I went into a local bakery this morning to do a little competitive research. It was fairly busy - not crazy busy. While I was paying for my coffee, I noticed a young woman standing beside me at the counter. She asked the clerk if the bakery's phone was working because she had been calling for two weeks, leaving messages and had not gotten a reply.

The clerk asked why she was calling. The young woman replied that she had ordered a shower cake for this coming Tuesday and was told someone would call her back to discuss design and flavors. No one ever did. The clerk went and fetched the owner who bustled out to "help" the customer. When the woman told her the problem and asked if she could discuss her cake now, the owner told her she was too busy and that she would call her on Monday. By this time, the girl was practically in tears. She politely asked if she could PLEASE have some time today. No. "I'll call you on Monday. It's not due until Tuesday!" was the response.

I so wanted to follow this girl out to the parking lot, give her my card and a hug and tell her I would be thrilled to do her cake. Not because I wanted the business, but because I wanted to make her feel better. What would you have done?

You should have. If they are going to treat their customers this way then I wouldn't feel bad about taking the business. I was in a cake store last week and a lady came in to pick up her small cake. The kid behind the counter brought out the cake simple design fondant with dots and boxed it up. Then he tells her 125.00. It was so hard not to say I would have made your cake for half the cost. The fondant wasn't even smooth.

I don't see an ethical problem with giving your card to the customer after she left the bakery, I would have done the same.

Agreed! I would have given her a card in that situation.

Definitely. I used to sell building supplies. Sometimes on the weekend I would have to head to Lowe's or Home Depot to pick up a few things for around the house since we only were open during the week. So many employees didn't know anything about plumbing, lighting, etc. and weren't even attempting to help customers or giving them blatantly wrong information. I had no problem offering to help them if they had the time to come by my store when we were open, or tell them if they were about to purchase things incorrectly or that they didn't need. I don't think I ever once met someone who wasn't at least appreciative for the offer to help. Most of the time they were grateful anyone tried at all, or helped out with their situation.

As a customer, I would have been grateful to know there are other options. I don't think it's unethical, just good customer service.

ETA: If you were trying to take every customer by standing around listening to their quotes and undercutting the bakery - that would be unethical in my opinion.

I agree with everyone else. I see nothing unethical about approaching her once she walked out of the bakery.

Obviously the bakery didnt give a wrinkled fondant butt whether she got what she wanted or not if they asked her to come back the day before she needed the cake so in my opinion, you wouldn't have stolen their customer, you wou;d have rescued her.

If you were standing out in the parking lot handing out samples to every customer who would stop long enough to listen to you... well that would be unethical.

You should have given her your card.

Sweettreat101 why would you have discounted the cake if your work is better? And by discounted, I mean sold it at a cheaper price when the customer was ok with paying the higher price. That just sparked my curiosity.

"Wrinkled fondant Butt" made me literally LOL.