the red ones? Those would look festive too.

 

[jlevernier]

Ellen...those are great ideas...I am sitting here trying to think of a great tree topper.

How about the Food Chopper as a topper?

Make a "bouquet" of wooden spoons or scrapers as a topper?

Hang laminated photos from the catalog on ribbons as ornaments.

Make a skirt from current and past silicone trivets.

Use the 8 qt. ss bowl as a base for the tree to stand in. (okay, this is a stretch!)

Hang mini bags of our quick christmas food as ornaments, pretzel wreaths, cranberry bark, spiced pecans.



--Jenny L

 

[JaimeQ]

The tree is not very big at all from base to top it is maybe a foot and a half.

 

[JaimeQ]

and I really don't want to spend that much since iI don't really have that much to spend.. and i'm thinking it isn't going to get me any biz.... I'm not sure if they are going to allow us to advertise on it or not....

 

[jrstephens]

I think I am going to do a little one with the Creative Cutters and ribbons.

The twix-its with ribbons sounds cute too.

 

[jlevernier]

Do you have some empty small boxes and old catalogs? Maybe you can wrap a bunch of boxes in old catalog pages, stack them and place the tree on top of the package pile as the topper. Or a stack of product boxes in the shape of a tree with the real tree on top of them.

--Jenny L

 

[jlevernier]

I think I am going to do a little one with the Creative Cutters and ribbons.

The twix-its with ribbons sounds cute too.

I like this idea, might use it for my holiday open house. Thanks!

--Jenny L

 

[JaimeQ]

That's why i'm kinda leaning away from doing it as a PC tree... the ideas are all good but the tree isn't going to hold much and I don't have alot of $$ to be spending to do it.

 

[JaimeQ]

I have an idea of maybe doing it all in snowman ornaments... maybe put some lights on it.... Or do it in mini ornaments....

 

[friday]

snowman sounds good. Have you thought of a colour theme?

 

[JaimeQ]

No I didn't think of that. I have to go see what I can find. I'm trying to make it as appealing as possible so people will want to spend their money to "win" it. It's a fundraiser for spouses groups

 

[JaimeQ]

I gotta come up with a catchy name to go with whatever theme I do pick.

 

[jrstephens]

At an Arts and Crafts Festival this weekend they were selling ornaments from the Dollar Store that they had hand painted things on. I cannot paint but if you could, this would be a great way to dress up inexpensive ornaments but be able to market them as one of a kind! They were really cute! They had put poinsettias, angles, stars, and different Christmas items on them.

 

[Teresa Lynn]

do you have any recipe cards from past seasons or can you get some from your clustermates?
Hole punch the corner and tie them on with a few inexpensive items.
star garland is always eye catching and very cheap

 

[chef_kimmo]

There are some great ideas on here and I have a craft show this weekend and one next weekend. I might do some of these ideas.

 

[chef_kimmo]

Jaime, you will have to tell us what you end up doing and maybe post some pictures.

 

[Christ Follower]

I was wondering what you decided to do to?

 

[missydivine]

I have an idea of maybe doing it all in snowman ornaments... maybe put some lights on it.... Or do it in mini ornaments....

You could make cute ornaments out of those puff balls, you know what I'm talking about? You can get them in different sizes and colors. You could string popcorn, and do it old fashioned.

 

[friday]

I just got my Martha Stewart Living and it has these awsome bead ornaments. Also, cookie ornaments that look a little too tempting for the people in my house and my tree would be stripped clean LONG before Christmas if I did THAT. Just some thoughts.

 

[JaimeQ]

I haven't decided on anything yet. I still have to go to the store and see what I can find...