Ok, about a month ago a coworker asked for a Tiffany cake for a bridal shower the weekend of 8/9...then 2 weeks ago she cancelled....ok, that was fine. Well, it's my grandmother's and brother's bday that same weekend and I agreed to do both of their cakes. since the Tiffany cake got cancelled. Ok, on Thursday of last week, my coworker said, she needs that cake again for the a bday party same weekend 8/9..MAN I'M GOING NUTS... well, the local cake store is out of fondant (satin ice) and won't have any (maybe) until the week the cake is do...I explained that to her today. And buying it online is outragous in shipping cost. So, her idea was, to make a fake cake with that nasty wilton brand and have a sheet cake for serving. OK, why not buy a box and rap it in the (tiffany) blue paper yourself...
What would you do in the case...
Although I think it's rude of her to expect you to be able to change things around everytime she changes her mind, if you have the time and feel like it, do it, especially if she's paying you. If you're too busy because of your grandmother's and your brother's cake, tell her you already made other plans when she cancelled her order. As for her idea, I actually think it kinda works. You get the effect of the Tiffany cake and still get a good tasting cake despite having to use the nasty fondant. I would just make sure that you charge for the decorating of the dummy as well as the sheet cake, assuming of course that she's paying you in the first place. Just my two cents.
Of course, I like Leah's idea too. It would probably be a lot simpler and would get it into her head why you need notice on cake orders.
I have yet to try to make the MMF - but, if you are even up to making the cake, why don't you make the MMF? It would be MUCH cheaper than the Satin Ice so you could make more money off the cake.
Just an idea....
good luck with whatever you decide!!
I've charged rush fees before, to cover shipping.
Have you checked intotheoven.com ? Their prices are low enough that it is STILL cheaper for me to ship than order from my local store.
I would buy the Satin Ice and have her pay for the shipping.
I did this all the time in the mfg'r world. Customer wanted something super fast ... then they had to pay for super fast delivery of the materials it takes to make their order.
When she asked me to reinstate the cake, I probably would have told her, "Sorry, when you canceled, those dates filled up immediately."
Had this in mfg'r also. 10 week leadtime item and customer cancels his order about 4 or 5 weeks into the 10 week window. Then he calls back in a couple of weeks and expects to get it in a month! When I told him it was 10 weeks, he got all ticked and asked, "I dont' see why you can't put it back inthe same slot you had it scheduled in!"
I said, "Because when you canceled and I hit that delete key, there were 15 other sales reps in line ready to grab that production slot on that line in the plant. We don't keep dates/slots open just in case you come back in 2 weeks because you might change your mind. That time slot was filled within 17 seconds."
Lack of planning on her part should not constitute an emergency on your part ...I would tell her sorry you have filled her cancellation and she is C.O.L (cake outta luck)..I personally don't like to get all stressed out trying to do too much at once...
I thought of making the MMF also. But, the one time I made a test batch, it had like little air bubbles that would rip (hard to explain)...maybe it was to dry or something, I'm not sure.
I explained to her the cost of shipping and I did not get the feeling that she wanted to spend that much.
She said she really wants me to make her cake...I'll have to figure something out to satisfy all...and yes, she is a paying customer. this is not a freebie...
....I did not get the feeling that she wanted to spend that much....She said she really wants me to make her cake....
Then she can pay the cost of the cake....which includes the cost of expediting materials. Which is the price you pay when you're a dumba$$ customer who thinks we pull these cakes out of certain body cavities with our magic wand!
if you order from fondant source.com you might get it right away. They are in Fl too, and if you use coupon code "cakecentral" you'll save another 10%
If she want a fondant covered cake, she should pay the extra for shipping and an extra PIA fee for her last minute re-order.
I was also going to recommend fondantsource.com
my friend (we are both in FL) just ordered from them. they're in Kissimmee. She said she got her order the next day, they did the 10% because she entered ICES in the coupon code, and she said they were really nice on the phone as well when she called to confirm.
I would give them a try, and also, do charge the extra shipping to the customer. business is business.
The cost of making the dummy with Wilton fondant and making a sheet cake isn't much different than just making the cake as originally planned and adding shipping costs, is it? I'd work the numbers so that it's still cheaper for her just to pay shipping in addition to the cake price than making a dummy and a sheet cake -- that's like doing 2 cakes instead of 1. This is, of course, assuming you want to even do it. If you can't do all of them, I'd say sorry, but I can't. If you really want me to do it, it will have to be for a different weekend, 'cause I'm booked!
Just a thought to save costs and just do one cake...I'm pretty new with fondant but I've made Michele Foster's recipe (from this site) and I found it super easy to work with. It's pretty tasty and you can add any flavors you want to make it even better. No mm's required and I can make a big batch in a 1/2 hour (a day in advance at least though).
....I did not get the feeling that she wanted to spend that much....She said she really wants me to make her cake....
Then she can pay the cost of the cake....which includes the cost of expediting materials. Which is the price you pay when you're a dumba$$ customer who thinks we pull these cakes out of certain body cavities with our magic wand!
I agree with indydebi...If she wants you to do it bad enough she will pay for the expedited charges!
It sounds to me like she knows at least a little something about cake decorating (she knew about the nasty taste of Wilton fondant, as well as the option for a fake cake), so is it an option for her to just attempt the cake herself? You already re-booked that weekend, and unless she wants to pay a premium for you to add an unexpected cake to your workload, you should just say no (IMHO).
Good luck with your decision!
I have this happen all the time in my embroidery business. I can be totally booked, and it never fails. Someone comes in and needs something yesterday. I usually squeeze it in, you never know what a loyal customer they mey become. I have made some very loyal customers by squeezing them in. I would also tell that you will add the shipping cost to the cake. Most of the time people understand.
Thanks guys for all your suggestions and understanding my complaint...
We just got together and she is going decorate the boxes (fake) and I am just going to do a sheet cake... I explained to her about having to now do 2 others cakes that same weekend..she was appoligetic and we came to a solution...she happy and so am I...
Again, thanks cc'ers...ya'll are the best buddies..
"Sorry - I'm booked for the weekend."
That's what I would have said. Yeah I would have been out the $$ for that order, but I don't play "on again / off again" orders.
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