Am I being an unreasonable volunteer?

[Allison]

Originally Posted by Nicolepa

I'm going to be the dissenter here. Yes, I think you are being unreasonable. You are basically demanding that he deliver to you because you pay him. Not knowing what the item is and using the example of shirts, I do not know of any vendor who would personally deliver. We always have a volunteer go pick up our shirts/jerseys/whatever. Sometimes it's the volunteer, sometimes we ask if someone else can do it if the volunteer can't for whatever reason.

20 minutes is nothing, really. If he normally delivered and now he won't that's a different story. Sounds like you either need to use a different vendor next year or you need to find a different volunteer. (I'm thinking the latter would be the best.)

I will dissent with you.

[chloelovesdisney]

Originally Posted by diznygirl

I don't think you are being unreasonable at all. He is the vendor, you are the customer. He isn't treating you like a customer, he is treating you like an employee. So let him know that this isn't working for you and there is someone else who has offered you a better deal including pick-up and delivery. If he doesn't change his ways, then find someone else.

Good luck!

Ditto

[Gumbo4x4]

How about a compromise?: You take the cash, deposit it in your account, then write a check. Mail that check & all the other checks to the vendor so he does not have to come get them. Then, ask him to deliver the goods when they're complete. Would that be more reasonable?

[crashbb]

Originally Posted by diznygirl

I don't think you are being unreasonable at all. He is the vendor, you are the customer. He isn't treating you like a customer, he is treating you like an employee. So let him know that this isn't working for you and there is someone else who has offered you a better deal including pick-up and delivery. If he doesn't change his ways, then find someone else.

Good luck!

Only true if he picks up and delivers for all his other customers and is treating the OP differently. Otherwise, he is treating her like a customer. Like any customer, the OP can decide if she wants to give him her business (well, the groups business) or not. I won't make the threat unless you are willing and able to follow through with it.

[scrapquitler]

Would it really be that much of a big deal to deposit the cash into the organizations account and have the treasurer write a check, then mail the orders??? If the organization can't do a check for some reason, I would deposit the cash and write a check myself then mail the orders. That would save you one trip.

I personally, I wouldn't have a problem driving 20 or 30 minutes out of my way to do this pickup for my volunteer position. It sounds like its a couple of times a year...it's not like its every week.

In the future, maybe you could change the way the orders are handled and make it clear that only One product order will be done per year or per sports season, any additional orders people wang they have to do on their own. Or ask the producer to ship for you (and charge the purchasers enough extra to cover the additional cost).

If you don't want to do the job the way it is, then the options are to organize it differently or don't do it any more.

I always figure that if I volunteer, it's probably going to cost me something, either time that I wouldn't have spent (ie driving to pick up products, distributing them etc) or a bit of money out of my pocket (gas money) or both, and if I am not okay with that, then I don't volunteer. If I do the job, and I'm not happy with how it works out, I deal with it for the time that I have committed to, be it the school year, the sports season, or whatever, then I step down.

[Hrhpd]

Originally Posted by lovetoscrap

I agreed to take on a volunteer position for an activity DD is involved in. Part of this job involves coordinating the orders and purchase of items for the group. Let's just pretend it is tshirts and sweatshirts. (it isn't but it is a good analogous example) We don't NEED the shirts, they are just a fun part of being in the group.

Our vendor is a semi- local guy that works out of his home. He lives in our area but is another town over in an area at least 20 mins away that I NEVER have any reason to go to. I have been there once several years ago and it was hard to find and difficult to get to. The group gets none of the money that is paid for the shirts-- it is not a fundraiser of any type so everything above cost is his profit. The group actually pays for one tshirt for everyone so the vendor is guaranteed several thousand dollars. Some families order extras so that is additional money he makes and the sweatshirts are an additional order done later that is again, all money that goes to him. He does come out and work with us on them, collects the initial tshirt orders at that time and delivers the initial tshirt order when they are in.

The person that did this position before me did it for about 6 years. She is a superwoman SAHM that was on the board of every activity her kids did, devoted 80 hours a week on her volunteer jobs, did a great job and is a friend of mine. I, however am back to work and can't devote that time to a volunteer position and frankly didn't even when I wasn't working. She also, through her course of working with this guy for the activity, started actually "working" for him as sort of an unpaid assistant. She helps him with his business and he lets her have all the tshirts she wants for her family for free at any time. So I called her to let her know that I had some additional orders that came in and there were some issues that needed to be fixed (wrong sizes, wrong names). My intention was to give them to her since she "works" with him. She told me I needed to deliver the orders and checks directly to him. I don't go over to where he lives ever and I don't have time to be delivering things to him! I told her this and she said that I would basically have to suck it up and do it because that is part of the volunteer position. HE is the one making money off of the orders, the group gets nothing out of it. I get nothing out of it (he did offer me a free shirt for "all my hard work" 3 months ago that I never received). She did finally take them but at this point I am still waiting for several corrected orders and reorders but he won't deliver them to me, I am supposed to go get them. ( I haven't even been called and told they are even ready though) Right now I have about $1000 in sweatshirt orders sitting on my desk that I was told I have to take to him. I told her that wasn't happening and I would bring them by her house this week for her to take them over.

There are plenty of vendors that are much closer to me (and the group location) that would love to have our business, would be happy to deliver and pick up, and probably could work with us to also make it a fundraising activity so we get something back. But this person has been doing it for years, is well known, and I know there will be some major pushback and a lot of hard feelings if I suggest going with a different vendor next year. I do know if I have to use him again next year I will not be taking any orders after the initial order that he picks up and I will refer everyone with an issue directly to him to deal with from now on.

I guess the question is, am I being unreasonable to think that if he is the one that is making all the money then he needs to be willing to come to me? If I am being unreasonable then I will happily step down and let someone else take it on (but believe me, no one is knocking down the doors to do it!)

