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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask for help on how to reply to this customer?

522 replies

Squidpinky · 24/02/2017 18:52

I need your help on how to reply to this customer.

I make cakes for living, home based but all on the books. Never had a complaint apart from today....

Quoted a lady for a 21st birthday cake for her daughter. Quite an elaborate design but she was very vague in what she wanted - I.e didn't specify colour etc just sort of said what she wanted and said "make it look pretty"

Her daughter's party is tomorrow, the cake is finished and she asked me to send a picture. I did and she was horrified - said it's not what she wanted, I was going to ruin her daughters birthday, the colour was wrong (even though she hadn't specified a colour. I offered to change details on it, obviously couldn't change the colour. She wanted extras adding to it which would have taken 6 hours atleast to make - that would have meant I made zero profit.

I made some changes to the cake which took me 3 hours and I sent her a pic and she was grateful saying it was much better and Thankyou.

I then get a message saying she wants it delivered now as I caused her so much stress and upset. The venue is an hours drive from my house. The original agreement was she was to pick up the cake. I explained this wasn't possible for me to deliver and she said that she has no free time tomorrow and can't collect it.

How do I respond to this? She's the type that will leave a bad review everywhere and anywhere so I have to tread carefully! Help!!!

OP posts:

thatorchidmoment · 25/02/2017 12:46

How horrid for you. Taking along some intimidating male acquaintances shows it's quite clear she wanted to manipulate you.

Politely reply to the reviews with the facts, then draw a line under the whole thing.

Then bake and frost some beautiful cupcakes to donate to the hospital and post them to your page! We can all come and beg for a batch. (If you post to NE Scotland!?)

When they go low, you go high.

HappyFlappy · 25/02/2017 12:48

Did you charge her for the extra umpteen hours to change it to her (suddenly very precise) specifications, Squid? I hope you did, but if you didn't, then that is something else to politely mention in your response.

And coming early was definitely an attempt to catch you on the back foot - I'm glad that you didn't have a child in the house who was old enough to hand over a cake, and they had t wait.

(Also odd that she needed it delivered as she didn't have time to collect it (and presumably nor did anyone else otherwise she could have said "X will collect it for me"), and yet could arrive mob-handed to pick it up 2 hours ahead of time.

What.

COW!!!!!

SeeMyVest · 25/02/2017 12:48

Where are you based OP? I'm in sudden need for cake

DoubleR · 25/02/2017 12:49

Also happy to order some cakes from you, and leave a nice review.

welshmist · 25/02/2017 12:50

I would be checking out her fb page including photos and likes, groups she is on, bet she is a right mare. I would then put up a post saying that "Upon checking out your fb page I can see why you feel life is unfair" It will drive her nuts and undermine her position seriously. I would have such a giggle reading this.

Serin · 25/02/2017 12:51

Unfortunately there are people out there who do 'scam' others

All you can do OP is reply with total dignity and remain polite. Others will be able to see beyond her nasty review.

We once stayed in a little B and B that had lots of lovely reviews and one or two laughably bad ones that said much more about the reviewer than about the business.

Twopeapods · 25/02/2017 12:53

Definitely tell us your Facebook page. Mumsnetters are great.

Also I would add a post to your page along the lines of 'due to a recent problem with a customer, I will now require all customers to agree on a design and pay a small deposit for the cost of materials.'

elodie2000 · 25/02/2017 12:55

When you reply, post a picture of the cake & be very matter of fact, to the point - no emotion.

People will see right through her.

I hate people who turn up with the whole extended family in tow.

LevantineHummus · 25/02/2017 12:57

Sorry she did what was expected. Impressed you stood your ground though, especially when she had people waiting outside!!

I hope you got a photo of the cake. Even if you didn't, reply in a dignified manner and you'll be showing all your future customers what a great service you offer.

Apfelbunny · 25/02/2017 12:57

After 11 pages I really want to see/eat this cake...

GabsAlot · 25/02/2017 12:57

what a bitch-let us know your page squid we'll all come on and write a good review for you

reply stating all the facts i always read all reviews and can tell when its an awkward customer

GallivantingWildebeest · 25/02/2017 12:58

Op, PM me your FB page and I'd be happy to leave you a good review.

At least she came for the cake and you've been paid.

Lessons for the future? Get a better brief, get at least 50% up front?

WaegukSaram · 25/02/2017 13:00

Will FB remove reviews? I don't mean the grumpy buyer, but her family members' reviews. Very bad form since their one stars will lower the average rating.

MillionToOneChances · 25/02/2017 13:01

Definitely write a very, very polite response to their complaints. Perhaps mention that trying to negotiate a discount after requesting hours of extra work was rather unreasonable. Show pictures of the initial cake and of the cake after additional work, and say that you have learnt not to accept such vague briefs in future.

MillionToOneChances · 25/02/2017 13:02

Screenshots of her 'brief' might also help, if you blank out her contact details.

MillionToOneChances · 25/02/2017 13:04

Or they may make her angry and get more people to complain on her behalf! Nasty woman.

elodie2000 · 25/02/2017 13:04

OP! Multiple brilliant reviews one after another, on the same day won't do your business any good! They will look fake which they are!

Would love to see a photo but I wouldn't link to your FB page if I were you!

SlimForSummer · 25/02/2017 13:06

Please PM your FB page and I will post a good review! :)

EweAreHere · 25/02/2017 13:06

I would respond very factually: You followed her vague instructions. You made expensive changes when she wasn't happy and didn't charge her extra for it. She then asked you to deliver it on Saturday to an address that is an hour away from you when she had originally made arrangements to collect it, so you declined. She the wanted to pay less for her 'inconvenience', etc, and tried to intimidate you by bringing 3 men with her to collect the cake. You declined to accept less as you had already bent over backwards for her. You gave her a generous out and told her you would be happy to donate the cake to a Children's Hospice Charity if she was disappointed. She then bought the cake at the agreed upon price and immediately left a scathing review, as did her family members. You can only believe that she never had any intention of paying full price for the cake after her behaviour, and are deeply disappointed that people like this exist.

And post a picture of the cake.

LucklessMonster · 25/02/2017 13:07

OP! Multiple brilliant reviews one after another, on the same day won't do your business any good! They will look fake which they are!

Agreed. Lots of glowing reviews after a negative one would bother me much more than the negative one.

SlimForSummer · 25/02/2017 13:09

You do have to post both pictures of the cake in response to her so others can see what you did.

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 25/02/2017 13:13

Seriously? You would post reviews for a service you have never tried and have only heard about via a MN thread where you already know the op to have bias??

While I'm hugely sympathetic to the op (and think in the absence of obvious trollery we can and should take posts at face value) anything beyond providing help and support on the thread is utterly bonkers.

Lockheart · 25/02/2017 13:13

I'm glad to hear you stood your ground :) please never be held hostage by the threat of a bad review. If you're not comfortable posting your Facebook page publically then please pm it if you want to.

MillionToOneChances · 25/02/2017 13:14

Exactly what Ewe said. And FFS no fake reviews!

Debinaround · 25/02/2017 13:17

Yep definitely leave a reply like what Ewe says just stating the facts.

Don't feel deflated (easier said than done I know) because she did this on purpose. It was always her plan to make you jump through hoops then have a strop and tell you that you have ruined her daughters birthday. Nothing you could have done would have been good enough for her because she had planned to try and rip you off. She didn't have any intention on paying anything/full whack for the cake.

She is pissed at you now because her plan didn't work. The bitch.

I would bet money that you are not the first person she has done this to and you won't be the last. Bet she has left shitty reviews on lots of people's business pages.

Hope she drops the cake on the way into the venue

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