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First complaint, need some honest advice! *More pics added* - Page 6

post #76 of 108
7/12/07 at 5:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by heavencole

is the blue and pink their motif? It looks exactly the same as the white and brown one however, the brown and white one looks much better because the colors looks classic.



I think so too, the cake was well done but the colors don't look nearly as good as the pictures she showed you. It's her fault for picking those colors.

Does she have pictures of the icing falling off the cake BEFORE it was cut? If my cake was falling to pieces before anyone touched it I'd make sure there were. And the cake cutting pictures would show icing decorations laying around the cake too. Maybe her guests were picking at the decorations and making them fall off. icon_lol.gif
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post #77 of 108
7/12/07 at 7:10am
I agree.. The colors are the only thing that could make that cake look cheap, because it was very well put together. Aside from the colors, it was just gorgeous. I, personally, hated the color. No offense to the decorator, since that wasn't your choice.

As far as dryness, she's probably referring to the fondant, which dries a bit after sitting out. She has probably only had buttercream, or store bought frosting on cakes, and doesn't know about what to expect from fondant after it's sat out all day.

Icing sticking under layers, it happens.. It's cake and icing, not bricks and cement. You scrape it off, and go on. It's just going to be eaten.

Just a guess, still ... she got a 3 thousand dollar cake for under a thousand.. She has no room to complain about anything.

You did a fabulous job, you should feel good about it.

I love it!

Holly
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post #78 of 108
7/12/07 at 9:08pm
I think your cake was awesome. I think that bride is a loon. You should be proud of that cake, and she should be ashamed of herself.
What an idiot.
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post #79 of 108
7/13/07 at 12:47pm
That is one beautiful cake! to me it looks just perfect.
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post #80 of 108
7/14/07 at 7:52am
After reading this very long thread icon_smile.gif, I've got a few things to say.

1. Great Cake
2. DON'T STRESS about it! Trust me, I know how hard it is to not take this stuff personally, but you can't. Yes, it's your work, but it's not you.
3. I would respond with the following.
"I am terribly sorry you were not completely satisified with your cake. I try my best to make every cake a special and memorable piece of art. It is unfortunate that you were so unhappy with the cake. However, at this point I can only offer, alongside with my sincere apologies, a XXX discount on your next cake order.
Once again, I am sorry you were not fully satisfied with your cake. I hope the rest of your evening was a memorable one and wish you the best in your new life with (Groom's name)."
And after you send her this email, leave it at that. If she doesn't respond, great. If she does, come back and we'll help you figure something out.

Okay, some of you may think why apologize so much if it wasn't your fault, but remember customer service goes a long way! I used to work retail for 3 years and trust me I would get people all the time what would request/complain aobut the the strangest things, but at the end of the day it was a business and you need to make the customer feel better so you can make more $$$. Plus, lots of times (as we know) people just want to think they won - and to those people, I say fine, if it's that important to you, you do that. But just because this bride is wrong doesn't mean everyone at her wedding thinks so. There is the chance that someone really liked it and knows the bride is crazy so doesn't pay attention to what she says and orders from you.
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post #81 of 108
7/14/07 at 9:02am
You have no reason to feel badly about your cake...it is beautiful!! The colors are what make it look less classy than the others, not the execution or design...and thats all on her bad taste!! I agree that you should send an email with a small discount on a future cake and leave it at that. Customer Service is very important. It may not satisfy her and she may not reccommend you but thats her loss...you are very talented and be proud of what you created!! Some people just want something for nothing...its sad.
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post #82 of 108
7/15/07 at 1:38am
I just showed your photos and the sample photos to my husband (the most objective person I know, lol) and his opinion was that your cake was exactly the same - but the colours (that she chose btw) were the only difference he could pick.

I am sure that it is the color way that made her think those crazy thoughts - most ppl cannot picture what a color will look like when made up.

Anyways back to your problem - since you are trying to start up a business I would apologise and then find out exactly what she is expecting you to do now....

Remember, unhappy ppl tell everyone.. icon_sad.gif
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post #83 of 108
7/15/07 at 2:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ccr03

After reading this very long thread icon_smile.gif, I've got a few things to say.

