You Want Your Cake When? Umm, No.

Business By jenmat Updated 24 Dec 2009 , 12:56am by Tiffany29

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jenmat Posted 23 Dec 2009 , 5:55pm
post #1 of 18

Just a little vent, nothing more. I had a customer email me a couple of months ago with a request for her daughter's sweet sixteen party "sometime in December." I said, sure, just let me know what you need and when you need it, and we'll see what we can do. So last week FRIDAY she says she needs a cell phone cake for...Christmas Day! So, rolling my eyes, I say that I would be happy to do something simple for her for Christmas Eve morning if she would be willing to pick it up (I usually deliver to town). She emails me back and is upset because her plans don't involve running out to me, and she's frustrated she can't get it on Christmas Day. REALLY?

I informed her quite nicely that I wish her happy holidays and hope she can find what she's looking for, AND referred her to my 2 weeks notice for all specialty cakes policy for next time.

Just a fun little story! Merry Christmas and Happy holidays to ya'll!

17 replies
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joenshan Posted 23 Dec 2009 , 6:05pm
post #2 of 18

Really? And YOUR Christmas plans don't involve delivering cakes [sarcasm]

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KHalstead Posted 23 Dec 2009 , 6:09pm
post #3 of 18

isn't that something??? It's not enough that we NEVER have a free weekend.....but the one day of the year when EVERYTHING is closed (except the Chinese restaurant) WE are supposed to be making and delivering cakes...........I guess it's true, they don't think we're real people! We're cake making machines ! LOL

I have a cake due today and tomorrow.........................next year I'm booked through the 1st of January!! lol

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ruthi Posted 23 Dec 2009 , 6:18pm
post #4 of 18

A lot, not all, people also don't understand the timeframe needed and how much work goes into making a cake...I know everyone has talked about this, but it's still frustrating. I had three phone calls, THREE, two of them asking if I could do a cake for them for "tomorrow" and one was asking if I could do a cake for that day! Even if I didn't work full-time at a desk job during the day I still wouldn't be able to do these cakes....unless, gee, maybe stay up for 24 hours straight! why do people assume that cake makers are doing nothing else but sitting by the phone waiting for a cake or cookie order to come in....and these are for birthdays....duh, you didn't know it was coming?????? And i don't know why, but I always feel like I am coming up short for having to say no to them, like they really expect me to perform on command and demand. One of the customers even has her own business in floral arrangements, so you would think she is savvy enough to think ahead....and oh yeah, the one that wanted it for that day, suggested I just do something simple with a few pictures on top so it wouldn't take so long......................yeah!

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indydebi Posted 23 Dec 2009 , 6:23pm
post #5 of 18

I've told this story before but 2 ladies ordering a baby shower cake. I asked,"What time on Saturday do you want to pick it up?" (I don't deliver sheets or non-tiered birthday cakes).

They said,"Oh, the shower isn't until Sunday."

I said, "I'm not open on Sunday. what time on Saturday do you want to pick it up?"

They talk among themselves about whether the cake will be "good" by Sunday or not.

I said, "It can sit on your counter or it can sit on mine ... it makes no difference to the cake. What time on Saturday do you want to pick up the cake?"

You should have given her your "Holiday Rate" for delivery. $500. "That would be just a SMIDGETT of what it would take to compensate me for missing Christmas with my family!"

Some people are just arrogant a$$holes.

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_Jamie_ Posted 23 Dec 2009 , 6:38pm
post #6 of 18
Quote:
Originally Posted by ruthi

why do people assume that cake makers are doing nothing else but sitting by the phone waiting for a cake or cookie order to come in....and these are for birthdays




Weeeeel, they get used to seeing the sheets and the I dunno what else in the bins at Walmart. And when they can walk in to a bakery and pick one of the shelf and one of the decorators behind the counter can pipe Happy Birthday while the customer digs out their wallet, I don't blame them. It does get aggravating though, some people's timelines. icon_rolleyes.gif I still call them idiots though. icon_twisted.gif

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jillmakescakes Posted 23 Dec 2009 , 6:39pm
post #7 of 18

I chose to be closed this year during my oldest son's Christmas break, so I am closed until Jan 5th. I can't tell you the amount of people that were shocked that I wasn't willing to make their wedding cake for the day after Christmas. Never mind the fact that they called at the beginning of December!!!

