This Lady Is Hoot!!! Omg, What Am I Going To Say?

Decorating By CakeDiva73 Updated 14 Jul 2008 , 10:13pm by kelsiedelizzle

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CakeDiva73 Posted 3 May 2008 , 1:47am
post #1 of 219

So I do cakes for friends and family and am trying to rent space at the local cafe - it's a work in progress. But I do get the occasional order from the teachers at the school etc... Well I guess one of the other parents heard and I have been getting orders for some graduation cakes and sweet 16 parties.

So my phone rings - it's one of the Mothers (I don't really know her) and she is all excited - wants a sweet 16 for her daughter, total princess theme, 3 tiers - the whole works. At the end of the conversation she asks sort of sneakily if I had any other cakes booked for that weekend...I told her no. She then said that her cake was huge so she was sure I wouldn't have time to do a really good job if I took another cake.

I am quiet, as I detest being told what to do. I take a breathe and advise her I am always careful when scheduling my cakes and when I fill up, I have to turn down orders. (Totally shooting from the hip at this point since I have yet to have the delightful opportunity to 'turn down' a cake.)

She persists....she is adamant that this be the only cake I take for that weekend. I am somewhat speachless and honestly want to tell her to get hosed because I am sorta rowdy, lol. Then she tells me her other friend is having a party the same weekend and she just knows she is going to call me for a cake and she really wants to have me as her 'Ace in the Hole' for HER parties, so could I please turn her down.

Ok, I am not kidding....at this point, I am thinking my husband is punking me. She then tells me to think about it and let her know, says she knows of one other decorator that would love the business and I should get back to her.

My jaw is still grazing the ground......what the heck? How is being her secret cake baker beneficial to me and who the hell does she think she is.

BTW, my DH swears he did not set anyone up to do this......

218 replies
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veejaytx Posted 3 May 2008 , 2:07am
post #2 of 219

I would consider telling her if she wants you exclusively that weekend, it will cost her and give her your price for not doing any other cakes.

Your time has to be worth a lot, see if she is willing to pay for it.

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indydebi Posted 3 May 2008 , 2:12am
post #3 of 219
Quote:
Originally Posted by veejaytx

I would consider telling her if she wants you exclusively that weekend, it will cost her and give her your price for not doing any other cakes.

Your time has to be worth a lot, see if she is willing to pay for it.




Ok, after I quit laughing hysterically at your story and this nutty lady (I thought for sure she was heading down the road where she didn't want any other parties at ALL on this weekend! If they can't get a cake, then they can't get a party, I guess!), I gotta say I love the above idea. If you book an entire restaurant for the whole night, I bet they charge you more than $100/hour! I'm pretty darn sure you have to compensate them for loss of "normal business revenues". icon_biggrin.gif

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Curtsmin24 Posted 3 May 2008 , 4:34am
post #4 of 219

You have patience my dear. I would have asked if she was joking. I agree with everyone else, give her a nice list of what it will cost you and how much business you would lose if you don't create anything for anyone else. I would have told her nicely "cocacola would not stop selling soda to walmart just to make mcdonalds happy. They wouldn't make any money that way" Business is business and her issues have nothing to do with with you and your business. I would also tell her unfortunately I didn't check my schedule and I do have a cake that weekend.

Good luck with her, she already sounds like a handful.

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alisoncooks Posted 3 May 2008 , 11:30am
post #5 of 219

WOW. Sounds like somebody has gotten her way a little too often. I totally agree with other posters--is she wants you exclusively for the weekend, she'll have to pay a fee. Otherwise, it should totally be your call whether or not you can handle more than one cake order!

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pjaycakes Posted 3 May 2008 , 11:43am
post #6 of 219

I would charge her double for the cake since you won't be doing her "friend's" cake (some friend she must be).

It is hard sometimes to turn down cakes when people ask, especially when you don't have customers lined up down the block. Wouldn't it be nice if people planned their parties around when you were available to do their cake icon_biggrin.gif

Good luck with her. If you take the cake don't expect it to be the last thing she asks you to do.

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Mike1394 Posted 3 May 2008 , 11:49am
post #7 of 219

Perfect opportunity. Think about, being exclusive means $$$$$. Yeah she will probably be PITA, that just means she spends more.

Mike

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cakemommy Posted 3 May 2008 , 3:26pm
post #8 of 219

Now why in the world would she tell you, in so many words, that she doesn't want you to do any other cakes so you can focus on making hers the best ever, and then pretty much lay on the threat that her friend will go to another decorator if you don't take her order as well AND THEN tell you not to take her order!!!!! icon_confused.gificon_confused.gificon_confused.gificon_confused.gif What a loon!!!!

I certainly don't let anyone dictate to me how I organize and schedule myself! You were very nice by not dumping a bunch of load on this woman!

