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

[Squidpinky]

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!!!

Keep an eye out on her FB page, any friends/family attending the party with photos of the cake (scour her likes/friends/family connections- you'll find people attending & photos she herself might have locked down) I'd be surprised to see multiple posts slating the cake, more likely the opposite, especially the recipient (if it's a surprise) Someone attending that party/getting a slice of cake will say something nice about it grinIf you can get screenshots of anyone from the party commenting positively on the cake, I'd reference those in your response (I'd maybe not post/add them immediately) and if there's any further response I'd add those as 'positive reviews' on the same cake/service she's trying to disparage.

What *Plectrum has suggested.

I don't use FarceBook myself, so I can't stick my oar in comment, but this seems a good idea.

Hmm because stalking your customers will really help with the public image...

I agree with Ewe Plectrum and Tiggy, but I think it's massively disappointing this woman behaved as she did, and to leave a terrible review before anyone's even tasted the thing is vile.

Very sorry I won't get to see the cake because I don't do FB.

Squid pinky, pm me your business facebook page please, I'd love to leave you a positive review... hopefully a few reviews will really water down that cows nastiness.

I'd also be interested in where you are. I need a cake maker! I used to order from Hs cousin, then I turned up to pick a cake up one day. Hygiene standards seriously put me off.

I'm a fellow caker squidpinky if you are in any of the FB cake groups, you'll get lots of support and ideas of how to protect your business and good name going forward.

Oh, and I don't know about you but you have the law on your side as to multiple people entering your premises to collect cake. Often your insurance doesn't cover you. Lots of cakes friend, me included don't allow customers inside the house.

Bastards!
Think carefully about the reply. Keep it short and simple.
Maybe "I'm sorry you were disappointed with the cake. I tried to keep to the brief and made the requested amendments. I could not reduce the price due to the amount of work put in to making the cake. Apologies, yourbusinessname."
Let's hope they choke on it!

I'm going to echo the not leaving positive reviews unless you are an actual customer. I think lots of good reviews straight after a few poor ones would look really suspicious. The OP wouldn't have had time to make all the cakes for a start!

Wow ! I think I'd make a new rule & not let customers in the house. She'll now try & claw some money back by saying it was inedible & couldn't be eaten. If she does, make sure you ask for the full uneaten cake to be returned !

Yes, what @Floofborksnootandboop said: can you point out that you only made a cake for Customer's FB name and that Hermates FB Names are not customers, only friends of one.... so not entitled to leave a review.

am I too late for a picture?

Rise above it, don't apologise, and stay factual.

"Thank you for your feedback. No problem to change your specifications at the last minute, it was interesting to just have "make it look pretty" to work on initially, and I'm sorry you didn't like our interpretation. Icing colours can't be changed afterwards I'm afraid, as I'm sure you'll understand. Also no problem to do your alterations for free or for the four of you to collect a couple of hours earlier than arranged. I hope the party goes well and your family and guests enjoy the cake."

Can I just point out that there is a b&b/restaurant pub that we go to. They have always attracted a fair amount of crap reviews, despite the fact that we have never found them to be anything but amazing.

Its where we go if we need a quiet get away, good food and excellent service.

They got a barrage of about 20 awful reviews from one event that they'd hosted. The customers sounded batshit.

The fact still remains that as a hotel they are very busy, you need to book 6 weeks in advance for their Sunday roasts and as both a pub and restaurant they are also very successful.

I still had my wedding reception there and paid for all of my guests to stay there too, and everyone still talks about how my wedding was so good (I left them to it, I just chose a few meals that we liked from their menu)

A bad review or two are often completely discarded by people who are checking...

Just remain professional.

I like Ordinarly's response.

Judge Rinder would still be interested if she now reviews it as inedible! ...and so would we!

Just to reassure you OP, crank reviews, and reviews where family members also pile in, are HUGELY obvious.

I think Ordinarly's response is absolutely spot on.

What a horror! I'm so sorry that you have had to deal with such a vile customer. Unfortunately there will always be people who want something for nothing and are prepared to be dishonest about it.
I like the idea of you baking a nice cake for a hospice or care home. Would be great publicity and would get you some good feedback.
Whatever happens, don't feel bad about what happened. Put it behind you and move on. I think you did really well to stand your ground on the price in the face of such blatant intimidation. Xx

Say being the weekend tomorrow I will be out delivering from 2pm. I am unable to fit you in due to distance and short notice, please do let me know if you would like to cancel you order. We normally do have a 48hr cancellation policy but in this case as a gesture of goodwill as you appear unhappy with your order I am willing to donate it to xxx for their raffle. Put lots of business cards in the box for the charity. Good Luck OP

Do reply but keep your head calm in your reply. Nothing worse than a supplier doing the passive aggressive thing, it just makes them look petty.

Joanna - read the thread - cake has been collected - mob handed 2 hours early - tried for discount - left crap review -

I would tell her to f*off, collect it or you will eat it yourself, or advertise it for the cost price on facebay. She is really pushing her luck.

I would accept that sometimes we can get bad reviews and most people know some other people are just idiots or seeking money off all the time.

I wouldn't reply
'I am sorry but I have other commitments tomorrow that I have promised to fulfill. As our agreement was that you would collect the cake I am unable to offer any other arrangement.

The brief I was provided in writing (please say it was in writing if not learn a lesson from this?!) was extememely vague and I asked on (however many occasions) for more specific direction. I was not given a specification of colour (anything else?). I have already incurred additional costs changing the design on the premise that you would be collecting the cake and making payment. Please let me know if you intend to collect the cake tomorrow and it payment will be made in full.'

If she doesn't collect it or refuses to pay in full I would not give her the cake. She is trying to get a discount and be awkward and it is her fault for not being specific it she wanted something specific.

i would rather eat the cake/ share with family/ sell off cheaply or whatever than give it to her for an amount that's not profitable for myself.

I'm a regional manager in retail and I can promise you there are people who you cannot please unless you give them things for free, or severely discounted and it's unfair in these sorts of circumstances

Xx

cake has been collected - mob handed 2 hours early - tried for discount - left crap review

Place marking lol

Not only has op updated but if people read the ops original post they would notice she
Posted yesterday. So bit obvious she was talking about the collection today.