Seriously... What Is Up With Customers?????
Decorating By shenninger Updated 20 Oct 2006 , 4:21pm by lemoncurd
This has happened to me several times and I am just floored by it... some people have no idea the time and effort put into a cake or even how delicate they can be. We do the exchange and they plop the cake in the floorboard of the car, sit crooked in the seat or the most crazy.. closed it up in the truck. I can see it sliding around, hitting the sides of the box, who knows what falling on it. Am I the crazy one? I transport mine flat, sometimes with foam underneath to lesson the impact of bumps. I drive really slow and cautiously. I am a nervous wreck right now. I just handed off another bassinett cake. Lady crammed it in her floor board. The box on one side bent in. I just hope it didn't touch the cake. It will be very bouncy down there I hope the canopy doesn't bop off the cake and cause all kind of damage. I know it is out of my hands now but I feel responsible for them until they make it to there location; even if I am not the one delivering them. My stomach is turning over now know she is driving with that cake there in the floorboard. How do you all handle this? Do you always deliver to the location or what? Thanks for listening. I told the dog but he doesn't seem to care right now. 
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I usually deliver my own cakes but once I did notice someone plop the box on the floor and as they are talking and paying me my eyes are on the cake on the floor that I took such care in designing. It irked me a bit. 
LOL, that's why I have a cat!
lolol...
I always "SUGGEST" to people how to transport the cake, even giving them bits of non slip matts for under the cake.
Do you think they listen? They are like your dog!
I have become so paranoid that I now take pictures of all my cakes before they leave the shop!
shenninger,
We all go thru this dilemma. 
My husband suggested I create video to show how much time and effort goes into my work. You have to learn to let once the customer picks it up. 
No one but those of us who actually work on cakes know how to treat them.
I agree with Risque-- take pics before you hand it over that way you have proof and maybe say how you would prefer they would transport it that way it doesn't get damaged.... and move on--- its not your problem or worry if they damage it because of thier stuipidity. I understand you put a lot of time into it... but its out of your control. Or if you really want to make sure that it gets there in one piece-- then start delivering...
i guess they just see our masterpieces as pretty food destined to be eaten anyway. And if they did know all the time care and effort in making these works of yummy art then they would be cake decorators and wouldnt be ordering cake from us i guess.
it is a good idea to take pictures of your cakes before they are delivered or picked up. A friend of mine who also does cakes pute a blurb in the recipts she makes the customer sign when they reciev the caker saying she is not responsible for lost or damaged cakes.
i know that sound funny even a little much but one lady dropped a cake moments before an anniversary party. It was a time consuming cake to make and the lady called furious that she now had no cake and expected a replacement cake ...AT NO COST...right away. IMAGINE THAT!
So it is allways good to cover your a$$ in one way or another. My 2 cents.
I appreciate all who has replied. I am feeling a little better. I know it out of my hands it just bothers me to think or maybe not know if something happened to the cake in transit. I almost always take the cake to the location. Though when I have to hand it off to someone (ie: meeting them in a location somewhere) I feel embarressed to say... Please be careful and make sure it is flat, don't squeeze the box into a small location. Anyway, it was just nice to vent to those who have been there before. The kids are at school, husband at work and the dog could have cared less in my never ending plea to him about cake delivery. 
I have had the same experience and all I can say is once it goes out the door it is out of my hands what happens to it.I always make a point of telling my customers to put it in a flat area etc...I have had people show up and put a cake box in the back trunk along with a baby stroller I did make a comment about the stroller squishing the cake and they said "Oh no". Setting it slanted on a front seat....squishing it between the floorboards....dirty disgusting vehicles with food,drinks,garbage,stinky clothes all over...Yuk!!! So from now on however they decide to cram it into their vehicle is their problem if it is wrecked when they get home!! I've really only had one incident where the lady put the cake on a slanted front seat and hit the brakes and the cake flew off into the dashboard and she called in tears and I told her to bring it back and I would fix it...she gave me an extra $20.00 tip!!! I think she was more embarassed by the whole incident! The cake was pretty smashed too but I did the best I could to repair it.
I used to have a Beta that I shared my baking woes with, but one day I found him dead on the counter. I'm still suspecting foul play!
I take pictures of my cakes before they leave and I make sure I always give the customer a lecture on proper cake transport. I found it doesn't work though. I had a customer carry a tiered cake up four flights of stairs on her shoulder, like a sack of laundry! Needless to say, that cake didn't make it. I agree with starrchaser, customers just see our masterpieces as food.
I just couldn't take it anymore.... the worrying, the stomach pains... I just emailed her. I didn't come out and ask anything about the condition of the cake just wanted to thank her for the order and hoped the cake turned out the way she wanted. Not that she will come out and say something happened to it but she might. Couldn't take the pressure. I don't know why I am so worried out this one. I even woke up at 4am with a bad feeling about the cake. I had to get up and check on it. Nite Nite sweet cake and back to bed. I will let you all know if I hear from her.
I usually give them instructions on how to drive delicately with a cake.....no sharp turns or sudden stops. Come to a rolling halt at each light. Plus they get slipguards under the cake board in the box, and under the box itself. No problems so far!
My husband suggested I create video to show how much time and effort goes into my work.
Better yet, make a video of what happens when you don't take care of a cake after you've picked it up. Kinda like "This is your cake." (picture of a perfect cake) and "This is your cake on the dash of your car because you didn't take care in transporting it." (picture of same cake smashed to smithereens)
LOL
When a customer is transporting the cake, I don't suggest they do things a certain way -- I nearly cram it down their throat. My theory is it is not my responsibility or issue anymore once it leaves my possession. I take pictures before it leaves my possession for proof how it was when they picked it up. If they drive erratically or something happens to it, if I got a call to try to fix it, I would do my best. But I would not stress myself over it b/c I don't stress over stupidity. I know that's harsh/frank, but i always offer to deliver (fee for long distance), I use heavy boards for support, and I dowel where I can. Everything else is out of my control.
http://www.crawfordsbakery.com/deliveryandsetup.html
Here is a great page from a local bakery of stories of customer pickups on wedding cakes. Scroll down to "emergency conditions". The first time I saw this, I was ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!
You could put instructions on the top of the box and tape them on there. Something like, "warning, please handle with care" and then maybe a list of suggestions as to how to travel with the cake, making note that sudden stops and stuff can cause damage. Then add a note about your not being responsible for damages.
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