Received First Nasty Feedback-Your Thoughts?
Decorating By KimmysKakes Updated 19 Jul 2007 , 12:21pm by sugarbakerqueen
I made a cake (pic attached) for a customer and delivered it on June 30th. Apparently it was a surprise for the recipient because this is the email I received TODAY from her:
"You recently made a cake for my party. The party was on June 30 at
(blank). The cake that was delivered was the ugliest thing I have ever seen. The price of the cake was rediculous!! There were finger prints and nail marks all in the fondant! I spoke with a few people that tasted the cake (i refused to eat it because I was furious over the price) and people said it was dry and wanted to no why there was no filling! I will never recommend your company to anyone! I have no Idea where my husband and best friend came across your company but a shoprite cake would have been much better!!"
Needless to say, I was shocked! Here is my response: "I'm very sorry to hear that you did not like the cake. It was delivered in perfect condition a few hours before your party started, so perhaps it was moved or touched prior to you seeing it.
The design your friend (or husband) selected is a classic design for elegant occasions and was made exactly as ordered. It is a very popular design.
Also, my customers always comment on how moist and flavorful my cakes are, so I'm also very sorry that your friends thought otherwise.
Thank you for taking the time to write to me and have a great day."
I have NEVER received a bad comment before and this just seemed so strange, especially one 1/2 weeks later. Also, shouldn't she be upset with her friend for picking the design? I had nothing to do with that. I made it exactly as ordered. What do you guys think of this? Oh, and yes, there was filling in the cake.
oh my, how crazy! I think it is a beautiful cake. Sounds to me like someone went over budget for the party and was tryign to get soem money back any way they could ... i just don't understand how people can say such mean and hurtful things. There is a way to deal with people evenif you are not happy with the product and some people just don't understand that people are more likely to work with you and come to a peaceful resolution if you aren't a total b*%$h to them.
Wow. What a nasty woman. I think the cake looks simply elegant. So she was offended at the price of the cake and thought a good way to get back would be to waste it? What a spoiled brat. Here's a scenario. She throws a temper tantrum so her friends try to make her feel better by lying and saying the cake is awful anyway. I bet they "volunteered" to dispose of the cake by taking it home themselves. Personally I would cut off any contact with her. She said something nasty, you politely apologized. Don't waste anymore time with her. I bet she's just sour because her birthday made her realize how old she's getting.
Thanks Amanda. Normally, I would offer a discount or something on another cake but I don't want to do business with her in the future anyway! She just sounds like a very bitter person.
"I bet she's just sour because her birthday made her realize how old she's getting."
You're EXACTLY right, Jsmith. Thanks!
"I bet she's just sour because her birthday made her realize how old she's getting."
haha I was thinking the same thing! I hope you dont let this womans ranting dishearten you in any way. I think you made a great looking cake and if she didnt like it she wouldnt have waited that long to say something.
Wow - that's a harsh email! I'm shocked that a recipient of a cake, one that she did not order (or pay for), would send you such a nasty email. There's got to be something else to the situation... Just doesn't add up. Your cake is very pretty - nothing ugly about it. I checked out all your cakes, and you do very nice work. I think you handled it appropriately in your reply. Don't look back - it's not worth trying to figure this one out!
Wow I think this is the beginning of candid camera the e-mail edition! I can't believe a real person woud write that!
Oh my gosh how ungrateful, I mean she may think she's being mean to you, but what a slap in the face to the people who picked it as a surprise for her! And seeing she didn't pay for her i don't understand her issue with pricing, personally if I get a gift for someone I don't tell them what it cost either, hence the term gift I suppose.
I think your cake is lovely, simple, elegant, classy. I like your response and I'd leave it at that. Unfortunately as much as we want, we can't please everyone and she sounds like an ungrateful sod to me!
That chick is smoking crack! The cake looks great! Besides, who ever heard of being too furious over the price of something to be willing to try the product? Some people just have more than their share of mean streak in them!
That chick is smoking crack!
Hahahahahah, you crack me up ohhhhh hahahaha, I just made a joke back, I love that line, brilliant! Yours that in, mine was not planned! hahahahahha
HOLY COW!!!
That is so mean & just rude. Your cake you made is gorgeous!!
There has got to be something else to this. 1) Why would she wait so long to email you? 2) Why/how would she even know about the price? 3) Why would she complain about no filling if there was one?........
You're right.....something's off here. But, I did like your polite response. Just leave it at that!!! I wouldn't do business with her OR the people that ordered it from you again!
Just keep making your gorgeous cakes!!!
I feel sorry for her husband...he tries to do something nice for his wife and she is totally and completely ungrateful!
I hope she doesn't treat him like that regularly....
Nice cake, BTW!
Well lets begin with , How tacky was she to ask the people holding the party, how much they paid for the cake. Miss Manners Book coming her way.
I think they cake is not only very pretty, it is classic.
shame on her for her bad manners and Again i htink you did a good job and i am sure that as nice as you cakes are , you do not need her business.
