Hello everyone,

I got an inquiry for a cake order today. It was for a one year old with a smash cake. I would love your opinions on what to tell this woman next. Here are the emails.

"Good morning,
I'm looking for cake pricing. My son's first birthday will be November 17, 2012 however I need the cake ready for pick up Friday November 16. The cake will be for a 2 tier fondant cake estimate of 30-35 people and I also need a butter cream smash cake decorated similarly. Let me know of the best pricing in email and I will get back to the vendor seems most fair. Thank you for your time."

So I gave her the price and she said she wanted to meet. She emailed back and said,

"Let me know ff tuesday is ok with you around 10am. Don't book the date please. Saturday, November 17, 2012 at 11:30am is the birthday party set-up time. Can you prepare a slice of cake for me to taste if possible. It's an indoor building in Mullin's Park called the Veteran's Building.

Thanks for your time and we will keep in touch. Give me your phone number and name so I can call you on monday to confirm. what free filling's do you have?"

I told her I only do tastings for orders of 100 servings or more but she could place an order for some cupcakes. Here is the next email.

"Are you doing any cakes this weekend? Can you make a little extra batter to make one cupcake? I just want to try before I make the final decision. I was thinking about purchasing cupcakes from you for halloween but thats a little far away. Lets do wednesday at 10am. Let me know if that is possible."

At first I wasn't going to and i was so mad but then I decided to just let it go and bring her a cupcake. Now this made me even madder. I am ready to tell her her date was taken. Who does she think she is? Here is the last email.

"I can meet on Sunday also in the afternoon so the cupcake can be fresh for tasting. I'll keep your number just let me know if sunday is ok or if not wednesday just fridge the cupcake."

What would you say to her? And no, I cannot meet Sunday. Makes me so mad.

Just wonder what about the whole thing makes you mad? I agree its a bit strange for her to want to taste the cake for a relatively small order, but there are a lot of really bad tasting cakes out there so I can somewhat understand why she is asking. You are well within your rights to stick to your 'no' answer though.

If she really wants to try it, I think she should come pick it up herself. Not expect you to deliver one cupcake.

NO, NO, and NO. This kind of customer is one of the many reasons I stopped making party cakes. IT'S A FREAKING BIRTHDAY CAKE FOR A 1 YEAR OLD ...NOT A WEDDING CAKE FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! Although I realize she is probably being polite in her communication, I can totally understand your frustration. Sorry to vent, just brought back some of the issues I used to deal with

I'd be uncomfortable with her as a client, given her terse emails, constantly changing the date for the appt., her need to tell me how to handle my business, etc. I especially don't like her comment about going with who is "most fair". That sounds pretty loaded to me.

I'd e-mail her and tell her that I'm booked.

JMHO
Rae

What makes me mad is the fact that I told her no and then she rudely asked me if I was making any cakes and didn't I have left over batter. Just rude and pushy. Then I stupidly give in about the cupcake and she wants to dictate further. Just irks me.

Rae, I think I will tell her that. I had also told her I require 20% down and to hold the date. She says, "Don't give away that date until we meet." Umm...sure lady.

It's not worth the stress. You don't need her as a client. I would tell her that you are no longer available, which is not a lie because in my head, I would NEVER be available to take her order.

I just emailed her back and told her that. Thanks for the advice everyone! I feel better and I dumped her.

She sounds like trouble with a capital T.

Doesn't sound rude to me...a little terse perhaps, but this is a customer, not a friend. If she had contacted my bakery I would have offered a to-go tasting box for $30, same as for any other order regardless of size.

I've had customers ask for a single cupcake to try, and usually I can't accommodate them, but if we happen to be making that flavor on the schedule I can set one aside or freeze one. Doesn't cost me anything, and it goes the extra mile for the customer. If the customer wants the cupcake delivered, they are welcome to pay the delivery fee ($1/minute round trip).

I'm also surprised people are judging others for how they host events. A large extended family for a first birthday party can easily be 30-35 people, and in some cultures a kid's first birthday party is similar to a wedding reception in size and cost.

Don't let stuff like this get you mad. I have people that want to have a tasting (and choose 8 flavors of cake!) before they order a 6" birthday cake off my pre-designed menu. On the business side it's a NO situation, but I remember life before I made cake. I settled for crappy bakery cake over the risk of trying something from an expensive custom baker because I was a scardy cat and was soooo paranoid about getting ripped off.

The beauty of what we do is we can turn down any order for any reason!

I'm sure with more experience as a business owner I will deal with these people better. I feel like she can go to someone else and dictate to them. I'm just not going to deal with her. She sent me another strange email which confirmed my decision.

Ugh, she's a pill. I would have dumped her sooo fast.

She is a very dominant and complicated person, it is not worth it. I had a similar experience with a friend's husband. He requested a first communion cake tasting with two flavors for 50 people. They spent two hours in our house and did not get back to us until two weeks later in our church. She let me know that they were going to go with another baker.

Update: even after I politely let her know that I was now booked she started stalking my Facebook Page. Telling me that since she knows I made three cakes this weekend, I should be fine with doing two cakes on the weekend she needs hers. Finally after declining over and over, I blocked her. What a nut!

Good grief! At least she's consistent----STILL trying to tell you how to handle your business

I can't even imagine what a piece of work she'd have been had you made her a cake...............

Glad you sent her packing!

Rae

Wow! Bullet dodged!

people are so strange. After all this I would never, ever accept an order from her, ever.

So glad you said no. I worked in a beauty shop for 40 yrs. I could tell just talking to them and what they expected and not expected to say yes or no. It was always no when i didn,t like what what and how they said anything. I always said, i,d rather sit and twiddle my thumbs than to get started with them. Our peace of mind is worth it all. Keep strong for all your future calls. You won,t regret it. I do the same when talking to people about cakes, etc.

Just remember, when a client asks "why?" to your "no" response, a perfectly reasonable response from you is "It's just not my business policy."

What do most parents say to their three year old that keeps asking "why?" BECAUSE I SAID SO!

And to this I direct you to a previous post:

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=745653&highlight=

Hey! I just met you!
And you sound crazy!
But here's my prices!
So call Sam's Maybe?

I'm just echoing icer101's comment. I've been doing this for 6 yrs and within a few months of business, I could tell from their first email whether or not they would be a headache to deal with. Stay far, far away. Glad you ditched her.

I understand your madness!!! I had many histerical mothers ordering cakes for theirs kids.
Last year I passed thru a simliar story... First she called me at 9:30 pm, when my calling time is until 6pm. I didin't pick up the call at the first 2 calls but than I wondered if some thing happened with my husband, but it was stll her trying to catch me. I asked her to write me an email.
After asking me about the price, that is actually written on the website, she came up with this:
"I really hope you can give me some discount (like free delivery ). This is my first daughter birthday party, but sure next year i still want to give her birthday cake, so i really hope that still come up at yours . And if your cake is good i can tell other friends. As you know, espoo belongs to capital region, it would be good if me or other customers have free delivery. There are many nearby cake shops but we will end up with you if you can give us free delivery i think "

I told her that everybody from Espoo, pays the delivery and this would be not fair with the past and future clients as well this is my business policy, I won't change it.
In the end, she wrote this:" I dont think you have education in business. Maybe you just know how to make cakeIf you think you are an artist, then you would never open a cake shop and try to market it or sell your cake. "

This mess end up with my email saying that she can go to where ever shop and buy what so ever cake.
I know it wasn't the best response, but at least it ended the fight. She drove me so mad I was so disapointed having someone so disrespectful!

Lesson learned: never pick up the phone when the calling time is over and when the number is not from familiar people...

Meh - people are such freaks.