First off let me start this off by saying I was a little hesitant to write this post...but felt the need to:)
Today was the first day in almost a year of doing this that a customer really almost made me cry...and not those sweet tears that some of you bring to me....tears because I had let them down. I really really try to make sure we have all the orders done and waiting in the cooler or in the oven for you at the time you tell me you want it...and feeding around 80 families a day with only 2 or 3 of us cooking at most times, I think we do a really efficient job. But today we messed up on a pretty big order. Don't know how...don't know what happened to this customers order, but when she came in to pick it up, it was gone. It was our fault.
She happened to be going to a church potluck and needless to say, she was upset. I don't blame her. I hurried and made her a large banana pudding which she had ordered and just gave it to her...no charge....offered to get the food ready and deliver it hot to the church...no charge...free food to about the tune of 85.00 but she was unhappy with us and refused...then I offered to give her 2 free meals...and she said no....I know it put her in a bind...of all the customers today that we waited on today and got their meals fine, it had to be this one we messed up on.
We really don't have things happen like this often at all. But I just want to get the poing across...we are human, not one of us is perfect. But I try very very very hard to keep everything running smoothly and customers being happy is the most important thing to me in my business.
I know she was in a bad mood because what she expected did not happen. I was embarrassed that the mistake had been made. There were several customers in and out of the store during this and I know she wanted to make sure they knew we had made a mistake, and again...I don't know, she had probably had a very stressful day getting things done and it would be upsetting...but I could of done if for her...and gave it to her...but she refused and said she should of went somewhere else to get her food. Well, that was like a knife in my heart, and I felt like I would start to cry right then and there. But I had customers and I tried to hold it together and be as professional as I could be in that situation. I probably lost a customer right then and there, but that was not what hurt as bad as feeling like I had let a customer down.
I want you all to understand, I am hard on myself, I am hard on the girls who work for me, and I put the best quality ingredients in our dishes...and I put my heart into this! Those of you who have become my "regular" customers know this....you have become our friends....our reason for working like we do. But as hard as we try, sometimes we will make a mistake...but I will always try to make it right. I would rather lose a dollar than lose a customer! This is my name, this is a business I love and feel blessed to be doing. But I work my tail of every day...and so do the girls who work here.
In ending this, I want to tell each and every one of you "Thank You"...I know you could go somewhere else to get your meals, and I consider it a priviledge that you let us be part of your families meals. I appreciate that most of you are so precious and patient with us and we love you for it. I appreciate that daily people tell me how much they appreciate what we do, so that it gives them more time with their families enjoying dinner together.
Things like what happened today fortunately don't happen often (this was a first time like this) But if you are ever not happy with anything you get in our little shop, I want to know, I want to have the chance to make it right. Because without you all...we couldn't be doing this.
