Very Picky Customer

Business By pamlovestobake Updated 4 Oct 2014 , 6:29am by MBalaska

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pamlovestobake Posted 1 Oct 2014 , 11:08pm
post #1 of 31

AI received a call on friday from my mother in law's friend who had her boss and boss's daughter with her wanting to order a cake for Sunday, caught me a bit off guard but i spoke with the daughter who was very sweet. I took her order then she passed the phone over to her mom who was more serious and direct about payment and pick up and she'll get my number from her employee (mil friend) then hanged up the phone :?. When i met the friend to receive payment she tells me her boss is very picky and hard to please, safe to say i was feeling the pressure. Fast forward to Sunday, as I am handing the mom the cake she tells me that she has yet to find a cake she likes after her trip to France, where all the cakes and pastries are exquisite, yup a wealthy picky person. I never heard anything from anyone until last night when my mil calls to tell me they hated the cake it was dry, tasteless, horrible and they threw it away. I don't have a way to reach the woman since she did not want to give her number out, but i'm not sure what to do in this case. The cake was delicious, (made this type of cake before) i made a mini cake from cake scraps and gave it to my dh for work and they loved it. Since i can't reach them except through the friend what would you professionals do in this case?

30 replies
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-K8memphis Posted 1 Oct 2014 , 11:15pm
post #2 of 31

never bake a cake for them again -- i tell people who want me to use their family's special recipe for whatever occasion 'i don't do legends' -- i mean if you contact them what would you say? 'sorry i don't bake like the patisserie's in france' -- 'order your next cake from paris' idk

 

i'd just let it go

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maybenot Posted 2 Oct 2014 , 1:40am
post #3 of 31

Let it go and don't worry about it.  Some people can't be pleased.

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mattyeatscakes Posted 2 Oct 2014 , 2:29am
post #4 of 31

ATrue, you cannot please everyone. They can always find fault - too sweet, not sweet enough, dry, too moist, too dense, too fluffy, too airy.. Whatever! I have a friend like that. Every cake i made that she has tasted, she always found fault in it. And she tells me that she's just giving me honest feedback. While everyone else likes it.. Oh well, go figure ;)

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pamlovestobake Posted 2 Oct 2014 , 4:23am
post #5 of 31

AThanks for the feedback, i just needed to vent! K8 you knocked some sense into me! I can't apologize for her picky taste :cool: but it still hurts to hear such bad reviews.

I guess i can't help but feel like i was set up by my MIL friend. She had ordered a fondant cake before and said everyone loved it but waits to tell me it was too sweet when she dropped the payment off (4 months later). She also didn't tell me how badly the cake went instead my MIL let me know how embarrassed she felt for recommending me, yet when i gave her a call she wouldn't tell me anything! Instead said she'll call me later and we'll talk about it... well never heard back from her.

I mean really if she had an issue with a cake i made why would she recommend me to her picky boss??

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petitecat Posted 2 Oct 2014 , 8:32am
post #6 of 31

Quote:

Originally Posted by pamlovestobake 

Thanks for the feedback, i just needed to vent! K8 you knocked some sense into me! I can't apologize for her picky taste icon_cool.gif but it still hurts to hear such bad reviews.

I guess i can't help but feel like i was set up by my MIL friend. She had ordered a fondant cake before and said everyone loved it but waits to tell me it was too sweet when she dropped the payment off (4 months later). She also didn't tell me how badly the cake went instead my MIL let me know how embarrassed she felt for recommending me, yet when i gave her a call she wouldn't tell me anything! Instead said she'll call me later and we'll talk about it... well never heard back from her.

I mean really if she had an issue with a cake i made why would she recommend me to her picky boss??

 

Your MIL, MIL's friend and MIL's friend's boss all sound pretty horrible to me. Your MIL says she's embarrassed to have recommended you and her friend waits 4 months before paying you but then has the gall to give you negative feedback! MIL's friend gives you the runaround and claims not to like your cakes, but recommends you to the boss. I mean they're more than just picky. 

