First Complaint.. I Would Not Give Any Refound!
Business By TheItalianBaker Updated 20 Oct 2013 , 8:29pm by liz at sugar
Hi all!
Last week we had a complaint at the bakery.
A lady said her cake was good but the layers were to thick. It was 3 layers of cake and 2 of filling, 3.5inches totally.
She was expecting thinner layers, like 6!
because that's was what the old owner/pastry chef of the bakery did. Now the owner is changed, new pastry chefs, new cakes, new flavors.. He bought the whole business but didn't change the name, He just had a week closed few months ago and a big opening with the NEW business!
So what to do now? I would not give her any refound, I'm pretty sure I told her our cakes are tall with 3 layers of cake and 2 of filling,
I think the complaint doesn't make any sense, we can't know what the old pastry chef used to do last year, how and what recipes he used!
what do you think?
honestly I just think she wanted some money back. She ordered 3 different cakes for a wedding (a 10 inches, a 8 inches and a 6 inches) but she had just 35 over. The other cakes where the same, 3 layers of cake and 2 of filling and she was fine with them!
What flavor was the cake she returned? I ask because many German or Bavarian cakes are comprised of many thin layers of cake and filling, and maybe she thought that was what she was getting? Or you may be right, and she just wants her money back.
Maybe you should include a photo of a cut cake in your marketing materials if you think it will be an ongoing problem, since the bakery has the same name.
Liz
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What flavor was the cake she returned? I ask because many German or Bavarian cakes are comprised of many thin layers of cake and filling, and maybe she thought that was what she was getting? Or you may be right, and she just wants her money back.
Maybe you should include a photo of a cut cake in your marketing materials if you think it will be an ongoing problem, since the bakery has the same name.
Liz
it was a black forest cake: light chocolate cake, kirch whipped cream and cherries.
anyways I feel she shouldn't get the refound (or maybe just a part?) because it can open the way to more customers to do that.. "the old pastry chef used to make it different.." I mean, Im not a witch, how am I supposed to know it?!
i would have refunded a partial at least-- by my understanding of what you have written so far--
i would not want to piss off a longstanding customer--
i think she is within her right as a customer to expect the same product she bought before --that's not outrageous at all--it sounded like the bakery recently changed hands?
of course you could not know that...until she told you that she was disappointed--
just my thought
A
Original message sent by -K8memphis
i would not want to piss off a longstanding customer--
i think she is within her right as a customer to [B]expect the same product she bought before --[/B]that's not outrageous at all--it sounded like the bakery recently changed hands?
Maybe it would be a nice goodwill gesture to give her a gift certificate for a future order, since she did bring back part of the cake.
I will say it is odd that the new owners bought the business and kept the name (because they thought it was worth keeping - reputation wise??) but didn't want to keep any of the old favorites or old methods. That does make it difficult for repeat customers who think they are getting A, but are really getting B. Why did they keep the old bakery name?
Liz
AI can't imagine how you put whole cherries in the layers of a black forest gateau when there are 6 layers of cake.
I would just do 10% off a future order, and make sure she understands that she should only order what she needs, you don't get a refund for the bit you didn't eat.
If I'm reading this right:
You are the decorator or baker of an established business that was bought out by new owners and kept the name and location? And this lady came in because she's a long time customer and then realized the cake was totally different than she was used to?
1. You are taking this WAAAAY too personally. She couldn't care a fig about who YOU are- she was mad at the business itself, not you personally. You aren't a lady doing cakes out of your home bakery, you are part of a storefront and those have different rules than custom peeps. (which is why you're not getting the sympathy you expected!)
2. Let the owners take care of it. It is their fault this happened if they never made a name change but changed all their recipes. This cannot and will not be the first or last time this will happen. I wouldn't even handle it anymore, I would direct them to the owners.
3. I can see both your points. Yours because you sound like you were shocked by the complaint and true, how were you supposed to know? And hers, because she ordered cakes from her favorite bakery and then found out after the fact that her favorite bakery is totally different.
Quote:
If I'm reading this right:
You are the decorator or baker of an established business that was bought out by new owners and kept the name and location? And this lady came in because she's a long time customer and then realized the cake was totally different than she was used to?
1. You are taking this WAAAAY too personally. She couldn't care a fig about who YOU are- she was mad at the business itself, not you personally. You aren't a lady doing cakes out of your home bakery, you are part of a storefront and those have different rules than custom peeps. (which is why you're not getting the sympathy you expected!)
2. Let the owners take care of it. It is their fault this happened if they never made a name change but changed all their recipes. This cannot and will not be the first or last time this will happen. I wouldn't even handle it anymore, I would direct them to the owners.
3. I can see both your points. Yours because you sound like you were shocked by the complaint and true, how were you supposed to know? And hers, because she ordered cakes from her favorite bakery and then found out after the fact that her favorite bakery is totally different.
