Friday was the worst day I’ve ever had in terms of dealing with customers.
I wasn’t in a bad mood, either. The weather outside was sucky, cold, wet, and people were absolutely MISERABLE even though it was a Friday. My day started with an ass ripping at 8:30am because I didn’t make cheesecake. Proceeded by a hang up because I can’t deliver when 2 people are working. Followed up by a few more completely rude comments, one included a lecture by a person who told me “I disappointed her” because I didn’t make a flavor she likes best. She was not kidding or trying to be funny, she just wanted to be mean because she wasn’t getting her way.
Not to be outdone by the elderly couple that screamed at one of the girls and stormed out because we didn’t have sweet tea cupcakes and they saw us make it on the tv…and read about it in a magazine…and what a terrible business we are for not having what they wanted at that very second.
Everyday we promise vanilla, chocolate, red velvet and carrot. The rest is a combination of flavors ordered by customers, and the remainder is up to me. Because it’s my business. And no, I don’t always have fresh blueberries in the store. But is there really ever a reason to belittle, harass and be hateful to the bakers of a cupcake shop?
Sure, if we make a mistake I can see someone being upset. And I don’t pass the buck, I will OWN a mistake. But don’t come in the store and behave as if the world is going to end because I don’t have peanut butter today. When people bitch me out, they’re talking to the owner. I’m not corporate, I’m a real person with feelings. I pay real bills, I write every check.
I’m not a person to unleash your demons on as therapy because you had a shitty day. I just bake cupcakes. If I wanted to get treated like crap, I’d go back to teaching.
You also don’t own me because you spent $2.50. I have people who talk down to me as if I’m a second class citizen. It’s mind blowing, really. Guess what? I don’t tuck myself in to bed using sheets of cash because I’m a baker. I make cupcakes, and I don’t use cheap ingredients to make a quick buck. Actually, it’s quite the opposite, I often have orders I break even on or have lost money with because I was trying to make someone happy. What an idiot in terms of business.
But that’s how I work. And trust me- I WORK. I go to work everyday, and yes someone is shitty to me at least once a day. But I try not to let that one person get me down because for every horrible person I’m faced with, there are 10 people behind them smiling at me. And I’m SO grateful for them. Even if I’m stuck ending my day with a passive aggressive email from some jealous nut job who wants to tell me how much they hate me.
I hope it makes them feel better, because it surely makes me giggle. {insane in the membrane…} All I’m saying is, the next time you want to go bonkers on someone because you don’t like a service, product, whatever- first think about who you are talking to. The girl who answers the customer service line at Verizon didn’t eff up your bill.
Take a deep breath, keep your cool, and find some humor in it.
It’s cupcakes, not cancer. Remember that.