Don't sweat it! I once had a similar situation. The client was just looking for a discount/money back. The cake was perfect and she was trying to impress all of her friends. Afterward, she wanted to be a total B*$#% about it. She definitely got more than what she paid for and I went above and beyond for her before the cake was due. Made her flower arrangement, changed the color 3 times before the cake was due and the design at the last minute.
There is just NO pleasing some people. Let it roll off and keep in mind that you are good at what you do!
oh wow!!
I think your cake is beautiful!!
sometime last wk i came across your site from the ads here on cc on the right hand side. I was checking out your site and your beautiful cakes.
I would totally do another cake for her, chocolate cake made with nothing but exlax.
Your cake is beautiful, very classy and elegant. She needs a class in manners 101. I feel sorry for her husband and best friend..trying to do something nice and her attitude is a hot bubbling mess!!!
When I read this, my first thought was that she was really, REALLY p***ed about something surrounding this party--the age she's reached, the fact that it was a surprise, the money spent, etc.--and she just saw red.
Now, she's taking back control by criticizing/minimizing everything about it because she in no way plans to ever say, "It was the best birthday ever! DH/SO and my BFF had the most gorgeous cake made to surprise me, too!" How could she then justify her initial anger???
I haven't gone to this extreme, but I remember once telling my husband that I don't like surprises and he went ahead and planned a big surprise, anyway. I was so hurt that he didn't hear what I'd said (and honor those wishes), but instead went ahead and did what made him feel/look good. I was so angry that I couldn't talk--I cried instead--and only then did he truly understand how honest I'd been when I said that I didn't want a surprise.
I'm not excusing her behavior toward you--it was rude and uncalled for. I'm just suggesting that you may have been the more acceptable target for her anger than those who really upset her. Your return e-mail was very professional and will mean a lot to her when she cools down.
Sorry you were collateral damage! Beautiful, classy cake.
Rae
Ouch! That was pretty harsh. Even IF your cake was as bad as she described (which it totally does not appear to be) there is no reason to be so rude to a person. She could have calmly described why she was unhappy. I would not offer any money and would disregard any future communication with this person.
I don't know what that woman's problem is. I don't know what you charged for the cake and I'm not gonna' be as rude as she was and ask but it sounds to me like she's ticked because hubby spent so much money on a cake and not on a necklace or something. As far as finger marks in the fondant, she needs to tell her guests to keep they're grubby little fingers to themselves.
I think the cake is simple and elegant unlike her. I also think that your response was very appropriate and you should not offer her any discount or money back whatsoever.
If on the off chance she ever orders another cake I'd surprise her with a big ole' sculpted middle finger cake and tell her it's free of charge.
I think your cake is very beautiful and elegant looking. I'd be proud to receive it.
If I were you, I'd forward the email to the hubby / friend (which ever one ordered the cake and paid for it) and also forward them your response. You're likely to get a more honest response out of them and if she is just a raving bit@# then they'll know what an ingrate she is. They can help keep your reputation in tact and they know that the cake had filling, what it looked like when it arrived, etc . . .
There is no excuse for someone treating you that way, UNJUSTLY no less, and she needs to be called out for her actions so you can keep your rep clean.
Thanks everyone, for the supportive comments!! I really needed that. I was so bummed out today wondering why she would say those things. Like CakesybAllison and mom2spunkynbug said....it just doesn't add up. Laura102777, you made me spit out my drink with your "crack" comment!! Katskakes, my DH said something similar to your exlax comment. lol
Thanks again. You guys are the best, and I really mean that. Us cakeheads are very lucky to have a place like Cake Central.
I bet you looked around when you got that email and thought, "Am I on candid camera? Am I getting punked? Is this a joke?!" People never cease to amaze me! You did a great job. Now all you have to do is forget this ugly scene and move on. (easier said than done) You do beautiful work. Don't sweat the small (in the grand scheme of things) stuff!
Ckkerber, I totally kicked myself when I didn't cc the person who ordered the cake. I wouldn't feel right doing it "after-the-fact" but yes, that's what I should've done.
Kimkenimer, that's exactly what I did!!! I must've read it about ten times, waiting for my mind to see something different. lol
Oh the cake is beautiful. Very classic. I just cannot even picture even my x-sil writing this email(and she was a total nutjob) and to think there are worse cases out there than her--ekkkk.
I like ckkerber's idea, although part of me says you handled it and it is done. I'd sure like the know the whole story. No one deserves an email like what you recieved.
Take care!
she's ticked because hubby spent so much money on a cake and not on a necklace or something.
Ditto! As we have all learned cakes are not "cheap" if you want something as elegant as you provided. She probably wanted a $20 cake and the rest of the money to spend on something else.
You did a wonderful job!
Geez! There is NOTHING wrong with your cake by looking at it. It's so BEAUTIFUL! This lady sure got a problem - not YOU. Keep your chin up high and throw her nasty note into a fireplace to burn it. Go GIRL!!!!
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