I met with a lady at my church a few months ago. Se was ordering a cake for her parents 25th anniversary. We talked while mom and daughter argued over this cake. I left it open for her to think awhile and get back to me.
I happened to be at church and had cake scraps I brought for a snack for some friends. I let the mom taste them and she said my cake was dry for her taste. I never heard anything back after that. well last week the daughter calls to see if I can still do the cake. We talk about everything and she kept saying next weekend. I assumed I was tracking and hung up and ordered the whip cream and picked up some other things the next day.
Well much to my surprise I get a phone call this saturday and it is the daughter, looking for her cakes. The party was this week end!!! I was downtown at a bridal fair and just floored. I hurried to Sams and bought two sheet cake and a bucket of whip topping, some fresh flowers. Well in the parking lot of Hobby Lobby my friend scrapped the cakes as I ran in to buy supplies. We iced them and put fresh flowers on them( all in the back of my dh suv) I delivered them, cried apologized and left. I came home and made a small version of the wedding cake and delivered it the next day to their Sunday School class- no charge for anything. I am out $100 and I was only going to charge $50 for two 11x15's and a 6 in round.
I said all that to say this. I know I should have been more specific in the date and a contract, lesson learned!!!! Did I do enough? I don't want my name to be mud around my church. WHat else can I do?
Thanks for your suggestions. I was about ready to quit after this, then today I got a call for four more orders. I also know eventually I will laugh about this, my friend suggested mobile cake decorating- a new idea but the 50 bees trying to kill us would sway me from this career choice!!

Yes, I would say you've done plenty. That should more than atone for your scheduling "sins". I have never done a contract, as I am just selling a few cakes here and there (I know, I should), but I do always repeat the day and date to confirm. If they say next Saturday, I say next Saturday, September 30th? and wait for them to cofirm.

Don't beat yourself up. Just learn from this. I have done this once before and now I make sure I have dates written down so no one is confused.

I think you did everything you could have done....that next and this weekend stuff is confusing, even though its Monday I would say next weekend also...I never say this weekend unless its Saturday and I am referring to either that day or the next...but that can be so subjective, I think the moral of the story (as you stated) is to make sure that you have the date down for sure....

I am new and never sold a cake, but I can only imagine how bad you felt....how did they react to what you have given them?

They were very gracious about it and were thankful for what I did do. Of course they offered to pay me but I could never accept it!
A few people told me how great the cakes tasted!! Uh thanks Sam's is a really great baker ( not)

I think that you did everything that you could and we need to remember that we are human and sometimes make mistakes. THe only thing I think you may be able to do extra is mail a certificate for some off their next order that way they are more likely to use you a gain and you can totally wow them them next time. Just learn from this experience an dmake the best of it. This kind of thing happens to everyone.