"is The Customer Always Right"

Business By StarDust1713 Updated 1 Feb 2011 , 3:43am by StarDust1713

StarDust1713 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
StarDust1713 Posted 31 Jan 2011 , 3:58am
post #1 of 15

i have been offard to do my first cake that im getting paid for lol but after talking to the girl she wants layers upon layers of fondant and it looks gaudy and will be to thick n taste nasty. im not comfortable with making the cake only bc she likes the picture because im person this thing is gonna look hideous! and will taste just as bad. and her guests wont like it. it wont get eaten...

it started out with her saying i love your cakes what ever you come up with that matches my theam thats what i want because your cakes come out better from your head than anyones suggestions.and now its i want this and this and that and add this ..lol its alot of stuff for one 3 layer cake.shes getting carried away.what do i do? what would you do or what have you done?

14 replies
tryingcake Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
tryingcake Posted 31 Jan 2011 , 4:06am
post #2 of 15

Tell her this is not what you signed up for. Ask her if she wants what you agreed upon or this new idea - because the pricing is very different. You just have to be frank and upfront.

I have no issue saying, "that's not in your contract."

simplysouthern Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
simplysouthern Posted 31 Jan 2011 , 4:06am
post #3 of 15

Have you tried explaining fondant? I would even go as far to let her sample something with that much fondant on it to really let her get the full effect of the flavor and look. I always always listen to my brides, let them get it allllllllllll out LOL. Then I step in and say ok wow I love those ideas, here is how we can take those and make them work into a cake that will taste great and look stunning! Sketch some designs to let her look at....not a lot maybe 2 or 3 max. She may just be panicking and needing to feel in control of these decisions. She may not know exactly what she wants and can't see ahead to what a cake with all her thoughts would look like. Brides panick, get crazy, and annoy us but we have to play therapist sometimes too and work with them to make sure on her day, this cake defines her and her groom!

Gooluck and let us know how everything turns out. Put your patience hat on and don't forget to SMILE LOL...HTH

metria Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
metria Posted 31 Jan 2011 , 4:07am
post #4 of 15

the guests don't have to eat fondant. put a good layer of buttercream underneath for them and then they can just peel off the fondant they don't want.

myslady Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
myslady Posted 31 Jan 2011 , 5:05am
post #5 of 15

Get a contract, deposit and have the final design signed off on by her. From what you said, she is making too many changes and it's making my head hurt.

StarDust1713 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
StarDust1713 Posted 31 Jan 2011 , 5:21am
post #6 of 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by simplysouthern

Have you tried explaining fondant? I would even go as far to let her sample something with that much fondant on it to really let her get the full effect of the flavor and look.




yes i have explaned it to her and i think shes just got so much going on in her life shes reflecting it into her cake i think i will stack up a pile of fondant and let her taste it to see if her opinion changes and if not im just going to have to get stern with her..but nice ill let her know im open for any changes just not numerous add ons and if there is too many the price will go up. witch is a great thougt and im 100% positive she will stop money talks lol OH and i did draw out a couple sketches to show her what i had in minde n shes piling on to that lol so maybe what i thought she wanted wasnt so back to the drawing board i go to redo this and take them to her to see if we can get something better. thank you every one. i hope i will get to take pix of it and will post when im finishes. and its not a wedding cake its for a baby shower..maybe its all her hormones hahahah gotta love this business

indydebi Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
indydebi Posted 31 Jan 2011 , 8:39am
post #7 of 15
Quote:
Quote:

"is the customer always right"


Hell no! And whoever told you that has never worked in a customer contact job before! icon_lol.gif

- In my work in a hotel, guest calls down for a rollaway bed. I tell her its $10. she exclaims, "Well, I didn't want to PAY for it!" Is she right? Should she get it free? Hell no! If she doesn't want to pay for it, then she's not getting it.

- I require a photo ID for check in and requre TWO photo ID's when paying cash. Guest doesn't have 2 photo ID's and squawks that they shouldn't have to show TWO id's. Is the customer right? Should I let them check in anyway? Hell no! No ID .... no room in my hotel!

