Lauren R.
Yelp
Each week I order a loaf of sourdough from Little Gourmand. I pre-ordered a loaf for Thursday of this week. On Thursday I received a text reminding me that my sourdough was available to pickup. I arrived within the hour to be told that my bread had accidentally been sold to a gentleman who was supposed to pick up at their Melrose location. They then told me that I could drive across town (in rush hour traffic!) to pick-up his order, which wasn't even the same as mine. I told them that wasn't possible for me and asked if they could make a new loaf for me for the following day. They apologized, and I told them mistakes happen and it wasn't a big deal. That evening I called Guenievre and confirmed that my loaf would be made since the prior interaction was with store employees and not Guenievre or her husband. She responded with a text confirmation.
The next day I went to go pick up my loaf and spoke to the two women from the day before as well as her husband. They apologized again, and I told them it really was quite alright. However, I am a firm believer in businesses taking care of their people and in my situation I was not taken care of. The loaf for that week should have been comped, discounted, or something extra should have been thrown in for my trouble of having to return in the middle of Christmas traffic. With other patrons in the grocer browsing on both occasions I did not feel the need to ask for a discount, as I have never experienced a time when a business messed up and then didn't immediately try to rectify the situation. My graciousness was taken advantage of and I left shocked that I was walking out with a loaf (they couldn't make the one I wanted next-day) that I had paid full price for.
On Saturday I called Guenievre and politically expressed that I was disappointed with the transaction and she immediately wrote me off, coldly telling me that she had customers, she had already apologized ten times, and that she wasn't able to do anything more for me since it wasn't her bread (PSA she owns and operates the store, so poor excuse). Then she told me that if I needed to order from her again I would need to do so online.
When a company makes a mistake, it should be followed with appropriate action. I handled each interaction with kindness, yet I was not taken care of--who suggests sending their customers to another store location to PURCHASE someone else's order?!
I didn't want to write this review because I do sincerely enjoy Little Gourmand's breads. But when I have sent several new customers their way I can no longer do so in good faith. There are too many other good bakers in town to support and I'm not going to stand for Guenievre being defensive and rude to me.
EDIT: Guenievre, your response shows that you're failing to hear me. Mistakes should be accompanied with a discount, at the very least, or otherwise an *extra something thrown in* or a comped item. Instead, you're blaming customers for bad business decisions. I should not be put out because you fail to set boundaries with how customers can place orders. Additionally, customer preference is not something that should make FOH uncomfortable. I expressed a distaste for white bread and said I wish the other flavors were more commonly sold at the Green Hills location. Your husband followed up with me Friday, and I told him that I was not a fan of the white bread loaves, but that I also do not gravitate to white bread at large. Perhaps take customer feedback and apply it to SWAT analysis because this could be an opportunity for your company to grow instead of get defensive. And lastly, you are a business owner engaging in B2B with Chef Emilie. It IS your responsibility to rectify mistakes beyond an apology, and telling me over the phone that your hands are tied because it's not your bread, and then to state on Yelp that "I [have] done everything I [can] to help" is simply not true nor ethical.