Okay, I just reread your post and understand it better but still! This woman should not have threatened to take her business elsewhere!


Amy

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lanibird Posted 3 May 2008 , 4:15pm
post #9 of 219

Wow. She's a piece of work, ain't she? icon_lol.gif

Yeah, I agree with the others, exclusivity means extra $$$. If she doesn't want to pay up, then let her take her craziness elsewhere.

She sounds like she'll be a total PITA Momzilla cake customer too.

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HerBoudoir Posted 3 May 2008 , 4:23pm
post #10 of 219

See, now I'd be on the phone soliciting the woman who's cake she DIDN'T want you to do icon_wink.gif I would probably even consider doing it for free just to be a witch.

But then, I'm like that icon_wink.gif

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smab109 Posted 3 May 2008 , 4:38pm
post #11 of 219

I'd hate to have her for a friend, geesh!!!! Sounds VERY competitive!
I agree with what others have said....if she wants you so "exclusively" she is going to have to pay for it!

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cakesbyallison Posted 3 May 2008 , 4:39pm
post #12 of 219

Too funny!! Sounds like she's trying to "one up" her so called "friend"... nice.

Plain and simple, if she want you exclusively, you need to charge for that. If she doesn't want to pay for your time, she can certainly find another baker - who probably won't do as nice as job as you!!

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bobwonderbuns Posted 3 May 2008 , 4:47pm
post #13 of 219

A, if she's adamant about hers being the only cake that weekend, then she should be more than willing to pay for your lost income to compensate.

B, if she wants hers to be the best ever cake, then she made the right decision coming to you in the first place, didn't she? Sheesh! icon_rolleyes.gif

I had a lady last year beg me to do a cake (which I did and charged her $$$$ for it), then she told me she wanted it to be the best ever cake in the universe (or something to that effect) to which I responded "well, that's why you came to me in the first place, isn't it?" icon_rolleyes.gificon_lol.gif

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poshcakedesigns Posted 3 May 2008 , 4:47pm
post #14 of 219

icon_rolleyes.gif OMG how funny - the nerve of some people. I agree with the other posters if she wants you exclusive she'd definetly pay for it. Good luck.

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annieliz Posted 3 May 2008 , 4:58pm
post #15 of 219
Quote:
Originally Posted by HerBoudoir

See, now I'd be on the phone soliciting the woman who's cake she DIDN'T want you to do icon_wink.gif I would probably even consider doing it for free just to be a witch.

But then, I'm like that icon_wink.gif






lmao..................ditto!!

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LadyMike Posted 3 May 2008 , 5:10pm
post #16 of 219
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike1394

Perfect opportunity. Think about, being exclusive means $$$$$. Yeah she will probably be PITA, that just means she spends more.

Mike




At the risk of sounding totally ignorant, what does "PITA" stand for? I'm not at all familiar with this acronym. icon_redface.gificon_confused.gificon_rolleyes.gif

BTW, I'd be charging big time money for exclusivity on a weekend!!! Good luck and please let us know what happens. This is better than a "soap opera"! icon_lol.gificon_lol.gif

TIA,
LadyMike icon_smile.gif

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lepaz Posted 3 May 2008 , 5:15pm
post #17 of 219

My evil side icon_evil.gif says to ask for the "friends" name and number, then call her and ask her if she would like you to make her cake and tell the crazy lady to go to the "other" baker she referred to.
I agree with everyone else, if she wants only her cake made, then she should be willing to pay extra, if not, let her go to the other baker, she sounds like more trouble than it's worth anyways. Good luck thumbs_up.gif

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cakemommy Posted 3 May 2008 , 5:15pm
post #18 of 219

Pain in the a$$!!!



icon_twisted.gif

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vteventrider Posted 3 May 2008 , 5:17pm
post #19 of 219

What a witch. It does sound like she wants to stick it to her "friend". I am sure she wants her party to be the talk of the town, which it will be if you do her cake, and she wants to be able to one up the other woman. All I can say is MAJOR $$$$$$$$$$$$ up front! Or better yet get the 2 women to bid against each other and take the highest bidder thumbs_up.gif

BTW, PITA = Pain in the A**

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Wendl Posted 3 May 2008 , 5:32pm
post #20 of 219

Hey, can y'all quit it w/the "witch" calling... Some of us cakesters ARE actual Witches (be it of the Wicca or Wicce or whathaveyou varieties) and we wouldn't treat anyone like that just to be mean. And I only have green skin when the celtic green petal dust *poofs* all over. icon_wink.gif

As for the original post - the potential client does sound like a handful-in-the-making and I wouldn't do it just because she had made such demands. Do you even know this lady? She sounds like a stuffed shirt and equally large ego which is never a good combo.

