My client emailed me today telling me that she wouldn't be there for the cake delivery but her mom would. Then she asked if I could email her a picture of the cake when I'm finished with it.

This is a surprise party for her husband. She spent a lot of time emailing me about this. It is a 3D set of dumbells.

Do any of you think this is odd, and would you do it? She should see it when she arrives, right? Not sure if there's an angle I'm missing in this.

I have done this before. She may have to stay with her husband to carry out the surprise. I would take a picture of it when it is delivered though in case there were any questions. Has it been paid for? That would be my only concern.

I take pictures anyway, so it wouldn't be an imposition on my part to shoot her an e-mail or text (MMS) from my phone. She knows its there, I know it was standing and properly presented when I left, no big deal.

To directly answer your question, I've never been asked to send a pic, but I wouldn't mind doing so. In fact, I might incorporate this practice for future deliveries just to cover myself.

Definitely send a pic. Take one with Mom so that she can see it is done when her mom gets there. It is good insurance that the cake left you in good working order.

It's the "when I'm finished with it" that makes me uncomfortable. I wouldn't want someone to think that this is a window for critique or last minute changes.

I, too, take photos when the delivery is finished, cake is in it's final place. and I'm on my way out of the venue. Then, and only then, would I e-mail a photo.

Seems silly, though, as she should be seeing the cake shortly, anyway, but, to each his own, I guess.

Rae

I'd send her the picture..with her mom standing in the background.
No time for changes. It's on the way out the door.

mommachris

I've been asked for a photo numerous times, and several times I've offered to send a mms of my own volition.

I have always felt it's just someone who is excited to see the end product, and/or they want to tick it off their list of things they're organizing for their event. Mostly they are super excited. But when I perceive a nervous bride I will offer to send a pic to ease their mind.

I guess you can consider it finished only when it is delivered.

I have frequently sent "in progress" pictures in texts to clients.

Isn't it a little unfair to leave them out if they request a picture and they are paying? This goes back to followup and all of those who feel "no news is Good news". Leaving a cake and having the customer less than satisfied will still hurt your business when you don't hear it.

If you have concerns about your design, why not send an "in progress" picture to make sure the customer is happy?

I have had numerous dealings with a print artist who does my placecards on buffets. Each time she does a little something wrong that was specifically ordered. Yesterday she sent me an order that was not as I described. She is the only vendor who does not provide a proof. Now I will have to use other vendors because of her mistakes. A quick text picture or email would have solidified our relationship and further business.

These policies I use are not odd. they are standard in other professions. These practices are also standard procedure in sales situations, which is what cake selling is.

My point is that at this point in time I cannot change her order. The cake is finished. What the heck would I do if she emailed back that she hated it? It is done to the specs on the contract....but what if she said she was disappointed? What then?

I emailed her the pic and she said she loved it. My point is...what if she hadn't? Sure, it is exactly as described in the contract, so she should be happy. But what if she wasn't?

It just seemed to me that sending a picture prior to delivery of a cake that cannot be completely remade if she hates it opens a window for problems. Maybe I'm just being paranoid, but that is why I asked. Maybe I just expect the worst of people too often.

Obviously if she hates it on delivery, I can't change anything then. If it isn't to contract, then I have to refund. But if it is.....then what? And that question applies to both hating on delivery and hating beforehand. But if she hates it beforehand, do you even deliver it at that point?

I agree with your point. If the client hates it once it delivered that's one thing. But I think to send photos while still in the middle of the cake opens it up to them not being happy and wanting to make changes midway thru decorating.

Plus looking it at on a phone or ipad or whatever is NOT the same as seeing it in person. The cake is going to look so much better then when you are looking at the pic on your phone. Maybe it then gives them time to look for flaws or decide they actually wanted something else. Or then there's time for other people to look at the pic on the phone and put in their 2 cents. They may see something they don't like on the picture that they would never have a problem with if they only saw the finished product in person.

I've never been asked but I think I would just say that due to the decorating and delivery schedule you'll be happy to send a picture once the cake is delivered.

I've sent photos in progress before if someone asked, but iI see your point abotu not bewing able to change it. I think that if she had said that she didn't like it you could ask what about is was something she didn't like, then see if you can change whatever it is or not. If you couldn't change it you could let her know and offer some options of things that you could do to disguise the part she didn't like?? I don't know, it would seem that you'd have to deal with this on a case-by-case basis. Some things can be changed and some can't.

I did a cake this week for a client who was really nervous throughout the whole process. Lots of emails with little detail changes, asking could I do this and that, that kind of thing. It was one of those stew pot cakes, (it's on my facebook page) and I sent her a photo of the shrimp etc on Tuesday without her asking because I knew she was nervous. She loved what I'd done but asked if I could add some crawfish. I think that she'd mentioned crawfish in passing in an email about three months ago, but none of the pictures of the type of stew that she wanted had crawfish, so I hadn't made any. I told her sure, so she was happy in advance and it calmed her down, I get no emails between then and when I deilvered the cake. I don't send photos all the time, but some people are just nervous about it and a photo will make them happy and calm them down, which is always good.

As it turned out, she loved it. I even got a post party email talking about how much her husband loved it and how delicious it was, which is unusual.

I guess I'm paranoid....I just couldn't imagine what I was going to say to her if she hated it and wanted extensive changes.

Maybe I'm just not cut out for this business.

Well, I did get one bride ask if she would be able to "approve the cake" before I delivered it, so you're not paranoid. Most people will trust you but some people are just nervous and/or overly demanding.

I also had a groom ask if I was going to do a practice cake that they could approve before I did the actual cake. I told him no.