As many of you know, my job had a snow day today which means I get to use this day to work full-time for J. Renee Services! These are my favorite kind of days because I get an opportunity to only work on the things I love most!
While working, I decided it was lunch time (for the second time today) so I hopped in the car. I needed to run errands and pick up my prepared meals (thanks, Mighty Meals). I figured I could stop somewhere to grab lunch on my way back home. While driving, I passed by this cute bakery that I hadn’t seen before. I convinced myself that I needed to stop in to try their baked goods. It’s important for me to do research for future couples, right?
I walked in and immediately fell in love with the decor and the business name, Nothing Bundt Cakes. The staff members were great as well. I learned they had been in business since November and they offered a variety of bundt cake flavors! I shared information about my business and took a wedding booklet. Now it was finally time to try the goods! I walked over to the sample table and realized they had my favorite, Lemon!
As the staff member shared information about their tasty lemon bundt cake, I lifted the lid, put a piece of cake on my toothpick, and ate it. Within a couple of seconds I realized tears were forming in my eyes. I blinked and shook my head in disbelief. Why in the world was I getting so emotional? Did I bite my finger in the process and the pain hadn’t registered yet?
And then it hit me.
I miss my Grandmother.
My beautiful, loving, amazing Grandmother, Elizabeth Cain, passed away some years ago. I think of her every single day. But in this moment, I was back in her kitchen with all of my family enjoying lemon bundt cake! It felt JUST LIKE the scene in one of my favorite movies, Ratatouille, except there were zero rodents involved.
I got myself together and asked to purchase one of the small lemon bundt cakes. I didn’t ask about the cost, because I didn’t care. She could’ve told me the price was $75 and I would’ve paid for it. That’s how good it was!
When I got in the car, I finally let the tears fall and I smiled. This cake brought back a flood of beautiful childhood memories and I’ll never forget how it made me feel.
This experience made me think about business in general. No matter what you’re offering to the world, clients want great customer service and a connection on a personal level. Of course, not everyone needs a strong emotional connection to buy a product or service, but it definitely helps.
Take my experience for example. Not only will I refer clients to this bakery, but this business is now on my list of “Places that will get me out of bed”. If I’m home, tired, and have already changed clothes for the night, there are very few places that will make me put real clothes back on to leave the house! This bakery is now on that list alongside Panera, Chick-fil-A, and Duck Donuts (Pals is on this list when I’m in Southwest VA)! What do they all have in common? Amazing customer service and as soon as I walk through the doors, I’m elated just thinking about the food I’m going to eat!
When I pulled out of the parking lot to head home, I thought about how I want clients to feel when they work with me. They don’t have to shed tears of joy, but I do want them to feel fortunate that they have me taking care of one of the most important days of their lives. In everything I do, I want my couples to see that I care for their event as if it was my own. And of course, I definitely can’t wait for the day people are requesting my services and they don’t care about the price!
The overall message for today is that I had an amazing lemon bundt cake for lunch, and I’m happy. And I want to make all my clients this happy or happier when they work with me!
Nothing Bundt Cakes, thank you for your delicious baked goods and hospitality. You unknowingly brightened my day and you have a customer for life!
Elizabeth Ann
This post is dedicated to my amazing grandmother, Elizabeth Ann Cain.
Thank you for everything you taught me!
I love you and miss you!