Hansen's Cakes Cake rep quoted 9am pickup to client and didn't note on paperwork $400 cake delayed 4 hours main party late to event because of poor customer service Los Angeles California
Beverly Hills Hansen's cake sales rep quoted verbal time of pick-up as 9am for a 12pm bridal shower. When I went to pick up the cake at 10:50am, 20 minute delay because paperwork could not be found.
Once paperwork found, NO notice of pick-up time on the paper and, consequently, they told me the cake would not be ready until 1 or 1:30pm (an hour or more after the event start time). This was the representative's responsibility that was not duly carried out.
Fairfax reps understood that this was the rep's responsibility and contacted the Beverly Hills supervisor. However, I was not able to speak with the supervisor over the phone until 12:10, already over an hour after I arrived at the showroom to pick up the cake.
I was treated like a piece of meat, standing around and crying because I was missing my own sister's baby shower. Long lines of people waiting to pick up cakes, SEVERAL of them waiting because of problems with their own cakes or because cakes were not ready. Hansen's is not fulfilling their contractual obligations!! Even noted an employee who was waiting for his "Road Rules" cake since I got there before 11AM. When I left at 12:30pm, he was still waiting for the cake. I did not have that kind of time to spare, unfortunately.
I requested from the Beverly Hills supervisor that they deliver the cake to the event for free because of the inconvenience and because of THEIR error. After a wait, she noted that they had no available delivery trucks and that Mr. Hansen said he could refund the cake. "Refund the cake" did NOT mean we would be receiving the cake and a refund at the same time. "Refund" meant--cake that was already being built would be destroyed. Is this not a ridiculous option to offer? A baby shower without the $400 cake we ordered? Absurd! For that kind of money, you would expect some human decency and a discount or a future purchase to keep the customer happy... however, NOTHING done on their part to reassure me that they cared.
We ended up having my sister's husband drive out of his way to pick up the cake much later and deliver it to us 30 minutes away. Such an inconvenience.
I have never heard of a company that does not offer an alternative suggestion to delivery, despite "no delivery trucks being available." Even more, there was no attempt on their part to alleviate the situation or accept their fault and offer a monetary solution.
This was not the first time I have been wronged by Hansen's!! My engagement last year called for a cake with yellowish green and peach accents and instead I got a cake with kelly green and bright orange flowers. Clashing colors, but I chose not to make a fuss of it at my engagement party.
Never again will I give Hansen's a second chance a third, at this point. Never!)!! Such a reputable name SHOULD be accompanied with excellent customer service and, instead, I got treated like a piece of meat. Waiting around for an hour and a half, late to my sister's baby shower...which I was MC-ing. RIDICULOUS on their part to offer solutions and accept their fault.
I am boycotting this cake company and suggest others choose wisely and think before going with Hansen's. You DON'T get what you pay for. It's chaotic in their showroom and there seems to be no direction or consideration for those who are dealing with Hansen's mistakes.
NEVER AGAIN!
LH
sherman oaks, California
U.S.A.
4 Updates & Rebuttals
Lar
Sherman Oaks,California,
U.S.A.
Other consumer complaints about Hansen's - I'm not alone!!
#5Author of original report
Mon, May 07, 2007
First off, thank you, Chris. I agree with you...such an expensive cake from a "reputable" company should include great service...at least, decent service. I wish they gave me options besides: "pick the cake up yourself later" or "we'll refund the cake, but you'll have no cake for your event." That was rather insulting...
Anyhow, please feel free to check insiderpages.com or even Google and Yahoo reviews of Hansen's bad service. In an effort to preserve the reviewers' privacy, I'm merely noting their initials.
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Below Average For the Price and Service
By (DG)
I think the worst complaint I have about this bakery is its service. The person I spoke with was very stuck-up and had a very condescending attitude towards us. Okay, I'm sorry that we don't really know how to choose a wedding cake ? it's only our first marriage. Maybe it was a bad day, however, I doubt that. When we saw our cake for the first time at the reception, it didn't even look like what we ordered.
The design on the side of the cake was completely off and the color of the cake was white ? we ordered an ivory color to match our theme. To add insult to injury, the flavor for one of the cake tiers was of a different flavor (we specifically ordered fresh strawberries but was provided with strawberry mousse ? a mixture of cream and jam I think). We tried to get some sort of compensation (through a letter and several phone calls) for the damages it caused on our Wedding, but was never refunded one penny. One of the worst customer services I've seen in a very long time. We paid a lot of money for it.
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Not What I ordered
By (LH) -- not me, Lar!!
Why should a customer pay for something they did not order. When I brought in my design idea (on paper) for my son's birthday, they couldn't even get the design correct. The coloring for the theme was completely off; how did dark red get to looking like a pinkish-orange color? I understand that my son (who's 5) won't know the difference, but the pictures my guests and family will be taking at the party will know.
