How Can We Recover Our Money After a Broken Promise by a Management Consultant?

Dear All,

We, both husband and wife, have been working for a three-star property for six months. Upon joining, we were promised reimbursement for the notice period and transportation charges by the management consultant of the company over the phone. The total cost was approximately 55,000/-. However, after we joined the firm, the consultant informed the management that he never made any such promises. We were honest with the management about the situation, but they are unwilling to pay the amount.

Now, as we are leaving the firm, we are seeking the return of our money. We requested the management to deduct the amount from the consultant's salary, but they are not willing to assist us in recovering the funds. Since the consultant is a relation of ours, we trusted him and did not ask for all the conditions in writing.

Could anybody suggest to us what steps need to be taken in this scenario to recover the amount from the management?

Hello,

Sorry to hear about this. It is one of the experiences that one would like to avoid in life!

I am afraid you cannot do anything to recover this amount. It is easy for me to say this, but your email is silent on:

1. Whether there is anything between you and/or the company or the consultant regarding the reimbursement of this sum.
2. Whether you have been given any receipt for this amount by the consultant.

If the answer to both questions is negative, you have nothing to make a legal claim or to prove. You can only appeal to the good sense of the management/consultant and nothing beyond that.

If the consultant is in relation, it was in order for you to trust him, but evidently, he has had no value for this relation.

I suggest you put the sad and unfortunate episode behind you, accept a setback, and proceed with your future with greater care.

Is there any other way one may be able to help?

Cheers and Regards,

Samvedan
May 02, 2010

Dear All,
We both (husband & wife) are working for a three-star property for six months. At the time of joining, we were promised reimbursement for the notice period and transportation charges over the phone by the management consultant of the company. It cost around 55,000/-. However, after joining the firm, the consultant informed the management that he never promised anything. We told the truth to the management, but they are not ready to pay the amount. Now, as we are leaving the firm, we want our money back. We asked management to repay the amount from the consultant's salary, but they are not ready to help us and pay the money. As the consultant is related to us, we trusted him and never asked to have all the conditions in writing. Could anybody suggest what needs to be done in this scenario to recover the amount from management?

Dear Swapnaja,

You are in a really pathetic situation. Samvedan has clarified everything in his comments; hence, I would not like to repeat it.

However, you have not clarified one thing: who told you that notice period charges and transportation charges would be reimbursed - the Consultant or the hotel management? Secondly, how can a consultant commit something on behalf of the hotel management?

Secondly, why are you leaving that hotel now after six months?

I am also an ex-HR professional in hospitality (now I am on my own). Generally, hotel management settles all the accounts soon after an employee joins or even before the employee joins. Why did you quit your previous employment unless the new employer paid the charges? This is what happens in most hotels.

Anyway, it is a learning lesson. Not all people are bad in this world. This was one odd case wherein you had been a victim of lack of clarity. Perhaps in the future, you may come across an astonishing example of how someone stands for his/her values and you benefit from it.

At the same time, let me caution you not to become twice shy after this incident and start looking suspiciously at all other relations as well.

Ok...

Dinesh V Divekar

Dear Swapnaja,

I would agree with both Samvedan and Dinesh. There is no need to blame such Management or Consultants. It was your responsibility to confirm with the Management all your relevant gears. You should have raised the issues in front of the Management before resigning. You are responsible for spoiling your name in front of thousands. Such kind of foolish actions have tarnished the name of the management.

How will your stability be maintained if you quit in six months? This lack of consistency is not conducive to growth. Before accepting the job offer, the management had plans for you by entrusting you with certain responsibilities. The Management did not anticipate that you would leave the job. Strive for long-term success. Growth eagerly awaits you.

I would advise you to start a new job with the blessings of this community. Surely God will help you.

Best regards, [Your Name]

Dear Sir,

I am really feeling very bad after knowing that I won't be able to get back my money.

Sir, I don't know how and why, but the consultant promised us on behalf of the management to reimburse the notice period and the relocation charges. That's what he told us over the phone. And now I will say we were fools to trust him.

I inquired a lot on how to trace that call, but I'm not getting anything.

We are leaving this property because the management is not paying salaries regularly. We have to beg for our hard-earned money. Moreover, I took a loan from the bank to pay the notice period and the relocation charges. Now it's almost impossible for me to run my house without money. I hope everyone can understand this well.

If I don't get money, how am I going to survive then?

All the HODs have now decided to leave the job, that too without any notice. We are the only ones who are serving the notice period and not cheating them even after this has happened.

I believe everyone works for money. If employees don't get salaries for their services rendered, why would they stay with the company?

Apart from this, there are a lot of other issues that are impossible to write here. I don't think I will trust anybody in my life...

I am really thankful to all of you for replying to my query.