 

Time to stop letting them walk all over you, have faith in yourself. Like others have said you can't please everyone, and you definitely can't please these people. 

 

I could think of other adjectives other than 'horrible' to describe these so called people, one starting with the letter B, but I shall refrain. I am angry on your behalf!

 

I've just realised I had a vent about your vent... :oops:

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Rfisher Posted 2 Oct 2014 , 1:07pm
post #7 of 31

ABear with me, I am going to make an assumption, but if I am wrong I think the point is still valid. If I handed over an American style butter cake over to someone that they ordered, and their reply was that they have not liked any cake since their trip to France, I would have immediately said "woah! Hold on ma'am......" I would have explained that the order did not specify the type of cake this woman was looking for, and would have explained what was in hand was just as delicious, but a totally different species. And if she wanted to place an additional order for what she really wanted, that's another story. As for the MIL /MIL's friend being embarrassed, that's just a case of their own issues of thinking the boss is a better person than they are. The friend probably had no real issues with your cake at all, before that. Mob mentality. Hope you got paid up front, not next Feb.

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Claire138 Posted 2 Oct 2014 , 2:13pm
post #8 of 31

I'm wondering about the France angle as I live in Paris (over 20 years) & I have yet to see one bakery offering Fondant cakes - the bakery near me orders them from me as do restaurants making birthday parties etc. She may be talking about patisseries but they are more strawberries and cream and not at all "American" style cakes (as fondant cakes are called here).

She sounds way "up" herself, put her on your no list and close the page.

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ellavanilla Posted 2 Oct 2014 , 3:29pm
post #9 of 31

and now you've learned a hard lesson about family too. MIL should have told miss bossy boots to call you herself. There is no way i would have gotten in the middle of that. IMO, MIL should have defended you. The customer isn't her boss. Shame on all of them for ganging up on you. 

 

Be empowered by the fact that you are running your own business. You don't have to ingratiate yourself to someone, you only have to provide good service and good product. You set the terms for your business. If you don't want to take an order without contact info, then don't. If you don't want to take a third party order, don't do it. 

 

Everyone on this site has a story about doing a family member a favor that blew up by the end, so don't feel discouraged by that. Take it as a lesson learned about how you want to handle your biz, and if you get a chance, tell your MIL that her lack of loyalty is embarrassing.  

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cai0311 Posted 2 Oct 2014 , 7:23pm
post #10 of 31

A

Quote:
Originally Posted by pamlovestobake 

I never heard anything from anyone until last night when my mil calls to tell me they hated the cake it was dry, tasteless, horrible and they threw it away. I don't have a way to reach the woman since she did not want to give her number out, but i'm not sure what to do in this case. The cake was delicious, (made this type of cake before) i made a mini cake from cake scraps and gave it to my dh for work and they loved it. Since i can't reach them except through the friend what would you professionals do in this case?

 

Wait, your MIL's friend's boss hated the cake and your MIL called to tell you? So you never heard it from the boss? I wouldn't sweat it until you hear from the customer.

I would also never make a cake for your MIL, her friends (any of them) or the boss again. Your MIL sounds like a B!

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cakebaby2 Posted 2 Oct 2014 , 7:59pm
post #11 of 31

Ah the mother-in-law, you know she has never forgiven you for taking her son away from her? She cant attack you the way she'd like with a baseball bat,because then her son would know what a spiteful cow she is. So..............and I'm secretly impressed here..............she's chipping away at your confidence in yourself and your craft. Now the plan is, you have a meltdown, cry a bit, drop the odd dish just enough to concern her son who will run for advice... from ?????

Oh she;s good this one.

Be sweet as pie to her in front of her son (that's what she's doing to you, "helping" you with all these recommendations?)

