I am dealing with a foolish mistake right now and SO mad at myself. Sometimes my brain feels like its just swimming and I'm kinda scared that I will continue to make unprofessional mistakes.

I had a consult MONTHS ago for a 3D grooms cake of a cat. Got the order...she handed me some photos of the cat and a little baggie of cat toys she wanted me to copy.

Getting organized today so I can start work on the cake tomorrow...pulled out the toys....NO PHOTOS! I look in all her emails...no photos. I look in all my old contracts...no photos. Oh no. So I email her and she tells me she gave me photos at the consult. I do vaguely remember that but now I have no clue if she accidentally took them home, or if I somehow lost them (I don't know how I would have done that??? If I have the toys, why don't I have the photos???)

Anyway cake is due Thursday so I have emailed her back offering to come to her home to pick up more photos and also offering her free delivery to make up for it (was going to be a pickup order.) I am waiting to hear back from her as to what she would like me to do.

I'm just so humiliated...how unprofessional...to have possibly lost a customer's photos?! I have a file briefcase which is where the cat toys have been kept all these months. I hope free delivery is enough to satisfy her and I hope she has more photos. I offered to even bring a camera and take some of my own. Its so bad this is last minute too. *sigh*

Sometimes I just feel overwhelmed...like I need to just back off for awhile. But I need to keep the money coming in too, esp paying for insurance and my licensing and stuff. I'm losing it!

Oh well...I hope and pray she is not mad and we can get new photos like SOON (she has none on her computer to email me.) I did make her bridal shower cake for her mom and they loved that so hopefully that was enough to let her know I'm at least somewhat responsible. *sigh*

I think this has happed to everyone at one point. A few weeks ago one of our salespeople lost a napkin that we were to use. I also think calling a customer is unproffessional, but after trying to come up with another idea, had to call the customer. We asked where she bought the napkins and we went and bought a new pack. Thank goodness she was a regualr customer and knew a newbie waited on her. Still embarrassing. My spelling is off tonight so please forgive me....Who am I kidding it is always off. lol

I don't sell cakes, but I have purchased some in the day... and I'm a consumer of other services as well.

And I think you're both being too hard on yourselves. I would much prefer to be contacted (by the contractor, the doctor's office, the Avon lady, etc.) if there's a question than not get what I wanted/expected or be kept updated on what's going on.

What I hate as a consumer, is when I try to contact a business and I get an endless stream of recorded menu's with no live help!

But I'm never upset when someone calls to make sure we're both on the same page. I look on that as exception customer service!

HTH

If I were the customer, I would most certainly appreciate a phone call if that had happened. At least then you could get another photo and make the cake she wanted instead of getting a cake that is a little diferrent and having to hear some sort of excuse. Don't be so hard on yourself, I'm sure your customer won't be mad with a request for another pic. She would be upset to not get the phone call when there is still time to make what she wants. This stuff happens all the time, it won't be the last time. At least you now know how to best handle a situation like this.

I think you are being too hard on yourself. You made a mistake. It happens. But you are doing all the right things to try and make the situation right and the customer will see that. One of my favorite quotes is "Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it." I think it fits here.

It will all be okay... I know how that feels... we don't want to come off as unorginized, unproff,,, but like it says here....htat is no biggy, your like me... we fill our heads with the worst case scenario....

The client will be glad you called with ample time to be able to do the order as requested... it's not like u called 2 days before the ordeer was due.. and you are also offering a monetay compensation for the situation so be confident... this will NOT make you look bad at all... and what how a few days after you are done with this... YOU WILL FIND THE PICS... probably misplaced in error.... lol

Good Luck Sweetie

Well she uploaded a few for me! She said the delivery is way too far and she doesn't want me to have to do it.

Of course now she wants to change the design a bit (put the cat in a box) so I might just have to figure out how to do it....but its due thursday so I'll have to think about it because I don't have time to dry the sides....I guess I could put it in a real shoe box...hmmm have to think!

Thanks all....

You were being way too hard on yourself. As a customer I would be tickeled that someone cared enough about the work they were doing to call and do it right. Much better than the alternative!