So Mad! Customer No Show And Won't Return Calls!
Business By jen1977 Updated 22 Jun 2007 , 1:23am by doescakestoo
I had a customer contact me for 6 dozen cookies and a full sheet cake. I quoted her the price, and she decided not to order the full sheet. She called me at 1:00 this afternoon to give me "a second chance to do the sheet" for a 3:00 pick up! She wanted it in 2 hours for $55! I told there's no way I could do a cake in that short notice, and it would be double the quoted price if I could have. Well, 3:00 came and went...it's 4:20 now, and after several calls to her cell phone, I still haven't heard from her! Now I'm sitting here with 6 dozen assorted cookies! I'm fuming! From now on, for orders that are picked up, they'll have to pay me 72 hours in advance thru paypal on my website!
It only takes one person to s%$w you over before you have to make that rule unfortunately! Not that I do alot for pay but it has to be paid for in advance just for these reasons! So sorry she did this to you.
And was she on something? A sheet cake in 2 hours! You ain't wal-mart! 
Wow, this "customer" sounds like one nervy witch 
In your shoes, I think I'd leave her one final voice message at 6pm tonight telling her that you're giving her "a second--AND FINAL--chance to pick up the cookies and that if they aren't picked up by 9pm tonight they will be donated to a "good cause" and that she is no longer welcome to place any orders.
Really, who needs "customers" like this passive agressive control freak 
Just my .02
Rae
I really think you need to send her an invoice. She entered into a verbal contract and should pay.
Hmmm, the phrase 'small claims court' comes to mind.
In addition to the last chance offer to pick them up, I'd also state that she isn't welcome to place any more orders unless payment is made at the time of the order! Also I'd let her know that since she did order these (do you have voice mails or emails stating anything about this??? that you could use in a court case if needed...) she has to pay for them reguardless of weather she picks them up and eats them or not she is still liable for the cost of them and I'd also mail her a billing statment with a note stating she has 30 days to pay. Just like the doctors office does or any other company does lol. She wouldn't do this crap to Walmart or any other bakery so don't let her do this to you. 
If she gets away with it everyone will know you rolled over and let her get away with this and then everyone will do it if they don't like something lol
That stinks!! At least get 50% from them when they order (nonrefundable once baking starts") to cover your costs if they bail later. You have to wonder if something happened to her. Maybe she is busy running around town looking for a sheetcake at the last minute!
That stinks!! At least get 50% from them when they order (nonrefundable once baking starts") to cover your costs if they bail later. You have to wonder if something happened to her. Maybe she is busy running around town looking for a sheetcake at the last minute!
I require 50% of price when the order is placed too. However i never thought to cover myself with the statement non-refundable once baking starts! I will have to add that in somewhere. Thanks!
I can't take credit for that....Everything I know I learned from Cake Central!
Quoting: I had a customer contact me for 6 dozen cookies and a full sheet cake. I quoted her the price, and she decided not to order the full sheet. She called me at 1:00 this afternoon to give me "a second chance to do the sheet" for a 3:00 pick up! She wanted it in 2 hours for $55! I told there's no way I could do a cake in that short notice, and it would be double the quoted price if I could have. Well, 3:00 came and went...it's 4:20 now, and after several calls to her cell phone, I still haven't heard from her! Now I'm sitting here with 6 dozen assorted cookies! I'm fuming! From now on, for orders that are picked up, they'll have to pay me 72 hours in advance thru paypal on my website!
Wow, this "customer" sounds like one nervy witch
Okay, so I'm stepping onto my soapbox now, especially because this is asubject I feel pretty intensely about ....
I thought so, too, Rae!
Look, the reality is that the "general public" thinks of cake as "just flour, sugar and eggs", which (to them) doesn't add up to a lot of $$. But, as someone put on a recent post (and I wish I knew who said it so I could give the credit),
"Part of the problem is all the exposure cake decorating is getting right now. Thanks to the Food Network people are seeing all kinds of cakes that aren't just regular sheet cakes. Unfortunately, none of these shows talk about how much these cakes cost. People assume cake is cake, never thinking about the time and talent that it takes to make these cakes, so they assume the price for a really amazing sculpted or tiered cake will be the same as the grab-and-go sheet cake down at the local grocery store. They also get upset when the grocery store can't provide the unique cakes (as they are set up to produce volume and it takes far too long to do one of these cakes). When people are faced with how much these kind of cakes are actually worth, many of them are forced to rethink their plans as they don't have it in their budgets to pay for these cakes OR they are unable to get past the fact that it is cake and aren't willing to pay for our time and talent. Stick to your guns. When word gets around that your cakes are worth every penny, people will be glad to pay your prices for your creations!" (emphasis added)
But you asked for an opinion on what you should do. And I say: call her cell phone. What do you say? Well ..... 