Then tell her privately that you're on to her and you have a hankering to live in Paris yourself to learn all this fancy patisserie and that you'll be working on hubby to move there,

I had one like this, I worshipped the ground that was waiting for her...all six feet of it. But I won in the end.

Best to you x

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ellavanilla Posted 2 Oct 2014 , 8:46pm
post #12 of 31

Quote:

Originally Posted by cakebaby2 
 

Ah the mother-in-law, you know she has never forgiven you for taking her son away from her? She cant attack you the way she'd like with a baseball bat,because then her son would know what a spiteful cow she is. So..............and I'm secretly impressed here..............she's chipping away at your confidence in yourself and your craft. Now the plan is, you have a meltdown, cry a bit, drop the odd dish just enough to concern her son who will run for advice... from ?????

Oh she;s good this one.

Be sweet as pie to her in front of her son (that's what she's doing to you, "helping" you with all these recommendations?)

Then tell her privately that you're on to her and you have a hankering to live in Paris yourself to learn all this fancy patisserie and that you'll be working on hubby to move there,

I had one like this, I worshipped the ground that was waiting for her...all six feet of it. But I won in the end.

Best to you x

 

 

and don't cross cakebaby2! Must be a Scottish thing! LOL:-D

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MBalaska Posted 2 Oct 2014 , 9:15pm
post #13 of 31

Quote:

Originally Posted by cakebaby2 
 

Ah the mother-in-law, you know she has never forgiven you for taking her son away from her? She cant attack you the way she'd like with a baseball bat,because then her son would know what a spiteful cow she is. So..............and I'm secretly impressed here..............she's chipping away at your confidence in yourself and your craft. Now the plan is, you have a meltdown, cry a bit, drop the odd dish just enough to concern her son who will run for advice... from ?????

Oh she;s good this one.

Be sweet as pie to her in front of her son (that's what she's doing to you, "helping" you with all these recommendations?)

Then tell her privately that you're on to her and you have a hankering to live in Paris yourself to learn all this fancy patisserie and that you'll be working on hubby to move there,

I had one like this, I worshipped the ground that was waiting for her...all six feet of it. But I won in the end.

Best to you x

 

@cakebaby2  Good Scottish wisdom, a voice of experience.  Glad that you won.

 

"Awa' an bile yer heid"  to the MIL.

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cakebaby2 Posted 2 Oct 2014 , 9:23pm
post #14 of 31

 I was young and green once too, lasted till the wedding night till I found the bedsocks and anti wrinkle cream she'd packed for me as a "wee gift".

It got nasty after that, always at family gatherings a snide little present among the chocs and perfume (cheap stuff)

I began to stock up on haemorroid ointment (super strength) anti bloating pills and cheap gin (I'm talking rotgut here) and huge packs of anti dribble underwear and rushing around to her bridge morning saying she'd forgotten her "essentials".

I always said it with a sad but loving smile to whoever i handed these little gifts to. They loved me, often saying how lucky she was to have a daughter in law like me.

I swear I kept her alive much longer than the Good Lord planned. 

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winniemog Posted 2 Oct 2014 , 10:10pm
post #15 of 31

A

Original message sent by cakebaby2

Ah the mother-in-law, you know she has never forgiven you for taking her son away from her?.....Then tell her privately that you're on to her and you have a hankering to live in Paris yourself to learn all this fancy patisserie and that you'll be working on hubby to move there, I had one like this, I worshipped the ground that was waiting for her...all six feet of it. But I won in the end. Best to you x

Oh my, I think we are related - you seem to have my MIL!!!

Make sure you mention that all the beautiful grand babies will only speak French.....and that you won't be getting them passports to visit back to the States!

I love the six foot of ground you worshipped Cakebaby2 - sometimes I need a focus when I'm taking yet another deep breath around my MIL. And you won in the end...good for you, hope I'm on the winners' podium with you one day!

