Good customer unhappy with product, Should I refund or offer free product?

dmos87

Registered User
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I made a cake last night for a repeat customer. It was her sons birthday today and as he's an only boy it's a very big deal to her. I put my all into the cake and the finished product was amazing to look at - I really was very proud of it when I delivered it today. She was thrilled and so was her little boy.

Got a missed call from her this evening, called her back. She told me that she was sorry to call me but she wasn't happy with the inside of the cake. It is a two layer cake made separately with different flavourings and one layer she didnt like.

Genuinely, I feel awful - I have a knot in my stomach since the call. I know the day was very important to her and I wanted it to go well which is why I put so much effort into it - proabably too much as I spent 3-4 hours last night just decorating it. As well as that she has always been a pleasure to deal with and always loves my cakes. She was not nasty at all on the phone, but sounded a little down about it.

When I delivered the cake she told me she would be ordering another one soon from me for another birthday, so when she told me she wasn't happy with the cake she got today I offered to make the next one free of charge. She was happy to hear this but I still feel bad.

Its the first time someone has had a complaint about my cakes and its not settling well for me, I'm very annoyed at myself.

Should I refund her the money she paid today? Or is the offer of the free cake enough?
 
Re: Customer not happy - I feel awful

I would gently request the reason for your client not liking the cake. A little piece of me is fairly suspicious unless there are specific grounds for the cake not being liked - another one to follow soon with the reasonable expectation that you'll offer to do it for free!!! You need to get specific information before you offer free stuff!
 
Re: Customer not happy - I feel awful

She said she "couldn't" eat the layer because of the taste and that one other person at the party was the same. I have never had a complaint about the flavours I use before but again, peoples tastes do vary. This flavouring was by no means an unusual one but I dont think I had used it in her previous cakes as they were quite particular (chocolate fudge, etc.). She didnt request any particular flavourings at all for this one, just wanted a design on the cake. I dont think she is doing it to get a free cake but that could be me beating myself up about it. I'm a perfectionist so I take things like this to heart.
 
Re: Customer not happy - I feel awful

it's a matter of taste really. If only she and one other person didn't like it I wouldn't lose sleep. Next time ask her what flavours she'd prefer or stick to something safe (chocolate/ madeira)

the offer of a free cake was pretty generous and hopefully will keep her as a return customer. I would be a bit wary of accepting undue criticism from her again though. You want to make money, not take grief and give away free cakes!
 
Re: Customer not happy - I feel awful

This time I am giving her the benefit of the doubt and taking her word for it. Obviously if this becomes a pattern I wont be long telling her no more! honestly, had she received the cake I made from a company or bakery she would have paid at least 60 euros more.

This has knocked my confidence though, I have a cake booked for Monday that I'm now v. nervous about.
 
Re: Customer not happy - I feel awful

Was there anything wrong with the cake? Did you sample it?
If there wasn't anything wrong with it, then there's no problem.

I would suggest getting your customers to fill in and sign an order sheet prior to baking with stuff like:
- Cake flavour
- icing type
- any allergies or stuff not to put in the cake
- colour of decoration, icing whatever...

Then you provide the cake to their specification. Keep the order sheet if there are any problems.
With regards to customers in general, if you want to run a business you need you really toughen up a bit. People want everything, and generally for nothing.

Why were you charging her €60 less?
 
Re: Customer not happy - I feel awful

I generally work for cost price plus extra for the time and ESB bill. Other people would have overheads and staff to pay, I don't as I do them from home so I can justify it. Obviously if the customer wants a very detailed cake they will have to pay for the time to do it but I can keep most cake decorating to 2 hours or less. Generally a competitive price keeps people coming back, just like this lady. I agree with you though, I will have to toughen up and price a bit better. I'm a little heartbroken tonight after all the effort and extra time I put in. Wish I could post a picture to show you :(

The order sheet is a great idea, thank you! I will definitely be doing up a few of them. Lesson learned as they say.
 
Re: Customer not happy - I feel awful

You are clearly someone who has pride in their work and thats a great attribute to have. But you do have to balance it out in that when one customer dislikels your cake it should not knock your confidence or get you down. There will always be the odd complaint along the way, even the biggest and best companies have customer complaint departments.