I would 'regretfully' say that you had another booking come in that was such a wonderful creative challenge w/no restrictions you just couldn't resist. If it were me, I work on my cakes the week before and I have a full time office job - I would at the very least tell her "here's what it will cost you to take the full week off of work just to make your cake and have no distractions...oh, and can you keep my kids that week so that they aren't a bother, too?!" She would run screaming from the phone.

If it name-drops like a PITA and it demands like a PITA...it's a PITA! icon_wink.gif I am an artist, not a peon - I make the workload calls in my biz.
Peace out,
Wendl

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CeeTee Posted 3 May 2008 , 5:42pm
post #21 of 219

Oh my gosh...the nerve of that woman! Personally, I would not take the order. If she's like that from the start, that means she'll be making unreasonable demands later on, and after everything is said and done if there is one tiny thing that isn't to her liking, she will demand a full refund and create way more headaches than any paycheck is worth.

If you still want to do it though, triple your price, demand half of it up front as a *non-refundable* deposit (and get that in writing too) and have her pay the rest of the balance a week before it's due. Don't even turn on the oven till the check clears the bank.

And then, if her friend ever calls to book a cake, happily accept the business icon_biggrin.gif

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CakeDiva73 Posted 3 May 2008 , 5:52pm
post #22 of 219

The saga continues, lol.....I checked my voicemail this morning and this woman must be channeling a used-car salesman because she left me this message:


' Hi there. Was just wondering if you had decided what you want to do....my other decorator is really interested in doing this cake for me and I don't know what to tell her. I would rather have you do it (blah, blah, blah) so can you please call me ASAP? I really have lots of parties scheduled in the future so this could be a really good opportunity for you'.


Freakin' condescending witch!!!!! I am livid - what the heck is she thinking? I am going to call her back and tell her that I will have to pass and wish her the best of luck with her other decorator.....which should shock the hell out of her since you and I both know there is no other decorator!! And I swear, I am not doing this freakin' cake!

If I knew who 'the friend' was, I would be sure to make myself available, lol... because I am like that too! icon_smile.gif

Will let you know how this goes.......

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CakeDiva73 Posted 3 May 2008 , 5:56pm
post #23 of 219

Oh, and I forgot to say that one of my friends called for a sweet 16 cake last night, for the same weekend but I don't think she is the 'friend' the other woman is referring to. They run in two totally different circles of people but who knows?

And I didn't say anything to my friend because she works at the school and I don't like to gossip about the other Mothers - it's worse then high school over there. ** I have no problem coming HERE to gossip, however!

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chutzpah Posted 3 May 2008 , 5:59pm
post #24 of 219

I hate when they wave that specific card around, too..... you know the one...

"I know just SOOOOOO many people and have just SOOOOO many parties and you will get just SOOOOOO many other orders is you just bend over this one time."

****thebed. I wouldn't do the cake either.



*****moderator edited*****

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LanaC Posted 3 May 2008 , 5:59pm
post #25 of 219

There is no other decorator who really wants to do this cake. This woman wants you to do it - and wants you to do it to the extreme that she would make a base idiot out of herself. I'd flat out tell her that you're running a business and to turn down another cake would be irresponsible. Tell her you'd still love to do her cake, but you just don't get involved in friendly rivalries. (yeah, I know, I'm being generous with my description of what she's doing)

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staceyssweettreats Posted 3 May 2008 , 6:15pm
post #26 of 219

Good for you. It seems like she is trying to strong arm you. I'm sure there isn't another decorator that is just dying to do her cake. Plus, I don't feel like you are obligated to ensure you only have 1 cake for her weekend. Your only committment to her is that you produce what she has asked for. Regardless of your orders. She has a lot of nerve!

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ziggytarheel Posted 3 May 2008 , 6:22pm
post #27 of 219

I'm half asleep, but I don't think anyone else said this:

I think what you SHOULD do is figure out the maximum amount of money you could possibly take in this weekend, figuring the most outlandish of circumstances, and tell her that you would be happy to do her cake for that amount of money, cash, to be paid in full to reserve the weekend.

For example, if you could figure out a way you could do 3 wedding cakes, 5 celebration cakes, and 100 cookies, figure that up and tell her that's how much money it would take. Otherwise, you can't help her.

icon_biggrin.gif

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CakeDiva73 Posted 3 May 2008 , 6:26pm
post #28 of 219
Quote:
Originally Posted by chutzpah



****thebed. I wouldn't do the cake either.




OH, for the love of God....I think I just wet my pants. I am still laughing.......ROLLING!


*****Moderator edited to remove quoted text that was edited*******

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CakeDiva73 Posted 3 May 2008 , 6:29pm
post #29 of 219

I visited my 93 year old Grandma for Easter and she introduced me to the phrase 'Go sh*t in your hat', which apparently means go to he!!.

icon_smile.gif I love my Gram! She is a riot.

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chutzpah Posted 3 May 2008 , 6:36pm
post #30 of 219

I'm glad to have made someone's day!!!!

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