We have a "regular" at our store (I too work in a grocery store bakery. NOT decorating cakes, if you can believe that. lol.) who came in and ordered a birthday cake last year. She specifically asked for balloons on the cake. So, we gave her the cake she wanted. After she told my manager she was satisfied, she went home and called about 3 hours later and complained that the cake wasn't what she had wanted at all.
So, my manager told her that she could have her next cake free.
RIIIIGGGHHHHTTT.
So, she comes in and orders a cake for Sat. But she gave me the wrong date. But, when I take orders I always ask for the information in the same order. Name, phone number, DAY (as in Sat, Sun, whatever) to be picked up, date, and time. Etc etc etc. And she specifically said Sat. I asked her if she knew the date of Sat. She said the date that I wrote down. No biggie.
Friday comes around, and as the decorator is icing off her cake (doing it a day in advance since there was not going to be a decorator in on Sat), the woman comes in to pick up her cake. The cake decorator explains to her that the sheet says Sat pick up, but that if she will just wait for 10-15 minutes, she can have it finished. The woman says "I can't wait that long. I guess I'll be getting ANOTHER cake for free!"
So, the decorator lets her pick out a different cake from the shelf. Wait, let me say that again, THE WOMAN, NOT THE DECORATOR, PICKED THE CAKE OUT.
And yes, she got it for free. Calls back 3 hours later and says she was told the cake was Chocolate, but it was Yellow. She demands another cake. My bosses boss tells her to bring in the cake, and we will be happy to exchange it. She never showed up because she's pigged out on the cake.
What a bitch.
So did this all happen on Friday? Because I swear Friday was the day of the idiot!! I had to deal with three before 9 am!! Talk about getting your day off to a bad start......
I wonder if she bought cigarette's w/ the 10 dollar refund...no offense to smokers...but that's usually what it is! UGH....why do people have to be so melodramatic....her kid would have never known otherwise!!!! Unless he/she's a fellow CC'er!!! LOLOL
I personally don't care how she paid for her cake. FS, pooka shells, it's all the same. If the border was really that important, she should have asked for the border to be put on before she left. If she didn't notice it was missing until she got home, she should have taken the cake back to have the border put on. to claim it ruined her son's birthday is idiotic. To place an arbitrary value on it for the sole sake of getting some cash in her pocket is also. Wouldn't that be considered fraud btw?
or $7.99 was to buy a gift.....
well that would be welfare fraud, now wouldn't it?
Unbelieveable.
I didn't realize you could even purchase SpongeBob birthday cakes with food stamps. I thought they were very specific on the items - like milk, bread, formula. It seems every time I'm in the check out lane behind someone w/ food stamps, the person ALWAYS has the wrong item or size!! grrr
Yeah, WIC was very specific. I was on that for awhile. The items that WIC would allow changed quite frequently, and the cashiers often were unfamiliar with what items were allowed. The little brochure they gave was vague and quickly outdated. I always felt terrible when an item that was covered a month ago was no longer acceptable and I held up the line!
You're right, that is laaaame! Probably her plan all along (although $7.99 is hardly worth the trouble)
But as far as the food stamp issue that popped up in later posts, I had to put in my 2 cents. There are always going to be the bad eggs, but the majority of people on fs don't want to be...and are trying to get on their feet again.
terrier wrote:
or $7.99 was to buy a gift.....
luvsfreebies72 wrote:
well that would be welfare fraud, now wouldn't it?
aaaaaaaaa................come again????
Welfare fraud refers to various intentional misuses of state welfare systems by withholding information or giving false or inaccurate information. This may be done in small, uncoordinated efforts, or in larger, organized criminal rings. Some common types of welfare fraud are failing to report a household member, failure to report income, or providing false information about the "inability" to work. There have been cases of people feigning illness in conjunction with welfare fraud.
k33bl3r & CookieMakinMomma:
I think there must be some kind of mind disorder which causes some people to cram more food in their mouths shortly before demanding a refund.
I just wonder two things: How old was the kid (old enough to notice and cry 'foul' because there is no border?) and how much therapy will it take for this child to become untramatized? Uh ..... assuming the kid has to learn to talk first before he/she can even START therapy! 