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cakebaby2 Posted 2 Oct 2014 , 10:31pm
post #16 of 31

Law of averages? Their little hearts cant take the constant never knowing what you're up to or planning. Sometimes just a shifty glance and a sideways smile can get them so lathered up they have to sit down for a cup of tea. That's when you allow your hand to linger over the cup.

They just have to suspect you are up to no good,you don't actually have to be up to no good?

Unless of course.......................

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pamlovestobake Posted 2 Oct 2014 , 11:09pm
post #17 of 31

ASorry for the misunderstanding, i must not have written it better 8O it was my mil's friend who dropped the payment for the picky women, then complained about a cake i made for her 4 months earlier, making a comment about doing the best i can for her picky boss.

It was the friend of my MIL who felt embarrassed for recommending me but couldn't tell me and instead told my MIL who felt i should know about it. I'm just bummed that this woman couldn't even give me a call (idk if she even got my number) to give me some feedback. I made alternating layers of genoise (brushed with cointreau simple syrup) and vanilla chiffon cake filled with vanilla bean pastry cream flavored with strawberry liquor and frosted in whipped cream frosting, i even went above and beyond what i normally do by including a gumpaste rose/leaves and a chocolate plaque. Yes, i really wanted to impress her as the friend kept telling me that this was a huge opportunity for me to reach higher income customers IF she liked them cake.

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pamlovestobake Posted 2 Oct 2014 , 11:12pm
post #18 of 31

AOh and my MIL is actually very sweet and lovable :D believe it or not it's my mom who is evil in law to my husband!

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-K8memphis Posted 2 Oct 2014 , 11:15pm
post #19 of 31

wow that sounds drooliscious -- but again -- you can't in reality be expected to match a memory especially when you didn't even know that was the goal --

 

just keep moving forward -- you're fine -- you ran into a mess and hats off to you for going the extra mile -- did you get paid? maybe you mentioned it but i'm just curious --

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pamlovestobake Posted 2 Oct 2014 , 11:28pm
post #20 of 31

AThanks k8 yes it was delicious! And yes i charged $40 for a 6inch cake looking back I should have charged her $50 but i had no idea who i was about to talk to

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cakebaby2 Posted 3 Oct 2014 , 4:59am
post #21 of 31

Its the MIL friend who's the nasty one? Well scratch her then off the Christmas list. So she's snidey about you and tries to set you up with difficult clients, I still think its jealousy in other areas.

your cake sounds lovely, normal people loved it forget ever doing anything for this horrible woman again.

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pamlovestobake Posted 3 Oct 2014 , 8:04pm
post #22 of 31

ACakebaby2 unfortunately it seems like it. At first i thought she was genuinely trying to help me, by ordering from me on numerous occasions and giving me helpful advice (bake with love and care etc) but the last few times i spoke with her i got iffy vibes from her.

She proudly tells me that she also bakes and makes the best cheesecake and can sell them anywhere including parking lots and churches, because they are that good. She charges $1 for a slice of cheesecake or $10 for a whole one, cheap i know. Which led to her "best" advice to me which is *wait for it* lower my prices because NORMAL people can't afford me and will find someone cheaper to do it!

My sweet MIL truly believes she has great business skills even though she doesn't own a business but instead dabbles in selling everything, from used clothes and shoes to baked goods and food and can sell it anywhere from Swamp meets, parking lots of grocery stores and churches.

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cakebaby2 Posted 3 Oct 2014 , 8:51pm
post #23 of 31

The bad cakebaby is even more impressed by your MIL because she's using a patsy to get to you, therefore removing herself even further from your husbands suspicion, however you assure me she is innocent of all wrongdoing and is merely hoodwinked by this bag lady

.

The good cakebaby.....well me actually (Cat to my friends) sees the jealousy from this serial recommender of cakes to the psycopathic community....well why shouldn't they have cakes too?

I suggest you bag up any awful old clothes mismatched slippers etc and donate them to her in carrier bags.