"Hi there, Mrs. Customer. This is Jen your baker, I hope that everything is okay because I have been waiting for you to come pick up your order since _____ o'clock and you're still not here. Certainly if you had been in an accident, I'm sure you would have called, right? Anyway, I hope that everything is okay, but I am going to have to leave at _______ (pick a time) o'clock and I don't want to miss you. Will you be picking your order up by then? If you will not be able to pick it up by then -- and this is the part of this phone call I absolutely hate to have to make -- the order will be donated to _______________________________ (charity of your choice who can use the donation) as I simply do not have the facilities to keep the order here. I know you understand my position, and, again, I hope everything is okay. I look forward to seeing you by _______ o'clock. Thanks again."
If the order doesn't get picked up, stick to it and donate the goodies. Print copies of anything written you have to indicate the order, and keep it in a file for future reference. If it was a costly order, consider small claims court. But, under NO circumstances, should you EVER take an order from this woman again! Have a ready-made excuse: "no, I'm sorry, I'm just totally booked that day. I wish I could help." "No, I really can't; the family is coming in to town that week and we will just be swamped playing host" [I'm sure you get the idea]
Yeah, it sux that she's a teacher at your child's school, but just because she has that kind of position, that does not give her the right to treat you as if you have nothing else to do but bow to her every whim.
Okay, I really COULD say more, much more, 
but I think I had better before I REALLY get out of hand!!!
Put the ball in her court and see if she returns it.
{all right, now I'm stepping off the soapbox and letting someone else have their opinions aired here. NEXT!!!}
Thanks for the soapbox,
Odessa
Whew! Glad that's over, and I'm sure you are too! I wonder what happened......we may never know. LOL!
She came by at 6...never even called. She was pretty nervous, and didn't try to give any excuses.
this brings to mind then did she pay by check or cash/credit/debit card?
if she's nervous and paid by check i'd be "checking" with the bank a.s.a.p!
She came by at 6...never even called. She was pretty nervous, and didn't try to give any excuses.
I'm glad she picked up her order. I STILL wouldn't -- UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES -- take any future orders from this person .... no matter how much she begs or how good the cause! She has discovered where you draw the line in your sand, and you need to make sure she won't cross it.
I once had a Client who kept moving the date of her wedding. It got further and further out, she went through a couple of different grooms, the size of the wedding changed, the location of the reception changed, yadda ....... yadda ....... yadda ....... You get the picture.
Finally, she called me one day and told me she had a new date and she "still want you to do my cake". Well, you only have to hit me in the head with a two-by-four a couple of times before this little old Polak lady catches on, and I told her {after looking in my order book, of course ... and thankfully this was on the phone}, "oh, I'm SOOOO sorry, but I am already completely booked that weekend. I really can't possibly squeeze another cake in then. I'm sure you understand. "
What does she do? She orders her shower cake from me! 
But I refused to deliver it (kids were involved with band festival, etc., which was true, but I still would not have delivered for her on principal alone), and I have never heard from her again. I don't feel bad, I'm far too busy for that. I treated the Client with respect ... moved her order accordingly, every time she called me to make a change, and I never asked her for more $$ to make these changes.
If she comes to me for another order, I will likely be "busy" then, too. I don't have time to hold her hand and teach her about how to treat a vendor. This is a lesson she clearly wasn't taught by her parents. Yes, a vendor is in business to make money. But we're people, too! I got the nicest voice mail and e-mail this week following a particularly busy weekend, and letting me know that my work was appreciated. I may not have charged enough (according to some of the other pros on this site), but the kindness I showed to my Clients is sure to come back to me from the ones who appreciated me so much they called/wrote to say so.
Live by the "Golden Rule" and you'll not be disappointed.
Leily, thanks for the pat on the back. Some day I want to write a book (and maybe I can get it out of my system then!), so this is good practice!
Thanks for letting me chime in on your subject,
Odessa
i am surprised she showed up without a call, and i would agree with GenGen. She did pay by check, and I will check with the bank forst. The thing that gets me with all of the price haggling, is that it's a graduation party for 4 girls who are best friends. There are 4 families paying for this party, and she tried to get my price down! She's also having a brownie trau of 32 $3 brownies from an upscale market here and the party is at this high end outdoor venue here! I'll be "booked" anytime she ever does try and order again, I decided that on Tuesday!
Good for you, Jenn. Let us know how the check thing turns out tomorrow.
Boy would I be busy if she calls again. Even if I had nothing on that day. We all live and learn. Glad to know that this place is here to know that others have the same problem customer out there. We are not alone.
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