You obviously make good cakes or you wouldn't have repeat orders. The order sheet is a good way of limiting any further problems like this, but to be honest it sounds like the customer just didn't like the taste or the flavouring. Thats subjective and down to personal choice. Someone else could have loved it.

So all I'd say is to not worry about one small blip thats probably down to the customers taste. The offer of the free cake is a good idea and very fair (maybe too fair) but you will get repeat orders again from her, but ensure it doesnt become a pattern with her.
 
Re: Customer not happy - I feel awful

I'd be a little suspicious of her call. Not quite sure that she initially angled for a freebee. Is she a strong personality that thinks you may be a pushover? As an adult she could have got over the fact that she didn't like the taste. Or was the other person who did not like it a person who she regards as an expert/someone that she looks up to/someone that she takes seriously? But the call was meant to upset you - and it succeeded. She thought before she dialled. You have the experience and you understant layering and flavouring. Often, the argument is not about the argument. Think about it. Before you do the next cake ask her what ingredients she would like included. Or, better still, cut your losses and tell her to go to M&S.
 
Re: Customer not happy - I feel awful

Thanks Aristotle. You're advise is bang on. I need a thicker skin and a better backup to avoid this happening again - the order sheet is a really good idea. If complaining does become a pattern with her I will have to reconsider making her cakes in the future as it will cause more trouble for me in the long run.
 
Re: Customer not happy - I feel awful

She is a strong personality but I dont think she would have seen me as a pushover, we've always got on well and had a good bit of banter each time I deliver a cake. The other person that didnt like the cake was a relative of hers who is definitely opinionated- thats why she called me, or so she said. She said this person not liking the cake put a dampener on the day for her and she felt she needed to call me.

Basically, this person kept commenting all day on not liking the cake and probably annoyed her.
 
Re: Customer not happy - I feel awful

Hi dmos 87. My sister is a professional confectioner in Montreal. Over the years she has developed a system to avoid such complications. An order form, detailing flavouring, layering, frosting, colouring, designs and size. She also kept a photo portfolio of previous designs. If someone leaves the ingredients open, she went with the standard Lemon or Vanilla sponge. Hope this helps and good luck. A price hike may also be in order. You seem to be on the low side.
 
Re: Customer not happy - I feel awful

Its the first time someone has had a complaint about my cakes

Jeepers.....we'd all love to have a record like that......sounds like you have been doing everything A1 stop beating yourself up about this:)
 
Re: Customer not happy - I feel awful

Could you phone her back in the morning and ask if you can have what is left of the cake back so you can check it? if there is no cake left, then everyone else must have liked it.
 
Re: Customer not happy - I feel awful

If they didnt like the cake they probably just binned it.
 
Re: Customer not happy - I feel awful

Bin men proberly dont collect on a saturday evening, so it could still be retrieved, just to see how much of it still exists.
 
Re: Customer not happy - I feel awful

its obvious you take pride in your work and no doubt your client knows this too. if you have not already conveyed to her how you feel do so and perhaps give her a small cake of some description as a piece offering.
 
Re: Customer not happy - I feel awful

Thats pretty much what I did - the next cake wont be nearly as big as yesterdays one and I told her as long as its an 8" squared with not too much detailing it will be free. Her sons cake was a 16" round layered cake so it was also quite chunky.

I really dont want to nit-pick about everyone liking / not liking the cake. She has already told me that her and one other person didnt like the cake and chances are that there were a lot of people at the party. If it was not eaten chances are they binned it as one poster said and she might be annoyed with me asking for the remains back. It could cause more trouble than its worth.

I think this morning after sleeping on it that offering the next one free of charge is enough to keep her happy and I need to accept that complaints like this can happen in this industry. The order sheets are being done pronto and I will be sure to stick to them in future.
 
Re: Customer not happy - I feel awful

I really dont want to nit-pick about everyone liking / not liking the cake. She has already told me that her and one other person didnt like the cake and chances are that there were a lot of people at the party. If it was not eaten chances are they binned it as one poster said and she might be annoyed with me asking for the remains back. It could cause more trouble than its worth.
Maybe, but it would be a great response in case of any future similar complaints like this.
 
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