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bobwonderbuns Posted 23 Dec 2009 , 6:41pm
post #8 of 18

A couple of years ago I had a friend tell me in September she wanted me to do a bunch of baby shower cookies for a shower she was giving in February. Fine I tell her, just let me know several weeks in advance because I pick up in February. Fast forward to THREE DAYS before the big event -- she calls me with her order of 500 cookies, intricately decorated! icon_eek.gif Honey, that's an order I can't fill, I have other orders for that day and I cannot accomodate you. So she gets all pi$$y with me, saying "but you PROMISED to do this order..." to which I responded "and you PROMISED to give me ADVANCE notice! Three days DOESN'T count." Did I mention we're not friends anymore?? icon_rolleyes.gif

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mackeymom Posted 23 Dec 2009 , 6:53pm
post #9 of 18

I have a last minute cake request due, but I gave in... I know... But it was for a birthday for a physician I work for. Which is great because I couldn't get into my Ear/Nose/Throat doc for an ear infection! So I worked a little trade. I don't feel bad. He gave me 2 weeks of sample antibotics (which saved me a $30 copay and $45 pharmacy bill). So I made him a $75 cake!

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mykidsarekillingme Posted 23 Dec 2009 , 6:53pm
post #10 of 18

Same thing happened to me yesterday. I too, took the month of December off so I could enjoy the holiday with family and friends. I have been busy at my church's soup kitchen and helping out at school for all the holidays events. I cam home at 12:00-p.m. for a few minutes before heading out. I had a message from a customer; " Hi, it's your favorite customer...." and she proceeds to ask for a cake the next day because her daughter does not want the cake that comes with the package. She leaves the size, and all other info on my machine. I'm only home for 15 minutes and then I'm back out again. I call and politely leave a message on her voicemail that I could not do the cake for her. She then e-mails me please, please, please! I again let her know that I can't. She then calls back and leaves a message," you can squeeze in something!! I don't need it until 4:00p.m.! Now she is not my favorite customer. I called back and said, given advance notice maybe I could do something but I have commitments that can't be changed. I wished her a nice holiday and hoped her daughter had a good party! Geez, the balls of some people!!

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tracycakes Posted 23 Dec 2009 , 7:25pm
post #11 of 18

I've got 4 cakes due on Christmas Eve and 1 the day after Christmas! icon_eek.gif Yeah, I'm crazy but these are people that can give me a lot of business and I'm still building my customer base.

I also run into the problem of setting up a time for them to pick it up and then they are late...always. I explain that this is part-time and I'm open by appt. only but they still run late. Not just a little late, 1 1/2 hours!

On another note, a lady came by the store 3 times between noon and 1:30 pm but no one was there. She then called me and proceeded to rant because we weren't open so she could pick up a cake. so I explained the custom cake, open by appt only blah, blah, blah and she wanted to know how to order a cake. I tell her that she calls this number, etc. and then she could pick it up or I could deliver. Mind you, she wants a small sheet cake for office. She asked what the delivery charge is and I tell her $35 and she rants then hangs up on me. She also called the caterer that I rent from and ranted at him. This was my first day at this place. There is now a sign that says "by appointment only". icon_lol.gif sorry to hijack... icon_redface.gif

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weirkd Posted 23 Dec 2009 , 7:30pm
post #12 of 18

People have no clue. Really! I had to deliver a five tiered cake along with two sheet cakes and a six inch gluten free cake. I had to travel what normally would be an hour away but because we had a blizzard and icy road conditions (all stores were shut down,etc.) it took me three hours to get there!! I had to literally pull over every few miles and clean the ice off my windshield to see! It was white out conditions and visibility was only a few feet in front of you. Now, you would think after all her bridesmaids cancelled along with over half the guest list, that a THANK YOU would of been in order for me risking my life to get her, her fricken cake! Nope. No phone call, nothing. Thats people for ya!

