I thought I would share this article...it summarizes a lot of the discussions here on CC. It applies to bakers or any business owners.

http://www.1stwebdesigner.com/avoid-clients-that-could-hurt-your-business/

useful, thanks for sharing!

the expectant client reminded me of one who said, "just give me a price. if i don't like it, i will just negotiate with you."

LOL

AGreat article! In respect of "baking from home" cake business I have plenty more to add: - The "Don't charge me (much) cause I'm your friends family and should receive free cakes all time" - The "If I invite you to my wedding / birthday / baby shower you can bring a cake, right?" Client - The "the cake was inedible but magically disappeared and i can't return it" client - The "I am not happy with the look of the cake, I wanted everything completely different. But since there is no Tim for changes I take it anyway. I expect a huge discount!!!" client - The "last minute orders, just wasting time for nothing orders" Shall I go on...LOL

Thanks for posting the interesting article, MKC.  Since beginning hobby baking/decorating 5 years ago, I often get the "You should sell these!" compliments from people.   I graciously thank the person who offered a very nice compliment, and tell them, "I am retired and this is my hobby.  I do not sell cakes or chocolates.  If I had to do all of the marketing and business necessary to get paid a reasonable price for my goodies, it would no longer be a hobby; it would be working."

Thank God I don't have to "spot" trouble clients anymore......whew!   I had enough of that in 30 years of sales and marketing.

When I got married 37 years ago, I just told the baker that anything with yellow flowers would be nice. I let her do whatever she wanted to do as long as it had flowers. She made an awesome 3 tier cake. I guess I just wasn't as picky as some of these customers that some of you have. I left it up to the experts and did not need to see any kind of design because I trusted the baker to make it look pretty!! 

Great advice being written on the article. I find it both interesting and enlightening. I learned more new things about business and how best to apply them. Thanks for sharing.

AThank you for sharing. It brought back a memory of a very difficult customer I had years back. She called 6 months after her wedding to complain about the cake expecting a refund. Needless to say the refund didn't happen

AOne other very "important" client that I may add to the list is the "Magician Client No. 2" = client who suddenly disappears when they need to give you the details they want on their cake/cookies etc !

I am currently in such a situation. My client and I have closed the deal 1 week ago; shes chosen her cake (that needs to be altered around a a bit due to the fact that its not my own original design),and shes carried out her required amount of pre-payment but just hasnt given me a clue on what she wants her cake to taste like, what details she needs changing, what she wants her cookies to look like and a few other small but necessary details! And theres only a week till delivery. She hasnt emailed or called me for 1 week and Im just sitting here waiting !

She already was the "unpaying" magician client client when I had asked her to carry out the pre-payment, which took me about 3 emails and a week of patience. And now shes gone all hocus pocus on me with the details! Sheesh!

Am I impatient or is my client just careless?! :)

Love this!