My Dinner Party - Opinions

[DFen911]

Ok so I met with the lady and she was very enthused. I told her I would email her the next day with a full menu, estimate of cost, services to be perform yadda yadda. She was very insistent on getting the email from me with all the details. I had written her earlier and got a response right away about the plates.

I emailed her 11:30am on Nov. 9th. One of the things I request is that in that email they must "sign" a contract by providing their full billing name, address, phone and agree that this event can be cancelled so long as 24 hours notice is given via phone message or email.

If notice is given after 24 hours they will be responsible for paying for the groceries, shopping time and delivery fees.

Well I have not heard back from this lady and the party is for Dec. 3rd.

*side bar* I'm the fence about this event. I really don't care if I do it or not. Not like other things I"ve done where I'm really excited to be doing them.

So do I email her again? Or let it go and assume she's decided to pass?

[labradors]

Quote:

---

So do I email her again? Or let it go and assume she's decided to pass?

---

By all means, contact her again, but be tactful about it. I've seen so many such things where a business would reply with something that would sound like, "We responded to you, why haven't YOU responded to us?"

If you have another way to contact her, do that. That way, you can make sure your email wasn't just inadvertently lost to her Spam folder.

[bjcotton]

I would email her, if I wanted to do this party, and let her know that if I didn't hear from her by......I would assume she wasn't interested and would schedule another party. Or, if you really don't want to do it, tell her that since you hadn't heard from her you HAVE scheduled another party. I used to wait around on people and waste my time...whole days sometimes...not anymore, my time is more valuable.

[cjs]

"If you have another way to contact her, do that. That way, you can make sure your email wasn't just inadvertently lost to her Spam folder."

I vote for this...

[HomeCulinarian]

Call her and tell her you can only continue to hold the date until X-Date without an agreement. Be straight forward and business-like.

[pjcooks]

She's probably thinking she has up to the 24 hr deadline, technically, she can book now then cancel at 24 hrs so perhaps she's not clear she must actually book? Do you require a deposit of some sort, perhaps a non-refundable booking fee? (In some states it must be called something else, I think) Otherwise she can tie you up to the 24 hr mark.

I'd call and explain you can't hold the date without a contract. Especially since you could care less one way or another, get the date open for something you really WANT to do!

I realize I'm coming from a catering standpoint as opposed to private chef, you've worked pretty hard to get where you are and it's your turn to make the rules

PJ

[vannin]

I require a signed contract and menu, 1/3 total cost on acceptance, 1/3 total cost 7 days before the event, and the balance on the day of event. The only exception is Govt. Depts.

[vannin]

"are" Gvt. depts.

[DFen911]

Good ideas all around. I was never as busy before so holding a date wasn't an issue. That was until the holiday season hit.

I sent her another email with tomorrow at 5pm as the deadline and left her a voice message.

Deep down..I hope she cancels. I can't put my finger on it, but something about her really bugs me.

[vannin]

Go with your instincts - drop her.