When discovering Cliffside Harth Bakery we were very excited and happy there was such a business close to where we just moved. We are foodies and know many who would love this place, SO I THOUGHT.
Reading about how they started in their back yard, David with his talent in baking and wife Camelia who apparently has experience in hospitality, really was hart warming. First of all David has truly an amazing talent. When I went in to the store for the first time I asked questions and he came out and showed me to what I was looking for and explained what was in the bread. I am a people person and tried to connect with wife Camelia as I was happy to discover this local business. She seemed very cold and unwilling to be helpful or interested. Since that time, I've called a few times to ask a few questions about their products, she always seemed inpatient, rushing and didn't seem willing to help me get to know their products. Her overall approach and presentation was never from a place of customer service or just friendly. I would hang up feeling uncomfortable, however gave her the benefit of the doubt that maybe she was busy. I called last Saturday to ask if I can place an order that my husband can pick up right away as he was late for work, she abruptly explained that they don't do that, I understand their reasoning about parishables and I'm sure certain people would promiss to come and didn't show up. But it's the way she spoke that really was not from a place of really caring about her customer's. When my husband showed up he asked for some help to find the items I wrote on a list and she emediately responded to him. "This is a self service place" The interesting thing about this comment is that several things on the list were kept behind the counter. I've explained a few times that I'm visually impaired and would appreciate some explaination and that really didn't matter as well. She would refer me to their web sight with pictures I can't see and she said to me, "Well can't you find someone to read it to you?"
Now let me explain all this occurred with in a very short period of time and I was still new to their bakery and just trying to get to know their products so that I would figure out what we like and what to get moving forward. Yesterday the same thing happened over the phone, Camelia couldn't be bothered from the get go of my call, even a friendly hello was something she has no concept of. I brought in a co-worker with me after work to the bakery to pick up some bread, from the moment we entered she was so inappropriate. My friend even said to her "Oh you came highly recommended" all I said is that it's to bad someone can't call in ahead, at least a customer who you get to know is trust worthy. I can only get someone to bring me at the end of the day and maybe certain things I like would be sold out by then. She started going on a tangent after that. Raising her voice saying I've asked her this 3 times already, how I was "You have been Taking all my energy" that "No one in the city will put things aside" I wasn't even asking again in this instance, I was commenting after what my friend said about being highly recommended and my comment was that it's just to bad they couldn't do that! She through down the bread I came for onto the counter and said that you know where the door is if you don't like it!" I was shocked, with all this, this was not that she was busy or rushed no one was there. This is the way Camelia always spoke from the get go and I didn't understand why if you are trying to provide customer service or at the very least being a nice human being. From a simple question like "oh what's in this bread?" to the entire 4 interactions I had with her in 1 1/2 weeks she was truly offle and so unwilling to help. Tha'ts unfortunate as her husband has so many tallents in his baking and if she's the face of their business, it's not worth it don't go there find some where else to go, where you can find good people as they do exist. We would have been great customer's and would have given great recommendations however in this case no way it's such a negative experience. Oh by the way our order when my husband went in was over $80 and still Camelia treats you so poorly. Just an FYI The Butcher shop down the road since my first time in the store have always been so helpful and always put things aside for me in order to send someone to pick it up on my behalf with no hesitation. Even Metro the meat department brought something to the service counter so my son can pick it up for me. It's not that Camelia told me they aren't able to do that, it's the way she spoke and handled her customer's that has left me feeling so badly that people like that opporate a customer focused business. That was definitely not a comfortable experience. I do not recommend this place at all! read more
