It’s a hanukkah miracle

Do you ever have that dream where you send out a work email to over 4000 people and you are feeling so accomplished and pleased with how the email turned out, and then after you hit send you realize, to your horror, that you sent it out with the absolute wrong prices?  No? No one has that nightmare? Just me? 

Turns out it wasn't just a nightmare.  Last week I sent an email for Dedicated, my sister’s bakery, to highlight the holiday menu, and to announce that this year the bakery will be featuring gluten free sufganiyot, which are a jelly filled hanukkah donut.  They are not difficult to make, per say, but the gluten free aspect is tricky, plus the bakery does not have a fryer and is not built to accommodate a fryer according to safety codes.  So not only are these sufganiyot gluten free and jelly filled, but they are baked, and yet, they still come out light and golden brown crisp.  They are amazing.  

Which was the point when I sent out the email  And, let me be the first to admit, I am notorious for sending out information and not including the pricing.  This time however, I knew the pricing, Kat and I had researched it,and discussed it, and price analyzed the ingredients,and comparison shopped both in and out of the local market.  I knew the prices like I know my own name.  So I threw them in there at the last minute, and boom sent that email off.

It was literally less than a minute from when I got sent confirmation to when the first reply came into the message box.  A customer was excited about the sufganiyot, but was confused about the pricing. If they were $1.95 for one then the $23 something price for a half dozen hardly made sense?    Then another email came in asking for pricing clarification.  Then another, and then another.  Let me tell you, the sinking feeling in my stomach when I realized I sent the email out with just completely made up, wrong prices.  The singles are $4.95 and half dozen for $27.30.  Absolutely not what I sent out.  

It was 11pm when I realized with absolute clarity what I had done.  Immediately I texted my sister Jen, “hey are you still awake?”  No answer.  So then I sent a follow up text, “I may have made a small mistake on the email”  Then I waited.  And brainstormed, and shared with my beloved wife Kathleen how badly I had messed up.  She assured me that it is not that big of a deal.  Mistakes happen,just come up with a solution.  So then I brainstormed solutions.  Everything from telling Jen she should fire me, to a completely overblown apology promotion that included public humiliation.  Plus everything in between.  When Jen finally answered me back at 7:30am I still had not slept and was in a full blown panic.  

I tentatively shared my solution plan, that if people who wanted to order the sufganiyot came in and paid the real price and told the baristas that “Judson is an idiot” we would give them a free seasonal drink. Jen suggested we give away a piece of the gingerbread because it is delicious and she really wants to promote that.  She also put the kibosh on letting customers say I was an idiot.  Together we settled on “mistakes make great lessons”.  So I sent out an Oops so sorry email with the correct prices and the new offer.  Then I sat back and waited.

I was certain, given my past employment experiences that I was about to get hit with tons of angry emails.  Then I waited some more.  Then a little while longer.  Then the emails started.  Except… they were not angry emails.  Customers that I have never met, that I would not recognize on the street,took the time to send emails to me saying:

        “Don't be so hard on yourself. We all make errors and the fact that you own it is fantastic. Thanks for having such a wonderful bakery and have a happy holiday!”

      

        “No worries. Stuff happens. I did the math, and it didn’t add up. (Who said there’d be math on this diet anyway?!) Looking forward to tasting the sufganiyot — at the prices listed below. Take good care, and keep up the great baking!”

            

        “Very cute way to handle the error. With everything digitized it’s easy for mistakes that involve large numbers to happen. No worries. We have all been there at some point. Wishing you, family and your business a wonderful holiday season! We love your products and appreciate the work and artistry you bring to (and how you serve) our community. Happy Holidays!”

Listen, I am not crying. You are crying.  I have allergies or something. 

I am a professional, I am used to dealing with the uncomfortable customers, and the complicated issues.  I have perfected the absolutely polite, but borderline snarky apology email and I know when not to send it.  And I can honestly say that never, ever, in the 20 plus years I have been doing this, I have never been on the receiving end of such kindness and genuine polite responses to what was absolutely my mistake.  And those were just the first 3 responses that came in.  4000 plus customers got the email with the wrong information, and then the correction email, and not one single one person emailed and demanded that we honor the incorrect prices.

My take away from all of this is that there are still kind hearted understanding people in the universe, and I absolutely love that.  The other take away might be something less open hearted and people embracing that has to do with the indoor tanning world.  Mistakes make good lessons.