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Money back and free stuff?????

post #1 of 29
11/18/10 at 1:47pm
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OK....I need help on figuring out what to do with an un-happy customer. I made a cake for a lady (that I have done lots of cakes for) and she just sent me a message that said she hated to complain but....she said the cake I made her last week was dry and the icing tasted "funny". It was a different recipe for the cake and I did use a lot of airbrush color on the icing to get the color that she wanted. The airbrush color said it does not change the taste????

So she wants to know if I will make her 2 dozen cupcakes for her office AND her money back for the other cake??
Should I do both????
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post #2 of 29
11/18/10 at 2:00pm
I certainly wouldn't do both. Unless she could give you back some of the cake to sample the taste its pretty much just her saying that there was an issue rather than there being any actual proof of a problem. I am presuming it was edible enough that they must have polished it off otherwise she would have cake she could return to you assess the taste.

If you give her a refund I certainly wouldn't give her free cupcakes as well.
As an act of goodwill you could offer to possibly do the cupcakes but certainly not give her her money back as well. Cheeky wee minx! icon_rolleyes.gif
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post #3 of 29
11/18/10 at 2:02pm
Nope....

Is she returning the un-eaten portion of the cake? If it tasted funny, then she should be returning it for you to compare to your usual.

I say you could offer her a discount on her next purchase, and consider a partial refund, but if she isn't returning the "funny tasting" cake then she shouldn't get anything for free.
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post #4 of 29
11/18/10 at 2:03pm
You said you do lots of cake for her. Only you can decide if you should do both but if she is a good, repeat customer; is it worth losing her business?
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post #5 of 29
11/18/10 at 2:14pm
Hey, I got a hamburger from McDonalds last week. I ate it but now that I am thinking about it , it really wasn't that good. You think maybe I could go get my money back and another burger? lol! Since you think that your cake may not have been up to your usual standards and she is a regular customer you may want to do something for her but what she is asking for is a bit much.
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post #6 of 29
11/18/10 at 2:16pm
Agreed.... and tasting funny is quite often just a matter of opinion. I think licorice & aniseed taste funny, and oysters, and cabbage, and mushrooms, but that doesn't mean there is anything wrong with them.
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post #7 of 29
11/18/10 at 2:18pm
Refund AND free cupcakes?!?! I don't know how some people walk with cake balls that big.

That said...How much are we talking here for the refund? If it's not a lot, and she's usually a reasonable customer, I tend to agree with jersygirlNga. Throw her a bone and chalk it up to an investment in future business from an otherwise good customer.
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post #8 of 29
11/18/10 at 2:50pm
No way would I give a refund and free cupcakes.
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post #9 of 29
11/18/10 at 2:54pm
Give her back her money and apologize for cake tasting badly.
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post #10 of 29
11/18/10 at 3:01pm
Airbrush color will taste weird if there's a lot of it. I wouldn't give her back both, though. If she's a repeat customer I'd just refund the cost of the sheet cake, but I wouldn't hand out free merchandise.
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post #11 of 29
11/18/10 at 3:05pm
If it was a different recipe then chances are it really didn't taste or have the same texture as the last. And while airbrushing shouldn't add flavor, we know form adding colors to buttercream that some are prone to leaving a taste behind.

Does she have a habit of complaining about orders? Has she ever asked for money back or another product from an order?

I'd offer her one or the other, but not both personally. To me that is asking a bit much.
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post #12 of 29
11/18/10 at 3:32pm
[quote="artscallion"]Refund AND free cupcakes?!?! I don't know how some people walk with cake balls that big.

I burst out laughing at that one!! It does take a lot of nerve to call up and request free stuff. I say if she didn't return any of the uneaten cake to you then why give her anything?? Perhaps to apease her you could do a discount on her next order but free cupcakes and a refund...how bout take a long walk off a short cliff lady!
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post #13 of 29
11/18/10 at 3:32pm
Yes, as has been said I would offer her something... Let her choose refund or free cupcakes, but certainly NOT both.

HTH
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post #14 of 29
11/18/10 at 3:37pm
icon_eek.gif Wow, I can't imagine asking for free stuff AND a refund just because it didn't care for the taste of something. If it were me, I wouldn't offer her a refund. The cupcakes, sure, but not the money back, unless it was a really small (READ...>$30) order. Unless she is a big-time customer who orders from you a lot, and you would really miss her business, I'd say no to both. Chances are, she might try to pull it again in the future anyway. thumbsdown.gif
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"I am invariably late for appointments - sometimes as much as two hours. I've tried to change my ways but the things that make me late are too strong, and too pleasing." - Marilyn Monroe
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post #15 of 29
11/18/10 at 3:44pm
How about offering her a discount on her next order?
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