A lady asked me to make her a cake for Sat, Sept 21st & I told her I was so sorry, but I am booked for that weekend & that I only do so many cakes a week & I just couldn't do anymore for that weekend. Well, she got real mad & took it personally. She told me this was the 2nd time she tried to order & I was booked so I told her again how sorry I was & that I ask for a 1 month notice on orders (which is also posted on my facebook page). Now she is telling me that I'm not busy (in a very rude way, laughing at me), saying "I hear this a lot about you" & telling me that she will never recommend anyone to me ever again. I tried explaining to her how time consuming these cakes are & that I can only do so much a week, but she is still being rude.
I don't know what else to say to her without going off (boy do I want to!). I think she is acting pretty childish... it's not like I'm doing it to be mean. If I'm booked I'm booked, I can't help it if I can't do more cakes than what I already have. I try to do 4-5 cakes a week, if not more, depending on how large & detailed the cakes are (I am a home baker). This is the first time I've seen someone get SO mad over something like this. It is making me scared to say "no".
What would you tell her? Or should I just block her? (she already deleted me from her friends list)
Oh for heaven's sake! This woman is acting like a spoiled child. Maybe she thinks if she throws a tantrum you will make an exception for her. You do NOT need to continue to try and explain yourself to her. It's her own problem if she didn't contact you in time. I wouldn't want to make one for you at this point anyway.
Block her and put her on "the no cakes for you" list.
AWooow how childish can people get?! She is probably assuming that you don't want to do her cakes that's why she replied saying this is the second time you refused her. If you apologised and explained there's not really much else you can do- unless you offer her a discounted cake for her next event? It's a tricky situation because you don't want a negative reaction, but then you can't please everyone!! If she didn't take into consideration that you take a months notice then it's on her, hope everything works out for ya :D
Why on earth would she give her a discount on her next event??? It's up to the customer to get her cake booked in time. If, especially based on the fact that she was booked up the first time, the client knows the baker needs at least a month's notice to accept the order. The client either books it in advance or gets a cake somewhere else.
Let's say the woman wants to have her party at a particular venue. The venue can only accommodate so many parties per date. If you don't reserve the space in time then you have to find some place else to have your party.
AI'd say you dodged a bullet. You should be glad.
Umm, I would have hung up long before it got to that point.
If someone calls and I am fully booked, I just say, "My schedule is full for that date, but let me refer you to such and such bakery.", I never explain how my scheduling works, or how many orders I take, simply because it is none of their business.
I've had a few people try to push me into taking an extra order, but never have I had someone get angry about it.
Why in the world would I apologize to someone for it, or offer them a discount? It's not my fault they left it so late, it is theirs.
Well done me for being booked!
I wouldn't even consider taking an order form her in the future, just delete her and forget about her.
AI agree with offering the customer a discount for her next order...10% off after you apply a 20% PITA tax.
AAbsolutely! What a cheek this customer has. Adios lady.
Can you imagine what she would be like if she was your actual client?!? Like others said, you dodged a bullet. I wouldn't even bother with her any longer, you're booked. end of discussion.
I would not give her a discount at all...people don't get favors for being jerks.
The best things in life are not easy to get. You are booked because obviously your product is desirable. You do not need customers like her. If she complains to people that you are always booked any reasonable person is going to wonder "Hmmm,,, what am I missing out on?" Even when you aren't booked, I would be for her
The good news is that you got rid of her. The bad news is that she WILL resurface. They always do. Try letting your answering machine pick up future calls. This gives you a few minutes or a day to reply ......................or not. Customers DO get angry when you don't do what they want you to, but next time they call it will be WAY ahead of time. I have some that call the day after New Years to book all their family cakes, just to make sure and get on my calendar.
AIf a potential client treated me like this I would be, just for her, fully booked until the end of time.
When I am booked I owe no explanation. I am always firm (but polite), and always say the I hope to have the opportunity to create a cake for them in the future.
Giving her a discount on a cake for a future event is just bulls.h.i.t. Really? Do that and you're letting her bully you. Besides - you don't want her as a client. Trust me on this one!
Is there someone you don't like? Spend 5 satisfying minutes dreaming about send her their way.
Then shrug it off and be glad you don't have her as a Customer.... because her behavior wouldn't get any better.
When I'm booked, I try to break it very gently in the nicest way possible. I'm always apologetic and tell them that if there were any way I could possibly take another order I would. If they push or offer extra money, I tell them that I have promised myself no more pulling all nighters and that's what taking another order would cause. That keeps people who are so inclined from taking it personally.
On the phone, sometimes it just a takes a minute or two for the news to sink in - not everyone processes bad news at the same speed.
But you can't please everyone and sometimes people are going to go nuts on you - just goes with the territory.
AWhoa!!! Wouldn't want to be on the bad side of any of you- you lot are scary!!! Guess you're right though, offering a discounted cake would be letting her bully you. I'm just a hobby baker so obviously I don't know how to deal with customers :-)
I can't add anything other than never make a cake for this baby, wah wah wah! She's ridiculous.
Thank you everyone for replying & for the support! I'm happy to say that I blocked her! I am so glad that I didn't make a cake for her after seeing how childish & rude her behavior was. She probably would have been one of those customers who were never satisfied with anything & I wouldn't want to do that much work for someone like that. I'm now glad that I was booked so I could see what kind of person she really is.
ANever, never, never offer discount unless the fault lies with you. I have been in business for many years and would like to point out to anyone thinking discount is the sweetener......DISCOUNT IS A GIFT....NOT A RIGHT. Why should we business people give a gift to rude people, besides discount comes off our profit. I would ask her to leave my shop if she were at my counter, how dare she.
One way to combat this happening again is to post a calendar on your website that shows what dates are filled--or nearly full. If you have a facebook account, post on your timeline whenever a weekend...or month is completely booked and encourage others to order early so as not to miss out!
That way NO one should take it personally and you merely have to refer them to the calendar if they get their nose out of joint.
Just a thought!
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%