Hi everyone! I just want to let some steam off and ask what would you have done/what would have been the right thing to do

So I've been taking orders for two years now and only a few months ago started doing wedding cakes/cupcakes too. I still feel like a rookie most of the times as I have a long way to go get. 

Cutting a long story short, I couldn't get a 3 Tier cake to stand/stack properly for this wedding order, it was quite bent and I know what the numerous of reasons could have been but I needed to think fast. I informed the customer that I had a last minute issue with the support of the cake so I made sure she was aware of me wanting to change it from a stacked cake to a cascade style on a stand. (This was a few hours before I needed to set it up at the venue) She agreed 

so as I set it up, the grooms sister complimented the setup (she placed the order with me) said she loved it and uploaded many photos on social media (as I saw this myself) so I was relieved she wasn't unhappy about the change. 

The next morning she called to say her and the bride and the groom are all unhappy at the cake. And gave numerous of reasons and I even had the bride call me an amateur/unprofessional/poorly designed cake and was really rude to me. I wouldn't let anybody talk to me the way she did, I had to bite my tongue!!! 

it was a semi frosted buttercream cake with artificial flowers and the bride slated me for the look of it. Anyway they picked out all sorts of silly things for example, if there was a dowel in the cake (as it was supposed to be stacked) they said 'there were holes in the cake and it was very embrassing to cut, we couldn't cut it and the cake was very hard and was crumbling) and that the flowers were maroon and not purple. I picked plum 100% they weren't maroon. 

So there was a lot to take in, my first instinct was that..... How can a freshly baked buttercream cake be hard and crumbly!? My cakes are always fluffy and this cake was baked a night before!! You know when you look at your own cake and u KNOW it's going to be a good one?!

So the complaints went on a bit and they then demanded a refund.

i know I went wrong with the cake not being stacked but I took this order 1week before and I did my complete best, didn't charge a last minute order fee either! It was actually what they wanted too as she sent me a photo of my previous design. The only difference was that it was on a stand.  

I agreed to give just under 20% back to her but I was yet to get back to her/confirm. In the mean time, as I collected my cake stand, it was scratched and was chipped! Whether it was the venue/waiters or them, I hold the customer liable!

So I was still being professional with them and explained how I took on their order that was placed 7 days before the date, sourced, designed, planned everything in very little time that I had, charged a very reasonable price, made the best out of the situation but received verbal abuse from the bride who mocked my creative and baking skills!

I didn't offer any refund because of this. Now I have learnt from this but I would like to know of anything similar that may have happened to you or what you would have done or how to prevent something happening like this again! 

Im so stressed out by this! 

[postimage id="6351" thumb="900"][postimage id="6352" thumb="900"]

This was the setup

I think it looks lovely...atleast they got a cake!

Hmmm, sounds very dodgy to me. Did they return the cake that was inedible or did it all get gobbled up? No cake returned, no refund.

Who organises their wedding cake a week out from the event?? And asides from the first cut for photos, why would the bride and groom be cutting up the cake?  That's what the catering/venue staff do.

To me, it sounds like they are just trying to pull a swiftie on you.

First things first, you always need a contract! I have a seperate fee that I collect to cover my equipment, any equipment that will be rented out.  You can charge extra for your rental, that's up to you, but as with any rental you take some form of deposit to cover any damages (a check for x amount that you can return or whatever you like).  I ask my clients to designate a bridesmaid, mother, etc. to be in charge of returns as well and get their number so you aren't running around after people. Give them a specific date to have your equipment returned (I do 3 days and make sure I call whoever so they know they've been put in charge and label your equipment). I request the table is ready when I arrive and isn't moved after (doesn't always happen).  I also have someone sign when the cake is delivered and setup. Be as specific as possible this protects you and your customers.

You set the terms for how your business is run! I require advanced notice for wedding and specialty cakes, I'm just one person so my time/space is quite limited (the same for most of us right) make sure your customers know this as well! If someone books last min I charge them for it, it effects my personal and work life to cram in a last min order. It might sound silly or harsh but you need to run & treat your business how you want your customers to see it, professionally. Otherwise you will find yourself in situations like this, please don't take any of this as disrespectful or rude! You can dwell on it (which I've done before) or chalk it up to a painful learning experience and learn from it-which is what you seem to be doing :) Like you said, what should you have done differently? 

Another suggestion is to get a stick of paint strips, they come on a keychain or a color wheel so you can add to your contract/sketch/invoice the specific color.  In my experience the customer would purchase the flowers or I'd get the name of her florist and coordinate that way. But I still use the strips for matching fondant, sugarflowers, etc. Ask for an invite, napkin, whatever to keep with their order. How you decide to do it is fine just make sure you stick with it to avoid issues with that.

If you told them you'd give them a refund, you should give them a refund. Whether the refund is a mistake or not if you tell someone something you should follow through-just my opinion there, I'm unclear how you left things.

As for the cake not being stacked, you let them know and delivered a cake and that's great. But they ordered a 3-tiered cake, you promised them a 3-tiered cake but didn't fully deliver. Customers don't typically much about our process and the hours that go into it...I've worked in Customer Service since I was 14 (I'm 33) people can be awful and ridiculous over the siliest, most insignifigant things! I've been spit on, cursed at, tripped, you name it and I'm talking Applebee's-Red Lobster waitressing/bartending. I'm not saying that anyone has the right to speak to you that way! But this also goes back to professionalism and not letting the customers run you (if that makes sense) hopefully you will 'weed out' these type of customers.

Usually, there's someone at the venue that cuts the cake, like kitchen staff that know how to cut a cake properly to get the correct number of servings (You can send a cutting guide with customers). So I don't really understand that issue. I am curious why you couldn't get the cake stacked though? What size were the tiers? What sort of internal structure do you use? How many dowels in each tier? Each cake should be level, before and after frosting or you will have problems stacking.  You can also use too many dowels. Have you stacked many cakes or any before? Just asking to try and help figure out the problem.

I hope some of this info was helpful!