How Do You Handle Design Requests You Don't Want To Do?
Decorating By cassandrascakes Updated 20 Sep 2006 , 5:27am by JamesSweetie
I've had this happen to me on several occasions. What do you do when someone wants you to do a cake design that you know will not look good? One example was when a lady wanted a cake iced in yellow frosting with two teal roses in the top two corners and one magenta rose in the bottom two corners. She wanted green lettering and it was happy birthday to about 8 people. She wanted the borders in a different color so the cake would be bright.
I want to give all customers what they want, and tried gently suggesting other options. I told her the colors would be beautiful altogether (like the cake iced in white and the teal, magenta and yellow roses clusters in each corner), but she said " I really wanted _____". So I said yes Maam and did it like she asked, but I sure didn't want my name on it!
I always strive to please the client, but I strive for every cake to be the best it can be. Am I the only one who fells this way?
LOL - that is an interesting predicament! I wouldn't want to put my name on an ugly cake but if I was going to make some money on it, I wouldn't want to miss out on that either. I guess I would give the customer what they wanted and although the color combination may be hideous, I would make sure all the decorations were flawless.... nice borders & flowers, etc.
And I would NOT add the picture to my album 
LOL - that is an interesting predicament! I wouldn't want to put my name on an ugly cake but if I was going to make some money on it, I wouldn't want to miss out on that either. I guess I would give the customer what they wanted and although the color combination may be hideous, I would make sure all the decorations were flawless.... nice borders & flowers, etc.
And I would NOT add the picture to my album
I've had similar predicaments in my business. I once made a John Dere tractor themed tiara. I once made a tiara with red AND clear swarovski flowers, purple AND green swarovski rhinestones, white AND cafe pearls. It looked like the most god-awful mardi gras tiara, but it's just what the bride wanted. Sigh. You can't force people to have good taste.
If your doing cake decorating for a living you give them what they ask for and if you are really that unhappy with it you can post it (with the photo) as a "worst cake" and say why! But, if your doing it as a hobby you can be far to busy at the time they want the cake delivered, sorry. And as some one else said, they may have been thrilled with the cake in all it's colorful glory.
Thanks you all for your time in response to this question. She did say she loved the cake, but I sensed in her face a little surprise in the way it turned out. I did exactly what she specified, but I guess in her head and on a cake was two different things. I did make sure everything else was perfect. And did I take a picture of the God awful thing? Nope!!
I think it's helpful to make a drawing of what a customer wants, and using color is especially helpful. You can sketch it out (doesn't have to look professional) as they tell you what they want and let them see it on paper. Even in rough draft it gives them a decent idea what their cake will look like. I've done this several times and it really helped. Also I have to say here that there are many different ideas of what's attractive out there and they don't all fall into my idea of pretty. But, if I want to work for $$ with this I have to be willing to put my personal tastes aside and do what the customer wants. I will also say that I have
redirected
friends/customers a few times away from certain less attractive designs and been thanked by them for it when I delivered the cake. I may steer clear of this particular type of problem/dilema more than some decorators because I don't do character cakes or adult themed cakes. People who come to me usually do so because they've heard about or seen one of my cakes and want something similar. That makes it easier for me.
this has happened to me... the cake is in my photos... i tried to make it look better by adding some more decorations to it and the bride ended up not being happy with it... like i was saying all along but no one listened... it's just a chance you take i guess... not everyone has a good sense of what the final product will be
I personally either design them something I would do and show that to them (using SOME of their ideas but making it look decent) or if I'm feeling miscehvious I say I'll do it for a ridiculous amount of money - something REALLY high - sometimes they've accepted!! Sometimes I say I won't do it as I don't think it will look good and as a designer I'd feel uncomfortable working on something cruddy (I say it more tactfully) and give them the contact details of a shop I think would do it,
At the end of the day, you have to give people what they want. I am not a fan of certain cake/filling combos, for example - but if they want that - they get it!
