Russo Catering Company Inc

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2016/02/02) */
Contact Name and Title: [redacted]
Contact Phone: [redacted]
Contact Email: [redacted]@russosgourmet.com
More than 150 e-mails were sent and received, two sets of tastings, numerous appointments were scheduled and dozens of phone calls...

occurred between our company and this client during the process of confirming, planning and providing the services that we were contract to provide. The final contract that was signed by the client (and is attached), which clearly states the services, menu, bar service and equipment to be provided. Every single item was provided as contracted. Given that all services were provided exactly or beyond required, we dispute the request for a full refund, or any amount of refund.
In fact, additional services and personal requests for assistance were also provided, but are not noted or acknowledged by the client. They will be listed below as well.
The complaint seems to be very personal in nature and directed at the event planner who handled the event.
The complaint lists several actions, and the following will provide a time line and other information to address these comments:
* 1. 'Took her 1 month to get the contract to us'
** From time of confirmation, after a tasting and room viewing, contract was issued 10 business days later. See timeline below:
7.31.14: Received request to view venue, confirmed 8.6.14. Confirmed room would be held until after viewing and attending a tasting.
8.6.14: Client did not show up for the viewing, indicated via e-mail she had been ill. Viewing rescheduled
8.15.14: Client and three guests (parents and fiancé)attended a private tasting, without charge
8.21.14: We followed up to confirm, and requested contact information to complete the contract.
9.5.14: Contract sent and confirmed receipt with client.
* 2. 'She showed up to the lines meetings with no linens'.
** During visit to venue in August 2014, china, glassware, silverware and napkin-sized linen samples were available. Client produced an 'Inspiration Board' with color preferences, and stated that she was interested in specialty linens, which need to be orderd in advance.
4.1.15: During a schedule private tasting, a full range of glassware options, rental and in-house linens, china and silverware were available, as promised.
* 3. 'even stated to us...that you could fit 10 table settings at a 60" round table'
** 7.21.14: E-mail sent informing client that you can seat 8-10 people at the 60" round table depending on style of service. At this time, no mention of charger plates had yet occurred, and chair style was unconfirmed.
In the weeks prior to the event, Russo's agreed to provide a larger table at no cost to the client to accommodate seating ten per table to meet the client's preference.
However, numerous events are held at this venue with ten seats per table without any negative response from those clients.
Copy of e-mail attached
*4. "The food was so horrible at our first tasting, we had to take a second tasting to go over food'.
** At NO time was there any mention, in person, via phone or e-mail, that the complimentary tasting was unsatisfactory. The request for a private tasting was focused on trying very specific menu items, some of which are not on our published menus.
*5. 'Per the contract, the tasting is complimentary'.
** Four guests attended a Menu Sampling event on August 15, 2014, and the client did not pay for this tasting. A private tasting was scheduled later, and the cost was clearly indicated to the client. She confirmed that the fee should be added to the invoice for the reception, which was done. The cost was $15 per person, and is shown on the invoice. Copy is attached.
*6. 'She showed up to the tasting with nothing she was suppose to come with'.
** A complete set of linen samples (in house and rentals), china, glassware (both in house and rental), silverware and table accessories was set up on a separate table next to the dining seating for the private tasting on April 1, 2015. A considerable amount of time was spent by the client and guests evaluating and discussing these items.
*7. 'She also first served us our wine tastings in PLASTIC cups'.
** True. When all four guests wanted to sample all four wines in separate glasses, we did not have enough glassware on hand to provide 16 glasses for samples. After pouring into the plastic sampling glasses on hand, we did secure additional glassware from our inventory building.
NOTE: it is not uncommon to use plastic tasting glasses for multiple wine tastings, but at the request of the client, we provided glassware.
*8. 'A diagram I completed was sent to her via e-mail for her to set up the room. When I got there, nothing was right.
** NO diagram was ever sent via e-mail to Russo's at any time. In fact, an e-mail was sent indicating that the diagram would be given to the hired Wedding Planner, and NOT sent to Russo's. On four separate occasions, Russo's event planner asked for, requested and repeated the request to have a diagram, with table numbes, so that the venue could be set up to her specifications, but none was provided until the day of the event, on site, by the hired Wedding Planner. A copy of this hand written diagram by the client is attached, which was obtained by Russo's staff from the event planner.
A copy of of the proposed diagram by Russo's is also attached.
*9 'When I got there (on Friday, Oct 2nd), nothing was right. I spent the entire day with a bridesmaid resetting up the entire room'
** The client requested access to the room at noon on Friday, October 2nd to check the room and drop off personal décor items. At 11:45am, the client sent an e-mail stating that she would not be there until 2:00pm. Copy of the e-mail attached.
With no diagram to work with, Russo's staff set the room according to the Russo's diagram, knowing that some adjustments would need to be made.
The client and her friend arrived at 2:30pm, demanded that the room be reset according to her wishes. Russo's staff reset every table exactly as the client directed. When asked about table number placement, the client indicated that she had given it to the hired Wedding Planner and refused to instruct any further. At NO time did the client or her friend indicate any need to leave at any particular time, and in fact, she stayed more than two hours. The hired Wedding Planner was also on site before and after the client, and she tended to instructions by the client, but did not have a diagram with table number indicated.
*10. 'She had 1 job, she just had to put tables 1-22 on the table. SHE COULDN'T EVEN DO THAT.'
** Given the very specific desires of this client, and no knowledge or advice on how to set the table numbers, despite the fact that the client claimed to have shared this information with the hired Wedding Planner, no one had any idea how exactly to number the guest tables. At the risk of causing a problem with tables out of placement of the client's desire, [redacted]'s event planner sent a text to the bride's father. He thanked her and requested that she contact the client's brother for help. A copy of that correspondence, as well as a message from the client directed at [redacted]'s event planner, is attached.
*11.'A few family members also told me they got sick the next day after our wedding from the food, including my mother-in-law.
** Until receiving the complaint, there was never a phone call, e-mail, letter, or any method of communicating any complaint about any guest becoming sick. In fact, the client's mother-in-law called our office on Monday, October 5th in the morning to inquire about a personal item that she lost, and spoke to two different employees, including the event planner. She did not indicate any problem, complaint, or question about the food or becoming sick.
At no time were we contacted by any individual, the client or the Health Department to indicate any problem.
[redacted] Additional note:
At 12:04am on Saturday, October 3rd (very early morning the day of the wedding), the client called the Russo's event planner on her cell phone. With no apology for the call at the late hour, she demanded that be met early in the morning at the venue to open it, as she needed something. When asked if it could wait until the staff arrival about noon, she said no, and demanded to be met at 6:30am. When asked what item was needed, so perhaps we could transport it for her, she indicated that it was her wedding rings, which she left by mistake during her visit on Friday. The event planner agreed to be there at 7:30am, the earliest she could make it due to another event requiring her attendance until then. She met the client, who retrived her belongings.
A copy of the Wedding Wire review by the client is attached. Given the tone, and the that of this Revdex.com complaint, it is clear that the client has an intense dislike for the event planner. Despite this, which was very obvious, every effort to please the client, including meeting her to retrieve her forgotten items, was made with courtesy