Worst of all, the best they can do is give me a discount for an order for next time. I'm never going back. The cake itself is ok; they can try a little harder on making the cake more moist. However, I don't come to this place for the best tasting cakes, just the designs. But since they messed that up, plus the unsatisfactory customer service, I won't be going there anymore at all.
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Poor Customer Service
By (SY)
I usually hate writing bad reviews - and I usually don't. Most of my reviews are usually above average reviews, however, I feel a need to let customers beware of this bakery. The staff was friendly to me in the beginning, but once they know they've got you hooked, it's hard to get loose.
They made some very noticiable mistakes on my cake and they won't give me a refund or a discount of any kind. I even brought back 95% of the cake (the cake flavor was wrong as well as the design). But still, they "couldn't help me," was all I got. I drove all the way from Beverly Hills to their main location too - that was a waste of an hour trying to get something I deserve.
Chris
Santa Maria,California,
U.S.A.
Shawangunk Is Way Off Base On This One
#5Consumer Comment
Mon, May 07, 2007
Hmmm. A special (EXPENSIVE!) cake ordered for a special event being held on a certain date at a certain time. Date & time clearly confirmed by sales rep. What the customer received instead was a veritable comedy of errors!
Gee, I would kind of expect the company to fulfill the pledge on their website: "Making the finest cakes in the world is not enough. At Hansen Cakes, service is an important ingredient in any cake we sell. Our sales staff takes a personal interest in you and your party, to assure that every detail is just as you've ordered. We have established many long term relationships over the years by being consistent in taste, consistent in decorating and consistent in service."
Obviously making the sale was more important to this salesperson than following through! For a Beverly Hills company with an expensive product, this is an inexcusable lapse in customer service! I would expect nothing but the best all the way through; however, this company's office procedures seem to leave a LOT to be desired. And any GOOD salesperson worth his or her salt would have followed through properly to make certain that the customer was happy. When it's a special event, there is NO second chance! They totally screwed up here!
Lar
Sherman Oaks,California,
U.S.A.
A big problem was: waiting for 1 1/2 hours for a resolution that should not have taken that long.
#5Author of original report
Mon, May 07, 2007
I understand your point, Shawangunk, however I was merely picking up a cake that my sister had ordered. I did not have the contract with me because I do not live near her and believed Hansen's would have all the documentation and should have no trouble finding it. I was wrong, as their filing system proved to be more unorganized than I thought. But, that is besides the point...
When I spoke to my sister over the phone after hearing that the cake was not ready, both she and my mother recall the rep noting the "9am" on paper. It is possible that what was faxed in to the showroom was different than the receipt she received. I have to confirm this... but, I am much more concerned about the way they treated me and the lack of options they provided me once the situation arised.
For contractual purposes, yes they did not note a pick-up time on their contract...but, I am not pursuing legal action anyway, so I'm not fighting that. However, it WAS their mistake (as proper paperwork is their responsility).
My focus, anyway, is on the fact that I clearly stated that I needed to be at the event by 12 and they made me wait around for an hour & 10 minutes just to speak to the Beverly Hills supervisor. The rep who was at the showroom said that as soon as the supervisor called her back, she would get her on the phone with me.
When I spoke to the supervisor at 12:10 and confronted her about the delay to get back to us with a solution, she claimed she had called the showroom, but that whatever happened on our side, she was unaware of. The showroom reps never told me that the supervisor called back...instead, they made me wait. I had to be the one to pull the showroom rep aside (again) and demand a conversation with the supervisor because I had to leave to get to the baby shower.
The options they gave me were.... pick the cake up yourself again later or get your money back on the cake (but, no cake). A baby shower without a cake after my sister had already paid? If it were up to me, I'd tell Mr. Hansen to simply destroy everything he had worked on and eat the cost. But, it wasn't my call.
A majority of companies have some sort of "unhappy customer alleviation" options...be it in the form of coupons, additional service or refunding a portion of the product/service. I was clearly mad at the showroom and I was there from 10:50am to about 12:20 merely because I had to wait for everyone to get their act together.
Service for disgruntled customers should not be this shoddy, as it will only provoke the customer further. As you can tell from the tone of my report, the situation provoked me after they made me wait around and miss the first portion of the shower.
Shawangunk
Middletown,New York,
U.S.A.
If it was not documented, it was never promised
#5Consumer Comment
Mon, May 07, 2007
Unfortunately this is the way it is when doing business with a company. When you contract with someone for something as significant as a $400 cake, YOU NEED TO GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING. Your failure to do this does not constitute a rip off on the part of the company. Remember: If it was not documented, it was never promised. You have no proof with only a verbal agreement.