I just wonder two things: How old was the kid (old enough to notice and cry 'foul' because there is no border?) and how much therapy will it take for this child to become untramatized? Uh ..... assuming the kid has to learn to talk first before he/she can even START therapy!
The kid was old enough to pick his own cake out of the book FROM A PICTURE so I am sure it didn't bother him at all.
He will be more traumatized when they point out the family to me the next time they come in and I guarantee you they won't be getting anything free again, in fact they better not ask me for something we are out of on the shelf because I don't care if I've got it in back or not, for them I will always be out of whatever they want.
Some people on here should just think things to themselves instead of posting it!
What an insult this post was and the comments received!
This to me is a site about sharing cakes, recipes, hard times sure....but to get into this crap is just too sad for words!
The cake did or didn't have a border in the picture....oh... she got money back...$7.99 at that! There are far more important things ladies to talk about.
You all just sound like a bunch of cranky old 
...
He will be more traumatized when they point out the family to me the next time they come in and I guarantee you they won't be getting anything free again, in fact they better not ask me for something we are out of on the shelf because I don't care if I've got it in back or not, for them I will always be out of whatever they want.
And now you are just being petty about the whole thing!
Hate to say this, but the $7.99 did not come out of your pocket, and you were not there when this situation occurred, so I would not get too worked up over this.
And to say this:
He will be more traumatized when they point out the family to me the next time they come in and I guarantee you they won't be getting anything free again, in fact they better not ask me for something we are out of on the shelf because I don't care if I've got it in back or not, for them I will always be out of whatever they want.
That is not professional, there are nicer ways to handle difficult customers. Get a grip, its only a job. Just my humble opinion.
Hey--- a little bitchin' and venting among friends should be such a "biggie" Come on--- do you really think we would follow some of Indydebi's HIRALIOUS suggetions about "what to say if....". But man, in my dreams I would.....
But, I do think we could all agreed that 8 bucks off an $18 cake for a border is crazy, and an abuse of a retailer. Yup, as a consumer, I will have to "make up" that store's lost profit in their price increases, and as a taxpayer make up their $8 "cash back" in foodstamps.
Maybe the point of this thread has gotten lost. I think the only people who could really get what this is about are the ones who have worked on customer service long enough to hate it! It's not about the food stamps (although that was dumb), it's about the fact that some people are so incredibly selfish and it is shameful how staff and management have to put up with it all day after day. I have worked in my fair share of customer service positions and stood behind my share of cash registers. What may sound like one petty cake border to most of you sounds more like "here we go again!" to many others. You can only get punched in the face (so to speak) by customers so many times before you have to let off steam. All some of us are doing is letting off steam. The mantra on one side of the counter is "the customer is always right." (HA!) while on the other side we are trained to take anything with a smile and a "thank you ma'am, may I have another?" (loosely quoted from Animal House, I think it was 
) This is a universal issue. No matter where you work you will see this behavior from young and old, fat and skinny, blond and brunette, rich and poor. It's a state of mind. If this letting off of steam bothers you, I encourage you to start your own thread and vent about it. It its therapeutic, trust me! 
Yes... Maybe the point of this thread has gotten lost! I to work in the food business...but you kind of know this happens...unhappy people.
But to get in to saying
"I wonder if she bought cigarette's w/ the 10 dollar refund...no offense to smokers...but that's usually what it is..."
"people like this"... going off way to the other end of...unhappy people vent! you see!
Not only is it an unwarranted slur on the reputations of the people in need.......it is very offensive to read comments like this!
Maybe the point of this thread has gotten lost. I think the only people who could really get what this is about are the ones who have worked on customer service long enough to hate it!
Amen! Unless you 'been there done that', it's hard to really understand how "such a little thing" can send you absolutely over the edge!
I used to manage a cust. svc unit in a mfg'r firm. We didnt' even deal with the public (which is the WORST!) but dealt business to business. Even then, there were times that I had to take the phone from my Cust Svc Rep and give the A$$HOLE on the other end my direct number so he could call me direct .... because I was not ALLOWING him to talk to my staff that way!! 
And then there was the guy from a very well known tool manufacturer who basically expected me to throw my body on the track in front of the train and pull his product off of A MOVING TRAIN to get it to him faster. I told my manager (who was a VP) that next time he called, the VP was taking the call because "....you don't PAY me enough to be talked to like that!"
