If you have the address, couldn't you get the phone number that way? Google the address and see what comes up. I googled a friends first & last name once and got a bunch of info, right down to the last 3 addresses they had lived.
If you have the address, couldn't you get the phone number that way? Google the address and see what comes up. I googled a friends first & last name once and got a bunch of info, right down to the last 3 addresses they had lived.
Nope I've tried several sites and there is no phone listed for any of them. They probably just keep cell phones or something.
Remember, if it's in your contract that you keep a certain amount upon cancellation, it means that you are entitled to do it... not that you have to.
I agree! You write the contract for the worst possible scenario to protect yourself. If you turned away 3 cakes for some "hot" date, but accepted a chepo deposit and they cancel--- you really lose. OK, so if you re-book, or they have a confirmed tragedy, then it is up to you if you want to return part, or credit later.
Just don't put yourself in a position to be at risk, you know?
You should not feel bad collecting 50%, most other places do. If something major should happen, as you mentioned, and they had to cancel, you would have the option to return a portion of the money if you want to. I am in the process of booking my DD wedding venue, DJ, etc and they all request at least 50% if not more.
So if I don't hear from this lady by Wednesday or so....what do I do? Make the cake? Or don't make it?
*sigh*
I'm serious, I totally searched for the phone number and its NOWHERE to be found...I think they don't want it to be found.
The weird thing is that several of my clients have gotten computer viruses (no its not from me!!!!) so I don't know if this lady has one too or what.... I think people are getting them from facebook or something.
Haven't you already committed to doing the cake by accepting the order? I think you have to make it and hope she follows through. If you don't do it and she comes for it you may lose your repeat customer.
I did accept the order and the deposit. So yes I guess I should do it, although she never did confirm flavors or a message...all I know is she is ordering it for her own birthday. As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure she hasn't told me the colors either...*looking back at emails*
Yep I was right, she has not even confirmed colors. She sent me a black and red masquerade cake photo, and we did establish servings and final price, and she sent me the deposit. But then she kinda "fell off the face of the earth" after telling me she still wanted to think about what colors she wanted her cake to be, and what flavors. She has not responded to any emails since she paid the deposit.
I hope the postcard gets to her and she calls me.....I just need to figure out what my "Plan B" is if she does not.
Would you just make the vanilla and chocolate flavors and make the cake black and red and gold like the photo???? But if she is not confirming anything with me (most customers email me anyway to confirm pickup time) then would it be likely she cancelled the party?
*sigh*
Make the cake flavors from last year and base the design on the pic she gave you. Just use your best judgement and make her a beautiful cake. If she's a repeat customer then she'll probably be very happy with whatever you make. If she says anything just tell her she never called to confirm the final details so you exercised your best judgement. Then don't let her walk out the door with the cake until you get a phone number 
if you usually get the balance a few days before the event, she should know that she needs to pay you by know. I would then not do anything until I get the money
However, if your policy is to only get final payment with pickup, I would do the cake in the flavors she had last time and use the picture as guide for colors etc. Chances are good that she thinks everything is on track as the dep is paid and you have a pic of what she wants
I think its time to change some policies 
Just to address the deposit thing......
A deposit is not just to insure the customer is vested in the order; it's not just to insure a place on the calendar; it's "payment" for Lost Opportunity Costs. You have lost theopportunity to book other cakes ergo you have lost the opportunity to make money because you committed your calendar to HER cake. If she cancels, the deposit compensates you for business you turned down because you were committed to this particular cake.
As a caterer who issued invoices worth thousands of dollars, I required a 50% deposit. There were only 2-3 times that an event was canceled by the client, but I had no problem keeping the deposit as my payment for closing my calendar to other brides who needed catering on the same date.
You are not "stealing" their money. You should not feel bad about keeping a deposit. It' earned money.
Make the cake flavors from last year and base the design on the pic she gave you. Just use your best judgement and make her a beautiful cake. If she's a repeat customer then she'll probably be very happy with whatever you make. If she says anything just tell her she never called to confirm the final details so you exercised your best judgement. Then don't let her walk out the door with the cake until you get a phone number
I agree. She is a repeat customer; she likes your work and your biz. If she is having a computer problem, she knows it. It is her responsibility to contact you using another method. If she doesn't all you can do is fullfill your responsibility the best you can using the information you have.