Not personally of course but via the MIL or bette yetr one of her nosier neighbours....what the heck stick in a tube of Super Strength pile cream from the local pharmacy, not forgetting to mention to the pharmacist who its for in a ringing but concerned voice.

 

Its a lesser known fact that pharmacists secretly wanted to be doctors and for whatever reason, life was cruel. They are more than happy to discuss ailments, give diagnosis and prescribe especially in front of an audience, her embarressing problem, your kindness and her excessive drinking will soon be the talk of the neighbourhood

.

Now I know what you're thinking, but its no problem, thanks is unnecessary, I was happy to help. 

Get those lovely cakes in the oven girl and good luck x

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MBalaska Posted 3 Oct 2014 , 8:56pm
post #24 of 31

@cakebaby2  You may be related to one of my favorite characters........Andy Dalziel  ;-D

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cakebaby2 Posted 3 Oct 2014 , 8:59pm
post #25 of 31

Hi there Ms Alaska, how you doing girl, loved your cream cheese post x

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MBalaska Posted 3 Oct 2014 , 9:28pm
post #26 of 31

still above ground lol.  The OP's situation reminds me of something I read in college psychology books.

"Let's you and her fight."   The eternal manipulation of other people's misery for the disturbed entertainment of the manipulator.  The tortured triangle.

 

And she's only dealing with her MIL, ha.  My own mother did likewise last year.  I posted about it here on CC.  My Mom said my sister hated a cake I made.  Found out later she loved it immensely and was over the moon.  Go figure :duh:

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ellavanilla Posted 3 Oct 2014 , 11:26pm
post #27 of 31

Quote:

Originally Posted by pamlovestobake 


She proudly tells me that she also bakes and makes the best cheesecake and can sell them anywhere including parking lots and churches, because they are that good. 
 

 

 

Well who doesn't love a parking lot cheesecake? I'm turning my driveway into a parking lot right now so that I can maximize earning potential. My backyard is going to be a dog park. I think I can clean up with cupcakes back there!

 

this woman is making my head hurt. promise you won't talk to her anymore, unless it's to tell her about the $600 first birthday cake you just sold. Even it that was me, pretend it was you... :lol:

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pamlovestobake Posted 3 Oct 2014 , 11:56pm
post #28 of 31

AIt could be possible that MIL is also being manipulated by her as well? she sees her as a saint and takes all her advice to heart. The truth is i try and see the good in everyone until they give me a reason not to. MBalaska i think we have the same mother lol she loves making people fight over lies. I guess i just feel discouraged by all my family members lack of support and hearing the bad reviews by a woman i still never heard from. DH thinks i neglect him and the kids for baking, mom thinks I should pick a better more income producing career, dad says i made a poor choice as my first business, MIL says to get a real job to help hubby and then bake. Not to mention illegal under cutters galore in my town, bakeries with confusing serving sizes (8" round serves 8-10):???:

Ellavanilla i had to hold in my laugh as she was telling me to start running a business ASAP no worries about anything else by shoving my baked goods in their face with cheap prices everywhere including having a stand outside a church waiting for service to end and sell sell sell8O

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cakebaby2 Posted 4 Oct 2014 , 5:22am
post #29 of 31

You are surrounded by quicksand sucking you down baby girl, what a shame. Stop seeing the good and start seeing the wolves in the thicket....just go on outwardly as normal with the lot of them and do a sneaky business course on the side. Keep doing those great cakes for a good realistic price and refuse any more help or customers from the two witches.....I still think MIl is a saboteur.

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pamlovestobake Posted 4 Oct 2014 , 6:01am
post #30 of 31

ACakebaby2 you read my mind about the business course I am also going to take a marketing course, yes i get discouraged once in a while but regardless of what my family thinks I am going to have a successful from scratch bakery. Then bask in the look of shock and disbelief :-D Thank you all for the wonderful advice, i will most certainly stay away from my MIL'S "friend" by the way my mom is the saboteur who has tried to ruin my marriage/career/parenting while my MIL helped us remain strong

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