Is There A Hemorrhoid Test For New Clients?
Decorating By kathik Updated 31 Oct 2006 , 5:45pm by CoutureCake
Can't help you there. 
But I have had the same problem even here. 
did not bother me but now I want to hear the story behimd it though
Maybe we can compare stories. I see you live in Raleigh!
Okay, well I'll put it back up and elaborate. I've been volunteering with celebrations at our shul (temple) for a while and people have encouraged me to start a catering business. I have become known for my ability to set up a beautiful buffet, with gourmet style kosher food, and centerpieces that coordinate with the day's Torah portion. So during the last Bar Mitzvah (my first catering job), this woman approached me and asked if she could contact me about doing her son's meal. I said yes, and thus began this very frustrating experience.
She had heard great things about me, or so she said. I did an email consultation with her and she decided to hire me. We met for our planning session, which I intended to last one hour, but lasted 2 1/2. We agreed on most menu items and we decided to meet the following week to firm up the final menu and centerpiece plans. I originally only planned to meet once, but she seemed so confused that I felt sorry for her. In that one week she must have emailed me a half dozen times with a dozen changes. When we met the second time, I learned that this is a divorced family, so that contributes to some of the decision issues, she decides, but the father disagrees, etc. Plus, she has about 6 other family members telling her to do this and that. Now she seems to think I am her new best friend or personal consultant. She emailed me tonight to tell me she sent out the invitations, and yesterday to tell me she needs to find a babysitter for her nephew the morning of the Bar Mitzvah. I'm the caterer! I don't care!
At this point she has completely gutted all the special things I normally do at these events. She doesn't want a centerpiece at all, only minor decorations, no cakes, very few desserts. All the foods she wants are very basic, boring things. She even changed the special challah rolls I make (parve cranberry white chocolate) to a plain challah roll. But then she is very particular about weird things like having really special crackers to go with the egg salad! CRACKERS!! Give me a break. A number of people know that I'm doing this Bar Mitzvah, and they keep asking "oh, are you making...." and I have to keep saying no. And, the bizarre thing is it's not about money! She wants the food and paper budget to be under $2500.00 for 110 people. I could do more than I have ever done with such a huge budget, but she doesn't want it that way. I just don't understand why she even chose me! And she's driving me batty!
By the way, it was my husband who made the hemorrhoid comment.
Kathi
If it looks like a hemorrhoid, acts like a hemorrhoid, bleeds you like a hemorrhoid... It's probably a hemorrhoid client...
Sometimes people need more hand-holding when it comes to all of this stuff. It's a great time for you to decide just how flexible you are going to be with your menu and recipes. It's one thing to ask "can you leave the almonds out because Aunt Ethel is allergic"... It's another to change your recipes around completely. All of the caterers around here offer a menu of choices that they make for a brochure. If they do anything special, regardless of how simple it is, they price it in extra because it's going to change their routine and prep.
I believe it all can be summed up with.. My dear, you have officially been accepted into the Accredited Program at the Culinary Institute of Hard Knocks Studies... There is no graduation from the Institute, even after four years business experience and your internship while paying off debt acquired while investing into your studies, a new course will likely be required. Welcome aboard!!!! 
You are too funny CoutureCake! I've been talking about wanting to go to Culinary school, I didn't realize I was already there!!!
Anyway, you are right, I have learned quite a bit from this job and I have already begun writing up my buffet menu offerings, set up as three different "levels". Level A includes ...., etc. As you said I have no problem altering things for allergies, but in this case there aren't allergy issues or budget issues. I just don't get it. If she just wanted plain food put out on a plain table why hire me to do it, and why need so much handholding? Bizarre!! It would be like a bride going to one of you incredibly talented cake decorators and then deciding to pay the same price (as for an incredibly decorated tiered cake) but then order a sheet cake, no borders, no anything. What is the point? 
Kathi
I think I would feel the same way as you do if someone asked me for a plain cake. I would feel stifled by not being able to show what I can do. plain challah???? The nerve!!!!
Just to try to make you feel a little better....she is probably going through a lot with nobody to lean on and she found you. I know you don't need her problems, but it will be over soon.
Alright adven68, you made me laugh! And you're right she probably has very little support. I think I'll make myself a coded post it note to put on my notebook to remind me when I'm talking/emailing her that she needs someone to support her. I guess we've all been there about something! 
Here is my 2 cents - if the client interviews you for the job - you should also interview the client. Just because the person has enough money to pay for the service doesn't make for a good working relationship!
I am so very hardnosed that in my world I would have fired the client for being a poor repesentation of a "good" in terms of quality, cost, compliance, and schedule!
Geez, your life is too short and nobody said you had to be this person's bartender or psychiatrist!
P.S. Also remember that there are people in the world who feel insulted if they get something for cheap or a discount for whatever reason. I have some in-laws that won't buy the same pack of toilet paper (figuratively of course) from Walmart, but instead have to go to the upper end super market to get it thinking they got something that's worth more I also deal with a lot of this type of personality at work, the best thing to do is make them FEEL like they're shelling out a load sometimes (load of something, not cash though 
). It boggles the mind sometimes, but just roll with the punches. You never know, you might want to add some of her menu to the catering options you have because there are people that want simple (my DH doesn't do sauce on ANY thing for example - no ketchup, mustard, honey, maple syrup, pickle, etc.), and that's their ideal meal.
These also happen to be the same in-laws that will just go to Sam's for a birthday cake instead of having me make it... Go figure...
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