Ok, I *can* believe what people can do!

I just got legal a few months ago, I combined my at-home cake biz with a brand new local coffee shop and things are going wonderfully!!

I am running around like crazy, baking/decorating as fast as I can to keep up with the demand and this is what happens:

*People come in at all times, and on the phone, and try to sell me things. They want to be a supplier of this or that (I already have a supplier) and want me to tell them what I need or prepare them a list to look over.

*People call and ask for my recipes! Are they for real?

*People come in and try to take over my baking spot at the coffee shop. I had one woman ask for a meeting with me and the coffee shop owner and proceed to tell him how she could plan and create a better menu and make it herself for him - out of her home!

*99% of the customers are wonderful and compliment me on my baking. You have to love the 1% who will tell you that your baking is the worst thing they have ever eaten!

*Customers just walk back into the kitchen just to take 'a peek' of how I bake and what I'm using in my recipes!

Luckily I am not a doormat and have no problem getting rid of these people quickly but do other business owners have these same issues? I am a little surprised at what people think they can do!

After 16 years of running restaurants my husband has become quite cynical about 'people' and what they are capable of. I think he only tells me about a 1/3 of what goes on and that gobsmacks me.
Thankfully they are not all like that and sometimes the kindness of a stranger (or even of a friend) can take my breath away and make me want to be the person to do that for someone else.
You sound like you have the right attitude to make it in the business and I wish you lots less 'people'. lol

Thanks! In the 2 months we have been open, I have met some wonderful strangers who are now regulars and they outweigh those 'people' by far!

I definitely understand because I get sick of all kinds of people calling me too but you have to remember that these cold callers are not calling simply to waste your time and annoy you. They are calling because they truly believe what they are offering could have a positive impact on your business, they don't want to hurt you or cause you anger or frustration. In fact, they are the same as you and me, just trying to convince strangers that their product is the best and you cannot get it anywhere else. Yes, some are better than others but many times that can be unique to the kind of business you do.
P.S. - I also have learned to mildly dislike some people because of this business! The 1% of people who are picky and rude and self righteous just make me so angry! But the people who are unbelivably kind and generous make it worthwhile : )

I'll agree with that for most people, but the people who call to get recipes or who tell the owner, in front of me, that she wants to come in and take over the baking business, that's not trying to be helpful to me. I can see the cold callers are just trying to do a job too.

I'm not angry or frustrated with these people, more shocked about how they approach the situation.

Oh, don't get me wrong, if someone called me and offered me a fondant sheeter for 300 I would definitely listen to them, but why would one company's gloves, hairnets or bleach (to name a few examples that some want to sell me) be better than another's!

Yeah, I completely forgot to comment on that! That is ridiculous! The nerve of some people trying to get your recipes and saying they could come in and do better is beyond ridiculous. I can definitely understand your anger on that aspect. People these days.....pshhh

Luckily the coffee shop owner is a great guy and told her thanks, but no thanks. We were all very polite to her while she was giving her presentation but afterwards were all a little surprised at what she had to say.

the nerve that some people have really surprises me...

A sign on the front door of my shop that reads "NO SOLICITATION" is the best thing I ever did to ward off the salespeople. Pam from Bama

AT&T solicitors are the worse!

I was hired to open a coffee shop for someone and work all the kinks out, try and write recipes, write an employee handbook.... When people came in with their stuff I always asked for a brochure and told them I would look at it later and if I needed their product, I would call them. Then they'd try to start on the sales pitch - credit card processors were the worst. They never ever had a brochure, and they would want me to just write down their rates and phone number and call them if I wanted them to process my cc's... no thanks shady shaderson. I would say it too, don't you think it would be poor business for me to call someone to process my credit cards who doesn't even have a business card?

Anyhow, ask for a brochure, if they don't have one, tell them they are welcome to drop one off and you'll put it in your stack of brochures and if you are looking for new products, you may call them.

My "favorite" <-- sarcasm is the salesperson who doesn't know what business I'm in. I have several, so when they call telling me their product is the best ever, I ask, "How does you're product fit into my business?" You won't believe how many times the answer is, "What business are you in?"

Uh, yeah. If you don't know what business I'm in, why did you call?

"Please add this business name and phone number o your Do Not Call List. Thanks for calling!"

::click::

As far as the at&t people, do you know for sure they are at&t? I ask that because we get people calling all the time in my day job that want to speak to the person that 'handles the at&t bill'. If you ask them if they work directly with at&t, they will tell you no, they are with such and such other phone or long distance phone company. In my year plus of answering the phone I have yet to have an actual AT&T person call us to sell us something, but we get the other calls all the time.

The calls that annoy me the most are the ones that want to update our information on such and such free listing webite. We aren't listed on any to start with, so there is nothing for them to update. Then they argue with you. Which is another thing I hate!

I get that it is their job and they are just trying to make money for their families. I start off polite, and I just want them to accept a no thanks we already have someone that we get xyz from.

It is also my job to screen these calls before they get to my boss. Believe me, you don't want to get that far, especially if you agrued with me or acted like I had no say if we wanted the product or not.

And it is always fun for us when someone does come in the door to sell us something. Usually they get no further than telling us who they are with before they get asked to leave. Basicly how we look at things is if we are looking for a product we will look for it. We have suppliers we use and trust and have a good relationship with, why change that?

I get phone calls of pre-recorded messages to put an atm machine in my store...The funny thing about it is I don't have a storefront!!

Is is me or has the sales force in general become way more pushy, rude and bold? I get it at home, I get it at work... Seriously, what part of NO don't you understand??? (Wait, let me guess, it's the "O" -- it has no beginning, it has no end...)

When i got a line at the shop strictly for my fax machine, I put a VM message that "you've reached the fax line of CIS. To reach the office, please dial blah-blah-blah. All vendors should ask for Sally in purchasing."

then .... when I'd get a call asking for Sally, I'd know it was a salesman and I'd tell him Sally just stepped out to go to the bank or pick up supplies or something and I'd offer to take a message.

There WAS no Sally. It was my way of screening my calls.

Evil. I LURVE that about you!

::blows kisses::

*Customers just walk back into the kitchen just to take 'a peek' of how I bake and what I'm using in my recipes!

I have this also. I want to yell at them " get your dirty ass out of my kitchen" They come waltzing in like they pay the rent. I am very picky about cleanliness. And when they walk in off the street it makes me cring.

I got a baby gate put by the hallway and hung a sign on it no crossing without permission. Its working so far.

My friend worked in a retail store where every male employee gave his name as "Clyde", and every female employee gave her name as "Bonnie".

When solicitors came in an asked for the owner or manager, I told them the owner was away on a trip. Eventualy, they made comments like, " jeez, does your boss ever work?" and my response was: not really! I'm here slaving while she is always on vacation! Eventualy, they stopped coming because I did not have the authority to make any changes on orders or accounts. Or when they called on the phone, I just started speaking another language ( Portuguese) and they would also give up. Total entertainment, if I had the time to spare!