I might take this personally, you are right but im not the type of emploee who doesnt care about the business. Their success is mine too, I care and take care of it as it was mine, cuz you dont know what it can happen in the future! (my attitude already got me a raise, after 1 month)
Maybe it would be a nice goodwill gesture to give her a gift certificate for a future order, since she did bring back part of the cake.
I will say it is odd that the new owners bought the business and kept the name (because they thought it was worth keeping - reputation wise??) but didn't want to keep any of the old favorites or old methods. That does make it difficult for repeat customers who think they are getting A, but are really getting B. Why did they keep the old bakery name?
Liz
it's not we dont want to keep old favorites or methods, it's just we dont know about them! all the staff is new so there is noone to ask to.. The last owner, which was the pastry chef too took all the recipes with him.
i would have refunded a partial at least-- by my understanding of what you have written so far--
i would not want to piss off a longstanding customer--
i think she is within her right as a customer to expect the same product she bought before --that's not outrageous at all--it sounded like the bakery recently changed hands?
of course you could not know that...until she told you that she was disappointed--
just my thought
yes, the bakery changed hands 6 months ago, they kept part of the name, from "the ***** bakery" to " the ***** bistro, bakery and pastry"
the owner gave her a full refound anyways, she also got a free sample of black forest with thinner layers and she was happy about it..
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the owner gave her a full refound anyways, she also got a free sample of black forest with thinner layers and she was happy about it..
I think this would be more confusing to the customers. Is the bakery going to do all the cakes with thinner layers, or is it an option now when you order your cakes. Which ever it is, it needs to be communicated to the customers and the decorators. To keep this from happing in the future.
ASeriously I need to know where this bakery is where the clients get to decide the price of the cakes and can bring back the uneaten portion of their cake and get a refund for the whole thing because it doesn't have thinner layers.
AI would have given a partial refund and a discount on a future order. I am confused as to how someone buys the business, but not the rights to the recipes...
I hope this prompts the owner to start posting notices about the new ownership and new recipes.
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I hope this prompts the owner to start posting notices about the new ownership and new recipes.
Yeah, don't they have any signs up with "under new management" or any other notices like that?
If this lady was a long-standing customer, though, give her a refund and making a note that when she orders cakes she'd prefer to have the thinner layers isn't a big deal. Just knowing that she's going to be a special order customer will let you do the cake the way she wants them in the future. Charge her extra if you need to, but if you're going to do that then THE OWNER needs to talk to her and give her the option of having the three layers or paying more for six.
I have to add that you seem to post a lot, and it's usually about second-guessing the owner's decisions. Are you just trying to learn how other people would handle situations that arise, or do you spend a lot of time arguing with the owner about this kind of stuff? I remember that you explained what your position was at the bakery before, but I don't remember if you're an assistant mananger or what. I'm just curious, because you said that you do take your job seriously and have been given a raise, so that's good.
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Yeah, don't they have any signs up with "under new management" or any other notices like that?
If this lady was a long-standing customer, though, give her a refund and making a note that when she orders cakes she'd prefer to have the thinner layers isn't a big deal. Just knowing that she's going to be a special order customer will let you do the cake the way she wants them in the future. Charge her extra if you need to, but if you're going to do that then THE OWNER needs to talk to her and give her the option of having the three layers or paying more for six.
I have to add that you seem to post a lot, and it's usually about second-guessing the owner's decisions. Are you just trying to learn how other people would handle situations that arise, or do you spend a lot of time arguing with the owner about this kind of stuff? I remember that you explained what your position was at the bakery before, but I don't remember if you're an assistant mananger or what. I'm just curious, because you said that you do take your job seriously and have been given a raise, so that's good.
I don't know if there was a "under new management" sign when they bought the business 6 months ago, I got hired just 2months ago!
The point is, only the black forest needed to have thinner layers? what about the other 2 cakes? there were fine.. that's why it sounded odd to me! Anyways, I refuse to make differences with new or old customers, the method should be the same for everybody! that's why I say, every time to each customer, that our cakes have 3 layers of cake and 2 of filling, and they are 4inches tall. I think giving the option of having thinner layers for more money makes sense and it's reasonable.
LOL nope I don't argue at all with anyone, just explain my point of view! I would do it like that or like this.. we really work together as a team, sharing advices and experiences. But I don't have much experience about refound and co., never happened to me.. anyways I like to have different opinions, especially from here!
I got hired as pastry chef and also I talk to customers and price the cakes
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The point is, only the black forest needed to have thinner layers?
That's why I say, every time to each customer, that our cakes have 3 layers of cake and 2 of filling, and they are 4inches tall.
There is no hard and fast rule - but if that is how the old baker did it, that is what your customers will expect.
And even though you tell them how many layers they are getting, I doubt many are really paying attention, until they actually cut the cake. :)
Good luck!
Liz
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