Client Didn't Pay 2 Years Ago, Wants Another Cake!
Business By Annabakescakes Updated 26 Jul 2011 , 7:50am by LisaPeps
She is actually a real sweetheart, and her parents catered my wedding, for free, we go to church together, though I am not in her clique. I have provided a few free cakes for her parents, and gave a HUGE discount on this cake, it was the sock monkey cake, Oh and Ah. I charged $30 for it, and would've charged $120 to anyone else. But I never got it.
It has literally been 2 years, it was her daughter's 2nd birthday, and now she is 4.
Do I say something? I want to! How do I say this without being w!tchy, or accusatory? I would like the $30, for principle's sake, but I want to do the cake this year.
Charge her full price for the cake, that should cover your $30 and more.
Dear so-and-so~
Thanks for thinking of me to do your little one's cake. I would really like to do this for you, but I'm not sure how to put this- the last time I made her a cake, you kind of forgot to reimburse me for it. I'm sure it was just an oversight, but you can see how I would hesitate with this one, especially since I had already discounted it quite a bit.
If you'd like me to do her cake, then I would be happy to put together some ideas for you, and I can just add the $30 from last time on the invoice. Payment will be due then 2 weeks before the cake.
Let me know if this works for you or if you'd like to go in another direction.
Sincerely,
Baker who is trying to be nice to someone who clearly needs to pay in advance on all future orders.
I would just give her the total and tag the $30 on top of it...and if she asks you to go over the costs...I would itemize it all and say this $30 charge was the balance you had remaining from your last order. it's business plain and simple!!! Nobody would expect to walk into wal-mart and walk out without paying for a cake, so why would you expect to do that at a custom cake place??? People are insane!
You should charge full price and require her to pay you upfront for the cake. She already knows the quality of work you do and after she try to shop around she will be willing to pay. After all it was two years ago and you have become a better baker since then. 
She knows she didn't pay you and probably hope you'll let it go again. Do not give her a discount! I have made the same mistake and believe me if you don't make them pay they will keep trying your patience. unless you want to make her a three teired sweet sixteen cake for $30 Lol 
I would let the past go.
She probably figures you would have said something by now, if it still mattered.
You could say or not say,
In the past your parents did a lot of really nice stuff for me and I did some great cakes for them.
But do say,
Lets figure out what this new cake is going to cost you.
I just checked out your "Ooh and Ahh" picture and the description said it was a freebie.
I agree to leave the past in the past. If it was really that important to collect the $30 two years ago, you probably would have collected it? I just don't think it would be "good" business to bring up something that happened that long ago.
Going forward, price her new cake without discount and require full payment in advance.
Good luck to you!
Well, I wouldn't not be in that situation. Larger cakes MUST be paid in full, cash, before I crack 1 egg. I have taken smaller cakes with me that have not been paid for . . . . 
mlm
I would just give her the total and tag the $30 on top of it...and if she asks you to go over the costs...I would itemize it all and say this $30 charge was the balance you had remaining from your last order. it's business plain and simple!!! Nobody would expect to walk into wal-mart and walk out without paying for a cake, so why would you expect to do that at a custom cake place??? People are insane!
I agree, leave it as a balance and be paid in advanced for the new cake (new company policy) My orders usually run with 50% down to hold order and 50% on pick up and if it is being delivered than It is up front 2 weeks prior to the event or it's not delivered! You have to look at it as a business, if you owed your electric company a pass due balance for one residence and needed service hooked up spmewhere else, would you expect them to say not to worry about it? They would let you know your balance and include that on your next bill. After 2 yrs thirty dollars is useless, but given she wants another add it to her bill.
I just checked out your "Ooh and Ahh" picture and the description said it was a freebie.
So, what? It "became" a freebie after I was not paid. It was not my intention, and she knows it. I flat out told them it was going to be $30, and how much it would have cost them.
I swear, I am so sick of people getting on here trying to play "Gotcha!" If you have nothing constructive to add, move on.
I just checked out your "Ooh and Ahh" picture and the description said it was a freebie.
hmmmm.......good catch
I would just give her the total and tag the $30 on top of it...and if she asks you to go over the costs...I would itemize it all and say this $30 charge was the balance you had remaining from your last order. it's business plain and simple!!! Nobody would expect to walk into wal-mart and walk out without paying for a cake, so why would you expect to do that at a custom cake place??? People are insane!
I think this will be what I do. I have a problem "calling people out" over some things, when they are sweeties. I do think it was an oversight. She may have thought her mom paid, and her mom probably thought the daughter paid. And they are well-off, but very generous.
I just checked out your "Ooh and Ahh" picture and the description said it was a freebie.
hmmmm.......good catch
If she's a nice person, the chances are it was just a slip up. It obviously is still bugging you, so you need to make a decision whether you want to confront it or not. As to this new cake, if she is not a super close friend I'd charge her full price, make sure you get a deposit and probably even full payment before you hand the cake over.