We have people in Cust Svc who are following the rules and doing what they're told, just to be overridden by a manager ... and the jerk on the other end of the phone walks away feeling superior by "getting" the CSR who was "hassling" the customer.
By the way, I ALWAYS backed up my CSR's. The handful of times I caved, I made sure the customer understood that the CSR was NOT wrong, he/she was doing exactly what they were supposed to, and I was allowing an exception this ONE time! (I had great loyalty from my staff because of that! 
)
Didn't mean to go on so, but CookieMakinMomma hit the nail on the head and I couldn't help but throw in my 6 cents worth. 
I have not read all of these but here is my little stories.
I have one customer approach the counter and was overheard saying to her friend "watch, I'll get this cake for free" and BEFORE she could even SEE the cake she started complaining. Went of for so long she did get it free just to get her out of the store. AHHRRggghhhhhh..
And the kicker for food stamps in our area, Don't get me wrong I do believe in a hand up not a hand out, but they are allowed to purchase wedding cakes!!!! with food stamps. I think part of it is that the stores are so desperate for sales then will take it any way they can.
Thank you tank you indydebi! I was really close to swearing off posting altogether because I was getting fed up with the plethora of, um, "fussy" people on here. Just hearing someone say "You have a good point" is such a relief!
We have people in Cust Svc who are following the rules and doing what they're told, just to be overridden by a manager ... and the jerk on the other end of the phone walks away feeling superior by "getting" the CSR who was "hassling" the customer.
Man, been there done that! Nothing makes you feel like a bigger a$$ than when your boss contradicts what THEY taught you and the customer walks out with the most infuriating smug look of satisfaction for screwing YOU over! Like I was out to screw them over the whole time! Grrr! I've been out of the workforce for almost 2 years and I still have scars!
It's all one more reason I want to start my own little biz. We still have my hubby's income and benefits so if I don't want to deal with what a customer is dishing out I can tell them where to fly! 
i am been cc member for awhile now and read the forums alot but never have posted or replyed to one...but this one does get to me...i have worked in retail most of my life and see this kind of thing happen all the time...the manager was wrong in giving money back...if anything he should of told her to go get $7.99 in food and he would give that to her...lol...money back should of never been givin when payed with FS...yes alot of people need Fs with the way things are right now...but there are alot of people that abuse it...and i think those are the people that everybody is complaining about...i dont think anybody on here is trying to put anybody down...just frustrated with the whole system when it comes to who really needs help and who is abusing the help...
one of my storys
i worked for a large retail chain and was the only manager on duty when a guy came in...he wanted a new tool...he broke his and wanted us to exchange it for another one...now let me tell you this tool weighted about 15 lbs...and was about 16 inches long...i was standing about 5 feet away and could smell the alcohol from where i was...i told him that the tool had a 90 day refund or exchange policy...and it clearly states that on the package...but because it was a certain brand he insisted it had a lifetime warrenty...i wouldnt give him another one so he was cussing and yelling and swinging the tool around in the air...kinda frightening...i told him i could send it out to see about getting repaired but he didnt want that either...i wouldnt give in so he ranted and raved for about 20 mins (luckly we was slow) he finally agreed to have it sent out...now if one of the other managers was there they would have just in...
no matter what you are doing someone out there is going to try to get something for free from you or make you look bad...when in service you have to take the good and the bad...take the good with you and leave the bad at the door on your way out!
When I first posted this, I did this as a funny, I can't believe this happened kind of story. In fact, when I first heard about it, I couldn't wait to post it here because I THOUGHT you'd all get a kick out of it. But obviously it has turned into so much more.
I have been on this website for a few years now, I may not know everything about cake decorating, don't profess to, but for the most part I enjoy reading the posts and the responses. I have received enormous support from most of the members here on my personal situation and view many as friends. Therefore, when I got some of the nasty responses I was taken aback and very hurt. I have learned alot of things, and tried some new things I never would have because of the many talented people on this board.
It had nothing to do with the fact she used food stamps, but that she abused the system because that is what she did. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the cake, I saw it when she was done making it, even commented on how great it looked.
