Help with a upset customer - Page 4

I am new to decorating, also. I would never feel at this point that I could accomplish a paid wedding cake. That said, without pictures of what the cake looked like or what she wanted, I feel that I would probably agree to refund her money, less the delivery fee. What she happy with the taste of of the cake, at least? I am quite sure SOMEONE took a picture of the cake, because as a previous poster said, if it were me--and I were really upset about the cake--I would want a picture to show how "bad" I thought the cake was. Anyway, I have to agree, that i, myslef, would refund her money and chalk it up to a learning experience. This will save your reputation, especially if you come from a small town. Also, the list of "things I learned from this experience" that another person posted was excellent. I am really sorry this happened to you...this is exactly why I am terrified to attempt something like that (although my skills are no way near that level yet).

Something I don't think you mentioned was whether your car was adequately air conditioned for the transport. The bride is saying the center was air conditioned but it sounds like the cake was melting when it arrived and they moved it closer to the cooling vents to prevent further damage. While she should have taken a picture of the damaged cake to justify her complaint I wonder if the condition was such that she just didn't want her wedding cake photos to be of a cake that was not what she wanted or wanted memories of. While I personally think I would think to get a picture of a damaged cake, I also wouldn't want this to ruin the reception for me. And a brides moods can tend to rub off on the guests. Beautiful as a bride wants it to be the cake really isn't or shouldn't be the most important thing about the reception, in my opinion.

This bride seems to be reasonable about this. If you don't have a picture of an unmelted or otherwise undamaged cake at the time of delivery and set up I think you should giver her at the least the 50% refund she's asked for. If you know in your heart that that cake was melting when you set it up then you have to assume that the damage she talks about was a direct result of it's getting too warm during transport. A melting cake can do some significant shifting before it begins to set up when transfered to a frig even. I think you should chalk this up a learning experience and do what you can to save your reputation in the making. Next time make sure you run your car long enough to cool it well before transporting a cake. It's that all important "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" thing.

I know there are plenty here who transport cakes already assembled, but personally I always transport mine with each cake in a separate box/container and put it together on site. This may change some after I start using my stress free supports but I doubt it.

Better safe than sorry.

I believe you should refund half. To me it sounds like your transportation was not adequately cooled to travel with someones wedding cake. I live in a tiny hot, hot,hot little west Texas town, but I still drive the route before delivery to see exactley where I need to be. If I agree to deliver someones wedding cake, then that is my responsibility to keep the cake cooled during transport, and repair any damage incured. Driving on a dirt road and "up a mountain" is going to damage a tiered wedding cake.

I didnt sound like the bride was trying to be unreasonible. If I were a bride I dont think that I would be i would be in the frame of mind to think "quick! Grap the camera and take a picture of this melting cake!" It is my responsibility to take pictures to prove the condition of the cake at time of delivery, even if I have to grab a cheapy one at the dollar store.
I feel that I should be honest and realistic about my skill level.

I was at a resturaunt not long ago, and half the way thru with my meal, I found a hair. I complained to the waitress and she said "well, you ate it didnt you?"
One more time I was eating refried beans at a mexican food resturaunt and bit a huge rock the size of a pea! My husband compained, yet we were told "Well, you ate it" I dont think it is right at all for anyone in the food service business to be able to just toss those words around, when there is a complaint. Especially when the complaint is lagitimate.

Try to let this be a learning experience. Be fair and honest about everything that happened. Practice, practice, practice. Read, read, read.
Bake lots of cakes a give them to friends & family. Improve with each one.

Shelly

I just hate that this happend the way it did. I am also new to making cakes, I plunged in with wedding cakes -self taught -well, everyone from these forums and Wilton's forums have helped a great deal! Anyways. I have my first cake for a stranger coming up at the end of the month so I am pretty nervous about it. It's kind of scary reading what has happened to some of you. I was trying to think of what I would do if it were me in this situation and I was hoping to share my opinion, I'm just not sure what that is. Everyone has such great points they are making and it has helped me to learn to cover all my bases! I really hope things work out for you - it's hard to put so much work into something, knowing that it is a very big aspect of the most important day in someone's life, and then it ending in an unhappy bride. Just do what you think is best. If you truly feel at fault for any part of it then a partial refund is a way to resolve that. I hate when I hear "the customer is always right" b/c they aren't ALWAYS right but if you do work something out to make that customer happy then they will remember that.

There is a statistic on customer service that I read about once that said if a customer goes to an establishment(let's say a restaurant) and has a good experience they are likely on average to mention that good experience to 4-5 people. If a customer has a bad experience they are likely to tell around 12 people!