If you handle it all graciously then everybody walks away feeling good about it.
If she's a nice person, the chances are it was just a slip up. It obviously is still bugging you, so you need to make a decision whether you want to confront it or not. As to this new cake, if she is not a super close friend I'd charge her full price, make sure you get a deposit and probably even full payment before you hand the cake over.
If you handle it all graciously then everybody walks away feeling good about it.
It does bug me, not because it is $30, that is nothing! It is the principle. It is money owed, and I want to be taken seriously.
That was basically the question, How do I handle this graciously?
Are you still planning on giving them a discount?
I'd charge her full price, add the $30 on top of it unless you want to just write it off, and make sure you get paid in advance. If she says that she wants to pay you later, tell her that in the last two years you've had to change your payment policies because you've been stiffed on a few cakes, so you need to be paid in advance 
It does bug me, not because it is $30, that is nothing! It is the principle. It is money owed, and I want to be taken seriously.
That was basically the question, How do I handle this graciously?
If you want to be taken seriously, take your business seriously and charge what you're worth today. Don't worry about what happened two years ago. Too much time has past. Lesson learned, time to move forward. Charge full price...no discounts and no excuses. And if she balks at the price...no cake.
It does bug me, not because it is $30, that is nothing! It is the principle. It is money owed, and I want to be taken seriously.
That was basically the question, How do I handle this graciously?
If you want to be taken seriously, take your business seriously and charge what you're worth today. Don't worry about what happened two years ago. Too much time has past. Lesson learned, time to move forward. Charge full price...no discounts and no excuses. And if she balks at the price...no cake.
I agree! Make sure she knows that you will need full payment 2 weeks before she needs the cake or she will NOT be getting a cake.
I just checked out your "Ooh and Ahh" picture and the description said it was a freebie.
Did you not read the entire description? Just in case you missed the part where she stated that she asked for $30 for supplies and never received it, here it is for you. geez
This was a freebie, (her Grandparents catered my wedding FOR FREE!) so I could do whatever I wanted! (Though I had asked for supplies, totalling $30, and was never paid) Covered in MMF, candy clay tree trunks, gumpaste leaves, buttercream stenciling, hand rolled fondant balls for border. Opera cream cake.
OP, I think I would do as suggested and price the new cake full price, no further discounts.
Cakestyles,
You're right; I should have read the whole description.
I'm sorry for the misinformation I supplied.
(I'll skip my snack and go to bed hungry-promise.)
If you're good we'll slip you a piece of cake after everyone falls asleep. lol
If she's a nice person, the chances are it was just a slip up. It obviously is still bugging you, so you need to make a decision whether you want to confront it or not. As to this new cake, if she is not a super close friend I'd charge her full price, make sure you get a deposit and probably even full payment before you hand the cake over.
If you handle it all graciously then everybody walks away feeling good about it.
It does bug me, not because it is $30, that is nothing! It is the principle. It is money owed, and I want to be taken seriously.
That was basically the question, How do I handle this graciously?
At this point I think too much time has gone by for this to be handled in a manner that you desire. I say this because if it is about payment, why did you not try and collect a long time ago? Thus I am not entirely clear what principle you see at play here.
If it is about getting paid, why are you waiting until now to say something/collect? After two years, and only after they request another cake, you now want to collect? So if they had not requested another cake, you would not be trying to collect what you were owed? (This is what the description of the situation implies). This is why the situation is sticky, it does not seem to be about principle.
Honestly at this point I would say to let it go. It had not bothered you enough for the past two years to collect it. By your account they are nice generous people and this likely was an oversight--so treat it this way. No need to build in a $30 charge, just charge them the cost of the cake they order but get paid upfront.
If you want to avoid an uncomfortable situation the best way is just to let it go. If you truly believe they are good people, then no need to get them by building in a hidden cost.
At this point I think too much time has gone by for this to be handled in a manner that you desire. I say this because if it is about payment, why did you not try and collect a long time ago? Thus I am not entirely clear what principle you see at play here.
If it is about getting paid, why are you waiting until now to say something/collect? After two years, and only after they request another cake, you now want to collect? So if they had not requested another cake, you would not be trying to collect what you were owed? (This is what the description of the situation implies). ..........
If you want to avoid an uncomfortable situation the best way is just to let it go. If you truly believe they are good people, then no need to get them by building in a hidden cost.
I didn't try to collect it because it got more and more awkward as time went by. And, no I wouldn't have tried if she hadn't ordered another one. I was asked to do one last year, but was booked.
And no, I would not feel right about hiding costs in the cake. That wouldn't be fair.
Why would you wait two years and not tell them of the $30.00 owed? I bet you a dime against a dollar that they will not remember and think you are nuts for not mentioning then. I'd be a little upset that you are going to bring it to my attention now and expect me to pay it. Now, if you have proof if the charge, that would be different. ? Good luck! 
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%