Yes, I do take it personally when someone critisizes my decorators work, IT IS MY DEPARTMENT and I am personally responsible for the products in it and the work my staff does and I take great pride in the talented decorators that work for me. If someone was wrong, and did something wrong, by all means, I will correct it.
As for being "PETTY" - YES, I can and will be so to her the next time she comes in, I can't tell her she was wrong and an idiot, but I have been working in customer service for 20+ years so I do know how to make a customer feel like the true moron they are without really telling them so!
And to all of you who "took offense" with some of the comments - don't read them and don't make it worse - move on to the next post there is no reason to say some of the things you've said.
I've read and reread my post before hitting submit, worried that someone would be upset, but honestly, with what I've gone thru in the last month, the last thing I care about is what someone thinks about I have to say anymore. There are bigger worries in life.
... but I have been working in customer service for 20+ years so I do know how to make a customer feel like the true moron they are without really telling them so!
It's fun to do, isn't it?!
I'm betting you and I could swap "war stories" for hours!!
I'm sorry Barb if I misconstrued what you meant. Unfortunately that is the biggest downfall with written word; everyone will always interpret it how they THINK it is meant. Emoticons can only do so much! I did enjoy the absurdity of the story, if that helps! It's amazing the lines people can come up with and then get away with! I guess I was just sensitive to the situation because I have been on the receiving end of screaming customers a number of times. I really like working with people in general, but man-oh-man, that 20% that are pure a-holes really grind my gears. Anyway, that is where I was coming from and I apologize if it diverted your thread.
Be sure to let us know if the "favored" customer makes a return visit. I want to know if there is a sequel! (You never know, maybe next time you can manage to ruin their dog's birthday!)
Although not about cake, this reminded me of one of my grocery store experiences...
I worked at Kroger from age 15-19, and one night a woman came in frantic that her daughter could not get a mum (large ribbony/fake floral thing you pin to your shirt, a big deal here in the south) in time for the homecoming game the next day.
We had no florist in that late (around 9pm) and I was the CSR on duty. I took pity on her and quickly made her one as a favor. It was by no means shoddy, and she was all praises and compliments that night.
The next day she came in with the mum and told the store manager she wanted her money back (but wanted to keep the mum) because I wasn't in the floral department and therefore should have offered her a discount and because it took me 30 minutes of her time, which she felt she shouldn't have had to spend waiting on "a grocery store mum."
She got it for free and I got a lecture on "sticking to my department." Gotta love retail.
... and I got a lecture on "sticking to my department." Gotta love retail.
Anyone want to lay bets with me that if you had refused to make it for her, you would have gotten the lecture about not going 'the extra mile' for the customer, blah blah blah?
... and I got a lecture on "sticking to my department." Gotta love retail.
Anyone want to lay bets with me that if you had refused to make it for her, you would have gotten the lecture about not going 'the extra mile' for the customer, blah blah blah?
Oh yeah. Definitely.
Not to steer the thread back in the wrong direction, but in Ontario we don't use a food stamp program. Those on welfare (now called "Ontario Works" because welfare had such a bad name) receive a basic monthly allowance which isn't really governed in any way, they spend it as they wish. Although they're supposed to spend it on rent, food, clothing etc, they're not required (at least not to my knowledge) to show proof of spending on anything.
One program we do have which is a beneficial program and works in conjunction with the foodbanks is "The Good Food Box" once or twice a month you come and purchase a box (for a very nominal fee) full of fresh locally grown produce. The program is not just limited to those on welfare, but also any low to middle income family.
In some aspects I strongly feel that both the American and Canadian assistance programs definately need more restrictions in place. There's far too much freedom and opportunity for abuse. I think both programs could adopt and implement ideas from one another to make the system work the way it was intended.
Anyways, I'm totally off track from the initial post but I just had this on my mind.
a few years ago i Watched a guy go into customer service at Kmart with a dirty pair of work boots, he was obviously over 21 and was with his "Mommy" complained because of his boots he had been wearing for 3 months had worn out..
i saw those boots.. if i recall right he was a logger.. its been several years since this happened but c'mon.. buying boots at Kmart aren't high quality boots.... working in such extremes
3 months was a good run for those boots in my opinion
and yup you guessed it, he got are refund or store exchange (i forget exactly)[/u][/i]
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