If you do exactly what she says and she is still unhappy - then you can say, "look, I have done what you requested and even tried to suggest some other options, but at the end, this is what you chose".
Just don't make that photo part of your portfolio, lol!
I wont say no to any design, I'll just come on CC and cry about how ugly the flowers are...lol.
About drawing it out - that's a great idea - and you could also use colored pencils to really "bring it to life" and show them how hideous the colors are - then I would make them sign off next to the design that they want THOSE colors and they understand that it will look similar to your picture and to the picture's colors and that they are okay with it..... then they can't say "ooh it doens't look so good now that I see it" when they pick up the cake........
You can use the drawings on here - I believe Doug provided them (THANK YOU!) of the different sizes of cakes and then make your drawing on there and color it...... I think that would be the best idea - and you could print out a couple of the same drawing and show some dif. color combos..... sometimes people just have to really see it to understand - I know I'm a very visual person!
I have 9x12, 11x14 and 18x24 sketch pads, markers and colored pencils that I use to draw and color the design requested, so the client can see approximately what the cake will look like before I start baking it. Every design gets a name, and the design name, colors and description go on the sales slip. There's nothing worse than decorating a cake according to the client's description, only to have them say that it's not quite what they imagined when they see the finished cake.
I know how you feel...you don't want to be associated with a cake that you feel doesn't looks good. I had that happen to me once and while I was setting it up I made sure that who ever stopped by to gaze and comment, I said..."oh yes, ______ came up with the design all on her own, I just brought her idea to life". Then, everyone else knows it wasn't your hairbrained idea.
Wouldn't it be nice to write a note on the box too?
Dear Customer Name,
Thank you for hiring me to make your cake. I am sure everyone will love your design and color selection! I hope this doesn't mean you are going to be after my job any time soon!
Love,
The Cake Decorator
There are several ways you can look at it. You can be firm and say no, just cuz you don't have to do anyone's cake, or you can do it and let it be a challenge for yourself.
I personally would do it, after trying my best to persuade them to my ideas, but if not, I'd do what they asked if this was a business.
There was a CC'er, sorry can't remember whom it was, she had the ugliest dollar store flowers given to her and she said use that for the top. Well, I think she really pulled it off and came up with something simple and elegant for those awful flowers.
Good luck!
I really can see both sides of this. On one hand if you want to make money and customers you should bend to the customer's will and make what they want, no matter how much it clashes against your personal style, because you are providing a service. On the other hand, your name is being attached to that cake. If you can't stand to look at it, remember everyone at the function will be.
Cake decorator's are cake artists, so there still has to be your touch in there. You don't have to do a design that you are not comfortable doing. You are not the grocery store. If it was really against your grain you could reccomend them to someone who would be comfortable doing the design, if you are okay with losing a customer(because you know that although you may not want to do the design, there are going to be many others that will). In all honesty it may come to how bad you want the customer or need the income from the cake.
Just as someone would not think twice of someone who refuses to do Adult Cakes, if something is not your forte its fine just admitting that its not your style. (Every decorator has strong suits they favour, maybe children's cakes, or gumpaste, or fondant etc).
I am actually facing this right now. Someone has asked me for a quote for a wedding cake for her daughter, for a 6 cake set-up with the pillars, and fountain and bridges and stairs. I am not a fan of this type of cake. But because of all the set up and extras that I will have to get, it would most likely be good money (though I am not sure at this point if she realizes what a cake set up of this type will cost, the fountain alone is over $100 canadian). I don't know if its even so much the style, but the fact that the set up is kind of fussy, increasing the chances of things going wrong!
I am contemplating passing it on to another decorator in my area, only because the thought of doing it is bothering me. Its not an easy decision, you don't want to lose a customer and potential income, but you're doing something you aren't crazy about doing.
I do like what someone said about taking something you think will be awful, and turning it into something you can be happy with. Something that may help me with this!
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