1. Great Cake
2. DON'T STRESS about it! Trust me, I know how hard it is to not take this stuff personally, but you can't. Yes, it's your work, but it's not you.
3. I would respond with the following.
"I am terribly sorry you were not completely satisified with your cake. I try my best to make every cake a special and memorable piece of art. It is unfortunate that you were so unhappy with the cake. However, at this point I can only offer, alongside with my sincere apologies, a XXX discount on your next cake order.
Once again, I am sorry you were not fully satisfied with your cake. I hope the rest of your evening was a memorable one and wish you the best in your new life with (Groom's name)."
And after you send her this email, leave it at that. If she doesn't respond, great. If she does, come back and we'll help you figure something out.

Okay, some of you may think why apologize so much if it wasn't your fault, but remember customer service goes a long way! I used to work retail for 3 years and trust me I would get people all the time what would request/complain aobut the the strangest things, but at the end of the day it was a business and you need to make the customer feel better so you can make more $$$. Plus, lots of times (as we know) people just want to think they won - and to those people, I say fine, if it's that important to you, you do that. But just because this bride is wrong doesn't mean everyone at her wedding thinks so. There is the chance that someone really liked it and knows the bride is crazy so doesn't pay attention to what she says and orders from you.



Never say sorry instead say I .apologize... I was told thats an opening for someone to say something negative..other than that very well said
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post #84 of 108
7/15/07 at 3:21am
tatania199 - your cake is gorgous! Dont let her opinion upset you. Your cake is very well done from start to finish. Some people are only happy if they are complaining.
Debby TCL
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post #85 of 108
7/15/07 at 3:50am
WOW i have never seen a cake like that before and am blown away by your rendition of it well done you it is gorgeous...

In regards to her comment about it not being as decorative as the pics she had given i would only think that could be due to the colour change to what she had as you appear to have just as much decoration as those pics but as we all know colours can be decieving and maybe that is the key.

Keep your chin up and be proud of that cake it was awesome...
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post #86 of 108
7/15/07 at 6:32am
Hi Fellow Canadian,

It sounds to me that the bride is blaming her poor choice of colors on you.The cake you did was a perfect replication of the pics she sent.Maybe she thought the embelishments would be BC instead of royal icing which will always break off! I would only offer a small discount or cake and leave it at that.Obviously anything you do isn't gonna to be enough to make her happy.You fulfilled your end of the contract and the cake was lovely...colors I'm not so sure of but you didn't pick them.As for cost...my mom charges $10.00 a sqaure inch to cover cakes in fondant so the price was right on for that cake!! It sounds like she had this fairytale vision of cutting the cake and feeding it to her groom..Yadda....Yadda...Yadda....Bridezilla!!!
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Busy Bakin Kakes For Kids!!!

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post #87 of 108
7/18/07 at 2:11pm
BEAUTIFUL!! Simply Beautiful work.

I agree w/ others that the colors SHE picked(Did I mention SHE was the one that picked them??) did not do the DESIGN justice. The technique, the flowers, design all WONDERFUL !!

She must have been bored at her own reception............to have time to inspect the cake over so well and listen to her guests complain (or she didn't sever enough adult beverages and they were mad, hahaha)

Don't be so hard on yourself. Your cake is WONDERFUL. Wanna see a bad cake, look at my pics hahaha
Judi

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Judi

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post #88 of 108
7/19/07 at 1:37pm
I think your cake looked utterly marvelous! I am sorry the bride complained I cant see a thing wrong with the cake, its gorgeous you did a magnificent job. thumbs_up.gif
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post #89 of 108
7/19/07 at 1:50pm
I found that kathy kakes website and here are a few more of the pictures of that style cake in different colors.

and her website is http://www.kathyskakesllc.com/ so she gets the proper credit icon_smile.gif
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post #90 of 108
7/20/07 at 8:33am
I won't gon on about what a lovely job you did, but I will throw in two cents about being a dissatisfied bride--you document it! My spouse and I used the same seamstress for my dress alteraltions and her custom suit. Both turned out to be a disaster. Let me assure you that photos accompanied our complaint letter--hard to argue with crooked lapels and and fabric shredded by a poorly done seam. If you're really unhappy, you ask your photographer or a friend to get a pic so that you can deal with it later and not let it ruin you day. If you're mildly disappointed and know that it's your own doing, you b*tch later and hope you can get someting for nothing icon_wink.gif
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