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tigersluv Posted 23 Dec 2009 , 7:35pm
post #13 of 18

I have an acquaintance from church that I have made two cakes for in the past couple of months.

The first one she gave me a date and then hum hawed around to make me think she needed the cake the day after I thoughts she needed it, then she emails me the morning that she wants to get the cake from me that it is that night instead. I run home and decorate like crazy to finish. Her son picks the cake up from me at my son's basketball game, he calls me when he is almsot there and I go to the car to meet him. I miss almost all of my son's game waiting at my car for 30 minutes and then just as I go back in to watch the final minutes they call and are outside waiting for me. I decide that maybe it was just me and try and blow it off.

The the first of this month she tells me she wants me to make them another cake, I ask when and she says oh the 15th or the 22nd and I tell her to let me know. Then the next week she brings me the money and I say when do you need it, the 15th. I was out of town the weekend before and work a full time day job. So I don't go out with my girlfriends the night before and stay home to make her cake. I don't really want to make it so of course it is one disaster after another. The final disaster, my husband's 4-ball bowling bag falling on the cake box on my way to deliver (It was for the bowling league that I bowl on).

I will NOT be making anymore cakes for her!!

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Tiffany29 Posted 23 Dec 2009 , 7:38pm
post #14 of 18

I had a neighbor who wanted this three tiered fondant cake for her dd's b-day. At this point I hadn't worked with fondant or made a tiered cake. I planned on practicing before hand.
I had another cake due for a friend on the 2nd of aug. and told her this. Her dd's b-day was the 14. She calls me the july 31 and says, They were going to go ahead and let her dd have her party on the first because they wanted to go out of town for her b-day weekend. So if I don't have time to make the cake it was ok!............. Seriously lady! I said no because I was working on a cake right then.
Then I informed her of the price for that kind of cake around here. $275-$325. She was shocked and didn't know cakes cost that much! Then says "I guess I make it myself, I'm thinking you can just buy the fondant right?" I said "sure you can!"

People have no idea what goes into cakes.

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FromScratch Posted 23 Dec 2009 , 7:47pm
post #15 of 18

I have a wedding cake due the monday after Christmas (eventhough I am closed until the new year). It's local though and just a teeny lil' cake s I said yes. They have had some family hardships and had to push their wedding back a few times. (yeah... I'm a softie... I know) But NO WAY IN HELL would I be delivering on X-mas day (unless you were paying THOUSANDS of dollars for a small cake icon_wink.gif).

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indydebi Posted 23 Dec 2009 , 9:45pm
post #16 of 18
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tiffany29

She was shocked and didn't know cakes cost that much! Then says "I guess I make it myself, I'm thinking you can just buy the fondant right?" I said "sure you can!"



Oh man oh man oh man I *SO* want to see that cake! icon_lol.gificon_lol.gificon_lol.gif

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mariahbakes Posted 24 Dec 2009 , 12:44am
post #17 of 18

I want to see it too, Debi!!!

Kind of off subject- but it will make you laugh......

I had a lady order a small cake (the kind with a barbie stuck in the middle and the cake is the skirt....) for this week. I had planned to take the month off but was going through withdraws...haha. Anyway, when I delivered it at NOON today she asked if it was made this morning. When I said I made it fresh yesterday she explained that she didn't want it because all her children's food needs to be extra fresh and healthy. (I never knew cake was healthy in the first place icon_confused.gif )

So now the bf and I have a cake for dessert.

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Tiffany29 Posted 24 Dec 2009 , 12:56am
post #18 of 18

Yeah, me too!
I really don't know what her cake looked like. I think she baked 2 9x13's. She called me later on that day asking how hard it would be to put polka dots on the cake. (I was pretty annoyed with her because she was interupting me.) I told her to pipe a circle and fill it in....duh! Then she says that she'll leave the artsy part to her dh. icon_confused.gif ok whatever!

She did make a cake for her 6yr old last year. It was a pool theme. It was a 12x18 with the tiara mold cake on top filled with blue jello inside for water. She iced the whole cake in white icing. Then put a bunch of polly pockets stuff on it, like a cabanna, beach chairs and stuff. It could have been cute. Her icing looked like it was flung on the cake. I wish I had a picture.

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