My husband went by her house with my postcard to get the cell number....won't say all he found at the house, lets just say some young children gave him the phone number....
Her phone is broke, have been playing phone tag all day trying to text her or call her friend or try to get ahold of her...she only txted my hub one message saying her phone was broke, nothing about the cake. I'm trying to get the message to her that I HAVE to know by tonight if she wants the cake or not so hopefully she will get a message to me through her friend or something.
This is not your normal cake order situation...very strange...esp the report my hub brought back...hm.
Okay so I've left voicemail on both her and her friend's phones, as well as text messages saying I must hear from her tonight, or no later than tomorrow morning, if she still wants her cake.
It may be wrong to assume this, but if she cannot afford???? to replace her phone or have some method of communication, she may not be ready to afford to finish paying for the cake she ordered?
She also will have the postcard my husband left at her house with her young kids...not that it will get to her...haha....*sigh*
My hub agrees with you ladies..he's like "Um...half deposit from now on..." I have spent money getting stuff for this cake "just in case" and quite a bit of time trying to contact her...so...really if I don't hear from her by tomorrow, I feel like I've done my part to try to finish the transaction....
Do you think?
Holy moley, please let us know if she shows...
Think of all the time and energy (and now supplies) that you have put into trying to figure this out! At this point, no matter her reason is for not getting back to you, I would definitely keep the deposit. Cash in hand only if she does want the cake and gets back to you in the timeframe you have set.
Let us know how it turns out!
I would say that you have spent plenty of time, stress and energy in trying to contact her. At this point, I would not do the cake. She knows you do need to confirm the order with the flavors and if she hasn't contacted you by now then she must not be going through with the order. Sorry this happened to you.. but it does sound like you have done all that you need to do on your part!
Well...she finally texted back, saying she has family problems and can't go through with the order. But she hoped I could make her something for the $50 deposit she already paid.
I was tempted, but I had to just txt her back and say that I was sorry but the deposit covered the stuff I already bought for her cake (I did buy all the stuff for it already) plus the time and effort I put into tracking her down and trying to confirm the order, plus the orders I had to turn away on her account.... and that not only that but the $50 price is well below my minimum order anyway.
I could make more comments because in her voice mail we found out what her profession was...and after the stuff that happened today and what my hub saw at her house...wow...but no comments as it would not be nice. I do feel sorry for her, she's evidently having a hard time in her life right now. BUT my kids need money too, I have a child with an ongoing medical problem and things, and I already donate enough cake here and there without feeling sorry for all my customers.
It would be nice to be rich and be able to make people free cake, eh? haha.
Don't feel badly for standing up for yourself. She is far from the first person to overextend themselves and you are not at fault for that. Your actions were in no way dishonorable. Chin up
I didn't mean to imply that ya'll were hard off but as indy has said, business is business and as much as we would all like to donate all of our cakes, it's just not possible. Ahhhh....to the independently wealthy!!!
I didn't mean to imply that ya'll were hard off but as indy has said, business is business and as much as we would all like to donate all of our cakes, it's just not possible. Ahhhh....to the independently wealthy!!!
Yeah...thanks!
Actually I'm not too hurt about this order because the next two weeks are really busy so its okay, it frees up a few hours to give me more "padding" time for other projects!
wow, so sorry this happened the way it did. I'm glad you did everything you could to see the order out.
However, don't you think it's a bit rude of a business to speak of their customers/potential customers in that way?
Knowing that since you have all your links and networking connects out there in the open to be searched, that the customer can find this forum and see that you've spoke some ill words towards them, that IMHO is bad business.
I would hate to google my baker or any baker, that I might have forgotten their website or needed their number to stumble across them publicly airing their customers/potential customers personal business on a website.
We all need to vent, I understand that and maybe put out a vague..I need a baker/caker person's advice in the topic for a problem, especially going into details (even vague) as such that you did.
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%