I do a similar type volunteer position for several teams.

I have facilitated the order of sweatshirts, t-shirts, swim suits, fins, shoes, uniforms and other assorted apparel for large teams.

We deal with numerous vendors.

Not a single one of them delivers. We can either choose to pay a large shipping fee, a large delivery fee or go pick up the orders ourselves.

I think you are being unreasonable.

[lovin'fl]

Originally Posted by Nicolepa

I'm going to be the dissenter here. Yes, I think you are being unreasonable. You are basically demanding that he deliver to you because you pay him. Not knowing what the item is and using the example of shirts, I do not know of any vendor who would personally deliver. We always have a volunteer go pick up our shirts/jerseys/whatever. Sometimes it's the volunteer, sometimes we ask if someone else can do it if the volunteer can't for whatever reason.

20 minutes is nothing, really. If he normally delivered and now he won't that's a different story. Sounds like you either need to use a different vendor next year or you need to find a different volunteer. (I'm thinking the latter would be the best.)

I have to agree. I have been involved with uniform and spirit wear ordering for my DDs' softball team in the past and they NEVER deliver the stuff to us.

[Andtototoo]

Originally Posted by lovin'fl

I have to agree. I have been involved with uniform and spirit wear ordering for my DDs' softball team in the past and they NEVER deliver the stuff to us.

Perhaps it's a regional matter since I order a ton of personalized merchandise for events and I've never once had to drive to the vendor to drop off orders or pick up orders. Not one time. So while a 20 minute drive is, IMO, not a big deal, I'd hesitate to do it since I've never done it before.

Nor have I ever had to wait two months for an order correction -- two weeks would be the max. And I certainly would never drive out to pick up a corrected order. That's utterly ridiculous.

OP -- if the vendor is not working out for you, then get a new vendor. In this economy, it shouldn't be too hard to find a vendor who's willing to do what you need to get your business.

[lovetoscrap]

Thanks for the opinions.

I am trying to decide what to do for the rest of this term. There will be major changes next year in how things are done and possibly in who our vendor is but for the next few months I have to deal with this one and the situation as it is. I have an Assistant Chair for the committee and she also has said she just isn't able to drive things to him. The standard for this in our area is for them to come to us as far as I know. While it is only about 20 mins away on Mapquest the reality of driving there, driving back with traffic and the difficulty getting there is that I would need to plan on 1 1/2 to 2 hours of time. Of course that is probably why he doesn't want to come here but this is his full time job and how he makes a living.

I would be happy to step aside and let someone else take over but the chances are very good that no one will take it over-- the biggest thing the committee does is yet to come, this is just a small portion of it. Two people already backed out before I took it on. If no one were to step up then the previous person would most likely take the position back, and she doesn't even have kids involved any more. I made the commitment to the committee and the board and your perspective here is helping me figure out how I deal with this guy for the next few months and what direction to go for the future. It sounds like I may be being unreasonable and may have to waste my time taking things to and picking up from him, but it may end with him losing a big client (we are a huge group) because I will find someone next year that is able to be more accommodating.

I appreciate the perspective!

[hegsag]

Since you volunteered I would ride it out this year and not continue next year if you are expected to continue using this vendor.

[clh2]

I have picked up t-shirts from a local vendor. It wan't "my" responsibility. HOWEVER, the person who was supposed to get them - her FIL passed away. This was right before the big event that the t-shirts were needed for.

In my case - the t-shirt vendor was on my way home from work. Even with that - it was a total pain to get them. They were supposed to be readyat 12:30. So - I left work to get them. They weren't ready. Getting them at the end of the day was a royal pain. With traffic, parking etc, I barely got in the door before they closed for the day.

The vendor was also open only M-F, so a Saturday pick up was not an option.

To the OP - I would "suck-it-up" one time. If I was going to be in that role next year - I would insist that they take project out to bid, and if having several deliveries was a criteria - I would make that an expectation.

[Cheshire Figment]

I would put out a "Request For Proposal" to all the T-Shirt Vendors in your area, including your current source.

Give information related to the approximate quantity of shirts that will be needed and what will have to be done as far as artwork and names. Ask about delivery information. Also ask about late orders and how size/name mismatches will be handled. State in the RFP that it will not necessarily be given to the low bidder, but the one that offers the best overall package.

Of course set a deadline for receipt of the proposals/draft contracts. And then go with the one with the best overall offer.

[disykat]

Definitely not a convenient vendor for you so he will lose a customer.

While SOMEONE may have to pick up the stuff, I see no reason why it should be you. Either someone who has the time/ability to pick them up or you will have to raise the price and pay shipping. You didn't volunteer to pick them up and didn't have any idea that was part of the expectation of what you were signing on for.

I see no reason to continue using an inconvenient vendor if there are others closer.

While I don't think the vendor has to deliver if that wasn't in the original contract, I think you were duped into a job you didn't sign up for.

If the original volunteer isn't able to do that part when she goes there (? no idea why she can't?) then she will have to accept that you will be changing vendors to one that is more convenient.

I totally get being ready to turn over a job to the next volunteer, but if she wants her friend to have the contract she'll need to facilitate it.

[Nolcrest]

My father used to have a trophy & uniform sporting side business out of the house. For the most part people came to him to pick up their deliveries. I'm not saying my father never delivered if needed but it wasn't part of the deal. People liked going to my father for the personal service & good prices. Of course he made a profit. It was a business after all.

Unless, I've paid a shipping fee I don't expect anyone to deliver to my house. How would the vendor get his work done if he was always traveling around making deliveries?

[loricdietzel]

I think that unfortunately you are stuck with what you've got for the rest of the year. Next year either give up the position or insist on a new vendor if you want to continue to volunteer in this way.