- Hubby worked at a dealership where cars that came in for repair were run thru the dealership's car wash as a courtesy. Customer complains because the inside wasn't vacuumed out. Hubby explains that they offer a courtesy car wash, not a detailing service. If he wants it detailed, then its fifty bucks. Is the customer right? Should a "courtesy car wash" include detailing and vacuuming? Hell no! If he doesn't want to pay for it, then he can vacuum his own dang car!

I've noticed that those who spout off how the customer is always right is usually the customer who is trying to screw the merchant/vendor and trying to get something for nothing. Nobody else buys this line of crap!!

Kinda like how the people who never set a foot in church, and are mad because they can't get their way, are always the one who accuse the habitual churchgoers "that's nto very Christian of you!" Yo, buddy! When you go to church and figure out what "christian" is, then maybe I'll take you serious. dunce.gif

And before someone gets their knickers all in a knot, part of this is shared in humor but much of it is shared to make a point, so please .... no big speeches about how we should always offer good customer service and try to make the customer happy. that's a given. We're talking about those who try to stretch the line and pretty much think the world owes them everything for nothing! icon_twisted.gif

(Besides ... its 3:30 in the morning; all of my hotel guests are asleep in bed; my reports are run and I've nothing else to do but rant and rave online! icon_lol.gificon_lol.gif ) thumbs_up.gif

solascakes Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
solascakes Posted 31 Jan 2011 , 9:13am
post #8 of 15

Haaa,lol.Dont you just love indydebi. There is a big grocery store here in Uk with a big sign as you enter saying "customers are NOT always right".

tinygoose Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
tinygoose Posted 31 Jan 2011 , 9:44am
post #9 of 15

Lol....I thought this said. "Is the customer ever right?" lol.....

costumeczar Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
costumeczar Posted 31 Jan 2011 , 3:00pm
post #10 of 15

Of course the customer isn't always right. Some people need a lot of redirection. If you do the cake the way that she wants it you know she'll blame you for how it turned out. It's our job to educate people about what works and what doesn't.

PennieK Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
PennieK Posted 31 Jan 2011 , 8:43pm
post #11 of 15

http://notalwaysright.com/

This might answer your question!

cownsj Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
cownsj Posted 31 Jan 2011 , 9:51pm
post #12 of 15

ABSOLUTELY! ! ! THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT ! (at least in their own minds.) icon_eek.gif

sweetlayers Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
sweetlayers Posted 1 Feb 2011 , 2:22am
post #13 of 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by indydebi

Quote:
Quote:

"is the customer always right"

Hell no! And whoever told you that has never worked in a customer contact job before! icon_lol.gif




This is so true. I used to say it myself, but not so much anymore.

It's like you said before, it's one thing to add value! Its a whole other thing to give it all away! That was a hard lesson for me to learn because I was taught to be so nice I was stupid! But when I got it...I really GOT IT!

Now, my new favorite phrase is..."My prices are firm sir...Would you like me to send your invoice via paypal or google?

motherofgrace Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
motherofgrace Posted 1 Feb 2011 , 2:29am
post #14 of 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by PennieK

http://notalwaysright.com/

This might answer your question!





I read this for an hour!!!!!!!! LMAO!

StarDust1713 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
StarDust1713 Posted 1 Feb 2011 , 3:43am
post #15 of 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by PennieK

http://notalwaysright.com/

This might answer your question!





hahaha this is sooo good. so i talked to her today and was finally firm and said look you want all these layers im going to have to charge more. and if you want to come over and taste a stack of fondant to see if you would even like it on your cake we cna do that to. so she said fine she will come over and see lol like she dont believe me or something...oh dear.. and you guys are right i will be the one to blame in the end even if i make this cake the way she wants and no one likes it. she wont take the blame. and she will tell all her friends "oh i wanted something similar to this but not so thick eww i cant believe i paid for this " lol icon_confused.gif

Quote by @%username% on %date%

%body%