Customer tossed my cake??! - Page 3  

I think it's a good email. you sound pleasant, but firm. go ahead.

Many people want to portray that they got something done that was custom (and we all know that will cost more) but then want their $ back. It is bull and they are full of it! I don't do cakes much, but more of cutesy favor type things and I tell people the cost (which I make sure isn't cheap) to weed out the "cheapies" and the dramaqueens/kings. People that enjoy life and buy/indulge in great products know the quality of great work and don't have problems with spending the $ to get something special and memorable.








There can be plenty of other things floating in food that you DON'T see, at least you can pull the "hair" off and throw that piece away.
She (amongst others who do this) is just silly. And I'm sure her child threw a fit and tantrum after he saw his cake and you threw it in the trash, yeah right!!! I def. don't believe that would happen!


My 2 Cents

I'm sorry I saw this too late. I would have stated only that my hair wasn't brown, and not mention what color it actually was. That way she couldn't come back saying, 'oh, maybe it was red after all'. Hope it works out.

ack! I wish I would have gotten to this thread sooner.

I would have never sent an email like that to a customer. you are blaming her for what she found and she could be telling the truth. putting it back on her family and offering up your hair color was a bad idea. she did not come at you in a confrontational way she just wanted to let you know to see what you would say. All you could've said was the ending at "I'm so sorry that happened! I'm not sure if you have proof of the cake not being eaten or the hair? without that I can only give you 10% off your next cake"
this would've totally made you the good guy. I know she seems like she was in buyers remorse but you don't want to put what she says she found back on her and her family.

I really really really hope she sees the good in your email. the cake looked great and some people just don't understand how much time and effort go into hand painted cakes.

Dear Customer,

Thank you for letting me know about the hair that you stated you found on the bottom of the cake.

All baking and decorating done in my environment is done to the health departments standards and regulations.

This is a great reminder that I need to remain diligent in these safety practices as well as be on the look out for things like this with cake supplies such as boxes and boards that I purchase and bring into my home where things like a human hair could have been easily come from as well.

I appreciate you letting me know so I can continue to to always be on the look out for ways to grow and improve my business.

Have a great day!

Sincerely,

Your cake lady

_____

You are not taking claim for it being yours, you are not denying the fact it is either. You point out that it could very easily have come from another source.

They didn't ask for a refund so don't offer one. My golden rule is if they don't ask for it, don't offer it unless you absolutely need to. I don't feel you need to... yet.


My two cents worth on the matter in relation to this lady is this...


She should have called you immediately to at least leave a message for you but in the heat of a party you always don't think of doing it. If it would have been some of my customers they would have thought "I'll call Monday because they know Sunday I'm busy with church, and getting laundry done for the kids, and backpacks packed etc. and it's my only real day off of work and I spend it with my husband and kids no matter what so they don't want to bug me. We all know how Monday's are... icky and back to the work week and usually hectic. It's not unusual for me to get a Monday night or Tuesday morning response to a cake issue/question for a Saturday cake.

As for that $12. It's not the customer's fault you don't carry change so I do think it needs to be returned. He didn't say "keep the extra for your tip", he looked at you strange and probably was expecting $12 back. I would drop a check into the mail to him with a note of "overpayment refund" on the memo line with a letter stating "sorry I didn't have the correct change on me when you paid the amount due on Saturday September 26, 2009. Here is a check in the amount of overpayment." and send it certified. Keep a copy of the letter with your certified mail info attached, as well as a copy of that check. Certified lets you know they got it and lets them know that you know they got it. There is no wiggle room for a claim of "they never tried to return that $12 overpayment.

Don't drop off cash, they can say you never returned it. From this point on leave a paper trail of what you do with her. A check is proof you returned it.

A hair in the food happens, anyone with common sense knows that but the money issue is what would leave me with a raw nerve and you can bet that if anyone asked me about business where that happened to me I'd say "I'm more peeved over the $12, that's the cost of a box of diapers for us!" I wouldn't remember the hair in 2 or 3 years but I would remember being left feeling ripped off for $12.00 and I'd let it be known.

Money is a very sensitive issue with people, and taking more than you are owed is going to set them off even if they don't show it to you and they will remember it for a very long time. Not making it right is something they will never forget.

Look at it this way, if you went to buy banana for $3 and all you had was a $20 and the grocery clerk said "we don't have the change here to give you the difference so thank you for your $20 here is your $3 worth of bananas have a nice day." how would you react? How would you remember that grocery store? Would you return to shop there?


I wish you the best with this customer. Stuff like this is awkward and never easy to deal with. It's the not fun side of owning a cake business.

I wear all black (my hair is blonde so easier to see on black), tie my hair in a tight french braid then put it all within a baseball cap, I also lint roll every time I begin baking or decorating, then every time I leave the kitchen and return... So far so good! lol!

I am sorry that you are going through this. I am curious what type of response you will get, if any, to your email!

I'm curious about why you don't carry change... I always assume that my customer will not have the correct change, as the bank machine's here only give out $20s... So I always go prepared to give them change for a multiple of 20 higher than the cost. Very occassionally I am told to "keep the change" but most often they take it, which is fine. I don't expect tips since I charge for my services to make my money...

I never keep change either.

My customers usually either bring correct change, or they tell me to keep the change. Only one time did I get a funny look but they were very happy with the cake and everything was fine. A few times my hub had gotten extra during a delivery and went back to check and they said it was a tip.

I figure they know the balance weeks to months in advance, that's plenty of time to bring the correct amount. haha. Its not like its a spur of the moment purchase.

If they really need change, I will take a lesser amount and ask them to pay the remainder via Paypal when they get home. I think I've only had to do that once (very risky of course...it was a repeat customer though)...that, or I'll accept a local check and then cash it at their bank.

Change, tips, bah! Payment in full before delivery! This ain't Domino's Pizza guys!

My thoughts exactly. Why are we not getting paid before delivery?!

The thing to remember for this post/story is that SHE DELIVERED TO THEIR HOUSE.

Yes the lady knew how much was owed but hubby didn't. Hubby handed over what he had on him expecting change.

To take it a step further with what __Jamie__ said, When we deliver like Domino's we are going to be treated like Domino's. By making this statement I mean we are delivering a food item and are owed money for it and who ever answer the door is paying. They are going to expect you to have the ability to make basic change.

The only way to avoid this is to have a contract (preferably in writing) that clearly states "Payment in full before delivery or no cake".

A couple of things -

1. I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one with a problem of keeping the $12. He didn't say it was a tip and you shouldn't have assumed. I know it's hard to know how a customer will pay you upon delivery (if that your chosen way to do business), but you should try to have basic change with you.

2. I found your email to be very snarky and condescending. As a PP stated, she was not being confrontational or mean or anything about it. She didn't ask for a refund - nothing. It seems like you got defensive QUICK.

3. Refund - I don't understand when ppl. say you get money for the returned portion. Dude - they are at the party! Do you honestly expect them to toss out the cake and not serve the guests anything??

Good luck in whatever happens.