Regards,
Swapnaja

Dear Swapnaja,

This is an era where we can trust a piece of paper but not a person. Furthermore, we can rely much more on an unknown person rather than a relative. Unless you have any written evidence of a promise by the consultant, there cannot be any claim on the management or the consultant. So, anybody assuring you to recover the amount would just be making a false promise. It is at the sole discretion and mercy of the management whether it can fulfill the commitment fully or in part.

Moreover, I don't think a consultant enjoys any delegated power to honor his commitment. A consultant is just a consultant to the management and not a regular employee or part of the management. Now, it is better to take a lesson for the future that before joining any organization, you must get the terms cleared and confirmed in writing as a part of the employment agreement.

PS Dhingra
Vigilance & Transformation Management Consultant
Dhingra Group of Management & Educational Consultants
New Delhi

Dear All,

We, both husband and wife, have been working for a three-star property for the past six months. At the time of joining, we were promised to be reimbursed for the notice period and transportation charges over the phone by the management consultant of the company. It amounted to around 55,000/-. However, after joining the firm, the consultant informed the management that he never promised anything. We informed the management of the truth, but they are not willing to pay the amount.

Now, as we are leaving the firm, we want our money back. We asked the management to repay the amount from the consultant's salary, but they are not willing to help us or pay the money. Since the consultant is related to us, we trusted him and never asked to have all the conditions in writing.

Could anybody suggest to us what needs to be done in this scenario to recover the amount from the management?

I hope this helps. Let me know if you need any further assistance.

Hi Swapnaja,

I am sorry to say this. The mistake is entirely on your side. You might have cross-checked with the employer while joining itself. Even though the reimbursement policy is there with the company, no company will reimburse after 6 months. The time frame might have already elapsed. It is unfair to point fingers at the employer and consultant at this point. No one can help you. Leave this behind you.

Regards,
Mathi
mathiap2001@gmail.com

Dear Mathi,

It is not the question of what Swapnaja should have done; that is now a past thing. Now the question arises, what remedy members can suggest to her for her problem. The members may, therefore, better propose a solution, if anyone really has one, rather than questioning the trust she placed in the consultant and got betrayed. So, if they don't have any solution, they may better not try to make her feel that she made a mistake in asking for advice from our community members. She needs a soothing solution from the members, not any more irritation.

PS Dhingra

Hi Swapnaja,
I am sorry to say this. The mistake is entirely on your side. You might have cross-checked with the employer while joining itself. Even though the reimbursement policy is there with the company, no company will reimburse after 6 months. The time frame might have passed. It is unfair to point fingers at the employer and consultant at this point in time. No one can help you. Leave this behind you.

Regards,
Mathi
mathiap2001@gmail.com

Dear Dhingra,

Nothing can be done in this regard; that's the reason why we are all blaming Swapnaja. The only soothing solution will be you paying the money from your pocket. You seem to be brilliant enough to earn that money in a few hours. Hope you will be good enough to give a soothing solution if not money. MARK MY WORD AGAIN, NOTHING CAN BE DONE.

Regards,
Mathi

Hi Mathi,

Thanks for your very valuable advice! Members of the community may also know what a brilliant solution you can provide. However, I appreciate the nice way of showing your irritation for your own fault! Do you think Swapnaja posted her problem just to get blamed by members like you and be hurt more or to get compensated by the members of this community, rather than seeking a viable solution if someone really has one for her problem?

Your word, "nothing can be done," was quite enough at the first instance if you did not have any solution while blaming her in your first post. What prompted you to blame her when she herself admitted that she could not get the terms in writing? You, too, could be deceived one way or the other by your recruiter at any time in the future, as nobody can claim to be perfect in their perceptions or decisions. If someone criticizes you for an omission or mistake, how would you feel at that time?

By proposing that I pay the money to her from my own pocket, it seems you are a great problem solver and would have been paying money from your own pocket for the faults of others in your organization as well. I wonder if you really belong to the HR community, as such wonderful solutions can only be provided by someone outside the HR community. Regarding my earning enough money due to my brilliance, I would like to ask you how much money you or anyone else has paid me so far for consulting me?

The question arises, did Swapnaja ask members of this community to compensate her from their own pockets instead of providing a workable solution, upon which you have advised me to pay her from my own pocket? However, if you happen to face such a situation at any time during my lifetime, please inform me. In that event, I assure you I will send money as alms to you upon your request without pointing out your mistake.

PS Dhingra
Vigilance & Transformation Management Consultant
Dhingra Group of Management & Educational Consultants
New Delhi

QUOTE from mathiap2001: Dear Dhingra,

Nothing can be done in this regard; that's the reason why we are all blaming Swapnaja. The only soothing solution would be you paying the money from your pocket. You seem brilliant enough to earn that money in a few hours. Hope you will be good enough to provide a soothing solution if not money. MARK MY WORD AGAIN: NOTHING CAN BE DONE.

Regards,
Mathi